Ding.
My email chimes and I pause, working on my current project to answer it.
A flutter runs through me as I read the subject line: You’ve received a $5 Vocal Bonus.
Hardly able to breathe with excitement, I feverishly click on the email, wondering what I could have possibly earned the bonus for.
I am shaking as I read the contents of the email, telling me I’ve received Top Story.
I feel myself practically vibrating off my chair in excitement as I hungrily lick my lips and hurry to click through the apps on my computer. Navigating my way to Vocal and, sure enough, on the front page, there sat my most recently published story.
I fight the urge to shout in excitement and disturb the peace of the coffee shop I currently inhabit, with my heart racing in my chest.
Next, my eyes flicker to the notifications icon at the top of the screen. It shows that I have more than I’ve ever seen there before. I feel my heart skip a beat in excitement as I stare at the double-digit number of shock and disbelief.
My world feels like it’s at a standstill as the daunting double-digits stare me down and I feel paralyzed in shock. I can’t say how long I sit and stare at the red bubble coming from the notifications icon, but it’s long enough I’m embraced to admit it.
With a long sigh, I regained my composure, looking around the coffee shop to make sure no one caught me drooling over my success. Seeing no one staring, I return my gaze to the computer screen before me. Giving my trusty companion, Mac-royal, as I have named my laptop, a pat of congratulations before I summon the courage to click on my notifications icon.
I spend the next few hours going through and replying to each of the comments. Enjoying my newfound fame and soon-to-come fortune. Eventually, I tire and the coffee shop is ready to close, so I make a note of where I left off and close the tab for the evening. Heading home with a feeling of accomplishment as I see my biggest dream finally about to come true.
That night I slept better than I have in a long time, finally feeling the success of my hard work. Thinking that it could only be uphill from here, I will finally receive recognition for my skills.
But this feeling was short-lived when I checked the next morning and realized that my story had vanished.
Well, not completely. The front page no longer displayed it and my notifications are now slashed by more than half. I was almost back to single digits and my stomach turned itself into knots.
I feel an emptiness as the excitement of yesterday burns off, and I am left with the deafening silence of reality. I didn’t become an international writing phenomenon overnight, not that I expected to. But I had hoped this would at least be a start to my career.
With a sigh of disappointment, I close the tab and tell myself this is a good thing because now I can work on my next piece instead of answering “fan mail”.
I opened my rough draft of the next project I intend to pursue and reminded myself that I’m now Top Story calibre. This one will probably get recognized too.
Right?
Author’s Note:
Although this story is fictional, I am bashful about admitting that this isn’t too far off from the truth. I still remember my first Top Story and the rush I got from it. I also remember how hungry I was to get another and another. But the madness that followed the first one was the worst. It gave me a taste of the recognition I craved for my writing. Even now, I still get excited about a Top Story but I’ve adjusted my expectations to something more realistic.
About the Creator
Donna Fox (HKB)
Thank you for stopping by!! 💚💙💜🩵
If you are interested in longer works by me, I have two books published on Amazon.
Reader insights
Outstanding
Excellent work. Looking forward to reading more!
Top insights
Excellent storytelling
Original narrative & well developed characters
Compelling and original writing
Creative use of language & vocab
Easy to read and follow
Well-structured & engaging content
Heartfelt and relatable
The story invoked strong personal emotions
Masterful proofreading
Zero grammar & spelling mistakes
On-point and relevant
Writing reflected the title & theme
Keep reading
More stories from Donna Fox (HKB) and writers in Fiction and other communities.
"Echoes of Innocence: The Unforgettable Handprints of Arnold's Tale"
In the bustling heart of a vibrant American city, amidst the neon lights and the bustling streets of the early 1970s, lived a man named Arnold. He was a paradox of simplicity and complexity, a man of ordinary beginnings yet destined for an extraordinary fate.
By Jonathan Strydesabout 15 hours ago in Fiction
There is a Thin Line Between Tears of Sorrow and Tears of Joy
I remember when my mother passed away. After the tears from the initial shock, our family sat in the living room and shared memories. We talked about her love and compassion toward others, the lessons she taught us about honesty, and how she taught us the importance of respecting ourselves and others. Then we started sharing memories that made us smile and eventually, each of us began to relax and tell stories that made us laugh.
