I Confess

Introduction

I am listed as a Top Creator in the Vocal Confessions and Beat communities, I have lost count of the number of Top Stories I have received, and I even placed in a Vocal Challenge, but I still don't believe that Vocal themselves consider me a serious creator. That is completely at odds with my Vocal friends and audience.

Maybe it is just my paranoia or lack of faith in my own abilities, though if I don't have faith then why should Vocal?

So this may be some soul-baring, and some complaints and a lot of positive observations.

Remember, I am still with Vocal and don't see Medium or anywhere else as potential publication platforms.

This is also an excuse to share the wonderfully appropriate "I Confess" by The Beat.

So let's dive in.

My Confessions

Confessions don't have to be bad or dark. If they are they can be difficult to deal with for the listener.

Over my two and half years with Vocal, I have been outspoken with my criticisms and am annoyed when they almost completely ignore me when I point out actual faults, sometimes they say it's on the roadmap, but I believe that is a lie.

I have seen them implement so many pointless additions to the interfaces and I don't know anyone who uses the apps or even if they are still going.

But Vocal has implemented a lot of useful improvements, especially the comments section which can majorly enhance and story by bringing other creators into it with their observations.

While Vocal wants interaction between creators by enabling subscriptions, when they introduced notifications with ones for comments and new subscribers they then wrecked it by including publications (which are already in the subscription feed), and have refused to address it (it's on the roadmap), so the only way to deal with that is to reduce your subscriptions to maybe ten Creators. I know a few who have done that and may account for the reads that I have lost, though that could just be that my current subscribers have grown bored with me (I think not).

Also, I think that Vocal's payment system is "unprofessional" to say the least often requiring tickets and emails to actually get a payment on the way to your bank. It does get there eventually, but it is a mess. The Ambassador's payments are supposed to move to your wallet after thirty days but that stopped happening about a year ago and they have done nothing about it. For my last payment, I didn't raise a ticket and it was moved to the wallet, sixteen days late.

I have twelve stories that I submitted for Vocal Resources more than a month ago and have not even received an acknowledgment. I don't mind if Vocal doesn't want to use them, but they are just sitting there not being read by anyone.

The thing is Vocal is a great writing platform, and despite my gripes, they are unlikely to drive me away. I have earned more money from writing than any other platform that I have been on.

It is also open to all readers, though if they are not a Vocal member they cannot comment, which is a good thing. They can still read and that 0.6c drops into your wallet

I have made some wonderful and amazing friends here, and for that, I will be forever grateful to Vocal.

As I said, confessions can be about letting the good stuff out.

Vocal has served as a source for my five self-published anthologies. I have always wanted to publish a book and Vocal helped me to do that.

Conclusion

I would still recommend Vocal to any creator. It may not be the most perfect ride but it is still a good one.