Big Fat Learning Curve
Yet Another One
I’m excited about getting involved with writing for Medium.
I have a lot to say, and I’m enjoying writing again.
I’ve written poetry and screenplays in the past, mainly working from my imagination to create characters, stories, and impressions.
Now, I’m writing directly in my voice, speaking to you, the reader.
It’s different, and I love it.
It’s also scary because I’ve been open about parts of my life that I’ve never put out into public before. I’ve largely kept a lot of this from most peole that I know.
But, it feels right. I’m focused on writing about addiction/alcoholism, and recovery. The potential to help someone exists. That’s thrilling, and I hope somehow my work results in that.
I’m now almost 7 weeks into it.
The endeavor is getting more challenging as I continue to have a tiny number of followers and a very small amount of engagement.
I’m struggling with a number of basics regarding getting my pieces seen on Medium.
I can’t get my pieces on Medium linked back to their original posts on my website. I’ve been frustrated with a lack of response from Medium’s help desk, and then after finally getting engaged with them, the lack of useful direction.
I know that in time that’ll get cleared up, but it’s one of many frustrations I’m dealing with on the site.
Another one is this: my wife signed up for a free account. She follows me, and she signed up to receive an email notifying her that I have a new piece published.
She’s not getting those emails from Medium.
So, while I’m doing a lot of work, and I do know that it will take time to get established on the site, I’m not clear if things are holding me back or not.
I’ve recently signed up with two publications, and I’m waiting to hear back from them so that I can submit pieces to them. That feels good.
I’ll be honest, I hope to make decent money doing this work.
I know that posting consistent work is key. And the better the writing and the pieces, the better it will all come together.
But for now, I feel like I’m in the dark on a number of things, simple things, regarding how Medium works.
Tonight, I feel like I discovered some writers on the site that will be meaningful for me to read in that they are close to my way of being, and that I may have found some like-minded people.
There are plenty of writers on the site that challenge me, in some useful ways, and others not so much as I just don’t appreciate their point of view.
But, I’ve needed to find my tribe. That may have started just now, and I plan to keep digging.
As always, I crave connection.
That hasn’t come yet, except in tiny bits. And I’m keeping the faith. But it pains me to wonder if I’m being held back by my lack of knowledge and understanding.
Nevertheless, I’ll keep going. I need to, and I want to.
