Why I'm saying Goodbye to Vocal

When I first discovered Vocal, it was like a dream come true. A place where I could write and get paid for it? Sign me up! My blossoming love for movies and movie review only further fostered my love for this platform and, when it started out, it was all fun and games. I was in college, Vocal had me in what one could call their Newbie's Spotlight, and the easy money had me feeling like Scrooge McDuck swimming around in his pool of cash. In my delusions of grandeur, I thought that if I kept it up, I could start making a living wage and forego any post-graduation job hunting.

But as long-time readers of mine will attest, there were times when I'd momentarily hung up the gloves. Be it mental health issues or a need to prioritize school over movie reviews, I've taken breaks from this creator's arena that ultimately didn't last too long. But looking back now with a clearer head, I can see those breaks were the beginning of the end for my time here on Vocal. Between more pressing real-world concerns like the one I've hinted at above and the constant flow of material I felt compelled to review, the dream "job" started to feel more like an anchor tied around my throat. I couldn't much enjoy the thrill of getting a new review posted. I was too busy getting ready to watch the next movie. Between that and the aforementioned flow and an overload is only inevitable.

For a long while, I tried to deny that there was a problem, convince myself that things would just turn around if I just kept "working the grind." But over time, the grind became overbearing. Writing began to feel more like a chore than a passion, as did watching movies, and the Vocal payments weren't increasing enough to allow them to supplement an income. Some months back, an epiphany had me altering my review length in order to accommodate everything. But even then, the review material kept piling up and my stubbornly self-imposed deadlines kept rearing their ugly heads so much that it felt like I'd be in an eternal cycle of trying to keep up.

But a few days of rest have a way of putting a lot of things in perspective. So with that, I'm finally taking my retirement from my side hustle that turned into more of a thorn in my side.

(And consider that last corny pun as my final treat for the road.)

Don't let this last piece of mine think that the Vocal experience has been completely awful or anything like that. In fact, the majority of my time with Vocal has been great. Not only has the platform given me a space to hone my writing and deepen my appreciation for film, but it allowed me a space to raise my voice on real-world concerns that speak to me. It also allowed me to make new friends and introduce an older-than-my-discovery-of-Vocal friend to this platform (that being Clyde E. Dawkins, whose profile and works concerning villainesses, sports, and more can be viewed here). It may have its problems and my time on the site certainly didn't come to a sweet end, but it's still a pretty good site for creators and has fostered a great sense of community. Just don't be naïve and look at it like it's something you can turn into a money machine.

With that, I say farewell. Thank you to everyone who read, hearted, or otherwise gave my content their attention and stood by me throughout this whole crazy journey. I wish you all the best with whatever life has in store <3