Journal logo

How I Feel about Vocal

My Journey with the Platform

By Amethyst ChampagnePublished 2 years ago 5 min read
7
How I Feel about Vocal
Photo by Super Snapper on Unsplash

Vocal Media.

While overall a reliable platform with a welcoming community, it has had some issues, but I'm not going to be discussing that. Instead, I'll be talking about my journey with Vocal.

Why I Went on Vocal

It was the first online writing platform I started to use. I first discovered it in December 2020 while scrolling through my Facebook feed.

It advertised that you could make up to $500 a week, along with its various challenges. Of course, I was on board with it. Who wouldn't want to be paid for writing stories?

And I'd already self-published on Amazon, so I figured this would be another way to put my creativity out into the world without needing to write a full-length novel.

It didn't take me long to sign up and start writing stories. And I've been writing on here ever since.

The Different Features of Vocal Media

Like any other online writing platform, Vocal has plenty of cool aspects that make it stand out.

  1. Views=Money- Like Medium, Vocal gives you money for stories, but unlike Medium, the views don't have to be from the platform. So if you share a story on Facebook or Twitter, no matter who reads it, you'll earn money.
  2. Required Word Count- I know many people hate this, but this pushes writers to dig deeper and create higher-quality pieces. And it's made me a better writer.
  3. Contests- While there are many writing contests out there, there's something about Vocal's that are appealing and fun. And without the pressure.
  4. Word Bank- Many writing platforms don't let you easily see how many words you've written, but Vocal has recently put a word bank for each draft, which makes meeting their required word counts much easier.
  5. Fiction Love- While Medium and others favor non-fiction stories, Vocal supports anything fiction, so you can let your creative flag fly.
  6. Communities- Vocal has different groups where you can place your stories in. But you can only pick one.

Changes I Would Make on Vocal

Of course, despite its continuous progress, Vocal has many ways it can improve user experience. So here are a few ways I think it could be better.

Story Importing

One way is that they should allow writers to import stories from other platforms and documents from Google docs, Microsoft Word, etc.

I mean, wouldn't it be nice not having to copy and paste from places like Word onto Vocal? Because while I write my drafts here, I know many writers don't, which I understand.

And the ability to import links from other platforms (which Medium lets you do) would do Vocal good. After all, we want as many people to see our stories as possible.

Community Hopping

Another thing I think would be awesome is allowing writers to move their stories from one community to another.

When I first started, there weren't a lot of options as to placing fiction stories. The Science Fiction and Humans communities were the main ones, which wasn't helpful since fantasy is my main thing.

So when the Fiction community was released, I was happy, along with everybody else, I assume. And I would love the ability to move all of my fiction pieces into that community, but I can't.

It would also be neat to be able to put stories in more than one community, considering many stories are more than one thing.

So, Vocal, please fix that.

Full Editing Control

Wouldn't it be awesome if you could move paragraphs or sections around without needing to copy, paste, and delete all the time?

Well, I think Vocal should let you move paragraphs around like WordPress or Squarespace.

I've worked on posts on both platforms, as my blog editing job is on WP, and my site uses SS. And I have to tell you it's one of the smartest things ever done for online writing.

It would also be nice to have full access to editing software like Grammarly or ProWriting Aid. Because we all make technical mistakes that we don't always catch.

And on Vocal, Grammarly only shows you the error; you can't correct it with the software extension, so you have to do it manually. And while the quick edit feature is great, it can't replace a second set of eyes.

Was Vocal a Good Decision for Me?

    Overall, I know joining Vocal was one of the best decisions I've made regarding my writing career.

Before I joined the platform, I only wrote fiction stories, which were all within the same universe.

But when I joined Vocal and discovered the contests, it made me want to start pushing and expanding my boundaries as a writer. And even more so as I read other people's stories.

I'm pretty sure much of what I've written wouldn't have happened otherwise, such as The Deviants set, which was created for the apocalyptic challenge but became its own thing and now has a second story, The Defiants.

Or most of my poems, something I swore I wouldn't try to write after my creative writing class in college. But here I am, writing poems every once in a while.

Or anything relating to my personal life, such as The Story of Me or Always the Odd Girl Out. Didn't have the guts to be vulnerable online before.

And if I hadn't joined Vocal, I probably wouldn't have even found Medium, which has also helped me improve.

So yes, I have no regrets about joining and don't plan on leaving anytime soon. After all, I'm one of the people who got Vocal+ free for a year for entering the fiction challenge for my story, The Owl and Me.

Wouldn't want to waste that now. And I don't like to be wasteful.

Is Vocal Right for You?

Well, that depends on your writing goals.

If you're looking for a place to share your creativity and grow as a writer while earning some money, then yes, this is an awesome place for you.

Vocal is great if your primary focus is fiction, poems, or anything on the more creative and whimsical side of writing.

But if you just wanna earn money or treat your writing as more of a business, then you would probably benefit better from platforms like Medium.

However, there's nothing with being on both. I am, and it's interesting to see which stories do better on which site. And I know you'll be surprised if you decide to do both.

Whatever you choose to do, I wish you the best of luck. But keep on writing!

Thank you for the read! Likes, tips, shares, follows, and subscriptions are always cherished.

product review
7

About the Creator

Amethyst Champagne

I create anything from fiction to personal stories, poetry, and more.

Subscribe to The Life of a Gem and The Writer's Corner for exclusive content!

And visit my website if you need help editing your fantastic story!

Reader insights

Nice work

Very well written. Keep up the good work!

Top insights

  1. Easy to read and follow

    Well-structured & engaging content

  2. Expert insights and opinions

    Arguments were carefully researched and presented

  3. On-point and relevant

    Writing reflected the title & theme

Add your insights

Comments (3)

Sign in to comment
  • Hopeabout a year ago

    I was curious to read your opinion and I agree. Perhaps Vocal not being paired with writing documents is a business issue, as in contracts and legal jargon. But I think you putting it out there is gonna make it much more likely though! Here's to hoping they do something about it

  • Jim DeLilloabout a year ago

    As a new writer on Vocal and only just finding out about Medium, I found this article to be just what I need to keep going. Thanks. https://vocal.media/authors/jim-de-lillo

  • Mariann Carroll2 years ago

    Well written and I would have to agree ♥️👍

Find us on social media

Miscellaneous links

  • Explore
  • Contact
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Support

© 2024 Creatd, Inc. All Rights Reserved.