How I've Made Thousands From Vocal Challenges

I've always wanted to seize control of my life and find my space—a little area to exist and create without moving too many waves. I've tried and failed several times but now realize those failures allowed me to succeed.

It's taken years of learning, honing my craft, and refining my voice to see any success. But in the last six months, I’ve managed to earn over 6,000 dollars from Vocal Challenges. After so many trials and tribulations I feel that I’ve developed a formula, and it’s replicable. I want to share this information with anyone who may feel defeated or maybe don't know where the hell to start. Because I’ve been there, and I don’t want it to take you years to figure these things out.

Gaining the Courage to Try

“Once your mindset changes, everything on the outside will change along with it.”

― Steve Maraboli, Life, the Truth, and Being Free

Half the battle in a competition of any sort is self-belief. At the peak of Floyd Mayweather's career, he was villainized, and people wanted to see him fail. Yet his confidence never wavered, and he went on to be one of the highest-paid athletes in history.

Overnight successes rarely are overnight. There is some uphill resistance, you have to find it in yourself to keep going. Keep trying, keep writing and keep believing.

I promise that if you tell yourself, you have no chance of winning or that the odds are slim, you simply won’t win. When you think of failure, your brain listens to you, and it maps out a way to get you there. I know it’s scary to believe in yourself when defeat is ever looming. But you have to try; if you want to grow, you need to get uncomfortable.

Confidence Curriculum

The Magic of Thinking Big

Over 13 chapters, David Schwartz explores all the ways we keep ourselves small. Through funny anecdotal stories, he makes building confidence and goal setting simple and easy to implement. I revisit this book every few months to keep myself in the right headspace.

Creative Process

My creative process is very different than what I imagine most writers do. I don’t believe myself to be an outstanding writer, but I do know how to get the best out of myself.

I start in the morning by taking a walk and breathing life into myself. I tell myself that I’m talented, and have all the tools to succeed. My goal is to fill my being with positive energy. I believe creativity takes energy; I want to be enthusiastic about my task before I sit down to write.

Once I reach the desk and begin the heavy lifting, I set a timer for 30 minutes and write until it ends. I don't think much, I just let the muse guide me and write what it wants. I also like to listen to classical music that stirs up some emotion. After the timer ends I take a 5-minute break and begin the cycle again.

This technique is called Pomodoro and was created by Francesco Cirillo in the 1980s. The science behind the theory says that the brain can only truly focus for around 25-30 minutes at a time. Timing myself with short breaks between focus periods allows me to create better quality work and avoid burnout.

“I discovered that you could learn how to improve your effectiveness and be better able to estimate how long a task will take to complete by recording how you utilize your time.”

-Francesco Cirillo

I use Pomodoro in combination with Parkinson's Law, which states that work expands based on the time available. The more time you give a task to be completed, the bigger in complexity and difficulty it swells. Thus, I set strict deadlines for myself, often within 2-4 hours, to write an article.

This was a huge adjustment for me as I was used to working 8 hour days or occupying weeks to write anything. I also didn't want to let go of the idea that the longer I spent on something the better it got. The simple fact is that often with more in-depth focus, the product produced in a shorter time frame will be of equal or greater value than one made with more time.

Creative Process Curriculum

The 4-Hr Work Week

Tim Ferriss covers all these time-saving techniques and much more in this book. It's fun and easy to read, but full of life-changing principles that will you help you in all areas.

Evoke Emotion

Good writing is supposed to evoke sensation in the reader - not the fact that it is raining, but the feeling of being rained upon.

E. L. Doctorow Good

Now the actual meat and potatoes of winning a challenge. People like to read things that they can relate to. To grab the attention, your article has to say something. It needs to make your reader feel something.

One of the things I try to do with my writing is try to evoke the spirit of the place. I think these things imprint on the landscape and the culture.

