Writer: Advice for doing better on Vocal.

Is it enough to put words on a page?

Is it enough to craft worlds and characters that feel like family to have them do the impossible?

Is it enough to put our emotions and feelings to paper, bleed on the lines, and hope someone else connects with us?

Writers are all of these things, but is that enough?

Writers NEED readers. This article was a great read, and it stayed with me.

For some stories and some poems, the reader is yourself. Is that enough?

I used the first month on Vocal to put out content every day. I would interact very little with others and sometimes read very little. Recently, I was confronted with a bold truth. You get what you put in. I researched the top creators and commenters; they also had tons of engagement in their works. The concept is familiar; put what you want into the universe. If I want people to read my shit, I better read theirs. Therefore, a big part of writing is being a reader.

Ashley Lima posted this to the Writer's community. This made me think and decide to put this article to paper. The thoughts in my head could not be contained, and when I saw Ashley ask for advice, I knew I had something to say. Read what she had here.

It can be overwhelming to go through so many stories. Here is some advice to make it a little easier.

1) I start with the people I am subscribed to. I will go to my subscriptions, read a couple of their new things, and then jump to old stories. Why? I love seeing how writers grow. Where their style used to be and what it is now. Plus, in the old days of Vocal, they didn't have comments, so it's nice to go back and comment on these stories when you can. I don't spend too much time doing this, a good ten minutes per profile, and I move on.

2) Next, I look at the latest posts. I will look for poems typically; that's what interests me. It's worth mentioning that you should read what interests you. I like poetry and filthy communities. I branch out to chapters occasionally, like "Save One Bullet" by Tina and "Thirty and Damaged" by Real Poetic. I wouldn't feel guilty if you don't like to read certain things, it's not your cup of tea, and that is okay. I permit you to put your energy toward the stories you want to read. (If you need it.)

When I branch out sometimes to see new styles, I want to try new techniques, but I digress. Do what you want.

3) I will look at comments on some stories, and if the person leaves an excellent commentary, I will check out their profile. I find so many extraordinary stories that aren't typically on the radar.

4) This whole process sometimes takes an hour. However, you can make it shorter or longer depending on the day. I spent Tuesday doing this process for three hours, and it invigorated me to try writing haikus. That Hiaku took an hour; however, it was a new style I would only have tried with being a READER.

I became a better writer because I read. If that isn't enough reason for anyone to read more, then I don't know what else there could be. I implore you to read more here on Vocal. Feel free to drop stories you want more reads on, and I would love some jumping-off points—a big thank you to Ashley for leading the charge on this article.