Today we’re excited to introduce Challenges, a new way for creators to get inspired and join the rest of the Vocal community in some friendly competition. Starting this week, creators will be able to participate in various Challenges across a range of topics and interests for the chance to win cash prizes, experiences, and much more.

There’s no one right way to tell a story. Inspiration comes in all shapes and sizes, and we want to see what yours looks like. Challenges are meant to inspire this creativity, and we want to see you tell a story that’s unique and authentic to you—but there are just a few things we look for across the board to be sure we’re judging every entry consistently and fairly.

How do I submit a new entry to a Challenge?

Courtney Lowry may be small in stature, but she’s making big waves in the Vocal community. A recent SCAD graduate majoring in Photography, Courtney views the world in a unique lens. With a focus in black and women’s rights, and a passion for dispelling the stigmas surrounding mental health, Courtney has moved her audience and challenged them to think critically about the world around them. Check out her thoughtful responses in her Creator Spotlight.

Leigh Hooper has been a Vocal creator for a year and a half now. You may recognize her from her pop culture insights, or reflections on life, or her candid anecdotes and poetry. We’ve been a fan of Leigh’s for a while, but she really caught our attention with her new series, “Tunes To Get Grooving To” on Beat. We decided to get to know a bit more about her and her creative journey—and we can’t wait for you to meet her too.

We've always said that you, our creators, are our partners—you're the ones who make it possible for us to continue to build a community and platform for storytelling. Writers, musicians, podcasters, videographers, bloggers, and creatives of all types have shared their stories with us this year, and pushed us to work hard to make Vocal a better home for your stories.

It’s that time of the year again, people! As we get ready to close off 2019 (hello 2020!) we’re looking back at what this year has meant for the Vocal community. Not only has our platform gone through some big updates over the course of this year, but we’ve been excited to welcome many new creators and help them share their stories. Thanks to these stories, we’ve discovered new artists, picked up a few hobbies, taken several notes on how to actually practice self-care, and so much more.

Justin quickly caught the attention of creators on Vocal with his helpful photography tips and guides. We’ve been looking forward to learning something new with every story that he’s submitted—and more recently have been very excited to learn about his thoughts outside of photography, including travel and social media. Creators like him help others in our community push their creativity forward, and for that we are incredibly grateful. We got to chat with Justin and learn a bit more about his passion for photography and being a creative—we’re excited to share his spotlight with you!

If you’ve ever seen a beverage that you’ve been too afraid to try but can’t stop thinking about, Alyson’s got you covered. From trying a ranch flavored soda to trendy drinks like Recess, she’s done it all—and will go above and beyond to give you an honest and helpful review that’s also guaranteed to make you laugh. Alyson became a creator earlier this year and quickly caught our attention with her wit and charisma. Her drink recipes saved us from the summer’s worst heat waves, and we can’t wait to add some of her concoctions to our holiday menu! She’s what we would consider our resident beverage queen, so we’re excited to share her Creator Spotlight with you.

AURORE is here to redefine erotica and to empower women to express their sexuality through writing. AURORE is making mainstream porn seem boring and simply not good—and isn’t that what sex should be all about? They're changing the game, and helping you be part of this movement of modern erotica that is honest, relatable, and real. We’ve been reading their stories on Vocal since they recently joined, and we can confirm that this is in fact all about erotica, updated.

From England to Germany to Italy and beyond, travel writer and entomologist Ryan Frawley has made his rounds across the globe. He's transcribed his experiences in his most recently published book, Towers Temples Palaces. Luckily, Ryan’s journey has brought him to Vocal. We got the chance to speak with Ryan about his passions, his travels, and his current projects. Read on to learn more about this star creator.

We’re always working to create tools that help reward and encourage you. That’s why we’re excited to introduce our newest update: Likes. Now, you can more easily support your fellow creators, and receive support yourself, through liking Vocal stories.