Member-only story
Why I’m Defying the Medium Writing Experts
If you follow others’ strategies for gaining readers, is that still writing…. or just work?
Like everyone else writing here, I want more followers. I want more subscribers. I’d love, at some point, to earn a few nickels and dimes through thousands of people loving what I write. We are many — legion! — with these desires.
But, like in many areas, there is a gulf between what you might want in an ideal world, and what you’re prepared to do to get it. Sometimes that gulf can be hopped over without much difficulty (cleaning out the debris from the footwells of your car so the girl on that first date won’t think you’re a slob). Other times, the gulf is a chasm that you know you don’t have the stomach to attempt ways of crossing.
Following the 1.7 billion writing tips here on Medium on “how to get 10,000 followers” or “how to make $1,000 a day with your writing” is one of the chasm varieties.
To start with, there is the obvious question of whether these tips work as advertised or not. Some are valuable: attention-grabbing headlines and sub-heads, striking illustrations, catchy intro, short paragraphs, plenty of white space, check for typos, try to get published in popular publications, try to get boosted… all valid, and not just with regards…