There is a lot of narcissism on social media, but I disagree that Medium is more about writing and less about authors. Like me, I’m sure you care about what you write about, and your unique experiences and worldview shape what you write.

To say it’s not about authors seems like a discounting of the people who put their time and their unique perspective into the pieces they write.

When I find a piece of writing I enjoy on Medium, the first thing I do is find out more about the author. Why? Because I’m interested in where they’re coming from. The author’s perspective provides credibility.

Maybe I’m not representative of all writers on Medium, but I’m not on Medium to get my writing on here, but to get my writing on here. The distinction is important. It’s why I share my thoughts and don’t post anonymously.

I’m not narcissistic for caring about my name being attached to my ideas.

It’s why I include a bio at the end of all my posts. I’m grateful when someone takes the time to read my writing and decides to follow me because they might be interested in something else I write.

When I say that Medium would be a better network with direct messaging, all I’m really arguing for is some way for me to express my gratitude to the people who take the time to read my posts on Medium and press the Recommend button. And I want to do it within in Medium; not on an outside social network. And my argument stems from the fact that Medium itself claims to be a network.

Perhaps just a way to follow up on each Recommend that a post is given. I don’t want Medium turning into another social network. I just want the people who express their enjoyment of a piece to get the thanks they deserve for giving their endorsement.

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Tom Farr is a blogger, storyteller, and screenwriter who teaches English Language Arts to high school students. He loves creating and spending time with his wife and three children. He blogs regularly about writing and storytelling at The Whisper Project.