Are You Still Listening, Medium? Writers Beg for Spotlight
Why medium fails Its writers
As a writer trying to make my way on Medium, I was excited to start building a following.
Finally, a place where I could find community and support from fellow writers! But as my follower count grew past 800, I slowly realized something was missing.
Where were all their stories? Why was it so hard to find and engage with the people who had chosen to follow me?
I stared puzzled at my “Following” page, where only a fraction of my followers’ latest stories popped up.
I clicked and scrolled hoping for more. Nothing. Where could all their writing be?
These people were active writers if they took the time to follow me.
So why did it feel like their voices were lost in this vast ocean of Medium?
I decided to try my luck on the “For You” page —
surely this would at least show me SOME recent stories from those I followed? But I was met with the same letdown.
Just a handful of stories, then poof, the page cut off abruptly. No matter how much I searched under other topics, the stories still seemed to vanish before my eyes.
Limited Number of Recent Stories on the ‘For You’ Page
Where were all their stories???
Medium says it’s made for writers. But I could only see a few stories from people I follow.
I imagined them typing a ton that no one would read. It made me sad for them and me.
How can we support each other if we can’t see each other’s stuff?
I knew my followers felt bad too….
Their hard work was trapped, unseen. They tried engaging with me but it didn’t matter. We all wanted our writing read. But Medium’s setup wasn’t letting that happen.
Something there stopped us from reaching people.
Issue With Cluttered Notifications
Getting all those notifications just made me more confused and annoyed. Sure, I liked seeing talk on my posts.
But why did I need to know when someone highlighted stuff I already saw? Or if an old passage of mine got popular again?
Those kinds of notices took away my focus. They slowly chipped away at my creativity. I knew my followers probably felt the same.
We wanted a simple space to reach our writing goals. But Medium kept giving us random junk notifications that helped nothing.
All those pointless updates cluttered things up. They got in the way instead of helping us writers. We just craved clean and clear feeds. That way we could use our energy to create, not distraction.
Medium as a Platform for Writers
I had to wonder — was Medium truly meant for writers like us?
Or were we just tiny fish fighting to stand out in Medium’s vast ocean of content?
If writers are to succeed here, we need the stories we craft to be visible, accessible, and shared within our communities.
Our voices can only thrive when given the proper spotlight. Elements like cluttered feeds or buried content shouldn’t obstruct our potential.
I knew there had to be a way for Medium to improve. For our stories to break through instead of remaining trapped in the shadows. But it would require acknowledging our concerns and a willingness to change.
Feedback and Suggestions for Improvement
After connecting with fellow writers, I compiled feedback on the issues making Medium feel less writer-friendly:
- Followers struggle to find each other’s stories — make content more discoverable
- The “For You” page abruptly cuts off — increase the number of stories
- Notifications are cluttered and distracting — streamline feeds
Small fixes could make a big difference. Followers mainly want their writing to be seen and supported.
By tackling these trouble spots, Medium has the power to create that positive environment we crave.
In Conclusion...
The writers are here, ready to shine our lights if given the chance.
We pride ourselves on uplifting each other’s voices. But first, our stories need pathways out of the shadows.
I urge Medium to see our platform through writers’ eyes — and to not leave our voices drifting unseen, like stars waiting for the clouds to pass.
Together we can ensure all of us feel valued, visible, and heard.
