Please read!

Vocal writers are often amazing. What an opportunity to learn how to refine our craft! We can learn what works - and sometimes what doesn’t. We have an opportunity to read enlightening, educational, funny, titillating, shocking, horrifying poems, stories, and articles for free. Unlimited reading. Where else can you get that, other than libraries? Vocal pieces are lower time commitments than reading books.

Yet, there are some writers who seem to keep themselves to only the writing side of that equation. I am here to say, “That’s not fair!”

I’m not sure what Vocal considers a read. If the system says a piece is a four-minute read, is their software sophisticated enough to know if you’ve spent four minutes? Will it sense if you leave the tab altogether and then go back to it? Will it know if you’ve scrolled slowly or rushed to the bottom? I don’t know the answers to these questions.

I DO know that I do have some pieces for which I have more hearts than reads, which indicates some people are hearting and dashing.

If someone takes their time to read and comment on something of yours, do the right thing and return the favor.

By the same token, if a writer places in a challenge, don’t just select their piece, scroll to the bottom, and give them a heart or a shallow, “Congratulations.” You may mean well, but they won’t get the credit for a read.

Hearting and commenting are important to me, because it proves to the writer and to me that I’ve read that piece. With some friends, it’s difficult to find a piece I haven’t read. If anyone from Vocal is out there reading this, please consider adding a feature in which readers have an option to see pieces from any particular author that remain unread by them. That would streamline returning reads SO MUCH!

Now, about commenting. You may read something that has very little appeal to you, but I implore you to find something kind to say. There’s nothing so deflating as putting yourself out there and hearing nothing but crickets, or - worse yet - something blatantly negative. My late husband was great at what he called “sandwiching.” If you want to help someone improve, tell them something nice, something constructive, and then something nice again. It softens the blow. It could be as simple as, “Nice effort,” or “Interesting premise.”

Thank you sincerely for taking the time to read this piece. For that, you WILL get a return read - usually within a day or two.

Happy reading and writing!