To Engage, or Not to Engage
Seems to be a constant source of contention on this platform
To Engage, or Not to Engage
Seems to be a constant source of contention on this platform
… or more to the point, maybe, how it should be done, or not.
It seems there are many opinions, as well as complaints, about the way many creators do so. I’m not sure why this is. Reciprocity is good, bullying is not.
And by engagement, or reciprocity, I mean so much more than "Read for Read," "Like for Like," etc.
One of the complaints repeated is the fact that it seems to be the same group of creators patting each other on the back. Well, in a sense, yes. I would agree with that as a writer who has been on this platform for awhile. I have garnered relationships and friendships with a number of fellow creators over time - and the “group” is constantly changing and growing as other writers become familiar names and are also driven to engage.
This is not to say I don’t read a lot of other work that is presented by new creators to the platform - I do - and I’m positive other’s do. It’s just that much of the work of newer creators to the platform is not so obviously presented, which is another reason I’ve taken to perusing the “Latest Stories” feature.
Often times, I find articles in the “Latest Stories” section of interest to me by, as yet, unfamiliar creators. Often, on those articles, if it hurts my eyes upon opening, I’ll click off immediately, although I have left (gentle) comments regarding the formatting leading to my non-read.
If I find the format appealing, I continue to read. I will generally read all they way through, and then leave a heart. NOT because I’m seeking attention, but because I want the creator to feel the encouragement of having garnered the attention of another creator. I remember how it felt to me to receive that encouragement when I started on the platform. It gave me the confidence to keep writing, take the steps to improve my craft, and to reciprocate.
If I feel a deep connection with a story, then I’ll leave a comment. I try mostly to comment about what I really connected with in the article, but sometimes it’s more about finding what spoke to me and offering encouragement to the writer through a sense of camaraderie. We’ve all been there. Remember how it feels. Comments can be really nice to receive!
Another point, especially on stories that receive a lot of traffic, is that I may have read it, I may have left a heart, but you won’t see my name. That doesn’t mean I didn’t read your article. Maybe Vocal will change the way that feature is presented. Maybe they won’t. Either way, a number of people have still read your story.
The platform is growing by leaps-and-bounds right now. We’re all struggling for eyes of readers. Let’s be supportive to each other in our own way, instead of adding to the divisiveness that comes with a “my-way-or-the-highway” mentality.
Here’s another short article written by me regarding other ways to interact with creators:
The Vocal.media site is a platform experiencing immense growth. Things will change and evolve. There are many new voices coming and going, some more experienced than others in the writing process. Let’s help them all feel welcome in joining the community, however that looks best to you. The most important part is to be a source of encouragement, not frustration. And, another thing, if you are not going to engage in reciprocity, don’t expect much attention in return.
Here’s one more article I wrote about the importance of engagement:
(And link bombing is not reciprocity or engagement!)
About the Creator
KJ Aartila
A writer of words in northern WI with a small family and a large menagerie.
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Comments (33)
Article of the week.❤️❤️❤️🤞🏾🎯Love it 💯
Well said. I missed this one. Much belated congrats on the TS.
Very well expressed and I agree with you and the responses below. If people make the effort to engage and make friends, of course they’ll encourage each other. If you take the time to read and comment on my story, I’m not going to ignore yours am I? Sometimes I have to though, because I want to support other writers, and I just don’t have time to read everyone, as well as reading books, writing, running a home etc. I actually wish Vocal had an audio option where I could listen to stories while I’m chopping carrots 😂
Oh man, not divisiveness here as well? Personally, I am feeling the love of all the creators on here at the moment and wish that I could read more of their work so that I can share that profound feeling of wellbeing. It's hard to get read but more and more, I am noticing that we are a community and communities thrive on togetherness. Let's band together, people! Loved your article and agree with it all. And congrats on TS!
😊👍 I think it’s okay to like something after reading it and not comment. I.e while I usually do comment, sometimes I don’t have much to say, have to dash, or maybe I didn’t completely agree with their stance, and but still want to be supportive for writers. Nice work KJ!
