Advice
I Chose Self-Publishing Because 70% Royalties Sounded Better. Then 70% Of Zero Changed My Mind.
I have a self-published book, and it was a flop. Only sold 10 copies type of flop. But I didn't choose self-publishing after careful consideration of both paths. I chose it because it seemed obviously better, and I didn't want to interrogate that assumption.
By Ellen Frances9 days ago in Writers
From Starting Five Years Ago To Now, This Is How I Look At Vocal
Do you all remember when you started using Vocal? It was the new and shiny toy you needed at that perfect moment in time. You needed Vocal, and it needed you! Vocal sometimes doesn't feel like it needs you, but without the writers, the users of the platform, there was never going to be the launch pad that Vocal became for some. Some, made their biggest moves and became authors. Others threw in the towel and walked away, never to be seen or heard form again, because they couldn't see what was possible.
By The Man Behind The Mask10 days ago in Writers
Writing To Succeed. Top Story - March 2026.
If you want to find something that will help readers find your writing, possibly expand your audience, and maybe even get you noticed for other things, then you’re not alone. But how can you get it done in a world full of want-to-be writers? Look less at what you’re writing now, and more at what other writers have used to boost their views and reads.
By The Man Behind The Mask11 days ago in Writers
Writing for the attention span
I've just started to write a story. Not this one. A fiction. I am often contemplating now why I write on Vocal: do I have a message? Sometimes. Is it for the joy? Always. Is it for engagement? Maybe, depending on what form that engagement takes.
By Rachel Deeming12 days ago in Writers
Turning the Ephemeral into the Concrete
Some experiences feel real while they are happening and unreal almost immediately afterward. A conversation that sparks clarity, a realization that reframes a problem, a moment where scattered thoughts suddenly align. In the moment, there is a sense that something solid has been grasped. But without capture, that solidity dissolves. What remains is a faint impression, detached from the reasoning that made it meaningful. The experience was real, but it left no durable trace.
By Peter Thwing - Host of the FST Podcast12 days ago in Writers
Is Self‑Publishing on Amazon KDP Worth It? . AI-Generated.
Self‑publishing has transformed the publishing landscape, and Amazon’s Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) remains the most powerful platform for authors who want creative control, global reach, and the ability to publish on their own terms. Whether you’re releasing your first book or expanding an existing catalog, KDP offers a streamlined path from manuscript to marketplace.
By Kristen Barenthaler12 days ago in Writers
A New Song
A New Song I woke up the other day and heard this new song. It seemed a bit familiar, but I could not place it. I don’t know where it was coming from either. So I smiled and listened to it. It was one of the most beautiful songs, I have heard in a long time.
By Alexandra Grant12 days ago in Writers
You're Doing Five Things To Market Your Self-Published Book. None Of Them Work. Here's Why.
After publishing 1 Lovelock Drive, I did everything I thought I was supposed to do. I posted about it on social media. I told everyone I knew. I shared the Amazon link in my bio, stories, and group chats. I waited for readers to discover it; I refreshed my sales dashboard daily, then hourly, then compulsively.
By Ellen Frances14 days ago in Writers
