I’m not so optimistic, Linda. Vocal has an inferior user interface and without comments and followers, there’s no community. The writing software? I haven’t had so much content disappear inexplicably since I was writing on a Mac in the 1980s that boasted 5k. They aren’t even close to equaling Medium.

Some challenges result in mediocre material winning, and I’m not the only one who thinks so. I had 50 stories on Vocal by this spring and I’ve made $6.00 on reads. I also got small bonuses they give you at the beginning for reaching milestones, which just reimbursed me for the annual membership I stupidly signed up for instead of the trial.

It also bothers me that all the memberships are purchased by writers. Writers are paying each other, and not well. But, hey! People can tip you!! (Don’t even get me started on that.)

On Medium, I can write something that’s not wildly popular, but it still generates income. Most of my stories in the 9 months I’ve been on Vocal have generated zero reads and no income. One is a story that I put on both platforms. It has earned over $1,600 on Medium. On Vocal? Don’t make me laugh. I also get the impression that Vocal skews young. As an older writer, I find Medium to be more diverse age-wise.

Challenges? Sigh. Vocal has some challenges that have corporate sponsors. That’s where the big prize money comes from. But, sponsors have agendas. Whatever you come up with, it not only has to appeal to the judges, it has to advance the sponsor’s agenda. You could write the most amazing story about how a man poisons his neighbor with weed killer, but if Monsanto is sponsoring the challenge, there’s not a snowball’s chance in Hell you’re going to win.

I’ll check back in at Vocal from time to time to see if the situation improves, but I don’t have high hopes.