TONI TALKS | MAY ➖ 2024➖UPDATE | TOTAL RECALL
Medium Was My Matrix ➖ Revised
A 5-day dopamine detox radically rewired my stance on the site.
⚪ Retained my upgraded membership status as a Friend of Medium.
Bloggers make this space unique. I’m pinning this post to the top of my profile. Above all, it expresses my sincere appreciation for the outcry from followers whom I proudly call friends.
Secondly, it’s designed to recap my steps on the site from discovery to now. I wrap up with thoughts on organically developing lasting relationships on the site, which have spilled over into the real world.
After some deliberation, I’m shifting my attention to the real world. I’ll still be active on the site as a reader. I do intend to write here again… someday.
Back To Reality【𝓝𝓞𝓦】Living Life Local
On February 1st [2024], I was installed as the “Artist In Residence” at the University of St. Francis Innovation Center. It’s located off Route 66, in scenic downtown Joliet (Illinois) in the United States of America.
Writing on this platform facilitated this opportunity. It involves helping a cohort of writers rewrite their reality. It’s a reprieve from my search for book representation. Discovering my storytelling voice was an unexpected membership perk of writing on Medium.
For the record. I’m a writer. I’ve pivoted professionally. I dream of becoming traditionally published under the Penguin Random House UK banner. I’m actively working to make this dream a reality. Please read the snippet embedded below.
My big audacious goal is to become the Black J.K. Rowlings. I’ll never give up on this dream.
2018 … The United States Small Business Association routed a link to Medium to my inbox. Reading was a welcomed distraction that quieted the background noise of my hectic life.
My creative design agency, which I’d owned since 1996, was supplying adult coloring books to Walmart stores nationwide. The period marked the final sprint of a long career as a self-employed artist.
I planned to retire in January 2021 but pushed it out until 2022. But that’s another story for another day. When I told a colleague about Medium, she connected me with an editor at the now-defunct pub “P.S. I Love You.”
The editor’s name was Kay Bolden. I’m grateful for the valuable advice she dispensed on navigating the site. What I know now that I didn’t know then was the importance of having an overarching writing goal.
2019… March marked the beginning of my membership journey. In retrospect, reading made me a better writer. The diverse range of blogs blew my mind. The only downside is attrition.
The disappearance of writers and pubs is the only constant here. Many of my favorites have gone the way of the dinosaur, like the cartoon-inspired pub Spiralbound, The History of Yesterday, and the anonymous man who wrote “The Only Black Guy in the Office” series for Level.
The only thing I know FOR SURE about Medium is to avoid getting attached to any writer or pub. Whoever is here today might ghost the site tomorrow.
2021`… Marked a turning point in my writing journey. I shifted from reader to writer and then struggled to gain traction. Things changed drastically after I wrote my first “About Me” post.
Quy Ma debuted it in his pub in October of 2021. Two years later, I went back to review it. It didn’t capture my essence, so I deleted it and replaced it with an artistically enhanced feature. It showcases who I am at my core.
The other big deal that year was my introduction to Canva Pro, which my daughter gave me as a Christmas gift. I freakin’ LOVE Canva! I would take on the role of spokesperson!
2022… It began with a big boost after Hollie Petit, Ph.D., added me as an editor to her pub, “Everything Fun.” She amplified my words. Even though she closed her pub in Spring 2023, the friendship we formed is ongoing.
Conversely, I picked up a hater and started bantering with him. Baited into a trap, I played right into the angry Black woman trope. Folks, take it from me, it’s not worth it to do battle with invisible people on this platform.
In the meantime, I was on fire, writing and commenting. Between January 2022 and March 2023, I wrote 176 posts, left 8,032 responses, and had 184 drafts. See the screenshot. This is what my addiction to Medium looks like.
2023… I landed in Medium jail after my hater reported me. When I tried to explain the platform police flat out shut me down. I’d gone on a rip writing biographies. I’m not detail-oriented.
Instead of annotating using the little numbers, I referenced the entire website. I have an extensive catalog. All anyone needs to do is to read it to understand my words are my own.
As a result, I took matters into my own hands and freed myself. I wiped the slate clean and started fresh on April 29th, 2023. I am a writer, and denying access was mean-spirited.
Meanwhile, my brain was brimming with ideas. The spigot was turned on. Words were pouring out of me. See the evidence below. In 7 months, I published 40 stories with 48 drafts.
In … December of 2023, I resolved to write daily. My larger goal was to maintain both quality and quantity. The screenshot below shows that I kept that commitment until my account was suspended for a second time the first week in March [2024] during Medium’s purge.
The second time around felt ominous. Was the universe stepping in to break my addiction to the site? Was it telling me to invest my time more productively?
In my mind, a nagging voice kept bringing up a simple truth. In January [2024], I quantified the return on my time investment. It broke down to $1.95 per hour. You can read it here.
2024… I found out who my ride-or-die’s on the site was in March. After five days, their voices brought me back. I’ll never forget all the writers who stood up and spoke up for me. I count them as genuine “Friends On Medium.” They know authenticity, integrity, and creativity are intentionally included in every post.
Conclusion: Building an audience on Medium boils down to…
⚪ Committing time to develop your unique writing voice.
⚪ A sincere desire to share words that elevate people’s spirits.
⚪ Interest in reading others to connect, learn, and grow.
Takeaway
Consistency, quality writing, and having something substantial to say are the primary keys to engagement. To reiterate… I’m here for the long haul. However, I need a minute to process all that happened in March 2024.
𝐋👀𝐤→ вєℓσω 👇🏾click on the underlined hyperlinks📢
ABC’s Of Me ➖ Older & Bolder ➖ Phucket List ➖ The Pivot
Writing words that intentionally define the next chapter of my life.
Mastering Gardening On Medium ➖ Boosted Posts ➖Lightworker
