Why We Feel Undervalued On Vocal
And What We Should Do When We Do
Introduction
This happens to me a lot and while we value feedback from our peers (and every read and comment they make on our stories rewards us with half a cent, we still appreciate a Top Story or even a Challenge win, placement or mention. I have written about this many times before:
Making Yourself Feel Valued When You Feel Ignored By Vocal
Maybe I am saying this from a privileged position because I get a good number of reads and comments every day, although that could be because I publish two or more pieces most days (this is my second so far today).
Because we are on Vocal we see Top Stories and Challenge placements as endorsements of the value of our work, but the real endorsement is the positive and supportive comments we get from our peers, the other Vocal Creators.
Very often once we have entered a challenge we look for other ones and Vocal's Resources and the unofficial challenges can provide us with the spur to create. I know that some Creators will not countenance unofficial challenges but some actually pay significant prize money. I just pay five one-dollar tips distributed to five random creators who join my challenges.
Winning one of these can make you feel as appreciated as if you have got a top Story or a challenge placement.
Here are the unofficial challenges for March 2025:
And here are the Vocal Resources to help give you ideas
Keep reading and commenting on others' stories and they will reciprocate by reading yours, so even if you are feeling ignored by Vocal you will know that your readers like your work.
Conclusion
Every story and poem you write is special, and know that you are special because you have put words together and shared them with others.
I hope this has made your feel a little special and you have my thanks for your time and for reading my work.
About the Creator
Mike Singleton π Mikeydred
A Weaver of Tales and Poetry
Join & Share In VSS
Creationati
Call Me Les β₯ Gina β₯ Heather β₯ Caroline β₯
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More stories from Mike Singleton π Mikeydred and writers in Writers and other communities.
Center Stage with Gina C.
*** I'm keen to republish the interviews I did for my series with Vocal creators. It's been a few years and I thought it might be nice to revisit these wonderful conversations. I'll be releasing them one at a time for a few weeks/months.
By Heather Hubler4 days ago in Interview
Comments (20)
Congratulations on your Leaderboard placement, and thanks for the encouraging words. There are other factors that can create that undervalued feeling, such as waiting weeks to see a Top Story bonus appear in your wallet, and a complete lack of response from Vocal support. I've had some unusual activity lately, like notifications of comments from names I don't recognize - comments that never show up and the commenters' accounts can't be found. Vocal refused to respond to my support ticket on that issue, as well. I usually see a reasonable response from fellow creators so I can't complain on that front. As we've all said before, it's the community here that keeps me motivated.
Wooohooooo congratulations on your Leaderboard placement! ππππππ
It's my 3rd year in Vocal and there is a huge difference in readings and reciprocation. I don't write on here as much as I used to but when I do I read 10-20 stories in a day.
Great advice - it can feel very frustrating, particularly now competing against the flood of stuff (no thanks to AI) out there. I write slowly, and I edit even slower - so getting out quantity isn't in my wheelhouse - and if it does, it comes on in spurts - like a cocaine addict who just won't shut up - until the crash.
Mike, you made my day!!! Great advice and story!!!β€οΈβ€οΈπ
Blessings to you & thanks, Mike.
This resonated. Vocal mostly makes me feel like a useless, incompetent human. AI is rewarded. Inane comments get praised and top stories are just part of the bot cycle. It is truly sad because Vocal is a special place, or could be but it really is just a bunch of writers reading writers/their mates with no opportunity of anything more than that. π Many good people but it feels very hollow a lot of the time x
Hey Mike. It must be as hard for the V team as it is for the writers. We all have grouses and I must say it gets harder every day. AI is here to stay and it will be abused. People stick with those they know because new people seem not to return reads, it is a crap shoot, one that is not easily resolved. Hope for the best for everyone.
I feel undervalued on Vocal because those who publish AI-Generated content get paid the same amount that we do. Some of them are even V+ members and get paid more than human writers like me who aren't V+ members. It's either they ban AI or stop paying them
This was very informative. I didnβt know about the unofficial challenges. Yes, I have been ignored many times and have left the platform and come back to try again many times. Now I am now trying once again. Perhaps I have to be more active, publish more often. I know I have found some writers I enjoy reading here.
Thank you for this reminder/encouragement π«ΆπΌ. I definitely got addicted to frequently being picked for top stories in the past, and discouraged by the subsequent change in the pattern.
Hey Mike, thanks for this. We are all different...and special in the best way. And know that you are valued!
Hey Mike, being the master of music accompaniment to stories that you are, can you tell me if I have an MP3 recording that I can embed into a story? I have a couple of songs to enter into the Harmonic challenges, and I dug out some old recordings of them when they were played in my band (40 years ago, I might add). They were in CDA format, so I had to convert them to MP3. Do you know if they play when embedded into a story, or is there another way I can do it?
Another great story of encouragement. You do such a great job, Mike. BUT ..... I have felt over the month that there are a few people who, no matter how much you support them, never give you reciprocated support back. I find this disturbing and have started questioning why I write. I know there are good reasons, and everyone has limited time and so on, but I have come to the point where if I offer support to someone and it is never reciprocated, then I will withdraw my support to them instead of focusing on those that do make the effort. It is a two-street, after all.
A good message, Mike. For me I either have something to write about or I donβt, so Iβm generally not one for challenges, but I appreciate you putting these altogether and creating your own too!
As always you are a great support person for us weary writers. Thanks Mike
I appreciate your stories and your informative articles like this one about Vocal. I like reading the vocal stories; I like entering the challenges. Top stories do get more reads and it might just be that people see that title and so those are the ones they want to read more of. The more interaction writers give on Vocal, the more interaction they receive. Of course, there are ups and downs for everyone based on life circumstances, and the time they can commit. β€οΈ
I think the vocal community is incredibly special - thatβs why I stay. I really enjoy your work Mike.
Very uplifting! Thx 4 the warm words Mike! π
Mike, you are appreciated more than you know