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Vocal's Voice

Putting our fearless leader in the spotlight

By Jord TuryPublished 4 years ago 5 min read
Top Story - October 2019
5

I'd like to make it clear that at no point have Vocal asked me to write this. I haven't been asked to promote the site for extra special goodies nor have they gone out of their way to locate me for any specific reason. I am, in fact, just writing directly from the heart, as one creator to another. And if this does result in a cheeky bonus, then cheers, Vocal. Mine's a JD and Coke.

No, this isn't some promotional piece at all. This is, actually, just a viewpoint from one creator who's spent a little over a year with the platform now. So expect the truth, straight up. With no words put into my mouth or any heavy research into the nooks and crannies of the company, I'd like to say it for how it is.

So, Vocal, this is your spotlight. I think it's about time you guys had a break. Especially you editors who must have a whale of a time cutting half of my work out for being slightly inappropriate. You guys deserve wage rises for that one, for sure.

Now I won't go diving too deep into the lore of Vocal, because it'll just seem like I'm copy and pasting a Wikipedia profile or something. So instead I thought I'd give a little flashback into my time with Vocal. But if you do want to check out Vocal's Wikipedia, then by all means feel free.

I started my Vocal journey around June 2018. And in that time I've published probably about 40 to 50 articles. From poetry to gaming lists, horror works to fashion trends; I've made my way around the categories and had a crack at each of Vocal's specialised areas in the hope of reaching out to new and exciting audiences.

Of course, Vocal does something pretty amazing when it comes to satisfying creators and aspiring authors alike. It acts as your own personal editor. By dotting the I's and crossing the T's, Vocal fixes our mistakes and doesn't charge us a penny in the process. So for that, I couldn't be happier.

Like most creators, I'm happy to just crack knuckles and write. So, of course, Vocal acts as a first point of call for me. It stands as the platform I resort to when an idea sprouts up at the back of my head. So when it does come down to it, I can dive straight in and just write for the sake of writing.

An article on lingerie? Vocal. An article on coffee brands? Vocal. An article on spaghetti bolognese? Vocal.

One of the great things about Vocal is that you can bag yourself some extra cash from simply voicing your opinion on things. Say, for example, you write an article on blue cheese. It can be painfully awkward and pointless drivel, but it can earn you a few extra dollars nonetheless. That, in itself, is alright by me.

Now, I'd love nothing more than to tell you I've made thousands of dollars through Vocal. And if I told you the above screenshot was taken directly from my desktop, I'd be lying. Because, sadly, I have only made about $25 from my (almost) 7,000 reads in the last 16 months. And I'll need another $10 before I can actually withdraw from my wallet. So as far as funding weekend trips go (as Vocal puts it), I have not yet been able to pay for a trip to McDonald's, let alone Paris. But hey, all in good time, perhaps.

But, like many others out there, I don't aim to profit from my work. If anything, I see it as a huge bonus. And since June last year I've received a couple of nice surprising $10 tips from the Vocal guys. So that, in itself, is enough to keep a smile on my stupid face. Anything else is simply icing on the cake.

Plus, the Vocal crew reached out to me a little while back and asked to feature me in the September spotlight. Again, I couldn't have been more overwhelmed by that. Because, honestly, I am just a regular 25 year old guy living in Worcester, UK. I'm not a bestselling author nor do I write for any international news outlets. I'm just a regular dude that writes for the love of the art. That's all.

Vocal does exactly what it says on the tin. It gives you a voice and a place to share your work with others. And whilst we may not rake in billions of views and several thousands of dollars, we are still able to promote ourselves and work alongside thousands of other brilliant writers across the globe.

I can't think of any major downsides with Vocal, to be honest. It's everything a writer needs to get started. It's your editor. It's your workspace. It's your platform to share your work on. That's all we need and more. And anything added on top is mere sprinkles.

I'd like to see more people find their way to Vocal over time. I'd like to see a few more categories thrown in and perhaps a monthly challenge or two for each community. But, I mean, those are just little things. Otherwise I'm easy. And, hey, so long as I have a place to write, I'm as good as yours, Vocal.

I'll be sticking around for a while longer. Or, at least until I've reached $35 in my wallet. Then I'll be golden.

—J Tury

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About the Creator

Jord Tury

Just a regular guy living in the West Midlands, UK.

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