Top Story: How do I bring my story to the top?

Whether you're a new writer or a seasoned creator on Vocal Media, you’ve likely wondered:

“How do I get my story featured as a Top Story?”

The Top Story badge is more than just recognition—it brings visibility, followers, and often, a boost in earnings. But how do you actually get there?

Here’s your complete, step-by-step guide to increasing your chances of being featured.

📝 Step 1: Choose a Powerful Topic

The best Top Stories begin with relevance, originality, and clarity.

✔ Choose topics that are:

• Relatable (e.g., personal growth, heartbreak, resilience)
• Timely (e.g., AI trends, viral challenges, current events)
• Helpful (e.g., how-to guides, productivity hacks)
• Emotional or impactful (e.g., confessions, life lessons)

💡 Tip: Browse the Vocal homepage to see which types of stories are being featured in your community. Use that insight to guide your content.

🖊️ Step 2: Write a Killer Title

Your title is the hook—it should be specific, emotional, or intriguing.

Avoid generic titles like “My Journey” or “Life and Change.”

✔ Examples of strong titles:

• I Thought I Knew Love—Until I Met Her
• How I Made $500 Writing Articles from My Couch
• Confession: I Lied About Who I Am Online

💡 Use power words: Secrets, truth, behind, how, finally, never, why, when, etc.

📚 Step 3: Format Like a Pro

Editors and readers love clean, easy-to-read formatting.

✔ Formatting checklist:

• Use short paragraphs (2–3 lines max)
• Add bold subheadings for each section
• Use bulleted or numbered lists to break down info
• Include a quote or personal reflection in italics
• Add a strong intro and memorable conclusion

💡 Keep the story between 600–1500 words—ideal length for most readers.

✨ Step 4: Make It Personal and Honest

Top Stories often come from real, raw experiences. Vocal editors love stories that feel authentic and vulnerable.

✔ Ask yourself:

• Does this sound like me—or a textbook?
• Did I include personal emotion or lessons?
• Would a stranger feel something reading this?

💡 Tip: Use storytelling techniques—describe scenes, use dialogue, show emotion.

🧑‍💻 Step 5: Choose the Right Community and Tags

Publishing your story in the right community increases its chances of reaching the right readers.

✔ Examples:

• Emotional story → Confessions
• Motivational story → Motivation or Journal
• Food story → Feast
• Poem → Poets (with subcategory like Nature, Love, etc.)

Then, add 5–7 relevant tags:

• #TopStory #confession #mentalhealth #motivation #writingtips #selfgrowth

💡 Avoid vague tags like #story or #life—be specific!

🌐 Step 6: Share It Like It Matters

Vocal doesn’t work like other platforms with built-in followers—you need to share your work to grow your reach.

✔ Smart sharing tips:

• Post on Twitter/X, Facebook, Threads, or Reddit
• Use relevant hashtags when you share
• Join Vocal writer groups on Facebook or Discord
• Comment on others’ stories—they may read yours too!

💡 Bonus: Turn your article into a short quote post or reel on Instagram to attract attention.

🔍 Step 7: Edit Before You Submit

Even great stories get skipped if they’re full of errors.

✔ Before publishing:

• Run spell check
• Read it out loud (to catch awkward phrasing)
• Ask a friend to read it
• Use free tools like Grammarly for clarity

💡 Mistakes = missed opportunities. Make your story as clean as possible.

🧠 Final Thoughts: Top Story Is Within Reach

Getting featured isn’t about luck—it’s about intentional writing, formatting, and sharing.

Many Vocal creators went months before getting their first Top Story—but once they refined their style and process, they began landing features regularly.

Be consistent. Write often. Learn from each post.

You already have the story inside you—this is your roadmap to make sure the world sees it.

🌟 Moral of the Story:

Success doesn’t come from shortcuts—it comes from showing up with honesty, intention, and heart. When you write with purpose and share with courage, your voice will rise.