I find this a troubling development, Tessa. Vocal is all about the challenges and it's the main reason I canceled my membership. There are a lot of articles about Vocal on Medium and almost all say the same thing: that it sucks, the challenges are nearly impossible to win, and you waste a lot of time trying to figure out what kind of story might give you a chance. Then you see who wins. Lots of repeat winners and, often, some truly mediocre stuff taking first prize.