What's the best strategy for posting on Vocal?

Very good

I love that this got Top Story!! Congrats :) I used to think about these things as lot more, but it got so overwhelming trying to juggle life, writing, promoting, engaging, etc. Now? I just post when I want. The only exception is for the interviews as I try to stagger them a bit. I notice too many in a short period often get a lot less reads despite promoting on other platforms. I do find Twitter and Instagram to be great sources for more readers that aren't necessarily creators. I also have an author page on fb that I hope has more readers than creators. I've been on Vocal now since June 2021. I find the commenting and notifications features to really help get reads and bolster creator interaction. I think the fb groups do as well to a point. There are quite a few groups that are for creators and readers, and some more for just creators. I stagger how I interact with those. I think it's about finding some balance :) Here is my first story on Vocal...a bit rough, but I still love it. https://vocal.media/fiction/the-heap (which is fiction) Here is my latest (fiction piece to compare):https://vocal.media/fiction/whispers-of-phantom-song I will have to check out yours too!!

This is a great post and many of your worries are the same as mine. I really have not been able to figure out a strategy. As for your questions. 1. I have been on Vocal apparently since March 2021. So there you go. 2. My posting is sometimes consistently for weeks and then there will be gaps. I really would rather post at least once or twice a day or every two days, but life interferes. Mainly because my WIPs are filled with stuff that is either destined to become something, is something or might be something if I can figure out what to do with them. 3. It is a mixture of fun and as a potential income thing. I have worked as a content writer without credit for like 12 years, so wanted to start getting credit for my own stuff. I originally wanted to write as a way to focus on thought pieces, personal stuff and fiction, but then discovered, to my horror, that I actually like writing poetry. 4. I honestly don't know. I've done spells of posting and then sharing on social media like Twitter and Facebook, but recently I've been away from social media, so just relied on the kindness of subscribers. There has been a small difference in terms of readers, for sure. 5. I post whenever I have stuff I feel is ready to post, which is why it can be a bit shit-crazy at times in terms of posting two or three in a day, or more. Not being bigheaded, but most things I sit on, I want to put out there. 6. I am generally not happy with the engagement I get, I always feel there is room for improvement. I think I need to go back to Facebook and the groups, because that always helped get more eyes on the work. 7. The importance of social media is both overstated and accurate. I think. Some people, though, have a reasonable and steady engagement going without it, but it is a good way to get people looking. I think you're right to a point, there are some differences in the membership of the Facebook groups though, so I usually just post to them all, just incase and it also depends on what they see in their feed. So someone in three groups might not see the post in all the groups, I think...I could be wrong on that. 8. I am not really using my Instagram so can't speak of that. Twitter did produce some engagement for me. 9. Ah, the first thing I wrote was a non-fiction piece - https://vocal.media/journal/writing-under-my-own-name-for-the-first-time-really basically an introduction. The most recent thing I posted was today (Wednesday) and is a poem for the Sensational Challenge - https://vocal.media/poets/there-s-magic-tonight Sorry for the ridiculously long reply!

Hi L.C.! I've been meaning to respond to your questions, if you're still open to them. This story struck a chord and a flurry of engagement. Well done. 1. I've been writing on Vocal since February 2021, in the middle of the Little Black Book Challenge 2. That depends on the project. If I have no project, then maybe once every 1.5 weeks. My current project sees me posting 3x a day 3. This is for fun, but not for living income. Vocal is, first and foremost, a tool. Use it to sharpen your saw, build an audience and network with creative people. Any prize money, bonuses, reads and/or tips are just that - bonuses. 4. I have no strategy on posting save to post enough to tell people I'm still alive. Though, if I have a project that sees me posting multiple times a day, I will stagger it (morning, noon and evening). 5. Once again, depends if I am working on a project. 6. I am happy with the engagement I receive. It encourages me to not only write more but read the works of others 7. I am on both. However, I do not post by stories on Instagram and I rarely post by stories on Twitter 8. Oh boy. https://vocal.media/theChain/the-ironkey The first entry https://vocal.media/fiction/scented-memories The most recent I'll need to read the ones you shared and the ones below. Thank you for letting us all engage with you. Take care :)

I have been subscribed to vocal.media since September of 2021, and I have 223 stories written altogether.

