profile

I’m Kat! Professional Storyteller & Neurodivergent Creative

Here to help you vanquish those story construction obstacles, slay that imposter syndrome clawing at the back of your brain & stomp boredom flat with heart-pounding Boys Love fiction. Join the Saga and choose your inbox obsession, whether it’s helpful advice to get your writing unstuck or 500+ words of weekly Boys Love Dark Fantasy to devour during your coffee break.

Featured Post

Give me that tragic backstory baby

KAT VANCIL THE STORYTELLER'S SAGA QUEST 25 Well hello there, Reader! Today we’re talking about tragic backstories. Click to watch the full Reel You know those things that are common in D&D (Dungeons & Dragons) and pretty much every other role-playing game. I guess because happy well-adjusted people aren’t thrill-seeking adventurers? The backstory is usually some page-long saga the player hands over to the GM (game master) and then info dumps to the rest of the party at a tavern in the first...
Read now
7 months ago • 4 min read
‘Whether we exist in real life—or merely on the page—we’re all a sum of our memories and the things we’ve experienced in our lives.’ — Kat Vancil, “Give me that tragic backstory baby”, The Storytellers Saga
‘When a task seems too overwhelming, just break it into a piece that seems achievable to you.’ — Kat Vancil, “50K in 30 days baby”, The Storytellers Saga

50K in 30 days baby 🏆

KAT VANCIL THE STORYTELLER'S SAGA QUEST 46 A month ago past, there was a valiant storyteller who set out on a quest to pen 50,000 words in a month. She knew it was an arduous and daunting task but she armed herself with the infinite knowledges of the digital tomes and the strength of her imagination. Her journey was grand and the words flowed like glittering threads, weaving a fine tapestry of people and places into existence. But soon the Chasm of Doubt opened up and she was mired in the...
4 days ago • 3 min read
‘We’re not climbing Everest. You don’t have to reach the summit to have accomplished something worth celebrating.’ — Kat Vancil, “50K words Maybe I’ll just try next year”, The Storytellers Saga

50K words 😬 Maybe I’ll just try next year 🫤

KAT VANCIL THE STORYTELLER'S SAGA QUEST 45 Over the last week, I’ve seen it more times than I can count, Reader. Dozens upon dozens of fellow Threaders saying mostly the same thing. 50K words 😬 I don’t know if I can do it. Maybe I’ll just try next year." Or It’s already 3/5/7 days in… It’s too late. I’ll never catch up. 😭 " But really, when you get right down and think about it, isn’t that the same as saying: Well if it’s not going to be a NY Times Best Seller, should I even bother writing...
about 1 month ago • 3 min read
‘No one in Gothic Fiction has a happy backstory. Every Legendary Character in a Gothic story already starts out in a state of wanting to return to a time in the past when things were better for them, personally.’ — Kat Vancil, “Spooky old houses, ancient

Spooky old houses 🏚️ ancient curses ⚰️ & the occult 🔮 …so story time right?

KAT VANCIL THE STORYTELLER'S SAGA QUEST 44 OMGs Look at them! They’re like if a pumpkin and a rosebush had a baby!” I shout in delight as we walk up to the Trader Joe’s in the fading light of day. A cool breeze dances through the floral offerings in front of the grocer, making it finally feel like autumn. I turn to my husband. “They’re the littlest pumpkins ever. I wants them.” He gives me this slightly skeptical look of “really?” Cats can eat pumpkins. I watched like half a dozen reels of...
about 2 months ago • 4 min read
‘Gothic Fiction is about the transgression of boundaries and the sometimes horrific consequences of crossing them.’ — Kat Vancil, “It was hauntingly good”, The Storytellers Saga

It was hauntingly 👻 good

KAT VANCIL THE STORYTELLER'S SAGA QUEST 43 It would seem I was the only person in the tri-city area who wasn’t at the movies to see Taylor’s concert on the big screen this past weekend. In fact, so many people wanted to see The Eras Tour we had to drive to the next county over just to find a screen playing what we actually wanted to see, A Haunting in Venice. So how was it, you ask? Well, it was hauntingly good of course. Okay, sorry, not sorry, for the pun there. But seriously, it was...
about 2 months ago • 3 min read
‘For some, it doesn’t matter how many gold stars they collect, it will never be enough. And for them, I suggest collecting stories so incredibly bad they bring you to gasping tears from laughing so hard.’ — Kat Vancil, “Bank this for those bad days”, The

