The Vocal Leaderboard
Part 2 of a Vocalite Manifesto
So you're here for Part 2! Welcome! If you missed the short introduction to my Vocalite manifesto and you'd like to check it out, it's linked below.
This installment is all about the Vocal Leaderboard. Some love it. Some hate it. My perspective tends to be on a bit of a roller coaster on a week by week basis. When I look at a Leaderboard and I see names of the Creators I love to read from and even ones I recognize by reputation through other Creators, I smile. When I see the names of AI commenters and publishers of AI content, my eye starts to twitch.
Up until the February 19th Leaderboard $190 was being awarded each week. That was reduced to $155 with the removal of the Emerging Creators category due to a surge in AI generated content by new creators. I applaud Vocal for realizing the category was being gamed by AI users and that they took action to stop the outflow of Vocal prize money to AI users.
Unfortunately I think there are other categories of the Vocal Leaderboard that have been exploited by AI users. On top of the vulnerability to AI sabotage I think some of the categories celebrate achievements that don't intrinsically add value to the platform.
I'm going to individually address each remaining category of the Leaderboard and express my views on whether or not it should be something Vocal endorses with monetary awards.
Let's start from the bottom shall we?
Most Supportive Commenters
I think this one has got to go. There have certainly been users who generate AI comments and don't actually read anything who've won prizes in this category many times. It might not be the annoying "Good job! Subscribe me!" commenters, but they're the ones who leave empty generic praises or AI summaries with a little personal quirk added at the end.
Personally I don't think commenting on pieces is something that needs to be incentivized by Vocal. The people who are actually reading pieces comment on them. And in turn people then read their pieces and comment on them. It's an organic process and if someone needs a carrot dangling in front of them to comment, they're probably not the people who should be recognized for comments in the first place. Authentic and meaningful comments add value and depth to the community, not necessarily the person who's commenting the most.
And I know that some times the winners of those categories are wonderful members of the community, but too many times they aren't. I think there are better things to award monetary prizes for and this is one area that is way too enticing for AI users.
Most Subscribed To Creators
This one has to go too. So often I see the same AI commenters bouncing back and forth between this category and Most Supportive Commenters for weeks at a time. They leave their AI comments that sound so nice on anyone and everyone's stories and they amass tons of subscribers. This one is already being gamed and definitely has the potential to be gamed even more.
Once again this is another category that does very little to really recognize those who are adding value to the platform. Does getting the most people to hit that subscribe button in a week have anything to do with generating quality content or building actual community? Not really.
Sometimes awesome creators win it but a lot of times they don't. For some users this is a way to artificially create the appearance of connection and I think more and more AI commenters will try to take advantage of it.
Recently I contacted Vocal after noticing that a user who I know uses AI for their comments and stories had seven weeks straight of winning the top spot in either the Most Supportive Commenters or Most Subscribed To Creators categories. That's $140 in under two months! Unless you've won 1st or 2nd place in a Challenge recently, you probably can't say the same.
Here they are if you want to take a glance:
Vocal Bonus Leaderboard: 04/16/2025
Vocal Bonus Leaderboard: 04/09/2025
Vocal Bonus Leaderboard: 04/02/2025
Vocal Bonus Leaderboard: 03/26/2025
Vocal Bonus Leaderboard: 03/19/2025
Vocal Bonus Leaderboard: 03/12/2025
Vocal Bonus Leaderboard: 03/05/2025
Popular Stories with the Most Likes
Some people might not like this, but I think this is a bad category too. The hearts have always seemed a little redundant to me. Sometimes I think the only reason I click them is because I don't want someone thinking I'm trying to keep them from placing on the Leaderboard.
I could be completely mistaken but unless you happen to really be on top of your notifications all the time you don't always know who even liked your story. You just see the last person to like it and the number of others who liked it in the notification text.
And I know I'm sounding like a broken record, but this one can be gamed too. A bunch of AI users all collectively throwing likes to the same stories to sweep the Leaderboard? No thank you! With the removal of the other categories I think this one would be the prime candidate for those who want to use the Leaderboard to their advantage.
I know what you're thinking, if all these categories are gone! What's left? Well, I'd say the one category that has the best measure of value and one that I think could be protected from AI users.
Most Discussed Stories
In my humble opinion this is where the Leaderboard has its potential. I say potential because I think right now it's still open to manipulation by AI. What if, like with the hearts, a piece gets flooded with comments from AI users? If it's the only category left standing they'll find a way to make it happen.
