By now you’ve probably read every single ‘How To Succeed On Medium’ guide available on the platform. If anything, you’re probably a pro now having memorized all the tips, tricks, cheats, and every other method there is to be a huge success on Medium.

I’ve written a few of those myself as well, although not of how to make 4-figures on the platform (because I’ve not exactly hit that milestone yet), but more of how to achieve the relatively small amount of success that I’ve been able to enjoy over the last year or so.

I’d like to believe that if I can achieve it, so can anyone. It’s also a belief of mine that if there are writers who are making big bucks on this platform, that they can achieve it, so can I and anyone else too. …

Whenever I write about Medium, one of the first questions that come to my mind is, “I wonder how many other writers are going to silently (or even openly) complain about yet another article about Medium?” because let’s be honest, it’s a very hot and sensitive topic, isn’t it?

Articles about Medium, for some reason, sits well with some writers but on the other hand, can really get under the skin of others.

I’ve seen articles about Medium get a lot of love and at the same time, a lot of hate as well. …

MEDIUM THINGS

Since I joined the Medium Partner Program towards the end of July 2019, I’ve been publishing regularly on the platform. To date, it shows that I’ve published 493 articles and if I divide that over the past 17 months that I’ve been writing on here, it averages to around 29 articles a month.

That’s about an article a day which honestly, isn’t bad.

I know throughout the last 17 months, I’ve not been properly consistent. I’ve had months where I published 2–3 articles a day and there were months where I published an article once every 3–4 days.

In the end, it’s even up at an article a day. …

In just a blink of an eye, 2020 has come and gone. What a year it was for not just me, but for the entire world. Living through a pandemic was definitely not something I thought I’d live to see. Unfortunately, it doesn’t seem like it’s going to change in 2021.

The COVID-19 virus is still very much among us and we are still seeing an increase in new confirmed cases and deaths in many countries across the world — mine included.

Whether or not we like it, we have to learn how to live with this virus because it doesn’t look like it’s going to go away anytime soon, with or without a vaccine. …

Growing up in the late 80s/early 90s, I always looked forward to my evenings, especially during the weekends. It’s because that’s the time where I’m allowed to just enjoy myself outdoors — be it cycling with my siblings and friends or just playing at the playground.

Fast forward almost 30 years later and it’s a very different landscape now. Parents (especially in urban areas) just don’t feel safe letting their children play outside as much as before.

This is probably down to the rise in cases of kidnapping, theft, assault, etc. …

I made no secret of my ambition to eventually have an article published in a Medium-owned publication someday. It was an unachieved goal of mine for last year and this year, I’m hoping to achieve it. But even if I don’t, I won’t mind so much, as long as I keep trying.

You may ask why I’m aiming for this? Well, for me, it’s a personal thing.

Seeing as to how Medium has high standards for their writers, being able to be featured in one of their own publications would mean that I would have reached a certain level in my writing. …

For as long as I can remember, I’ve had a love-hate relationship with writing. I hated it back in school, especially when I always get complains by my teachers (and my mom from time to time) about my handwriting — how it’s too small and messy and they find it really hard to read.

Plus, I think from the way I hold a pencil/pen, my fingers hurt after writing for certain periods of time. I guess that’s also one reason why I really hated writing essays.

But at the same time, I’ve always enjoyed the storytelling side of writing. Ask any of my teachers and they’ll tell you that I rarely had any problems with reaching the minimum number of words needed (which usually around 500–750 words mark) within the 60 minutes time allocated. …

Apple has always been associated with being the best in whatever they put out. Yes, I may be biased because I am a big fan of their products but at the same time, I’ve also just found myself enjoying their products more than others.

I enjoy their ecosystem more, I enjoy their OS more, I just enjoy their products more.

It’s probably why despite their products being pretty pricey in my country, I own an iPhone 5S, an iPhone 12 Mini, an iPad Mini 4, an Apple Watch Series 5, an Apple TV 3rd-gen, an Apple TV 4K, a MacBook Air 11", and a pair of AirPods 2nd-gen. …