Top Stories

Stories in Journal that you’ll love, handpicked by our team.

What is Vocal to You?
For as long as I can reasonably remember, I have wanted to be a writer. I fell in love with comic books at an early age, and as early as four years old I wanted to be the guy who told those stories. Clearly, Vocal is not a platform for that specifically, but it is a place to tell stories in general. It's also a place to make money, potentially.
By John Dodge5 years ago in Journal
The Toll Of Tipping
A casual conversation with anyone working front-of-house in the restaurant industry will solidify a known ideal; these workers rely on their tips to survive. An offhanded suggestion that the industry should do away with tipping would no doubt be received with an onslaught of objection and rightfully so. For decades tipping has grown from a small optional bonus for a job well done, to a mandatory shame-inducing ritual that is harmful to patrons, restaurant owners, and especially servers. To ensure the wellbeing of service industry workers and restore the integrity of restaurants, the United States must replace toxic tipping culture with a livable wage for employees.
By Christine Jupp5 years ago in Journal
(Quick) Edit Your Voice!
The greatest tool has finally been added to Vocal! Quick Edit. You can now make those little adjustments your eyes (or the eyes of your proofreaders) missed while reading over your work for the hundredth time. No need to email Vocal to have them fix it for you. Right now, this tool is for Vocal+ Members only. Regular Vocal members, I will highly encourage you to invest in the monthly membership to be in Vocal+; there is so much more you can do!
By Sara Aulds5 years ago in Journal
6 Ways to Nurture Your Creativity
Being creative can be difficult. There is a myth that people are either born creative or not. I like to think of creativity as more of a muscle. If you work that muscle, it gets bigger.
By Glenda Beecham5 years ago in Journal
How I've made $1,000 from Vocal
On February 18th, 2021, I became an active member on Vocal. I was interested in the platform after seeing an advertisement on Instagram for one of the challenges with a $20,000 prize. Now, I am officially five months into my Vocal membership, and have become quite fond of all aspects of the community. I have written more in the last few months than I would’ve ever expected, and I've enjoyed every minute of it. Vocal’s pay per view system, littered with bonuses has kept my attention and provided motivation to continue writing. After being on the platform for almost half a year, I have learned that although you will get a fair amount from writing on the platform, investing in it may make you a bit more.
By Amanda Mitchell5 years ago in Journal
Thinking and Rethinking Thought Leadership
Thought Leader - Definition A thought leader is an individual or firm (agency) that is recognized as an authority in a specialized field and whose expertise is sought and often rewarded. In the sciences or other highly technical fields this makes sense though I still find it mostly unhelpful. It is usually more of an indicator of ego than actual accomplishment with the so called “thought leaders” mostly (though not always) self anointed (or anointed by a small group of other self anointed thought leaders) as such.
By Everyday Junglist5 years ago in Journal
Why You Should Try Writing on Vocal
At the beginning of June, I thought it would be interesting to explore other writing platforms besides Medium. Other writers have mentioned Vocal and after some research, I decided to give it a try. For those who have never heard of Vocal or are interested in trying writing with them, I’ll be discussing my experience and why you should try writing there too.
By Mad For Fabric5 years ago in Journal
The Business of Feeling
I am a loud and proud queer singer-songwriter from Melbourne, Australia. I go by the stagename "Mouk." and I am currently the happiest I have ever been. I took the chance to pursue my dreams and although I haven't "made it" yet, I am learning every day and loving having the opportunity to be involved in the songwriting community. I released my debut single in collaboration with artist and producer James Sully on the 27th of August 2020. The track got over 1,000 plays in the first day with no external promotion other than our artist social media sites. In this piece I want to share some of the tips and tricks I've learned along the way to create great and meaningful songs!
By Mouk.5 years ago in Journal
The Choice Paradox: How I Finally Wrestled It Down and Chose a Viable Niche
A storyteller, writer, helper, peer counselor, friend, financial coach, musician, educator, entrepreneur, mother, widow, and so much more. How to niche that down to fulfill my purpose(s) on this earth has been the quest of the past several years of my life. With so much to give, so much value to share, and a burning desire to do it all; I have wrestled with the paradox of too many choices.
By Maria Calderoni5 years ago in Journal
Be Inspired
Imagine a cool autumn evening in Queensland, Australia in 2019. It is clear and bright with stars after weeks of rain. The weather apps say no rain expected. So with a huge amount of trust our small team forges ahead preparing for an extraordinary event.
By Wendy Roe5 years ago in Journal
Never Fitting In At Work
To begin with, I never really felt like I fit in anywhere. Perhaps there are reasons for those feelings that I should have tried to address much, much earlier in life. However, hindsight being 20/20 doesn't do anything for the future, or even the now. Rejects, misfits, renegades, rogues, and loners. That's where I always felt I was in the social constructs of society.
By Jason Ray Morton 5 years ago in Journal
My 1st children's book
I had set aside the dream of being an author until last year when the pandemic hit. Back then, I was still working at a big fashion company as a marketing manager. I'd been there for 10 years.
By M.E5 years ago in Journal