But what if comments only count if they're made by Vocal+ members? If there's a way to make that the metric then I think there's hope for this category. If a story is prompting lots of discussion by Vocal+ members I think its a good candidate for recognition even if it isn't published by a Vocal+ member.
Yes, there are Vocal+ users who use AI but I think it's a trickle compared to the flood. If it comes to a point where there's a host of Vocal+ AI users, I think we're already doomed.
If Vocal can take such steps to ensure the integrity of comments being made on a piece by limiting it to Vocal+ comments on a piece I suggest the following for Most Discussed Story Prizes:
1st Place - $20
2nd Place - $15
3rd Place $10
4th Place $8
5th Place $5
And keep the 5 Honorable Mentions at $3.
This would be a total of $85 in Leaderboard prizes. Quite a bit less than the $190 awarded each week before the Emerging Creators category was removed. What should be done with a little more than $100 in prize money that would be cut from the Leaderboard? I'll address that in Part 3.
I'd add the 4th and 5th place slots so it's not just a list of three people every week, that way you'd have close to the same number of winners as Most Discussed and Most Likes without having to deal with the redundant hearts that can be more easily gamed.
And I actually have some ideas of how I would reduce the Leaderboard even more if some changes I have in mind for Top Stories were put in place. So I’ll save those until Part 4.
I know tons of change all at once isn’t realistic. But steps can begin now.
Step 1: Get rid of of Most Supportive Commenters & Most Subscribed to Creators ASAP
Step 2: Get rid of Most Liked and extend the Most Discussed Category
Step 3: Change the criteria for comments on a piece to only count if they’re made by Vocal+ members
If the Leaderboard is to exist I think AI manipulation needs to be prevented and I think it should recognize the creation of work that has generated authentic community discussion. I don't think Vocal should prioritize and award comment quantity, new subscriptions, and getting people to click a heart button.
If a Leaderboard that truly recognizes real Creators and their work can't be guaranteed in some way then I think I'm going to have to join those who call for it to be totally done away with.
A fellow creator, Luna Jordan, has recently published thoughts on the Leaderboard too and I've linked her story below. She definitely did her homework and put a lot of work into the piece. She brings up a lot of valid points and we align on a lot of our thinking.
After reading an element of her piece that I hadn't considered, the list of most frequent Leaderboard winners, it sparked some additional thoughts for me too. Some of the people who are most frequently on the Leaderboard are the same ones calling for it to be changed or removed. I think the fact that the people who are big recipients of the Leaderboard awards see the flaws with it and want to see change happen is very telling.
I'd like to try redeeming it before pulling the plug completely but that might just be the romantic in me. I do think several of the people who win the awards deserve them. A lot of the frequent winners put a lot of time into reading the work of others, supporting new creators, and fostering the community that exists on Vocal.
So I'd like to see what things look like when the only factor determining someone's spot on the Leaderboard is Vocal+ comments.
I have designated any winnings I receive from the Leaderboard to go toward Challenges that I host. I don't place on it very often but I still had $100 to give out in prizes for my Keep It 100 Challenge back in the fall and I've got $18 going toward the next one.
Of course if you win Leaderboard prizes you are entitled to do whatever you want with them! I'm not advising everyone to do the same! Many of you frequent winners put a lot of time and effort into the Vocal Community and I think your prize is a well deserved reward. There's a reason so many people comment on your pieces!
But I do encourage those who receive an abundance to consider creatively how you can even in some small ways support creators who are very far away from having the following that you do. Those you come across, who despite publishing really good work won't have a shot at the Leaderboard for quite some time. Maybe it's a $1 tip for a story that really resonates with you.
And Luna's list did actually bring me a source of cheer regarding the Leaderboard. At least for now the most frequent winners are real people who write all their own work. And they're all Creators that welcomed me into the Vocal Community with open arms. That's the human integrity of the Leaderboard that must be preserved if it's going to continue to be a feature of the platform!
I really appreciate Luna Jordan and other creators who are also writing on these issues. I think change is going to take a lot of collective effort. If you have written on the Leaderboard or know of other pieces others have written please share the links in the comments. I'd love to include them here for others to see!
I said in my introduction that I want feedback and pushback. I look forward to hearing your thoughts on the Leaderboard, so please feel free to voice your concerns. I hope to include a lot of the input I receive in the conclusion of this manifesto!
