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Interview With Vocal Creator Extraordinaire: Babs Iversen

A Conversation about The Vocal Social Society and The Ways We All Support One Another With Fun & Games

By Lightning BoltPublished 2 years ago Updated 2 years ago 5 min read
17
Stronger Together!

Hello there! 👋😁 I'm _Bolt!

I am a member of The Vocal Social Society, a group of Vocal authors on Facebook who are dedicated to supporting each other. We are #BetterTogether! We engage with creators to encourage, support, build relationships, and have fun!

The Vocal Social Society routinely spotlights writers in two different ways. First, an author can win the ‘VSS Champion’ weekend. Second, a creator can win ‘VSS Letters & Guess’ and become the host.

Our first VSS Champion was Babs Iverson!

_Bolt: Babs, thanks for agreeing to this interview!

When online, you are truly a Force to Be Reckoned With! You help monitor our VSS group; you read and comment on all the stories submitted by our VSS members; and you are a selfless cheerleader for others every day. It’s no wonder you were declared our first VSS Champion!

Tell me, what was it like to have Championship status for a weekend?

Babs: In one word: AWESOME! Shining in the spotlight was a humbling and rewarding experience. Oh, yes! It was party time, being a host for a weekend with such a fabulous group of creators. Besides my name on the banner....

Babs (continued): ....the Vocal Creators Chronicle featured a story of my choice along with my Vocal profile. During the weekend of January 15 & 16th, my stories could be solo-posted-- giving me the keys to the kingdom, so to speak. In addition, engagement activities could be run at my discretion.

_Bolt: That sounds like a blast! Since January, when the Society first started this way of recognizing exceptional creators, how has it continued to evolve?

Babs: Since my weekend reign, we have had five VSS Champions: Britt Blomster, Sarah Covey, Cindy Hession-Richard, Cathy Holmes, and Paula Shablo- another VSS Champion- will soon be in the spotlight. To become a VSS Champion winner, it’s as easy as supporting, engaging, and encouraging our group members. Of course, the computer system keeps track of the numbers. Thankfully, that doesn’t have to be calculated manually.

_Bolt: Can you explain the second way a creator can shine in the spotlight?

Babs: Being the host of ‘The VSS Letters & Guess’ game puts a creator and their stories in the spotlight. If you are looking for fun and engagement, VSS Letters & Guess fills the bill (no pun intended.) While the host receives reads from the players, the players have a chance to become the next HOST. The article that can best describe the evolution and how to play can be found in VSS LETTERS & GUESS here. 👇

Babs (cont): The article explains the introduction of the game that was played during my VSS Champion weekend. At first, we played every Wednesday, but the game has evolved to every other week on Wednesday and Saturday.

_Bolt: The game is a blast! There is a reason 'Wheel of Fortune' ranks as the longest-running syndicated game show in American history! Was there memorable feedback that you received from the hosts?

Babs: Jason Morton texted me, “Thank you. This was a ton of fun. I enjoyed this almost as much as playing.” Paula Shablo has hosted twice, and she never fails to comment about the fun she has had. Recently, Julie Smith hosted, and again her comment, “that was fun!”

_Bolt: Since there are no cash prizes for winning VSS Champion or as the VSS Letters & Guess host, why would creators want to participate?

Babs: That’s a good question! In my opinion, being in the spotlight helps the creator receive some positive recognition and positive feedback from their fellow creators. Extra reads are a plus too!

_Bolt: Could you please give us some background on our other game on VSS, “Whose Link Is It, Anyway?”

Babs: Yes! Recalling, it was late on a Sunday evening, and Lena, Pam, and I were brainstorming. Lena texted that she wanted a tag game. My reply to her text messaging, “Whose Line Is It, Anyway?” Lena in response said, “Whose Link is it, Anyway?” Pam worked up the graphic image and the rest is history.

Creating a Chain of Good Will & Great Reads

Babs (cont): It’s another easy game to play by encouraging, supporting, and engaging the creators. Read a story or two and then shout-out tag another creator with their story link, which keeps the tag train going. It’s an excellent example of #bettertogether!

_Bolt: I have known you for several months and interacted with you on Facebook, but until we discussed doing this interview, I didn’t know that you were hearing impaired. Have you written about it? Does your hearing loss affect what you do on Vocal or Facebook in anyway?

Babs: Approximately ten months ago, in Confessions, my true story touches on being hearing impaired. The link to My Social Shock Confession can be found here. Hearing-impaired people tend to withdraw from socializing and communicating with abled hearing people. That isn’t a good thing. Vocal and Facebook give the hearing-impaired person a way to communicate. It’s easier to communicate by email and text messages, which helps to eliminate frustrations. There are fewer misunderstandings. For me, the platforms contribute to a better life. Staying in the loop, writing for my kids and grandkids, and staying in touch with people, are all positives for which I AM THANKFUL. ❤️

_Bolt: Finally, what message would you like to send to creators looking to join The Vocal Social Society?

Babs: My message to creators would be that the Vocal Social Society is a fantastic group of caring individuals who want to learn and grow and win! For those that aren’t familiar, my favorite quote is “If you aren’t winning, you are learning!”

_Bolt: I couldn’t agree more! Thanks again, Babs, for collaborating with me on this.

⚡__________________⚡

If you are a Vocal creator looking to hang out with a bunch of other committed authors, all dedicated to helping one another-- Join Us!

The Vocal Social Society

We look forward to meeting you!

_______Bolt

Authors
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About the Creator

Lightning Bolt

From out of the blue, _Bolt writes horror galore, Sci-Fi, Superheroes & strange Poetry + MEME-ing MADNESS X12.

Vocal needs a Comedy Community!

Proud member of the Vocal Social Society on Facebook.

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