Echoes of Expression: Embracing Challenges and Triumphs in Vocal's Writing Realm

As 2024 rolls around, so does my 33rd year on this earth and my third year of finding excuses not to enter a Vocal challenge. The never-ending cycle of pumping myself up to put my work out there and go out of my comfort zone is ending right here and right now.

I’ve questioned for years whether it’s a fear of success or a fear of failure that has been impeding my creative endeavors this whole time. It’s probably a menacing concoction of both, swirling around in my brain like two different air currents, disrupting each other and sending it on an unproductive spiral. A destructive mental tornado destroying everything in its path.

My aspirations on the Vocal Media platform for this year are simple: well, in writing, at least. I wish to grow as a writer in a way that fuels the novel I’ve been working on and dragging on to produce a first draft by the end of the year. I look to the Vocal challenges as fantastic writing exercises that ignite creativity through various inspirations.

Each time there has been a challenge that I have, always regretfully, not entered, I eagerly read the winning submission. It makes me feel more confident in my writing, knowing that there is this whole community out there who take that chance by putting their stories on the platform. I see how there is nothing to lose on Vocal. No judgment, no internet reviews, no good excuse why I shouldn’t be using this amazing community as a resource to grow as a writer and master my craft.

I strive to utilize Vocal as one of my most significant assets this year. Whether I win one, two, three challenges, or even zero, I know that the only outcome I can achieve is improving myself. I know that taking advantage of the Vocal community will greatly aid in making significant progress on my first novel, which is currently in the works, albeit in its infant stage.

The novel I’m working on falls into the category of mystery-suspense-thriller. Because my story has so many different elements, I know that participating in the Vocal challenges and reading other members’ works will help me gain insight, just as reading novels of many different genres has done for me in the past. Another aspiration I hope to achieve as a creator on Vocal this year is to really deep dive into the submissions to see the different perspectives members take on the various challenges presented to us and how they compare to my interpretations. Reading others’ works that culminated from the same prompt and have entirely different takes is fascinating and insightful because it shows how beautifully messy the creative mind is.

I desire to connect with other Vocal members who have perhaps had a similar experience with literature and writing as I have throughout my life. The plague of anxiety and depression never seemed to alleviate themselves unless I jumped into another world—worlds with hope and adventure and promise. I’m not sure I’d be here today if it weren’t for the art of storytelling and the bonds you can create with others through this medium, which Vocal helps flourish.

I aim to form relationships with other writers through Vocal in the hopes of being mutually beneficial to one another in our endeavors. After doing hours of research and writing who knows how many case studies and papers on the subject of traditional publishing versus self-publishing, I’m also working towards launching a literary marketing company that is predicated on writers who want the benefits of self-publishing without having to spend the majority of their time marketing their work instead of working on the next project.

Self-publishers spend an average of 90% of their dedicated writing time marketing their books, leaving a measly 10% left to create their subsequent work. I want to minimize or even eliminate that marketing time for self-publishing authors not only to help fuel their future projects but also to give them the chances that traditional publishers can provide them without the immense amount of extra work. Building this business has an essential element of bringing in test authors and users, which I believe would be an excellent opportunity for Vocal members.

I want to collaborate with Vocal authors this year. Building friendships and making connections that are tied to my soul through literature and writing is very difficult to do when none of your current friends really understand the passion, healing, and beauty that can come from the right person putting the right words onto paper.

Another aspiration Vocal will significantly help me with this year is drilling the habit of writing every single day into my routine. Perhaps I can work with other members to create an accountability system to support and encourage each other to stick to it and not let one bad day throw off their writing journey. I want to combat these common writing obstacles with others so that we can then, in turn, tell new members and other struggling writers how we beat it.

The main thing I love about the Vocal challenges is that I don’t have to scroll through a long list of prompts and choose which one I want to write about. The platform provides it, and that’s it; that’s what you’re writing about. It forces you to think outside of the box and delve into genres you may have never written or even read before. There is no growth without challenging yourself, and I think that’s one of the most valuable things Vocal offers its users, churning those creative juices into various prompts. Understanding different viewpoints and points of view is paramount in writing for character development. I think Vocal will help me expand my ability to adapt to different character personalities.

As long as I have some positive impact on Vocal, even if it’s just for one person, that makes it all worth it. If I can help show someone struggling how cathartic reading and writing can be to the mind, as it has been to me since I can remember, it will be a fantastic year being a part of the Vocal community.