1001 Reads for This Vocal Piece!

I've just passed my three year anniversary on Vocal and also just achieved my first 1000+ read story. These things aren't connected; the story that achieved 1000 reads isn't even a year old.

Still, making this milestone cemented some things that I've learned over the past three years.

Things I've Learned Over the Past Three Years on Vocal

1. Everyone has their own reasons for being a Vocal writer/creator. Some people like to see their words in print (ummm; hello?! I certainly do!) Others want to make a fast buck (ummm- nope; but please refer to my third-most-read 'story' about making money on Vocal using AI. That sure hit a cord!)
2. A good title to a piece exists. It doesn't have to be click-baity to be good. It just needs to encourage someone to want to read it.
3. Many Vocal writer/creators like to read about Vocal writing. Not all do, of course, but many do. Many is, in most instances, just enough to matter.
4. If something is working for you/just discovered/a new hack: share it. Document it, give examples, explain why it matters, and share it.

Pro Tip: For instance when you use a slash (or a dash), as I did above, the words connected to each other by the slash only count as one word. Why does this matter? Well, it comes in handy on microfiction and challenges with strict word count. I used it on the entry for a limited word Vocal Challenge. I didn't place, but it was recognized as a Top Story, so I got that going for me. Here's that color-outside-the-box entry, which did clock in at 50 words, despite how long it is!

Applying What I've Learned

For one thing, piping up with suggestions about Vocal is welcomed and possible. I did so through the Creator Chat ( an every-other-week opportunity here on Vocal), explaining that the Creator 101 content was out of date, and offering suggestion to fix it.

I was surprised to get an email from the Vocal team asking for more detail (which I gave) and even more surprised when they asked if I wanted to actually write it. Which I did so I did.

There were originally 8 steps and I expanded them to 10. #6 Maximize Your Earnings is now my most read piece on the Vocal platform.

I did a few of the things I learned:

• straightforward title
• used the subtitle to explain why it matters to you
• broke up the content into Basics, Next Level, Expanded past this platform into the rest of the writer/creator's body of work
• included links within the piece to answer questions as I thought the reader may have them
• engaged with people that made comments, even if I didn't agree with them
• linked to the next post in the series (I often do this in my other writing, to encourage an additional read while they are there. Am I an Enabler? Why yes; yes I am.)
• make changes to this and the rest of Creator 101 as the platform changes

I didn't include a CTA (Call to Action), even though it was one of my tips. That's because Vocal made these posts for me, and TBH- I really wasn't sure that I would earn on these when I agreed to do them. (Dear Vocal: thank you for exceeding my expectations and surprising and delighting me. Please don't take it back. Amen. Love Judey)

I wonder- are there things in the Maximize Your Earnings Article that are new to you?

Have you used Vocal for crowdfunding?

Do you cross-post you content from blogs or other platforms such as Medium?

Do you promote your own product within your work?

Do you use your digital content to enhance your writing?

Please leave me a comment: Let me know your tips for maximizing your Vocal earnings!

Share a link to your highest reads story and tell me why you think it has attracted the most reads. {Yes- I am asking you to share a link AS LONG AS YOU tell me why you think it is so. Let's use this to spread the love.}

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