10 Ways I Improved My Writing on Medium
You can try these too.
The satisfaction of posting the first article is real but is equally worrying.
First, you feel proud of yourself for crafting your first-ever piece meticulously.
Then, you feel nervous about putting it out there for others to read.
Between those two steps, your journey on Medium begins.
Fear of failure will always be there but grit to counterattack that fear can help you stay afloat.
To be honest, my grit stumbled. I knew I needed to be more consistent and experimental, but I was not. I do post reasonably regularly but that is not enough to grow as a writer on Medium.
Growing as a writer on Medium can mean different things to different people. For some it could be an internal motivation to improve their craft, for others, it could be establishing themselves as a writer in the real world.
After a year of writing on Medium, I also plan to move from internal motivation to external validation.
Here are a few ways that have been helping me in my writing journey:
1/ Publish across different publications and get hold of as much exposure as possible.
When you are starting, likely, your articles will not reach as many people as you would like. With hardly any followers, you will be relying on a catchy title (if it is there), and Medium’s algorithm to float your article and hope.
However, if you publish your work across different publications on Medium, you will get access to their existing audience.
The more you diversify your work across different publications, the more exposure you will be blessed with.
This will help you gain a loyal audience in the long term.
Something to keep in mind is that the guidelines differ from one publication to another. So make sure you read those carefully and if some publications do not accept your work, don’t lose heart. Instead, keep exploring and keep trying.
2/ Post frequently.
Fearing judgment is natural but giving up on your aspirations because of that fear may not be a good idea. I remember writing my intro blog and letting it sit on my laptop for 15–20 days. I was worried.
But here is the thing, my experience says that people on medium are rather non-judgmental and welcoming.
And even if that is not the case, think it this way-
The world is big & brutal and people are busy finding their place. Chances are they won’t have the bandwidth to remember what you wrote more than their own to-dos.
So, stop worrying and post as much as you want, as much as you can, the benefits you would reap would make look your fears small.
When you post consistently, you spark the potential for growth by reaching a wider audience.
3/ Utilizing editing tools right.
Hear me out, do not rely on AI for editing.
Editing is the most important part of your article or post, and if it loses your voice, not only your audience, but you also won’t be able to relate to your work.
Tools like Grammarly, Hemingway, etc. can help you fix your grammar or tenses-related mistakes in the blink of an eye but they can’t carry your voice.
Additionally, try https://capitalizemytitle.com/style/Chicago/ to format your titles and subtitles in no time.
4/ Taking time to research the topics.
Of course, it is your work and it is supposed to carry your voice. However, researching on the same topic, and finding some interesting facts or anecdotes can make your article stand out.
The more you add that extra element in your articles, chances are more people will come back looking for some fun anecdotes or pieces of information.
Slowly you gain the trust of your audience and your voice gets louder in a good way. Sean Kernan is one of my favorite writers for the same reason. His articles have these unique anecdotes that would make you even more invested in the topic.
5/ Find a sweet spot between a captivating title and the content of the article.
There are many ways to create a captivating title.
Right from asking a question to something like X ways to achieve Y or experimenting with abstract short titles, there is no right or wrong way to do so.
The key is to keep experimenting & using words creatively and analyzing the readers that have been attracted as a result.
Moreover, using too much negative probing may be used with caution as it can confuse the readers.
I recently read an article that started with YouTube is about to shut down and immediately switched to saying that was a joke. Of course it was and I was not exactly mesmerized.
6/ Paying attention to captivating images.
If you are using images from Medium itself, try using different word combinations and go beyond a few initial pages to find something unique yet relatable.
7/ Make it easy to read.
No one wants to read long paragraphs packed with words. Big paras, no spacing, no breaks or bullets can make reading a painful task and people will skip reading altogether.
Instead, break your article into smaller parts, add quotes wherever possible, use bullets, intermittent headers, etc.
You can add a personal anecdote related to the topic to make the article intriguing.
Basically, you are making your article skim-friendly. Even if readers don’t have time to read it all, they will still walk away with a takeaway.
8/ Engage with the audience.
Replying to your comments and reading others’ work can make a lot of difference.
Medium is a community where you are both, a creator and a consumer. To maintain the mutual growth, you want to give what you take.
9/ Give personal pictures a chance.
People relate to people.
Adding your face (if you are comfortable) to your stories can make them memorable and relatable. Your face can become your personal brand, and due to its unique recall value, the chances of standing out in your niche tend to get higher.
10/ There is no such thing as writer’s block.
When you decide to write, there is no such thing called writer’s block. It is an excuse.
You won’t be able to continue your writer’s journey if you pay heed to the concept of writer’s block. Instead, look around, interact, read, listen, observe, and collect an invincible reservoir of stories.
Happy Writing!
TC,
P.
