Observations On Vocal Challenges

Why I Joined Vocal

It was the big prizes offered in the Vocal Challenges, that really was it. I believed I had a chance of hitting big money, so happily paid my ten dollars to become part of Vocal.

The Vocal Challenges

A couple of challenges were entered, well the first one wasn’t because I thought it was automatically entered, but you live and learn. I thought my entries were good but obviously not good enough to win, or even be a runner-up.

This slightly got me down, as I slowly came to the conclusion that my writing was not up to scratch. I became aware of Top Stories on Vocal and I wasn’t making that either so was wondering whether I was cut out for this.

Early Days Writing On Vocal

I have mentioned this in many earlier posts but had a pleasant surprise when I got bonuses from writing and publishing five and ten articles, then someone gave me a couple of dollar tips (you can find out who in other posts), and people were reading my stories, then I got an awesome story bonus (you get the money but no publicity), so I continued on writing.

I had also found some Vocal Facebook Groups and got some amazing Feedback which again boosted my confidence to write.

Back To The Vocal Challenges

There were over a hundred challenges before I joined Vocal, I had intended to list them until I found how many there were, but you can dive into the Vocal Completed Challenges here, and of course, my name will be absent from any list.

So Why Enter A Vocal Challenge?

There is a possibility that you might win. That is something to bear in mind, but it should be seen as an extra rather than an assumption.

The thing is these challenges give subjects or areas to write about, which may even help with writer's block. When I see a new Vocal Challenge I see a new thing to write about, a new writing prompt, a new outlet for my creations with words.

Not Winning A Vocal Challenge

This is something that upsets people because people see not being on the winning podium as a defeat.

The problem is that there can only be one winner, or as in the case of the recent Fiction Challenge 25 winners, and the problem is that Vocal created a short list of a thousand entries who all were rewarded with a free year’s Vocal Plus Subscription. Now that raised the expectations for a thousand people (I don’t know if anyone got more than one on the short list), but that meant that if they were not in the twenty five the feeling of defeat was even worse than for the people like me who didn’t make the first cut. Also this seemed to be dragged out with Vocal missing deadlines tightening the pain for everyone waiting for results,

Then when you haven’t made it it is a huge blow.

I feel sympathy for everyone that feels like this.

The thing is that your stories were excellent, they were worth reading, you submitted them because you believed that you were worthy of being on that winner's podium, and most definitely you were.

I will share one of my entries below, I believe it was worthy but didn’t make the cut.

The lesson I will take is that I will try again knowing that next time the judges might buy into my writing,, but I will know that I have done my best, and I may not have won a challenge, but I have won my race to improve my writing and the admirations and respect of my Vocal friends and audience.

In Conclusion

You are a great writer, you need to have faith and belief in yourself. Your stories will be read, and if you enter a Vocal Challenge one day it may be you on that podium