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May 303 min read
How to write commentary on shorter-than-usual pieces
By Riya Bajpai A few months back, I recall receiving that dopamine-inducing notification in my inbox from Polyphony saying that I was...
May 69 min read
"Train Car”
Introduction by Renee Chen "Train Car" by Vita Grinechko Introduction What is war? When it comes to war, we tend to think of the big...
Apr 152 min read
Q&A: To what extent do you think writing should represent "real life?"
By Taili Gao What I love the most about writing is that it has no limits. We are free to invent our own worlds according to our own...
Apr 14 min read
“Birthday”
Introduction by Julian Riccobon "Birthday" by Sviatoslav Odarchenko Introduction Think back to the earliest birthday you can remember....
Mar 262 min read
Winter Issue 2024 Inside Look
Art by Cecilia Yang Introduction by Julian Riccobon Video Clips by Cloris Shi and Andrea Granata Video Editing by Rowan Manley Polyphony...
Mar 157 min read
Editing Taylor Swift Lyrics Using Polyphony Guidelines
By Rishi Janakiraman It’s 6th-period Trig class when I overhear a group of girls erupt in laughter, their chairs leaning back while our...
Mar 46 min read
"Bloomworld”
Introduction by Claire Nam "Bloomworld" by Mykyta Ryzhykh Introduction Oftentimes, media and mass attention is loudest at the crux of the...
Feb 63 min read
How to Write Concise Feedback
By Ruby Seidner As Junior Editors for Polyphony Lit, we are responsible for writing both Specific and General Commentary for each...
Dec 18, 20233 min read
How Creative Writing and College Essays are More Similar Than You Might Think
By Nicole Liao The college application process—half a year of extremely stressful grueling work—is, sadly, something all of us have to...
Dec 11, 20235 min read
"There's no such thing as a miracle, Maria said"
Introduction by Oliver Li "There's no such thing as a miracle, Maria said" by Diana Kondratovets Previously published in the Reflect...
Nov 13, 20239 min read
“I Live with a Terrorist”
Episode 11 of Wake up, the War is Here: "But there is more to me than my bones; there is power and legacy to my dust."
Oct 13, 20233 min read
"Facts" and Other Poems
Episode 10 of Wake up, the War is Here: "It burns, screams, and bleeds
among panel ruins—the country's heart"
Sep 19, 20233 min read
10 Practical Tips for Poets Beyond the Page
By Saanvi Mundra 10 Practical Tips for Poets Beyond the Page Many of us have this misconception in the back of our heads that poetry is...
Sep 4, 20232 min read
Your Life as a Narrative: A Guide to Creative Nonfiction
By Erin Yoo Creative nonfiction can sometimes be a difficult genre to pinpoint. It requires the use of traditional narrative elements as...
Aug 29, 20235 min read
Editor Can't Decide Whether to Accept or Reject a Piece (Humor)
By Sreya Nistala After a week jam-packed with exams, essays, and group projects you had to carry, you finally find the time to settle...
Aug 14, 20233 min read
Submitting to Writing Contests
By Grace Zhang Beads of sweat dripping down my neck, I slowly moved the cursor to the bottom of the screen to login. An explosion of...
Jul 31, 20233 min read
The Time Traveller's Guide to Parallel Narratives
By Renee Chen Though only recently popularized in filmmaking by Hollywood directors, parallel storylines have long been used by novelists...
Jul 24, 20233 min read
Poetry Analysis for Beginners
By Jiye Back Poetry is a unique and expressive form of writing that has been used for centuries to convey a range of emotions and ideas....
Jul 16, 20232 min read
Empathy Amid a Crisis
Episode 9 of Wake up, the War is Here: Watch Reflect Empathy's interview with young writers from Ukraine.
Jun 26, 20235 min read
"The Light Saga"
Episode 8 of Wake up, the War is Here: "Let the car spin with the snowflakes. Get out quickly. Silently. Never really become refugees."
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