We are Medium. Let’s talk about how we can enhance it.
I love Medium. And every time Ev Williams writes something about the values behind this wonderful project, I can feel how true, how noble the intents are.
Since the first time I saw Medium (it was a simple landing page) I knew this could be a place where I could finally find something I’ve never experienced. This is a place where dialogue is an important part, where dialogue is encouraged in many ways, from the possibility to highlight text and answer directly to that part, to share private notes with amazing writers, to respond to stories.
Medium is an interactive reading experience. You don’t comment something, you respond to it, because your reading is not something passive; a comment is a “critical judgement”, but a response is the act of answering to a question.
The implicit question of all the stories is: what do you think of it? What’s your point of view? What is your experience? I want to know your story, tell me about it. I want to write, and I want to read your writing.
So this is why I’m writing this. You asked for feedback. Since I am not a complaint-person, I will try to say what it is not okay for me and how I think could be improved.
And the reason why I’m writing in English (something I’m not used to, so sorry about the many mistakes) is because I want to give my feedback, and I want to start a conversation “bottom-up”, to find a solution for our beloved Medium. Together.
Founding Members: yes, but…
I would love to support, with my small contribute, the great amount of professional writers on Medium. The thing is that (and it is not a matter of “origin”) I wish I could decide which writer support, which publication. So…
Transparency
I will give you my money. But what happens next? I certainly can make a leap of faith, but only if you tell me you need money in order to keep Medium alive. In that case, yes, take them. I know that servers, staff behind it need to be paid in order to have a service, so I don’t need an explanation for that.
However, if my money are not for the service but for the contents (and a better reading experience), I want to know how you are planning to do that. Because yes, I love to read in every language I understand, but I don’t want to pay an American journalist who writes 10 articles about Trump, with all due respect, of course.
I can read it, but it does not give me an “experience” . I can understand the language, but I can’t feel what you’re experiencing with your President (just to make an example). I love to know what’s going on in the world, of course, but I usually don’t pay a subscription to a fashion magazine if I’m interested in technology. I hate to say this, because I always defined myself a citizen of the world, but since my life is bound to Italy, I want to read something valuable in my mothertongue, and things that affect my life, things I’m experiencing and for which I need an extra point of view.
So, basically, what will you do with this money? Pay for contents? Let me choose which content should I support with my small fee.
My suggestion: it would be great to let the users choose, in both ways.
As a writer, I wish I could have something more like a “freemium” service: maybe a part of my publication would be dedicated to subscribed users, people who trust my writing and are willing to pay to read something that took me some time and effort to write. Maybe, for example, a long interview with a celebrity, or an exclusive hands-on of a new technology, or a study on something.
As a reader, I wish I could have a subscription button to the publication that I love, that starts from 5€ to ∞.
Medium should have a part, too: I want Medium to have a %, a piece of that amount. I’m not an expert on things involving numbers, but it could be like: 1.50$ to Medium, 3.50$ to me. Or whatever, just as long as every parts involved in this “change” could benefit from it.
Medium Italia
Since the announcement of the suspension of the activity of Medium Italia, I feel that the Italian Medium community has lost its center: my homepage is filled with english content, which is fine, but, once again, I would like to discover more contents in my mothertongue.
So this is why I would like to apply for the empty Editor position for Medium Italia. For free. And I am sure somebody else would join me in this, because we believe in Medium values and potential. We believe in quality contents.
I believe in it. And I’m committed to make things better, for people around me.
I’m putting myself at the disposal of a value, of something I believe in. I’m ready to take care of something I don’t want to be abandoned.
So, what do you think? Please, put all the “angry speeches” aside and let’s seriously talk about how make things better for Medium.
Thanks, Medium Staff, for your work on this wonderful platform. I am with you.