Bank this for those bad days

KAT VANCIL THE STORYTELLER'S SAGA QUEST 42 You know those days, Reader, when you’ve been staring at that blank page for what seems like hours because all your ideas seem dumb? When you hate everything you write. When you only have one review for your newest story. Or worse, none. When you dread hitting the publish button because you’re terrified of what someone might think of your story. Or you. You know the days when you question why you thought this was such a brilliant idea in the first...
about 2 months ago • 4 min read
‘“It’s Banned Book Week, and the number one thing on everyone’s mind—is your book banned?”’ — Kat Vancil, “Wanna see my shelf of Floridian contraband?”, The Storytellers Saga

Wanna see my shelf of Floridian contraband? 🚫

KAT VANCIL THE STORYTELLER'S SAGA QUEST 41 A glamorous newscaster stands before the camera crew, microphone in hand. Tonight we’re coming to you live from Yourtown, America, where it’s Banned Book Week, and the number one thing on everyone’s mind—is your book banned?” She holds the microphone out toward the camera which swings around to reveal a startled author. Um…no.” The camera crew pans back to the newscaster. But would it be, if they knew what was in it?” The author’s gaze darts...
2 months ago • 2 min read
‘Having a lengthy synopsis is great if you’re pitching to an agent or publisher. But if you’re…pitching to a potential reader in a bathroom line…you need a super short pitch for your book.’ — Kat Vancil, “Does it leave you feeling anxious?’, The Storytell

Does it leave you feeling anxious? 😰

KAT VANCIL THE STORYTELLER'S SAGA QUEST 40 Well hello there, Reader! People chatting with friends as they stroll through the park carrying glasses of wine. The high school dance and cheer squads showing off this year’s show-stopping routines in a grassy field. Vendors sacrificing baked goods to the resident Canadian geese in the hopes of earning fair weather from the vindictive sky gods. I’m talking about art and wine festivals, Reader. Those two-day events were 10x10 pop-up pavilions line...
3 months ago • 3 min read
‘This weekend SEP 16 & 17 The Saga Quest will be at the 41st Annual Santa Clara Art and Wine Festival!’ — Kat Vancil, “It’s festival time!”, The Saga Quest

It’s festival time! 🎨🍷

KAT & ALERIC VANCIL THE SAGA QUEST 41st SANTA CLARA ART & WINE It’s festival time, Reader! This weekend SEP 16 & 17 me and my husband will be at the 41st Annual Santa Clara Art and Wine Festival in my hometown. Once again, they’ve graciously invited me to be showcased in their juried selection of artisans and craft persons. You’ll find us in the same location as previous years under the shady trees in our story forge in Booth 140. We’ll have our normal selection of Inspurrational kitty...
3 months ago • 1 min read
‘We forget how nice it is to hear those four little words. Until—as adults—we can no longer remember the last time we heard anyone say, “I’m proud of you.”’ — Kat Vancil, “I’m proud of you”, The Storytellers Saga

I’m proud of you 🥰

KAT VANCIL THE STORYTELLER'S SAGA QUEST 39 I’m proud of you,” my husband says as we’re driving back from the Hunan Chinese place after I’d approved the paperback edition of my debut Boys Love novel Predestined. Click to watch full reel Little did I know Amazon would bork the whole thing and release the paperback a week and a half early, forcing us to move the launch date from the 12th to the 6th 🤦🏻‍♀️) But like I was saying. I’m proud of you—it’s not something we’re used to hearing every...
3 months ago • 5 min read
‘Who knows, that little plot bunny could become your next great series if you’re not running after it like a crazy person with a hatchet.’ — Kat Vancil, “NOOO! Not another plot bunny!”, The Storytellers Saga

NOOO! Not another plot bunny! 🙀

KAT VANCIL THE STORYTELLER'S SAGA QUEST 38 I see things like this every day on Threads, Reader. I wrote 5K words today. But for something I’m not even working on.😭 ” Supposed to be working on my WIP but I started another new story. Again.” Brain you’re being SUPER unhelpful! We’re supposed to be working THE book! You should not be feeding me boy/boy fanfic for the anime we just watched!” Does any of this sound familiar? If it does, then you know we’re talking about plot bunnies, side quests,...
4 months ago • 3 min read
Share this page
TwitterFacebookFacebook
Built with ConvertKit