Dear Vocal

Dear Vocal,

It is such a joy being a part of your community. It makes me very happy to be able to read other people's stories whilst sharing my own. I also love reading about updates. I love Vocal, I wouldn't leave even if the world ends. Here are a few of my Christmas wishes:

• Please make it easier for us to be known and get more eyes on our work. Self-promotion is a great thing, but since I am a lifetime subscriber and many others may be too, it would be nice if Vocal promoted the site more so that more people know about it.
• Make it easier to understand earnings. My reads show $30 while my balance shows $18. I am a paying subscriber so I should be able to withdraw money from my reads balance, since you say that as a paying subscriber I should be able to withdraw once the balance reaches $20
• Please choose top stories more fairly: I have had a few top stories in the past on Vocal, but once I got to about five you stopped choosing them. Top stories that get chosen frequently seem to go to those writers who are already well-known; therefore, it would be nice if you relaxed the rules a little so that other writers could have a chance. It is the same with challenges.
• Make earning easier: We spend a lot of time and effort working on our stories for Vocal, and there are some of us who spend a lot of time reading other vocal stories along with writing our own. Subscribers, who pay a subscription to use this site give a lot back to Vocal; wouldn't it be nice if Vocal returned that favor by giving us a little bit more back by increasing the chances of getting our work read, and also by helping us earn more other than just through challenges?
• Badges for our profiles: Badges for reaching certain milestones such as writing an interesting story or one that is well written, and top story badges we can show off on our profile are a fantastic boost to writers.

When you run a site like this one that offers paid subscriptions; the site needs incentives and perks in order to encourage people to become paid members. Offering bonuses and challenges are all good things, but it can take years for people to succeed in obtaining bonuses or winning challenges. Of course, we love writing and reading, that is why we are here, and some of us also like writing for free.

However; in today's world where many are struggling to make enough money from their jobs, and where people like myself cannot work because we are full-time carers at home, and with jobs lost through Covid-19, many writers are now trying to make some extra money or even a living from their work.

It is times like these with the cost of living rising amongst many other struggles in the world where Vocal and many other sites could be more supportive by doing more to enable us to earn without having to wait months or years.

Therefore; my wish this Christmas would be to see Vocal find more ways to enable their paying subscribers to get more value from their subscriptions by increasing ways to earn, updating the site more often, making it easier to get our work seen, and giving a little back even to non-paying subscribers.

Value for money comes from a company valuing its customers. Vocal could show that their paying subscribers are valuable by offering more earnings for their work.

Paying it forward and treating writers with respect is the way to get more paid subscribers. Vocal charge a lot of money for a life time membership. Not many are going to buy that if they continue earning less than they are paying.