Excellent article! I appreciate things like this jthat help us analyze what seems to be working for us and what doesn't. 1. Since about January or February? Less than 4 months? 2. I post intermittently, when the hook of creativity buries itself in my skin and reels me in. Depending on how much I end up likely it myself or if it's for a challenge will dictate how much I try to promote it. 3. Mostly for fun and to keep the creative juices flowing. I would like to eventually publish a novel and find this site helpful in developing my writing. 4. I think the only way that really works here is to lavish others with comments and insights and likes in hopes they reciprocate, until you build your own subscription following. It seems very daunting, honestly. I wish Vocal had some dort of "highlighting newcomers" section or challenge. 5. I tend to show up only when inspiration really strikes. You won't find me here posting daily. 6. I could be a bit happier with more views and engagement (I am one of the types that doesn't shy from critiques. Imagine that, an ego okay with criticisms!). But I could also build my following more, which is what I plan to keep doing. Be relentless with quality seems to be the name of the game. 7. It's important to self promote on social media, otherwise your postings are lost in the miasma of the same top stories and posters and never seen. 8. No insta or Twitter for me, only Facebook. Maybe at a later time. 9. My first posting ever was for the time traveller challenge. Came onto the platform hot and ready to go! https://vocal.media/fiction/the-nameless-dg6jb108vd My last submission besides the microfiction was this sobering personal experience i related for the passing ships challenge. https://vocal.media/serve/the-man-outside-the-box

Just want to point out that you may not always be in control of when your story publishes. It’s been pretty seamless for a bit, but back in the day your story could sit in review for hours (or even days). And while much rarer now, my microfiction piece still sitting in review for almost 48 hours now proves it can still happen 😅

hey L. C. - I post when I have something to say, usually for a challenge. They keep me writing, the prompts often sparking my imagination for a new direction in either poetry or prose. My goal is to be come a better writer. i do not get the "engagement" I would like, but I often do not write what the "masses" like...I have had one top story that was never intended as such; I have many way better pieces that never received any recognition. My first story has zero reads and the last one has had 5 they were both for a prompt where you must use an existing first line. They are both decent, I think (although the first one is mistitled, but whatever). some people have a whack ton of reads and many top stories- is the writing good? You be the judge. Posting on vocal and how you do so depends, I guess, on your intention. keep writing though - I do like your work.

Just wondering, since I saw you read both and hearted, do you think I have improved and which do you like more? I like feedback from readers.

Congrats on top story! 1. I've been here since November 2020 2. I post when writer's block isn't kicking my butt. 3. This is for fun AND some extra money for me. 4. I have no good strategies for posting... My reads per day are usually 0-3. 5. I write when I have some sort of inspiration, typically from conversations or thoughts and feelings. 6. I'm not quite as happy as I'd like but I need to write more for people to really see my work. 7. I have Instagram but not Twitter and there hasn't been a change since I started using it. 8. first: https://vocal.media/poets/bipolar-disorder-oo831e05zh most recent: https://vocal.media/poets/date-with-the-devil-at5e0wj2

nice

I write for fun. I Met a lot of wonderful writers on vocal. Instagram is the best place to get your story recognition if you are all about promoting your story. Facebook, is where are engaged and socialize. That’s my take.

1. I've been using Vocal on and off for about two years, but I've been actively trying to use it more frequently. I initially created the account to enter writing contests, which spark joy and motivation for me. 2. I only post when I'm inspired. I can't force myself to write when I'm not feeling it. Some contests get my creative juices flowing, while others leave me more frustrated than when I started. I always attempt to enter each one, but I probably enter them 50% of the time. 3. This is fun, but it also acts as a portfolio. I have degrees in English Creative Writing, so when searching for jobs that require writing, I do point potential employers to my vocal page. It would be fantastic to gain traction on this site as well, but I haven't actively been trying to push my work too much. I'll share it on Facebook here and there, and I enjoy talking with other authors in the community. 4. I genuinely have no idea. I don't have a strategy, but I'm definitely reading all the comments on this post to find some good ones ;) 5. I do not post consistently, but I wouldn't say I wait for something stellar either. I just wait for inspiration to strike, then I go with that flow, wherever it takes me. Sometimes it's mediocre, other times I walk away from the computer feeling proud. 6. I only get engagement when I post my story on social media. I would like to get more organic engagement, but there are so many creators, it's hard to stick out. I thoroughly enjoy the camaraderie between authors on the site when I do get engagement, and every comment gives me a smile. 7. If you want engagement, then posting on socials is an absolute must. I very, very, very rarely get organic clicks without promoting my own work on Facebook. 7.2 I am on Twitter, and I post my story links, but my twitter followers and vocal audience do not overlap, so I get very few views through Twitter. 8. I don't even want to share! It was a horoscope for a vocal+ contest. My first few posts were nonfiction, and ironically, my most recent post is nonfiction. To put it in perspective, I never attempted to write a fiction novel when I first posted on vocal. My most recent vocal story is about how I've just finished a book. It's been a fun couple of years, and I'm excited to continue on my vocal journey. Thanks for such an insightful, community-building post!

