FICTION WRITING

The Medium Algorithm for Fiction Writers Is Terrible

Medium is supposed to be a writer’s platform, but it isn’t if you write fiction

Base image of laptop licensed from Adobe Stock; Medium logo from Medium website, fair use claim; Image smashup by author; code is made up and not representative of what Medium’s code or algorithms look like

If you write fiction, good luck getting it surfaced on what is supposed to be a writer’s “medium” — Medium.

Medium is so convinced that it’s a writers’ platform that they recently ran obnoxious holiday banners at the top of every story saying something like, “The world needs more writers,” which, if I’m being honest, it actually doesn’t. Insert the word, “good” there, and maybe they have something, but more people who say they’re writers? God, no.

That probably comes off as arrogant. I’d apologize if I were sorry, but the world truly doesn’t need more writers (especially those despicable AI writers), so I’m not.

What the world does need now is a Medium platform that supports fiction with gusto.

Just for ducks, I typed “fiction” into Medium’s home page search box, and guess what I found? Mostly articles on how to write fiction!

Screenshot of Medium search for “fiction.”