Finding That Happy Medium Writing on Medium
I’ve been writing on Medium for about three years now and I’m still fine-tuning my strategy and revising my expectations. Here’s what I mean: What is the proper ratio in terms of quality vs. quantity? Also: Can I learn to appreciate the intrinsic rewards of writing a piece when it doesn’t get a lot of attention?
In the world of blogging, and in the world of writing more broadly, there are myriad motivations. In a very basic artistic sense, I write simply because I feel compelled to (creatively). But in an economic and cultural sense, I also write partially so that others will actually read what I have written, and I hope to possibly even get paid for some this passionate labor.
There have been pieces that I’ve poured so much time and effort into and felt like barely anyone noticed. On the other hand, there have been pieces that I cranked out in an hour or less that have gotten more than 1K claps. To be fair, once in a while I’ll put a lot of effort and research into a piece and it will pay off. I recall spending several weeks researching and writing about Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. last year, and that turned out to be one of my most popular posts.
What I’ve realized is that quality and quantity both matter. If you’re bogged down by a work in progress that requires extensive research and contemplation, take a break and…
