Navigating Vocal Without Losing Ourselves

In a world with unlimited information, how do we stay true to ourselves?

This is a question that I struggle with daily. Media in all of its forms drives today's innovation, and Vocal is not an exception. Here, every writer competes in a quiet economy of reads, likes, and followers. To feel relevant, what should we write about? Is chasing views the ultimate goal?

It saddens me when creators pour their hearts into pieces only to watch them get overlooked. The effort is real and so is the disappointment of them waiting for success. That leaves a harder question: Is success on vocal skill-based?

A Redditor once described the platform as an echo chamber for ego, or a place for gloating. I see where the critique comes from. Yet, I disagree with the full sentiment. There is real value in community, and there is a healthy kind of pride that comes from working deep within your craft. The trick is learning to tell the difference.

Here is how I have started separating them in my own writing life:

Skill is humble, curious, and testable. This is evident in the work. Reading your piece out loud to test rhythms, being willing to cute lines you love because it doesn't serve the reader. Skill improves with feedback. EVEN the kind that stings! This drives the deep connection the authors on these platforms long for. Skill on this platform means writing something that moves someone, regardless of the number of views, as long as if finds that one right person.

Pride is the appearance of protection. It whispers that low reads mean you aren't worthy as a writer, or that high reads mean superiority. Pride drives applause more than growth. It hinders publishing and turns honest effort into performance.

Both can exist in the same writer, and sometimes in the same piece of work. Here is where the moment of marketing ourselves becomes exhausting, and often times embarrassing for some.

Sharing a piece of work already carries a weight of vulnerability. Then the self-promoting without seeming desperate can add a level of cringe that I know we all feel from time to time. Some day's I will write something with hesitation of hitting the button, for fear of the next part. It makes me question if I am an artist, or just another noisy person begging for attention from the room.

So how do we navigate Vocal without losing ourselves?

Begin with a gentle, yet firm commitment: Write what drives your passion for the craft. Shape it and polish it. Turn the brain off and release it with open hands. Engage with community like neighbors, not numbers. Leave thoughtful comments, join challenges that interest you, and celebrate others wins.

Marketing doesn't have to be a performance. It can be a simple and honest statement, “ Hey! I shared my heart and soul. I would love to hear your thoughts.”

Submit it and then step back. Limit yourself to status checks and remember the connection with your reader outweighs the clicks.

Some days the numbers will feel validating. Other days, they will feel like silence, or even worse, a spotlight on awkward efforts. Just remember to ask yourself if you are writing to be seen, or because the story matters to you. It keeps your voice intact, and no algorithm can take that from you.

Remember, it is OK to feel embarrassed or disappointed. What matters is refusing to let those feelings rewrite who you are or what you chose to share.

Continue to be the most authentic version of yourself and sharing that version with the world will leave it a better place.