The Monster Family!
You’ve got a monster in your corner
Hey there!
So, maybe you’re already part of the Monster Family, and maybe you’re not. Either way, this article will explain what it is, how you join, and what it can do for you.
By the end of this, your only question should be, ‘why didn’t this article come out sooner?’
What Is The Monster Family?
I mention the “Monster Family” in my Follower To Follower (F2F) articles, and sometimes in other articles that seem unrelated.
So what does it even mean?
Who is part of this family, and why does it sound so important?
Everyone I follow, I add to an F2F article. When starting this account, that was one of the first decisions I’d made — that I’d continuously focus on growing followers by continuously following other writers. And then I’d add those writers to a list to connect them to each other.
The idea was to double the results of my efforts. I was already going to focus on growth through following others. The work of finding people, verifying they’re still active, and that their stories have something of value was already happening.
Why not share that wealth?
The work was already done, so creating the article was a cinch by comparison. Just tag the names and add a little intro.
Suddenly, though, I realized by doing this I was interweaving my followers with each other!
That is the heart of the Monster Family. In basic terms, it includes anyone I’ve followed, and is typically cemented by being in a Follower To Follower article.
Though let’s be clear: there are a few people that opted not to be part of F2f, and I still consider them to be part of the fam, too!
How To Be Part Of The Monster Family?
That’s a double sided question. If you’re looking to be part of F2F, check out the “About Follower To Follower” article. It will explain everything.
But if you don’t want to be part of the F2F articles, and still want to be in the Monster Family? What then?
That’s partially what this article is for. Simply respond to this article, and let me know you don’t want to be part of F2F but want to be in the family. I’ll follow you, no questions asked!
NOTE: Do not comment here if you want to be in F2F! This article is exempt, as it is ONLY for those that don’t want to be included in F2F but want to be part of the Monster Family!
Honestly, I’m not sure why you wouldn’t want to be part of F2F, but then again some people prefer a slower growth. And that’s totally fine by me!
Of course, if you’ve already been in F2F, or if you’ve clearly requested to be in one elsewhere, commenting here won’t get in the way of that unless you specifically say you changed your mind. Confusing, right?
People surprise me all the time.
Want To Be An Exclusive Family Member?
Consider checking out the Patreon page to suggest, vote on, and benefit from changes to The Evergreen Directory (explained below) and other Family benefits!
The Benefits Of Our Monster Fam
Being in the family means so many things! Mostly, though, it’s about building a community of support and encouragement — following your fellow Monsters as the foundation.
Because a follow is easy to give, and has no consequences attached.
Don’t believe me? Follow someone you don’t really want to read. Then, mute them. Your follow is still in their count, but they won’t show up in your feed.
- Blocking does unfollow, though, so watch out for that one.
I don’t usually mute people myself — the more I interact, the less visible those stories become. But not everyone reads 75+ stories a week! For the average person, the mute function may be your best friend.
But Wait, There’s More!
No one’s required to follow anyone, so having that be the only benefit would put too much strain on the community; no, we have more than just follows here. We have exposure.
Ok, no, wait, hear me out… it’s not like that! You still get paid the normal way through Medium; this isn’t some ploy to earn off your hard work!
Here are some of the opportunities the Monster Family has available (and if you’re not part of it yet, these are additional ways to be included):
Writing Challenges And Events
As of September 2022, The Accidental Monster has teamed up with Eric Monk to help writers get read, get valuable feedback, and also get shared to increase audience reach!
He explains the deal in this article here:
Articles submitted to Eric Monk are then eligible to be promoted in Follower To Follower articles as well!
Our Monster Pubs
We’ve got two publications currently: Monster Alley, and Monster Café.
Monster Alley is the home of F2F, and is open to writers of all kinds! Read through the specifics of how to become a writer for Monster Alley in this article:
Monster Café is an imaginary location within Monster Alley. It exists as a co-created themed publication; every writer and editor adds a little to the overall theme. To learn more about becoming a writer, check out this article:
The Evergreen Directory
This is a directory of active writers on Medium. Making a request for a listing automatically enters you into the Monster Family — whether you want to be in an F2F article or not!
Oh, and the request is always free, in case that wasn’t clear.
The purpose of the Directory is to help people connect in the same way as on F2F, but more permanently. See, F2F’s age and become less useful over time. After 60 days, over 50% of the people on those articles have given up, left, or are otherwise inactive accounts.
The Directory helps maintain a revolving list of Monster Family members that are still active by requiring a request every 30 days (or an automatic membership).
Visit the Directory on Medium to find active writers,
OR
visit the website to submit your request today!
Monthly Interviews
Wednesdays are interview days for the F2F articles. Each month, a new interviewee is selected to answer questions for the community about their Medium experience and success.
Not only does being part of the Monster Family increase your chances of being selected to be interviewed, but you also can request certain questions be considered for future interviews!
What you want to know, others probably want to know, too!
Take advantage of this benefit on any Wednesday interview F2F article! (More recent articles are best, as I check those more diligently.)
Follower To Follower
Last but not least is F2F itself.
Every F2F article has a minimum of 25 new writers to follow and support that often are willing to do the same in return!
There’s also helpful information beyond the interviews to help you find the strategy you need to grow and thrive on Medium. Plus, any questions you have — as a Family Member or not — have a good chance of coming up in future editions of F2F as well.
Want More Benefits?
The Monster Family is still pretty new, still growing — you can help shape it into something spectacular if you’ve got some ideas and suggestions!
For those that want to go a step above to be a more exclusive part of the Family’s inner circle, check out The Accidental Monster’s Patreon page. There are several tiers to choose from, each bursting with potential to include that new idea you’ve got burning inside you!
Until next time, follow each other, follow the dopamine, and follow yourself, always!
Hey, look: a newsletter. And also Twitter. And Facebook.
Support writers, read without limits, and be part of the community — all for $5.
