Why Every New Medium Writer Writes about How to Become a Medium Writer.
When you’re learning Medium, it’s natural to want to be the next big thing.
Most people start social media platforms without a plan or strategy. I know I didn’t create a Medium account with the goal of gaining any acclaim.
Medium pulled me in because I thought it might be an enjoyable way to improve my writing. So I began writing.
What did I write about? Well, anything I happened to be thinking about the moment I picked up my laptop. After 2 or 3 articles though, I noticed a nagging sensation.
“Why aren’t my articles getting that many views? How do I get more views? Is my writing worse than I thought?”
Medium makes seeing your stats all too easy, and it became my mission to learn how to write for a wider audience. After all, if I want to become a better writer, I need to be able to engage an audience.
So, I began clicking on more articles about writing on Medium. I learned that I needed to get my articles into publications. I needed to be engaging with other writers’ content for mine to get noticed.
This information was all quite useful. Because it works! Your articles do gain more traction the more engaged you are with others’ writing.
But here’s where things got sticky. Medium’s algorithm began to adjust to my clicks. My “For You” turned into a broken record of articles with titles like:
“How I make $3000 a month writing on Medium”
“10 Hacks You Need for Viral Content”
“Your Titles are DESTROYING Your Medium Articles”
The next thing I knew, I was following 50 people a day to gain a following and I NEEDED to monetize my content. My head was full of ideas about how to make my articles viral.
When all you can think about is growing your Medium following, it’s almost impossible not to write about growing your Medium following.
When you’re learning something new, it’s natural to want to articulate these lessons in an article.
I see a lot of criticism on Medium over wannabe creators/writers, who write about gaining a following without having one. I get it, this is kinda charlatan-esque.
But as someone who’s just coming out of the infinite loop of wanting to write about virality, I empathize.
Reading 10 to 30 articles a day, highlighting key lines in articles, clapping at least 50 times a day, and commenting on posts for the purpose of engagement wasn’t that fun for me. Writing here can become a chore if your focus is on gaming the platform for virality.
Ultimately, Medium works best for me when I’m writing about what I feel like. My “For You” has returned to a normal mix of tech, productivity, wellness, and funny life stories.
To newer Medium writers, (myself included), if writing here starts to feel unsatisfying, step away for a bit, take a break, and remind yourself what got you writing in the first place.
**lol, sorry for the hyper-zen ending there. I’m listening to Christmas jazz, and it’s got me in my feels.
