Writing Pro Tip: Read First — Then Clap, Comment and Repeat
You can say you’re reading — but the stats tell a different story — reading reciprocity is real
Dear Fellow Writers,
I need your help. I’m having a case of de ja vu and I wrote about the same thing in October 2022. I call it a Reading Reciprocity problem — because I read or listen to every story I engage with, but others clap, and comment on stories — but don’t read.
First, let me start by saying I appreciate any effort to acknowledge my work — much less read it because we’re all busy. However, on Medium and similar platforms reads = money. So when my fellow writers don’t read my work you’re cheating both of us out of a valuable experience and it’s kind of hurtful.
I work hard to write thoughtful and well-researched pieces and I read, clap, and comment on every story I engage with. So expect the same from my fellow writers. And now there’s really no excuse because you can listen to stories — which is how I “read” stories on Medium.
