A Few Thoughts On Writing

Introduction

I love writing and pouring out thoughts about anything, but I have this devil that keeps telling me that I am lazy and no one wants to read my stories, so I punch him in the face and it shuts him up for a bit.

A few days ago I published a Vocal Story that has zero reads. I don't know why. I have shared it in a few Facebook groups and it has a few Facebook thumbs-ups but zero reads, which is a little upsetting, but c'est la vie.

So What Now?

I often feel that Vocal and most Vocal Creators I know see me as a reader and nothing else, while reciprocity does not oblige us to read people's stories if they have read ours it can be a bit upsetting if all you get is a thank you from someone on Facebook after you have read theirs.

However, I have to plead guilty to doing that myself so often because I run out of time. I know that if I drop into a story that is a worthy read I have to read and leave a comment to make sure that the Creator gets paid. I sometimes heart the story on Facebook and then go back later to read and comment, but that does not always happen.

I suppose a good analogy is that I run a sweet shop and you are a tobacconist but I don't smoke. You come in and buy my sweets but I have no reason to visit your shop, though I wish you well.

I have just revived Guides in Vocal Social Society to collect together related threads. It is initially time-consuming and like many Facebook things can be clunky but this seems to be coming together as I want now:

The problem this takes time, but is ultimately worth it. Many admins from many groups suffer from burnout because of all they put in, which is often unacknowledged and unthanked and even denigrated. I am often close to giving up, but I then think that I want things to happen and I am the only one who can instigate that.

It may not be a healthy attitude to have, but if I didn't do it, I would still be thinking about this, and I also don't want others to feel under pressure. Maybe I can take it, and the fact that I am doing it shows that I can.

Behind the scenes work is not seen until it stops, and then suddenly people have a problem, but that is life.

I love writing, and while writing thing this and changing bed sheets I formulated a story for another Solstice Challenge, so my mind is functioning and I have great belief in myself as do many Vocal Creators who are close friends and that makes all I put myself through and all I do feel worthwhile.

I see a way forward but feel lonelier on Vocal every day, but I have friends here who make life enjoyable. I am not going to leave Vocal as I think I have a lot to give, and my close Vocal friends are true friends, I just wish they were in my part of the globe so I could share a coffee or tea and toast with them. That is the nature of the world we are in now, and I have to thank Vocal for all the real friends that I have made.

I also have silent admirers who read my work and keep the coffee money flowing in from Vocal.

Conclusion

I know this has turned out to be another confessional piece when it was meant to be about writing advice, but that is the nature of my writing, it can go off in unplanned directions because of my lack of discipline.

Thank you for sticking with me and for reading this.

I thought the cheesy Rubettes record was perfect for this.