Landing Outside Medium — First Step
A new home for inside Blogging.
(UPDATE August 7th, 2020: Recent changes make this article obsolete. The external website of inside Blogging has been shut down, but the Medium publication is alive and kicking.)
Medium has been a great opportunity for me. I had the occasion to express myself and share my interests with amazing people, in a special period of my life. Trying to put the pieces together is never easy, and feeling the sympathy of like-minded people around the globe is a big boost. As it is learning from writers with different opinions but similar goals, or just experimenting with your creativity and getting feedback.
At the same time, since Medium turned into a magazine, my experience with Medium has been a big disappointment. The improvements to the platform are just stuck, while the editorial work is full throttle toward the promotion of stories at the intersection of a New Age revival, the U.S. based cultures, and political propaganda.
Readers and writers have just been forgotten. But publications are even doomed, crushed by the direct competition of Medium itself by mean of its own flagship publications, which are supported by a mighty promotion and unfair tools unavailable to independent publications.
Life outside Medium, for writers and editors, is not easy. Medium was a great vision and opportunity, and part of it is still the best around. But you don’t own a single bit of that creature, and you’re just at the mercy of Medium editors. As it already happened, they can change direction on a whim (or maybe on a solid business reason that doesn’t match your solid writing needs), and you lose everything.
Not to mention that life on Medium has never been easy anyway. The common mantra is hard but possible. The truth is that possible — in addition to hard work — requires rare and special alchemy, simply not there for everybody.
The wild Google life, struggling with a WordPress setup like a hiker tries to stay warm in a cold night with a too light sleeping bag, may be scary but it’s real. You can decline it in various ways, but I see no other options now. And exploring your own land — once you’ve already learned the ropes of blogging — may lead to new opportunities too.
“It’s time you learned that freedom is never a gift. It has to be earned.” — James T. Kirk
So, a new hut has been built for inside Blogging with the same original intent, about the blogging venture from nonobvious perspectives (about inside Blogging).
The hut needs improvements, but it already feels home.
The first moving step is done.
The publication on Medium and the official publication will run side-by-side because I also want to stay connected with my Medium audience, while Medium allows it. Some stories will be published on Medium only. Most of the other stories will be republished on Medium from the official publication, maybe with small adaptations.
Blogging is a challenge with several pits on the path. But it’s also a fascinating journey, with unexpected rewards.
Change, like in life, is part of it.
Enjoy your blogging venture.
PS: The words of experienced bloggers are welcome. If you want to contribute to inside Blogging, feel free to contact me at vico@vicoxl.com.