This is a very interesting use of audience participation here! So, to answer: I've been using Vocal for 5 years. Last year I posted once a week, this year it's once every other week. It's mostly fun for me, but I do like that once in a blue moon payment I can cash for some ice cream and a shirt. Best strategy: Consistency, good length (1500~ words), and good grammar. I post consistently because I work ahead with ideas I've been stewing on. But if you work better, write fresher, by waiting for the lightning strike to hit, then you do that. Even if you're a "rare but there" poster, there's an audience for everyone, so long as you write with joy and interest. I'm content with my engagement, love the odd and random spikes of interest lol. I post on Twitter, and it's important to post on SM since you never know who might be interested! Who knows how many subscribers came from my Twitter? My first story:( https://vocal.media/horror/so-here-is-why-the-cabin-in-the-woods-is-one-of-my-favorite-horror-movies ) and my last story: ( https://vocal.media/horror/we-re-halfway-to-halloween )

Great Article I don’t remember all the questions but here goes I’m happy with the views I would always love more. I’d have to look up my first story, I’ve definitely grown as a writer. My strategy for posting is to read others like crazy afterwards. For me vocal is a place for an amateur writer like me to finally get their work out there.

Visit my article : https://vocal.media/petlife/a-cat-story-g41m803rz

Congratz on making Top Story! I like this idea of getting to know other writers strategy. Here I am participating in the fun: 1. I have been on Vocal for almost 2 years. This year will mark my second year. 2. Currently, I post at least once a week. I want to increase to twice, but because I also do writing contests, sometimes I just do not have the time. I do make sure I post at least once. 3. It began as a hobby, but I am at the point where I am trying to make a career out of writing. I aspire to be a novelist, but for right now I am going to put together a collection of short stories. This summer I am planning to draft a novella and then publish it next summer. 4. Best Strategy: I have no clue. Whatever best fits what you want to obtain from the site, I guess. Clueless on this one, myself. 5. See number 2. 6. For the most part, I have been content with it. Every time I make Top Story, I do gain a few more subscribers and more reads. 7. To reach my goal of transforming writing from hobby to career, it is VERY IMPORTANT to post on social media. I am trying to gain a fan base, so when I publish a book, there will people who will want to support and purchase. 8. Both were for writing challenges: Most recent: https://vocal.media/horror/the-last-weekend-at-home First Post: https://vocal.media/fiction/shiro-s-hunt

1. I joined Vocal in March of 2021 for the lLittle Black Book challenge. That entry was my second short story I’d written,. That first year I only posted two stories. Later I put it in the Fiction Awards, and it got me a free year. Boo hoo, the year is up. Haha 2. Fits - I don’t put any pressure on myself to post. 3. Fun. Plus it gives me the chance to participate in challenges. I enjoy a lot of the prompts. 4. I’m not sure there is a strategy. I just post what I want and hope for the best. 5. This is funny, but all my popular pieces, especially the few Top Stories have been so impromptu, and written fast. I’ve made the correlation that if I struggled on it he piece, it falls flat. There is a lesson here. 🤣 6. Yes. That’s why it’s exciting to get the exposure of a Top Story. Chance for more people to read my work. That’s a rush! 7. I think the potential of the social media reach can’t be ignored. I have gotten comfortable sharing my stories on my personal accounts. I have Facebook, IG and Twitter. It might be a lot of the familiar names in the groups, but I see more and more newer names post, so that’s fun. Otherwise I’d never find them, especially if it’s not a Top Story. Plus, I really enjoy reading all the great content from the people I’ve found in the groups. I want to support as many as I can, and make some friends, too. 8. The first story I posted on Vocal, https://vocal.media/criminal/my-dog-skip 9. Not the last fiction, but maybe next to last, https://vocal.media/fiction/tattooed-mona-lisa This was a fun exercise L.C.! And I really enjoyed your You Write what You Read article, too.