- Sarah Hall

Don’t overthink this; one note in a song can make your heart hurt. One sentence can fill you with motivation. You can evoke emotion with your media integrations or with a quote. Do your best to resonate with your reader. I only remember the pieces that made me feel. When someone reads your article, they’re offering up their time, make them happy they did.

Tell a Story

“After nourishment, shelter and companionship, stories are the thing we need most in the world.”

― Philip Pullman

With non-fiction writing, it can seem like there’s no room for creativity or storytelling. I disagree; I believe any excellent article must tell a story. You could involve a personal narrative in your writing. I will often tell a story about my past or what I’m currently going through and relate it to the subject matter.

But sometimes, I have nothing to add; during those times, I rely heavily on photos, quotes, videos, and history. You can tell a story in multiple ways, but you need to make an effort to entertain your reader.

Make sure your piece is structured well. Does your story have a beginning, middle, and end? Does it make sense? It's easy to get caught up in aesthetics and miss the fundamentals.

“You may tell a tale that takes up residence in someone's soul, becomes their blood and self and purpose. That tale will move them and drive them and who knows that they might do because of it, because of your words. That is your role, your gift.”

― Erin Morgenstern, The Night Circus

Storytelling 101

Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott

If you are struggling to tame the muse, or can't find a way to open yourself up and find your unique voice, I suggest this book. It's practical but gentle and the advice is easy to take. Anne is one of the most compassionate writers and understands the agony writing requires.

The Sweet Spot Between Unique and Meeting the Prompt

I learned quickly that Vocal wants you to follow the prompt. Someone takes their time out to craft three to four paragraphs to explain what’s expected in the challenge. Here’s a hard truth, you’re not reading the prompt. So read the prompt. Read every word. Often, there will be a requirement to embed media or a playlist that gets glossed over by many contestants. Don’t take yourself out of the running before your piece gets read.

I think the balance is finding something a step to the left of the prompt—create something that is tailored to their wants but has a very personal spin. If someone else could have written your article, you may want to rethink. Always take the braver and bolder choice.

Don't Worry About Perfection

There are inevitably typos in my articles. I’m a one-woman show, and I’m not perfect, so it’s unavoidable. I come across them occasionally, and it sends my stomach to my throat, but it’s okay.

It’s okay not to be perfect, so don’t stress so much about knit-picking every detail. Most people will give you grace and understand that you make mistakes.

However, I don’t like seeing pieces that I can tell were not edited. Take the time to install software like Grammarly to help you catch mistakes that slip through the cracks. You are creating a product that you want thousands of dollars for. Try your best to make sure it’s worth that amount.

Integrating Media

As writers, we have a lot of competition for the attention of the public. Social media companies feed entertainment to the masses in bite-size pieces. It's getting harder and harder to get someone to read your work.

We have to keep up, we have to get more dynamic and creative as writers to maintain a place in the new digital world. Luckily, we can use the other social sites to our advantage. When I approach integrating media I use it for the main purpose of enhancing the reader experience.

My goal with the media I integrate, whether it's a song or a gif, is to deepen the story. Sometimes it's to provide a break in a wall of words, and others it's to show the readers what I am describing.

In my article "The Forgotten People: A Tale of Two Cities" I used mostly black and white pictures on purpose. This was to create a somber and grim tone; I wanted reality to weigh heavily in my words and the article itself. In order for the reader to understand homelessness in Portland they needed to hear their stories, and see the people impacted.

When I create a music article media is center stage. The artists who create the songs I include add extras into their work, from their album art to their clothes. There's something there to show readers, something beyond the song itself. Try to make your media meaningful, think about what you would want to see as an extra resource. Focus on adding value.

Parting Words

I hope you can set some of these ideas into action and start earning the money you deserve. Simply trying is half the battle. Never sell yourself short, you have to believe in yourself enough for everyone. Know that anything is possible; focus on improving your process and adding value to your work.

Before you know it you'll be creating an article like this one, helping others and living the life you always wanted. It's not easy, but it is incredibly rewarding and fun. So go get it. I believe in you!