My Vocal Top Stories

Vocal Updates made this possible

The Vocal platform continuously asks for creator feedback, input, suggestions, and ideas. (Sure, sure, there are other platforms that do that, too, and they deserve accolades, as well. This is on Vocal, though, and about Vocal.)

Some of the new things introduced in 2023 include weekly Creator Chats, where the Vocal Team interact in real time with creators, answering questions and giving updates, and weekly Raise Your Voices threads where creators can uplift other writers and suggest their work for wider exposure and recognition.

Other just-implemented enhancements to the user experience are the Vocal Creator Discord Channel, new Communities, new creator Leaderboard, a Bonus Boosts, Activity feed notifications, a HOST of Writing Prompts, and more.

However, I wouldn't have been able to create this Index (page down if you just want to see that!) if they hadn't made this latest creator-requested enhancement.

Vocal recently (6/27/23) introduced one teeny tiny thing that has been greeted with joy, based on what I can see, universally. It's the addition of a Top Story icon. And not a just a tiny thing with an ambiguous 'TS' or some such! Oh no! It's actually two different designs and even something extra that we'd not considered requesting. In short- they went above and beyond.

The Top Story Banner

The first iteration is the Top Story Banner on the thumbnails pictured on a creator's profile. My first Top Story is shown below, and you'll notice that 'above and beyond' touch: they added the month and year the story was recognized as a Top Story. It's this touch that showed me they took feedback and then created something, not as a knee jerk reaction, but thoughtfully and purposefully.

The In-Story Top Story Banner

Clicking on the listing for the story opens it in the screen for reading, and there is a banner there, too. This banner has a star (and who doesn't like getting stars, I ask you?!) as well as the Top Story designation, and also that cherry on top: the Month and Year.

I appreciate that they did two versions, and placed them in both places that could be the entry point for content. That way folks cruising your profile can be encouraged to read something that was recognized by the Vocal Curation Team as a Top Story. AND- those readers that followed a link to the story, perhaps from a Twitter share, in a newsletter, a Facebook post, or an embedded link in a related story- why those readers will see that they are in for a treat when they notice the star and Top Story right there at the head of the piece.

My Top Story Index

Thanks to this newest enhancement to the platform Vocal has made it easy for me to do this Index, which is something I've considered for quite a while. It will be arranged with the most recent at the first and end up at the Cyber Insecurity piece from 2021 that I have used as an example above.

You will notice that an embedded link does NOT carry the Top Story banner, and I think that's fine. I use embedded links often, in fact sometimes I embed a Vocal story on one of my Medium articles. I don't really want a banner in those cases. The term Top Story is a Vocal term and I am pleased that they have kept it only in the code used on the Vocal site.

I'll update if/when additional content of mine receives Top Story recognition. Each entry will have keyword tags added, too, to make it easy for a reader to find related topics.

April 2024

Book Review/Inspiration/Life/Advice/Change/Courage

March 2024

Writing Prompt/Marketing/Communication

February 2024

Challenge Runner-Up in the Mis-placed Challenge/NOT an actual Top Story/

Writing/Vocal

Microfiction/ Challenge/Snow

January 2024

Books/ Reading/Book Banning/reading Challenges

Book Review/Resolutions/New Year/Gamification/Self Help

December 2023

Loneliness/trauma/depression/poem/(but it ends well! don't be put off!)

Music/Holiday/History

Inspiration/Self-Help/poem

Viva/feminism/social media/aging/daughters & mothers

November 2023

Humor/crafts/social commentary/shopping addiction

Longevity/Diabetes/Health

October 2023

Vocal/Creators/Poetry/Writing

Humans/Dating/Sociology/ Relationships/Trends/Seasons (aka a Boomer tries to keep up with stuff...)

Poetry/Love/Relationships/Life

September 2023

Fiction/Work/Unofficial Challenge

Marriage/Advice/Unofficial Challenge/Communication

August 2023

Challenge/Critique/Books/Banning/Community

Writing/Authors/Vocal/Community/Good News

Challenge/Writer/Community/Life

July 2023

Writing/Vocal/Friendship/Community/Loss/Friendship/The Family YouMake

Fiction/Mythmaker Challenge Entry/Short Fiction

Humor/Confessions/Viva Community/Women/Aging

Motivation/Communication/Kindness/ Self help/Love

Motivation/Writing/Challenge/Fun/Humor

Geeks/Social Media/Threads/FYI/Networking

Poetry/Social Media/Vocal/Manners

June 2023

Motivation/Books Review/Health/ Edutainment

History/Reading/Books/Challenge Entry

Business/Work/Advice/Psychology/Manners/True Story/Journal

AI/Writing/Vocal/Advice/Satire/Policy/Lifehack

--

May 2023

Mr Rogers/Kindness/Motivation/Memories/Family/Childhood/ Pittsburgh

Social Media/Vocal/Writing/Facebook/Journal/Networking

Poem/Challenge-2nd Place/History/FYI

~

April 2023

FYI/Psychology/Business/Facts/'Edutainment'

Poem/Love/Marriage/Life/True Story

~

March 2023

FYI/Poetry/Vocal/Challenge-related/Research/Facts/Writing

~

February 2023

Poem/Facebook/Social Media/Networking/Manners/Vocal

~

January 2023

New Year/Resolutions/Viva/True Story/Social Media/Books

~

October 2022

Poem/Aging/Women/Health/Empowerment/True Story

~

June 2022

FYI/Bookstore/Facts/Research/'Edutainment'

~

October 2021

Cooking/Parents/Treats/Holiday/Teachers

~

September 2021

Fiction/Challenge Entry/Art/Parents

~

Feast/Travel/Pittsburgh/Challenge Entry/Hometown

~

April 2021

Vocal/Facebook/Writing/Networking/Support/True Story

~

March 2021

01/'Edutainment'/Tech/All-too-True

~~~

While you’re here, please do one or all of the following!

1. Leave a comment and share your thoughts. What's your favorite enhancement on Vocal?

2. Click on the little heart to let me know that this clicked with you.

3. Click on the subscribe button and get a FREE notification when my next post goes live.

4. Feel free to share a link to anything I write on your social media.

5. A one-time tip or even a monthly pledge to support my writing is always appreciated if you are so moved!

You can also find me on Medium.