By Brenda Mahler7 days ago in Humor
Comments (16)
Great read… ‘ I feel an emptiness as the excitement of yesterday burns off, and I am left with the deafening silence of reality.’ So true… of any such times!
Donna . . . this one deserves to be a Top Story. It is so relatable! ALL of us have felt that excitement. We writers are an odd bunch, I think. We have a solitary side to us. Alone, we clack away at our keyboards. Alone, we slip into deep thought exploring new story ideas. Alone, we go through the process of editing, rewriting, and publishing. Yet, it is that connection to others we often seek through our writing. We long for that stamp of approval, that validation. Every story we produce is like a child, birthed from our minds. We convince ourselves that THIS story, the one we are currently working on, may be our best yet. Then, once that honeymoon phase with our new story ends, we begin to convince ourselves that we are inadequate. This entire process is repeated over and over and represents a spiraling madness! Great stuff, Donna!
I don't know if I'm alone in this but I took a screenshot of my first Top Story hahahahhhaha. Because like I couldn't believe it! Like me? Really? Lol. And yessss, that flood of notifications is sooooo relatable! I hope this gets a Top Story! Then it'll be like self full filing propechy! Fingers crossed! 🤞🤞🤞🤞🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰
You and me both. My first top story that I received was from a poem I made for the competition about writing a secret that You never told Your mom. That caused me to go off the deep-end with trying to make poems in new and exciting ways and to look for hidden meanings in various topics and words, yet. The experience was short-lived. Yet, the hunger sort of remained. I've always wondered what made a top story. Sometimes it seems like it's something that just doesn't quite make it into the Winner's circle for competitions, sometimes it's almost as if they'll give us a top story if we're already annoyed with them just to pacify us, and sometimes it's something that just shows that we're writing and have a passion for it but when we don't show as much expressed deliberate control over 1 piece of work in comparison to others they can see the reigns drop as the weariness set in (almost a "put more coals on the fire" moment).
I hope this gets Top Story, Donna. It's so relatable. I remember my first Top Story, it was a Sci-Fi piece called Lodestar Academy; I posted almost a year ago. Just like you described, I salivated with excitement, feeling triumphant and proud of my skills. I've gotten a few more Top Stories since then, yet as validating as it is, it never fills me with satisfaction, because as you said; the recognition is only temporary. Even so, I'm glad to have befriended creators like you. It motivates me to return to the platform each day. <3
I will just say: uh huh! Loved your story.
So many times I hit publish and know this story will be the one to get to the top of the pile only to watch it slide into oblivion. Although my first name is Mark, my last name isn't Twain. Nothing lasts forever or in Vocal's world more than 5 minutes. Great story Donna!
Oh that brutal day - or sometimes hour - after can be crushing! I remember I got one salt in the day, and by lunch it had been swept away ;-; Present, then gone, a moment to never be recaptured no matter how we chase that high. Fallen through our fingers as one of the infinite grains that are the sand in our hourglass of life. Sorry for waxing poetic 😅 I just landed for a layover in Panama and I’m exhausted 😂 Wishing you an awesome day Donna!
That come down! I hear that!
There are so many stories published that the lie of a story is gone in a few days. If people do not notice it in their own publication and actually read it. The story might as well never have existed. I thought my last one was good but alas it now sits in an empty corner of my reads. Damn that adrenaline rush. Well done this should hit Top Story
There's a lot more than quality at play when it comes to top stories imo 🤔
It took me ages to get the first one, so I recognize the rollercoaster ride of emotions. I wonder if it is based on merit...or just persistence? Thank you for this one!
Half my reactions have been something akin to “Wait, THAT ONE? Why that one?” Or “Why that one NOW?” Madness indeed. Probably my greatest disappointment is I got TS with an article promoting someone else’s podcast that I thought deserved way more recognition, but it got very little attention even on the front page, so I doubt it succeeded in driving new listeners for my man JWG Wise. Oh, well. At least I tried.
I'm totally with you Donna😂 ! These little success stories are like a small dose drug to which you become addicted! But it's true that they give an important motivation to go on!
yes, and then, nothingness...ugh
Remember that feeling so well! You captured it perfectly!