A Little Vocal Reciprocal Challenge
Let's Make Some Friends
Introduction
I think this is a good thing to try again
This is just an idea I had for maybe bringing Vocal Creators closer together. I did produce this piece to add favourite creators to your profile a while back and while it got good feedback I've only seen a handful of people implement it, though I personally found it good for discovering new creators. If my friends like a creator, then the chances are I will also like their work.
One of those Creators We're Loving is the reason that I am still writing on Vocal and have managed to produce over seventeen hundred pieces, and if you know me you know who that is. There is a story I wrote about it that I will tag in the conclusion of this piece.
So How Do We Do This?
I saw the creator Donny Foley on Vocal's "Creators We Love" but did not know his work and was not subscribed to him so I dipped into his profile and found this story.
I read it and enjoyed it and left this comment on it. Comments are always good on Vocal and Facebook posts because they show that your reader is engaging with you, usually in a positive way.
I also subscribed so hopefully Donny will see that, though it may be wiped by other notifications, but if he reads this he will know.
Hopefully. Donny will read something of mine and join the Vocal Social Society, but obviously. if you take part you will want to promote your own preferred group, whether it be on Facebook or elsewhere.
Nice work. I am including you as the first piece in a little Vocal challenge I am publishing because you appeared on Vocal's "Creators We're Loving". Also, if you are on Facebook please join us in Vocal Social Society and share your work there as well
You can choose one or more creators and make them feel that they are being read and appreciated as you invite them into your Vocal fold. Obviously, some people will want to stay alone and plough their own furrow, but many will be delighted at the thought that they are being noticed by other creators.
Creators We're Loving is randomly generated and sometimes there are a few oddities in there, and in this one from Art. I chose this from Roderick Makim.
I left a comment like I did with Donny and hope that Roderick enjoys that.
In both the examples I have chosen I was the first person to comment but that is not essential, but if you comment you will be showing a fellow creator that they are being noticed.
What Next?
Although I have shared these stories here, I will now share them on Facebook as well as in the Vocal Social Society on the thread that I start with this story.
Feel free to add the stories and creators that you find in the comments on this Challenge story and on Facebook.
We are all here to help each other succeed and maybe this will help us all succeed a little more.
The rewards from this challenge may be finding new friends and building your and their audience.
So check out those Vocal Creators We Love and engage and share their stories with us.
Conclusion
I hope that people will read and engage with this and bring others into each other's Vocal families. I know it is not a normal challenge because it does not involve you writing anything, but just engaging with new Vocal Creators.
I think "Join Together" by The Who is an appropriate soundtrack for this piece.
This is the story that I referred to in the initial paragraph, that I promised to share with you.
About the Creator
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Comments (15)
Great concept, Mike. You are always coming up with novel ideas to better the community spirit. I need to expand my reading base, so I will try to find a new creator to follow each week for the next few weeks. As others have commented, it is always difficult to balance the amount you read, not wanting to let friends down by not reading everything they write and keeping up with your own writing. But, hey, we all need a challenge, right?
Great idea, Mike. <3 We need more reciprocity on the site, and this is a great way to encourage it. <3
Iβve yet to make it into Creators Were Loving and itβs been a goal. I do (still) need to be better at commenting. Challenge accepted.
Mr. Mike and I have been on that list of Creators We Love in a few communities like CRITIQUE for one. Great idea for I except for lately have did more reading and commenting than writing on creators work, and your idea does work for I have gained some new subscribers.
I love that you do this, Mike, and then encourage the rest of us to. You are so invested in the success of everyone on Vocal and building this community. Also, I know it's frustrating for you to have to "recycle" your old stories, but I always love seeing the old comments on these stories. It's fun to see some of my favorite creators were here back then and be reminded of some who I haven't seen for a while.
I try to always do a read for a read. It is difficult sometimes without a comment and sometimes even looking for a person, can't find them. I occasionally add someone elses link in my writing. For a challenge for example, but otherwise too. I only occasionally look for someone new unless they have won the challenge. It is good to see what wins.πππ
You are a good supportive writer, Mike.
Great initiative, Mike. Good to bring the community together.
Two creators I thoroughly enjoy but don't get frequently noticed are Meredith Harmon (a whale of a lot of fun, uplifting, humorous, Twain-esque writing among other things) & Tom Baker (for those who like to walk on the darker side of life). I've lifted them up before, but it never hurts to do so again. Thanks for suggesting this, Mike.
I very rarely scroll all the way down to see the Creators We're Loving but I should start doing that!
I do this at least once a week
I'm distracted by novel deadlines and a full-time job, so I'm not as active on Vocal as I used to be. I appreciate your efforts to keep everyone connected.
Interesting. I am going to consider this one...and I actually have a piece on the Who in my drafts... Nice work! π
You are such a good person, Mike, in helping people feel appreciated here.
An interesting article, I quite often read 'Creators We Love' randomly- that's what I am here for to read inside and outside of my usual styles. I get the addign creators to your profile concept but for me it had the opposite affect of your intention (which are interesting to read about). This isn't meant negatively towards anyone, just an observation and my pesonal feeling towards it, When I first started a few months ago, I saw the names on people's profile and it made me think that Vocal was just a clique where people just read and liked each others stuff. I nearly quit but then concluded that it didn't really matter, it just mattered that I was taking the step to thowing my scrawlings out there, whatever the reaction. So, for this reason I won't add my favourites on my profile -but I understand now the sentiment behind it. π€