About the Creator
D.K. Shepard
Character Crafter, Witty Banter Enthusiast, World Builder, Unpublished novelist...for now
Fantasy is where I thrive, but I like to experiment with genres for my short stories. Currently employed as a teacher in Louisville.
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Comments (31)
Slowly working my way through each of these! "Authentic and meaningful comments add value and depth to the community"- couldn't agree more. Vocal finds itself in the weird position of being both a writing platform where people can earn money, but also an online community too, and the Leaderboards feels like it pushes authentic connection to the side in the face of numbers.
I've been on record since Day 1 saying that incentivizing engagement was a bad idea. Put money behind something, and you'll always have someone doing it for the wrong reasons. Back when the Leaderboard first came out, generative AI was just getting off the ground, but the problem has only gotten worse. And even among those who I'm fairly certain are genuine people, there's been a few who seem only interested in the Leaderboard and are constantly pushing the message of "I read your stuff, now read mine." Maybe that's a jaded assessment, but without monetary prizes directly attached to how well your story "performs," then I don't need to be running that calculus, do I?
The irony of this placing on the Leaderboard, lol. Nevertheless, congratulations! 🎉💖🎊🎉💖🎊
Loved this DK and love the you looped in Luna's article (I read that one previous but love that you gave her the shout out!)!! So many great thought captured in this one!! Looks like im falling behind and better reading part 3 and four!! 😅 Also, congrats on 3rd most discussed story!!
You are right about many of the issues of the Leaderboard. It creates a competition to get the $$ so the effort that goes in is quick skimming and quick comments. Maybe V should just stop it all together for awhile and see those here mainly for money go away. On the other hand some people may be trying hard so they can pay for their V+ membership, IDK. Silver Daux' comment of "reward shallow engagement" is a perfect description. It also stresses some and makes some want to take a big break from V.
The leaderboard needs more authenticity all the way around. Many times the highest heart and comment numbers aren't honored in the most discussed and popular stories with the most likes categories.
I will voice my opinion on why I believe it is important to keep the leaderboard. It does get me to read a story or article that I missed, and competition spurs on creative ingenuity. If you want to place write something that catches the readers eye or resonates with them. I agree on those categories that hold no value and are so blatant in the use of Ai. Toss that category out, and comments should be more than three words capped off with emoji crap. I also agree with Cathy. Vocal should now be a V+ platform only. It would halt many scammers ( then again, they make up the fee cost quickly with their scam wins) Great article and thank you for pointing out Luna Jordan’s article, which I will be reading soon. Also congratulations on the leaderboard placement 😉(yes I used an emoji)
I hate the leaderboard so much, and I've placed on it lol. It's a horrible way to reward shallow engagement. My issue is that the concept is so great and I look forward to it, just to often feel let down. I think most of the categories should go and agree 100% with your suggestions on that. I think it would be cool to have two categories of rotating prompts of fun things like say, "longest story published this week", "most unique story format", "most dystopian piece", "piece with the most swears", or even something like a "most likely to 'x'" category like in high school yearbooks (most likely to get transported to a fairy realm. Most likely to win an Oscar.) Maybe I just sound crazy but I think the professionalism is drawing bots to the leaderboard. This should be a fun thing, is what I'm getting at, and not incentivized interactions. In my head, the key is rotation. If you're rotating in two random categories out of a large pool, bots can't predict what's coming next and neither can disingenuous creators. But again, maybe I just sounds nuts haha I see a real issue with the format of Vocal. They're trying to implement social media systems without the social media backend. There are no profile strikes, that I know of (which would be very useful against AI). Things like comments and likes are essentially monetized with the current system, which makes no sense. I think they could stand to implement more best practices from social media. Anyway, another great article! You're on a real roll!
I really hope they keep the heart! It's my ✅ that tells me I've read that one already 😁 I do peak on my stats occasionally and it's interesting to see the stories that have A LOT more reads than hearts. It's an indicator my story might have reached beyond vocal. So I want to keep the lines. But agree with the other changes you suggest.
Fascinating read: I wholeheartedly agree… “ I don't think commenting on pieces is something that needs to be incentivized by Vocal. The people who are actually reading pieces comment on them.” This is like kids expecting prizes for winning games instead of playing just for fun. Another valid point: “ If a story is prompting lots of discussion by Vocal+ members I think it’s a good candidate for recognition even if it isn't published by a Vocal+ member.”✅ Thanks for this well thought out analysis/discussion.
