7 Things I’ve Learned My First Week on Medium
Insight from a newbie who definitely drank the Kool-Aid
Yesterday, I celebrated my seventh consecutive day posting on Medium. This platform has been a total game changer for me. I’m addicted.
For posterity’s sake (as well as any other newbies out there), here are seven things I’ve learned my first week on Medium:
1. People love numbers and lists.
Come on, you know this is totally true! After all, you did open this story.
To start, I wasn’t sold on writing numbered lists. It seemed gimmicky. I guess I didn’t want to sell out or whatever. But, I realized I gravitated toward organized stories. That’s definitely not all I read, but when I’m looking for a quick little something on Medium, the headlines with numbers always jump out at me.
While my heart still belongs to the traditional post, I’m learning to love breaking things down. Organizing your ideas into a list makes a daunting topic much easier to write about.
2. Set time aside (and set a timer) to comment.
My first few days on Medium, I was spending waaaaaayyyy too much time browsing stories. After a while, my eyes would start to glaze over, and I wasn’t really reading anything at all. I wasted entire mornings this way.
On day 4, I decided things had to change. In order for Medium to be sustainable for me, I had to increase my efficiency. But, how? In “Why You Should Be Everywhere on Medium,” Ian Romprey said he has set different daily reading goals on Medium and adjusted them to increase the quality of his feedback.
I found I was more prone to skimming their work and not really interpreting what they had to say. -Ian Romprey
Personally, I set a timer for 30 minutes and start with stories in my network. I especially like to check in with people who follow me. I read entire stories, highlight and leave meaningful feedback.
3. Inspiration is everywhere.
Medium has revved up my creativity. I feel reborn! Knowing that I have a post to write the next day keeps me on the lookout for ideas. Unlike my WordPress blog, which is travel-focused, I can write about whatever I want here. Talk about liberating!
New ideas are coming to me all the time, and I don’t know what to write about hasn’t crossed my mind a single time.
4. The Notes app is a Medium writer’s BFF.
Like I said, the ideas are flowing. Whenever something new comes to me, I write it down in the Notes app on my phone. This week, I’ve woken up in the night on two different occasions and quickly typed out a story idea before going back to sleep.
I like to write down as much I can about the idea. Perhaps a lead or headline. Maybe even a few points. Whatever I can get. These notes are super helpful when I sit down to actually write the post.
5. You get a lot done when you’re not watching Netflix.
In the week I’ve been on Medium, I’ve watched significantly less Netflix. And you know what? I don’t even miss it! Go figure!
I told Jemellee I love thinking about doing something productive in terms of an unproductive activity. For example, this post took me two episodes of “Parks and Recreation” to write. It’s easy for me to watch four or five episodes in a row (my personal record is an entire season in one sitting). But damn, think of all the potential posts that is!
6. Themes give you structure but don’t box you in.
On day 2, I signed up for Tom Kuegler’s free email course. In his first lesson, he suggested choosing a topic for every day you want to publish. A big part of the reason I joined Medium in the first place was because I wanted to branch out from just writing about travel. But, when you decide to leave your niche, sitting down to write can be a little overwhelming.
Yay, I can write about anything I want!! Wait…how do I choose?!
Writing themes have been the perfect amount of structure. I’m able to organize my ideas and have consistency while still exploring different topics that interest me.
7. Don’t sweat the claps (too much).
In my first post back on Medium, I vowed to write for myself. I didn’t want to get caught up in the claps and forget why I’m here: to grow as a writer.
With that being said, the kind of writer I want to be is the kind of writer who can write for an audience. Medium isn’t my diary. It’s helpful to see the kind of posts to which people respond. I won’t always give the people what they want, but it’s good to know what the people want.
How long have you been on Medium? What have you learned? Any advice for this newbie?
Hi, I’m Alex! After living in Madrid, Spain, for two years, I recently moved to Mexico. Tacos and sunshine, baby! When I’m not writing, I’m reading, running or drinking red wine. For more of my writing, check out my blog: Backpacking Brunette.
