The children's tale 'The tortoise and the hare' is a great writing incentive

I don't know if this story is still told to children today, but those of us over age 50 grew up being taught one of Aesop's fables titled The Tortoise and the Hare. Aesop was said to have been a Greek philosopher but he has also been identified as an Ethiopian because of his name and the dialect used in many of his stories. I find The tortoise and the hare to be a wonderful motivator for writing on Vocal so let me refresh the memories of some and introduce to others this famous tale.

One day a tortoise and a hare, (not a turtle and a rabbit) had a race. The hare was sure of himself and just knew he had plenty of time to beat the slow moving tortoise so he made stops along the way. In one version of the story, he lay down and took a nap. The tortoise continued slow and steady and by the time his opponent woke up and began running again he had already crossed the finish line.

When it comes to writing on Vocal a good rule of thumb is to be like the tortoise in 2 ways. Remain in your own lane and recognize your strengths. The tortoise never tried to run fast like the hare or to outfox him. He continued slow and steady, never looking to the right or the left, but always with his eyes on the prize. The hare was overconfident and made mistakes along the way. He was so sure of himself that he lost focus and began doing things that were not productive for winning.

Vocal is a vast writing platform with many contributors and numerous categories. You might find yourself looking at the stories that are editor's picks or have won challenges instead of honing your own brand. Perhaps you have won a few challenges or had your stories featured and have become over confidant like the hare. You might now find yourself frustrated because you have yet to have an article chosen, or you are no longer the one being featured. It can be discouraging when it seems that someone else is winning the race so to speak.

When you have the attitude of the tortoise you will not focus on any other contributors to the Vocal site or their work. You will admire them but simply keep writing, slow and steady. You will not try to emulate the style of other creators in an attempt to increase your chances of winning but will remain in your lane and do you. The tortoise moved slowly and in the real world would never have outrun a hare. The moral of the story can be summed up by an old Greek source which says: 'Many people have good natural abilities which are ruined by idleness; on the other hand, sobriety, zeal and perseverance can prevail over indolence.'

As this pertains to writing on Vocal, the point is not to be idle or overconfident like the hare. Maintain your zeal and passion and create, create, create, by writing, writing, writing. Whatever your nitch, write in season and out. Consider articles for different categories but remain true to yourself. Keep going and time will be on your side. Let's say you began by averaging 100 views per story. Ten articles would bring 1,000 views and 100 would give you 10,000 views. Over time it does turn into a numbers game if you continue to bring forth quality work and remain slow and steady.