Um, I wish I would have read this one before the latest, lol. So, not to sound redundant, my response to this one is on Vocal challenges you just published, but I will add that I understand more about getting rid of the "most supportive" I think this series may be the beginning to some big changes. It's definitely a conversation starter with well-expressed concerns from your subscribers. Vocal is a great community, and its members should know what's best. We see almost everything that happens here.
Another excellent piece. Re your suggestion that only V+ comments should, I go so far as to say only V+ accounts should exist. I know people will disagree with me, but imo its reached the point where if we want to reduce the AI, making them pay might help.
You are 100% correct; it will take a collective effort. I agree with you about the eliminations and the Vocal plus criteria. The money saved could go toward challenge wins, possibly hiking the amount won by runner-ups. I would love to see this. I am delighted when I see genuine creators placed on the leadership board, but I am honestly sickened by the AI influence that others use to game the system. Thanks for writing and for supporting our community!
I don't mind if AI I used for stuff like brainstorming topics and stuff like that. But the writing - that should always be done from scratch by a human. It's upsetting to see AI content getting rewarded.
Omgggg, this is sooo shocking for me! I never thought that Most Popular Stories and Most Discussed Stories could be manipulated by these AI frauds as well 😳😳 Only making the comments of V+ members count, that's a brilliant idea! I also like the idea of expanding the Most Discussed Stories. The remaining 3 categories can go. Now, how do we get Vocal to listen? Lol 😅 Also, lol, I know who you mean on those Leaderboard links you included. Does Vocal think that just because some accounts are V+, they cannot be AI frauds? So absurd
I decided up front that I wouldn’t try for the leaderboard even though there are people on it whose work I respect. Responding to comments is difficult because often you don’t know it has happened if you have an active feed. Maybe there could be a star on the listing when there is unseen activity?
Hey DK - really interesting article. I joined Vocal back in 2021 and it took until August 2022 before I wrote my first story. I'm not joking when I say I'm a world class procrastinator. I stay because of the community - the lovely people I've 'met' and the opportunity to read fantastic work. I'm going to read articles, poems and stories on here regardless of whether it's a leaderboard category. The AI spamming is really annoying especially when you get a comment like - let's like and follow each other. Let's not mate. Anyway, I really like your suggestions. I was thinking perhaps in addition to the top stories maybe Vocal could showcase some work from some of the lesser known communities.
Wonderful and thought-provoking suggestions. Every time I read an AI generated comment (especially the ones that miss the point) I bristle in side. Great work!
You have nailed the problem, but I'm wondering about the solutions. AI is here to stay, and I'm not sure we can fight it...unless some technology develops that can detect the fakes. And those categories seem silly to me, too!
The same problem exists with my wife's account. After I make the comment it does not show up here, until I make a second one. It's frustrating.
I was wondering if my comment showed up on your computer. I am having trouble with it showing up on mine, if I post another it will show up momentarily, but when I go back to it, it is gone. The same thing with my husband's comments. It's frustrating.
I agree with all of your suggestions and it took me awhile to figure out who you were talking about but this the AI response from this person I find the most aggravating is "Keep it up". I agree with all of your suggestions especially that of you have to be vocal plus members to place on the leaderboard. That should apply for top story also.
It took awhile for me to find who you were talking about. However, I finally did. This person was on Similey another platform that was similar to Vocal. I joined it for awhile, but cancelled because it was a failed platform. This person wrote on this platform as a free member. I never subscribed to or read this person's articles because of my experience with this person on the other platform. However, I might say, my personal favorite of his AI responses is "Keep it up". I gave up on the Leaderboard. It's hard to know how to turn a buck anymore or should I say turn a penny. But I agree with you on all of your suggestions.
I agree with a lot of your changes. Though I’m glad that Darsheena gets a lot of good recognition for her supportiveness. I do wish it was a little easier to check on some of the people who just leave hearts. Every now and then I’d like to check out their pages and not just the ones that comment. I know some of that’s on me to be a little more proactive and just search for their name, but I’m pretty lazy.
Preach and for anyone reading the comments, me, one of the most frequent leaderboard appearer would like changes! i agree with this all,DK, as I thought I would, I like the idea of extending that category and as i magined you did in a very measured fashion! not my 'get it all tae fuck' approach, bravo!