It Happened
Fifty Thousand Reads And Three Hundred Dollars From Them
Introduction
Three years ago I joined Vocal to win a big prize. That never happened, but this did.
What Did?
As you know I have a fascination with numbers and tend to track what happens to my account via Vocal's flawed statistics. As I hit certain numbers of stories, I tend to share them with others on Vocal.
That also makes me aware of where I am, so this is Vocal story number 2216, adn I have a least two others to pick up after this one.
I have finally got fifty thousand reads and over three hundred dollars in payments for reads. Remember this is over three years so works out at a hundred dollars a year, just under two dollars a week, which is maybe one small coffee a week. That will not make me rich and will not impress anyone.
When all these things are added up they start to look impressive but you need time and effort to actually rack these up. However anyone can do what I have done., it is nothing special or magical.
The thing is to publish regularly and build an audience. Also read other stories regularly and if you are lucky people will reciprocate. I am not lucky in that area, but I am lucky that my stories do get read by a lot of people, usually not Vocal members, so I do get a healthy number of reads.
Engagement does bring readers to your stories and I am so thankful to Vocal that they allow and pay for non-Vocal reads. This means you can target non-Vocal areas with your stories where appropriate.
My most-read story is this, and the reason it got so many reads is that I shared it in some large folk music groups (and they can be tricky places to post because your work has to exactly align with their rules. This didn't, according to some group members so I got a lot of reads so that people could either defend or denigrate it in the groups, but Vocal benefitted me financially because of that.
As you can Vocal Creators and Vocal themselves are not impressed with my most-read work, none of these are Top Stories, but they have got a lot of reads and therefore made me a little coffee money.
Conclusion
This is a marker piece to remember when I hit fifty thousand reads and three hundred dollars from them. Because for a month I was not a V+ member the figures are slightly out of sync but that was inevitable.
This is something that is within your grasp and every Vocal creator's grasp. I do hope to see others as they hit their milestones, whether is is a hundred, a thousand or more, every milestone is significant.
Once you publish your first story and get your first read and first comment, you are on your way.
The music I included was, appropriately "The Happening" by The Supremes and the initial words sort of fit this:
Hey, life, look at me
I can see the reality
'Cause when you shook me, took me out of my world
I woke up
Suddenly I just woke up to the happening
Thank you for reading.
Reader insights
Outstanding
Excellent work. Looking forward to reading more!
Top insights
Heartfelt and relatable
The story invoked strong personal emotions
Eye opening
Niche topic & fresh perspectives
Compelling and original writing
Creative use of language & vocab
Easy to read and follow
Well-structured & engaging content
Expert insights and opinions
Arguments were carefully researched and presented
Excellent storytelling
Original narrative & well developed characters
Masterful proofreading
Zero grammar & spelling mistakes
On-point and relevant
Writing reflected the title & theme
Keep reading
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Comments (45)
Wow so many reads a great achievement great job.
Aww cool one Mikeydred! Mega-congrats!
Congratulations!🥳
Well you broke even with vocal plus and then some. Win win
That is an impressive achievement, Mike, congratulations (also on TS)!
Goodness gracious, this is incredible and I'm so inspired to see that this is has been possible for you. After 3 years and SO MANY articles written, I can't imagine how much time and effort you put into each and every one of your posts--and I'm only encountering you now! I salute you and the effort you do, you clearly have a dedication to your passion and the things that catch your interest. Here's to 100,000 more reads to come! Cheers!
How do you get so many subscribers? I’m struggling in that area right now, but I haven’t done terribly either. What do you recommend?
Thank you for sharing this! I’m excited to check out some of your other writings.
Hey Mike, Great job! I know it takes a crazy amount of dedication to post that often and not give up. Way to reach your milestone and cheers on your next one!
Hi Mike, Your ability to intertwine personal reflection with the sensory details of your surroundings created a deeply immersive experience for me. I was particularly struck by the way you captured the essence of the moment and the emotions it evoked, allowing readers to empathize with your journey and feel a sense of connection to your story. "It Happened" is not only a testament to your talent as a writer but also a poignant reminder of the power of storytelling to transcend boundaries and touch the hearts of readers across the globe. Thank you for sharing your words with the world. I look forward to reading more of your work in the future. Warm regards, Dr. Jay
Nicely done Mike 👌👏🌟🤍
Awesome!!! Congratulations on Top Story!!!💕❤️❤️
Congrats Mike!! Thoroughly enjoyed this window into your Vocal journey. You've gotten an incredible number of well-deserved reads - congrats on this most recent Top Story, too! Cheers mate :)
I love how your fascination with numbers and statistics always drive you, amazing brother💝
Hey, congrats on your victory.
Congratulations! That’s a phenomenal milestone. Well done!
I read your stories, Mike. I enjoy your stories. Unfortunately, I haven't had your luck yet, but I keep going because trying doesn't lose anything. Well done on your Top Story, and remember it might not seem as if vocal members are reading, but I am. I read a lot on here!
Back to say congratulations on your Top Story! 🎉💖🎊🎉💖🎊
Ah Mike you ate a jewel in our Vocal crown. Keep up the great and impressive work
Congrats on your writing and thanks for the motivation
Congratulations sir you deserve it
50k! Wow! What a milestone! That is seriously impressive. Big congrats on that (and the Top Story)!!
This is amazing!!! I have been wondering about some creators on Vocal and what their stats pages might look like... and this is so illuminating!! Thank you so much, Mike, for sharing these details and giving us some inspirational insight!! ❤️❤️❤️
THIS SO AWESOME! OMG! I WANNA SEE THIS IN MY STATS! CONGRATULATIONS !
Meant to read this when I saw Dana share it in the Raise Your Voice thread. Thankfully the Vocal overlords saw fit to remind me by posting it in such a visible place :) Well done on $300 (+$5 now). I am only *checks Stats page* $292.12 away from joining ya. I am also impressed at Vocal's impartiality for giving this Top Story when the second sentence includes the immortal phrase "Vocal's flawed statistics." Just curious, what was the outcome of the folk song group debate? Did they allow the article post to remain or did they take corrective action?