I Quit Writing for 2 Years…
Here’s What Writing Consistently Did When I Got Back…
Medium is one of the most popular writing platforms.
It allows us all, professional and independent writers alike to write what we want. To produce our own works, share them with a global audience, and give us a chance to get paid for them.
Before Medium introduced the 100 followers rule I got paid for an article.
I still remember the first amount I received. £4.56.
An insignificant amount, but still an amount.
It made me feel good that I could get paid for some I made. Something I spent time on.
But after a while, I quit. For 2 years.
I’d produce the odd article, yes but, writing on the medium just wasn’t a priority. Life got in the way.
However, in 2023, I came back and I’m doing the one thing I wasn’t doing before.
Writing with consistency.
Yes, I may miss a day or even a couple of weeks, but I’m still crawling forward.
And IT’S WORKING.
I more than doubled my follower count and my article portfolio.
Imagine if I had done this before, where would I be at? What opportunities would I have accomplished?
I can’t go back and there’s no point in dreaming over should haves, would haves, could haves.
I can only make the most of what I have now.
So how can writing consistently help you as a writer & individual?
Credibility –
Writing consistently helps build up your credibility as a writer.
The more articles I have produced, the more publications I have been accepted into.
You have to write consistently to show you’re not just after a quick fix money maker online, you’re showing up because you want to write.
The more of a portfolio you produce, the more you demonstrate your knowledge, expertise, and experience by sharing valuable content with your readers. The issue with most new writers is they get AI to write the whole article for them.
The articles are shallow and don’t connect with readers. You must show passion in your work, along with enthusiasm by writing from your perspective.
Writing consistently also helps you grow your audience, network, and influence.
Every time you publish you’re trying to expand your audience and every time someone comments, it’s your chance to network and connect with them.
It’s not just writers that want to be heard; readers want to be heard too.
Influence those who read your article in a positive way. Be grateful for every comment you receive as that is one person that has taken the time out of their day to read your stuff.
You attract more followers and supporters when you resonate with people.
Skills –
Writing consistently also improves your writing skills. The more do it, the better you get at it.
A painter paints every day. A writer should write every day.
Once you’re writing consistently, you’ll find that it’s like practising any other skill.
You’ll notice that you start to hone your voice and refine your style.
You learn from your mistakes and when you publish it in the real world, you start to receive real feedback on it.
Confidence –
I also found that it has increased my confidence as a writer.
The more I write, the more I am willing to explore different topics and delve into different styles.
The other thing that has boosted my confidence too is growing an audience.
When you increase your followers, feel better about the body of work you have produced.
You realize that real people actually want to read the work I’m producing, and I couldn’t be more grateful for that.
Grammar –
You may also find that your vocabulary and grammar increase. Mind did.
Trying to get a story in your head and onto paper (or a Word document) can be a challenge at times.
Sometimes you have to look for new words to express what you are trying to say.
At times I find myself constantly looking for new words to convey what I’m saying.
Forcing your mind to look for new things means you find new resources. For me, thesaurus.com has been one of the go-to websites (not a promotion, just a recommendation).
Perfectionism –
Writing consistently has helped me defeat perfectionism.
I always used to be mulling over articles time and time again. Trying to get the perfect body of work.
Let me save you the time and effort. Writing perfection is a waste of energy.
Write what you feel is right. Don’t be afraid to step on a couple of toes on the way. Someone will always be offended by what you say.
“If you’re a friend of everybody you’re an enemy to yourself” — Mike Tyson
Getting rid of perfectionism can be used in other areas of your life. It prevents you from getting caught up in the unnecessary pieces of a project.
Never cut corners but never waste your time on the details that don’t matter.
Showing up –
The habit of showing up consistently and finishing your work is good practice for other areas of your life.
Making yourself do the work constantly helps combat procrastination.
I can’t express to you how helpful is to get work out of the way and have to deal with procrastination. I still get it from time to time, however, I’d say writing consistently has helped combat that massively.
Writing is something I want to do and I assume it’s the same for you too if you’re reading this, so if you get into the habit of showing up almost every day, no matter what, it’s going to get you disciplined and into a routine of doing this in other areas of your life.
Writer’s block –
I did an article recently on tips to helped with writer’s block.
Something I’ll add here is that doing something consistently such as writing helps to prevent writer’s block. This is because you are regularly training your brain to do the activity at hand.
Writing helps you clarify your thoughts, feelings, and goals. It gets what’s in your head out. Most of the time the reason people have writer’s block is because they are stressed.
So, become more comfortable with expressing yourself through words. Do it regularly.
Conclusion:
Writing consistently, especially on Medium can and will have numerous benefits for you as a writer and a person.
These skills really can be transferable and used in other areas of your life. From writing skills, building credibility & networking to discipline.
Remember to always try and enjoy the work that you do. Writing doesn’t have to be slaving for hours over a keyboard, it can also be fun, rewarding, and meaningful.
If you want to start or continue writing consistently on Medium.com, here are some tips to help you:
- Set specific goals for how regular and how long you want to write for.
- Choose topics that interest you. My main topic is self-development, it’s what interest me the most, however, I do venture into other topics.
- Write in a way that engages your readers and connects with them.
- Use the feedback and support you get on your writing to make future pieces of work better.
Thank you for taking the time to read my article. If you found it helpful and think someone else could too, please comment 💬, share 📣 , or follow 🙋♂️️ for more…
I write mainly on self-development, personal experiences, and interests but also venture into other topics too. If you are interested in self-development, please read some of my other articles (linked below). Enjoy.
