I'm Just Sayin'...I Love Creators, Too.

Vocal Media's front page features a section called Creators We're Loving. Their list is always worthwhile.

But you know what? I have opinions, too. And sometimes I get up enough nerve to let them be known.

Look, I still consider myself relatively new to Vocal Media. I haven’t completed a year with this platform, and I am still learning.

I have published over 100 stories on this platform so far, but I honestly don't believe anyone at Vocal knows I'm alive.

(Except when it's time to pay my bill.)

Oh, I have gotten a few bonuses, and they email me when a story is approved, but...

One thing I learned very quickly is that Vocal doesn’t do the work for you. If you want to be seen, if you want to have your stories read, you have to find a way to promote yourself.

Personally, I have been doing much the same thing for a while now, and not always successfully. I have several books on sale right now on Amazon, and my ads are not getting a ton of attention.

As I said, I am still learning all sorts of things.

First and foremost: Self-promotion is HARD.

If you are a writer—or any sort of artist, really—you must have a thick skin. You must be able to handle criticism, ridicule and outright rejection.

Of course, that’s easy to say. The truth is, most of us have our little neuroses, don’t we? We get that generic rejection letter, and we want to know “Why?”

Seriously, why? Why did this story not live up to your standards? What can I do differently next time? Why invite me to send more if you’re not going to tell me what you want?

When I first started on the platform, I was a little obsessed with my STATS page:

Yay! Someone read my story!

Wait—no one is reading my story!

Why isn’t anyone reading this story?

I had to back off. Share, share, share, and then leave that page alone for a few days.

And then stress out when I do check and still NO ONE IS READING MY STORY.

Oh.

Sorry. I lost my train of thought.

The main thing I have learned is that finding a network of like-minded writers and readers is key to building your platform and boosting your profile.

I joined a few Facebook pages and discovered…TREASURE.

Here are a few to consider:

The Vocal Creators Lounge

Vocal Media Creators Support Community

Vocal Creators support Group

And the brand new group, Vocal Social Society

Groups like these have helped me develop relationships with other creators and discover safe places to share our work, get feedback, give encouragement and simply support one another.

It's a crazy world. Who among us can't use some friendly support?

I never worry about what to read next these days; I just worry about finding time to do it. There are so many wonderful stories and articles by talented writers on Vocal.

Until VERY recently, it’s been a chore to keep up with some of the writers I want to follow. I bookmarked, I wrote down pen-names, I searched. This was especially true if I started a series and wanted to know what happened next.

Now that there’s a big, wonderful “Subscribe” button, I am a happy camper.

I immediately went searching and subscribed my little heart out.

Here, in no particular order, are ten writers I had written in my little notebook so I could keep track of them.

Maria Calderoni | Vocal

How could I not love someone whose mother pulled over a policeman? Every time I read one of her true stories, I wish I lived closer so we could have coffee and a long chat.

Jessie Waddell | Vocal

Jessie broke my heart over the weekend. Anyone who loves a dog that much is okay in my book. Besides, she’s got some great stories you should be reading.

Jason Morton | Vocal

Jason worries a lot. Jason doesn’t know how talented he is. How funny. How smart. I’m always waiting to see what he’ll do next. Also, I admire single parents.

Arpad Nagy | Vocal

Arpad makes me remember all the fishing trips, all the songs around the campfires and other good times with my father. He’s also scaring me with one series and amusing me with another. And best of all—he cooks!

Call Me Les | Vocal

I like someone brave enough to review their own book. Also, I like children’s books. But it’s really Scarlet O’Clawra who sucked me in to this writer’s world. Now that I’m in, I continue to find good things.

Tom Brad | Vocal

Raising sheep in rural France? Check. Brave enough to share a video that showcases his butt? Check. Great stories? Check. So check him out. He’s got plenty of good stories to share.

Judey Kalchik | Vocal

Book store? Yes, please! I wanted to be a librarian once upon a time, and then I wanted to own a book store. Now I just want to live in a house with a huge library. Don’t burn the mall down, Judey. Save the books!

Maria Shimizu Christensen | Vocal

Maria is smart and expresses herself well. She also writes some great fiction. This is a writer I’m just getting to know.

Lindsay Rae Brown | Vocal

Honestly, I have never laughed so consistently as when I read one of Lindsay’s confessions. She takes, “You will laugh with me, not at me” very seriously, I think; certainly more seriously than she takes herself. That’s a good thing. Healthy.

Lisa Gerard Braun | Vocal

Lisa caught my attention with a confession about meeting her birth mother. Such candor made me want to read more about her. There’s a lot to read. And it’s worth the time.

Of course, there were more writers in my notebook, and now on my subscription list, but like one who has gone down this road before me, I agree that the number ten is a good place for me to stop.

For now.

I will surely revisit this little hashtag story with more writers I’m loving, because the list is long and changes every day.

I'm looking forward to this new way to support my fellow Vocal Creators.

Cheers, Vocal Media, for hearing our desperate cries for interaction!

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