"Widow's Walk - Nantucket Island" by Geoffrey Honneus (honnueuslibrary.com, fair use)
(PLEASE NOTE: A link to my short story “Widow’s Walk” is included below.)
Spring is progressing nicely, tulips are supplanting daffodils, dogwoods are ready to burst into bloom, and I’m finally back on track with my writing. (There’s nothing like rapidly diminishing earnings to inspire creativity and dump the slump!)
A little about where I write and how I get paid
As most of you know, I do most of my writing on the Medium platform. Subscribers get unlimited reads commercial-free reads on Medium, while non-subscribers are limited to three reads a month. When I provide links to my stories in this newsletter, they are “Friend Links” so you can read more than three even if you don’t have a subscription.
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Beyond the Golden Gate: Adhering to Last Wishes Can Be a Bitch
Medium pays its writers out of the subscription fees they collect. The payouts are based on how many minutes subscribers spend reading my stories. (So, if you’re a subscriber, read slow, okay?)
Recently, I have also begun writing on the Vocal platform. Vocal pays writers in a different way. Readers can read unlimited stories on Vocal. There is no subscription fee for them. Subscriptions are collected from the writers on Vocal.
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Unlike, Medium, however, I can get paid whoever reads my story. The big difference is that a lot more people have to read my Vocal stories for me to make any money since Vocal bases earnings on clicks rather than time spent reading.
Vocal does offer writers some extra benefits, though. I can compete in challenges that can earn me prizes in the hundreds and thousands of dollars. Readers also have the option to tip me if they like my story (Yes, like here’s a buck kid, don’t spend it all in one place.), and the powers that be at Vocal may also give me a $5 or $10 pat on the back now and then.
I recently entered a Vocal+ challenge to write a short story. Here it is:
The Widow’s Walk: A Tale of Old New England
Wish me luck! I’d love to get your feedback. Fiction is not something I write very often.
A small request
Many of you see my stories posted on social media like Facebook and Twitter. I certainly don’t expect you to read everything I write, but if you do, (or, I’ll be honest, even if you don’t) it would be great if you click “like” and “share.” This helps me work my way up the food chain on various platforms (they keep track), and it only takes a moment of your time. Your comments are especially welcome, too.
Please also remember that when you click a “heart” at the bottom of this newsletter, it gives me a boost.
Here are a few more links to stories you might enjoy:
The Astonishing Story of the Slave Who Mailed Himself to Freedom
Three Important Things You Should Ask to See Each Year and Why
What Garden Suppliers Don’t Want You to Know About Growing Your Own Tomatoes
Thanks for reading. I appreciate your interest and your support.
Cheers!
Denise
P.S. For those of you hoping to stream my performance as Juror 11 in the Pennsylvania Playhouse’s production of 12 Angry Jurors, I regret to inform you that streaming rights are not available from the play-licensing agency that represents the playwrite.
If you will be in the Bethlehem, PA, area and want to see the show, here is the link for tickets. It’s a relatively small space and since social distancing rules are still in effect, order your tickets early as supplies are limited.