I've been here for about two years. It took a lot of courage for me to post my first short story here- it's called "The Pastor's Mountain Pass." I really want to grow an audience. I've had very mild success (one of my pieces got runner-up in the runaway train challenge (Horace Maxim)). I received Top Story for a poem I wrote about three months ago (Summers by the Pool) and another piece was featured as well (Last Stages of Editing). I find Vocal useful for the challenges as writing prompts to keep my skills sharp and improve. Like with anything else these days, it feels like the algorithm (maybe people?) pick and choose what others see and how much success you get with it. I promote my writing adventure on Insta as well (@darbythefish if you want to see me work on writing my books). I highly recommend my latest poem (Dear Me). It is pinned on my page along with my two other most popular pieces. Thank you for writing this and congrats on getting top story!

congrats for top story

You first story is fantastic :) Lots of diamonds in the rough, truly! Wonderful descriptions, good characters. I find story writing tough but I haven't learned all the "tools" yet. It is not awful! I would guess that even seasoned writers put out "stinkers" every once and awhile. All about the process!

I think it has been about 6 months? I post when I can. I have a full-time job that perhaps I would consider quitting if I could get paid writing off the ground. I don't see that happening anytimne soon. I am looking for positive feedback to make my writing better. You can't get better unless you "critique" with other folks. It also helps build an audience who likes your work (maybe?). I don't like to post until I truly FEEL what I have writtien. Sometime I don't worry so much about punctuation and sometime I am anal as hell! It is a good way to learn. In the beginning (my opinion) you need to get to know other people and learn from them if you want to grow in your own writing (support network). I have posted a few times on facebook but no one really reads except a few friend/family. I would LOVE ideas from others as to how to get your work out there! I barely use twitter or instagram (probably ages me a bit :D) I agree too, I can't figure out what resonates with others and what makes a "top" story, but being so new I still have a lot of learning to do! I have writtin in the past...dusting it off and moving forward. Mostly poety so looking to learn other genres, especially short story/novel. I do love memoir too. Anyway, that my long-winded intro. I am not short on words (good and bad sometimes!). Thank you for the post and asking questions we ALL wonder about :)

Great Story, L.C! I've been on for about two years and pretty inconsistent. I started using V+ for one of the challenges - the Doomsday challenge really spoke to me, and I submitted my story Suffering (https://vocal.media/fiction/suffering-eon6a0i5g). I still love that piece and stand by it! I know you've been reading my recent stories, but I'll post for anyone else my most recent - Bad Cop (https://vocal.media/fiction/bad-cop-i81ih0jfl). I find that the challenges really help me kick off my writer's block. I love the slim chance of winning, and I love to see when my stories really connect with people! Vocal has been keeping me writing even when I'm depressed.

Awesome piece, L.C! I loved your questions and am excited to read some of the answers! I have been on vocal since January of this year for the Full Moon Challenge (found Vocal through Instagram) I post one-a few times a week at this point, although the past has been inconsistent. I try to write for every challenge, and then whenever the wind blows some words through my ears. I'm here for fun, and building up my writing muscles again. Every penny helps, so I'm excited for the potential to make money! I've found that genuine engagement with other writers has helped me build a group of subscribers that actually connect with my content. I comment on things that I find resonate with me, and I think those same people have found that they resonate with my work as well. I sometimes post to my personal social media (instagram/fbook). I only have a couple followers from Vocal, the rest friends and fam, so I get some unique reads from that. I am a part of two of the Facebook groups, but my social media time is so inconsistent and limited that I don't post there often. I'm sure it would help my reads if I posted more consistently! Here's my first poem. Wrote it fast as I joined a day before it was due, but it was a real dream so it came out kinda quickly: https://vocal.media/poets/surrender-88dqmq0afb Here's my latest poem: https://vocal.media/poets/veil-of-experience Thanks for this! Also, I read your first piece and thought it was great! I'll read your newest when I get home today!