Fantastic advice!!! Agree with your words regarding divisiveness!!! Love it!!!
good ones indeed
verry nicely written keep it up
Nicely written! I’m slowly learning there are many Vocal creator bubbles on here… and slowly, slowly those bubbles are starting to touch with each other and we are all meeting! I have a big issue just now with a lot of AI accounts in my comments, or recently joined accounts with no content who are clearly ex stalkers of mine vying for my attention. (I can literally feel it). And that makes me very cautious to check out who I am engaging with before I reply to comments now… The sooner Vocal get us a block button the better!!!! I already checked your page before coming to the comments... and when you joined Vocal (vintage accounts are way more trustworthy!) I’m now quite sure your not a stalker or a bot and I look forward to checking out your other work 😉🙏❤️👌
VERY, very well said. I'm glad you were bold enough to say what I (and I'm sure a lot of others) have been thinking. And oh my goodness, I could not agree more on your point about formatting. It's such a shame to click on a story and see a wall of text. I want to read and engage so badly, but it's just too difficult to read. I do hope there are people out there who are braver than me to let them know they should adjust! 😆
A legend once said: Just because you losed me as a friend doesn't mean you gained me as an enemy, I still want to see you eat, but not just on my table, he also said we should trust nobody.. I keep asking myself and the world, can we live if there's no trust? Lol don't forget to tell me who the legend is.... I sincerely appreciate your words, I enjoyed it a lot keep on the good work and let love lead as well 😘
Lol I love that we are sharing our thoughts! Freedom of speech at its finest! Though I think I'm the only person who's okay with link bombing, I love when people are excited to share their work! 😅
Absolutely! I agree with everything you wrote. The Latest Stories section is full of AI-generated content these days, though, which makes it hard for us to filter through. My motto has always been: Treat others the way you would like to be treated. I'm not here hoping that millions of people will read me. I just enjoy the supportive aspect of this platform. Maybe yes, some of us give the impression that we pat one another on the back, but that's because we are in the same groups and on Discord and engage regularly. We have built rapports. Congratulations on the Top Story!
I sure do miss the days when I would just flip between community pages finding things of interest to me that were of sheer randomness. Even in the challenges I enjoyed being able to flip between all of the different entries. I will admit that I didn't like it when people would post other articles that had nothing to do with the challenge being entered into the challenge. I saw soooo many fitness articles in fiction story entries I was surprised that they weren't immediately kicked out. I will type that even if there are new Vocal creators emerging each day that some creators that have been around extensively have been popping up more and more frequently. I'm guilty of this too just by having more than one top story. Just the odds of getting a top story based on random selection should be astronomical, but getting more than one top story is something else entirely. P.S. I'm still glad that we're on the "remove link bombers" train. 'Ask for permission. Make sure to listen.' I think that's how it should be.
Engaging with fellow creators is an interesting thing. The relationships built can be so wonderfully meaningful but others can be… stained. Personally, I’m here to enjoy myself reading as many wonderful stories as I can :) also as a place to post the stories I’d be writing anyway
Congrats on Top Story, well stated. The engagement with other writers on here has been so much of its own reward as well. So many great reads you almost don't know where to start. And a spectrum of all styles levels and flavors. Been here a few months, and my only regret is that I've not been able to give more attention to all the worthy voices out there. It's all about the engagement! Although I am first and foremost a writer, a true writer should read much more than they write (not a fast rule), that's where it's born!
I agree with you on this. Tbh I'm not even looking for a lot of feedback, just a few people who genuinely enjoy reading what I write and can help improve my skillset. And everyone has different taste so you never know where you'll find your new favourite writer!
True. I'm guilty of being a "my way or the highway" kind of reader and am doing my best to open myself up to new writers and experiences. So far, so good. I've discovered many writers here whom I adore and learned my original thoughts or opinion is sometimes wrong . Lovely story!!
I really appreciate this because I have only been here a couple of months, but the comments and encouragement I have received on my work has helped me push to create more and more. Like the monkey said, Why can't we all just get along... Nice article!
I never thought of going to the latest stories section. Almost everything I read is from my notifications, some are from Facebook groups too. I loved learning about how another person goes about it!
I try and read a mix of known and unknown writers each day. It's good to remember the tried and true while seeking out the new.
Not a single pointer on how to properly size an engagement ring for your partner? Misleading title and photo: unsubscribed!
Well done on your Top Story!
It can be such a struggle to strike a good balance between engagement and supporting the group and working on my own projects. I do something similar to yourself, if I may not always leave a comment. I recently had someone attack one of my articles because they didn't share my opinion. As a result, I won't read that Creator's work. I won't give business to a bully. If I have nothing constructive to say, I simply don't say anything. Our diversity is what makes the platform interesting.
I totally agree with you on the formatting front. I hate giving people a block of text because that is exactly what I would not enjoy! Nicely written!