TOᑎI TᗩᒪKᔕ | INSIDE L👀KING OUT | VIEWPOINTᔕ
My Observations On Medium
Profitable Writing Adventures Await Beyond The Bubble
L👀k at the focal image. Note the weird way the word growth is written. It’s hard to read, let alone understand. However, that’s how the people who are closest to us see our addiction to Medium.
The word growth only makes sense when it’s viewed internally. Growth is a term emblematic of the way I saw Medium. I remained entrenched inside the bubble by choice. I saw growth in claps, connections, and comments.
As it pertains to this platform, the word growth means something different to each writer. It’s a word that’s invariably linked to an expectation. Hence, the reason to question, “Have you established a 4th quarter growth goal?”
⅁ɹoʍʇɥ ⅁oɐןs
Over the past 5 years, my undefined growth goals have been on autopilot.
2019-20: Read+Read+Read = Addiction to pubs & peeps (many have left).
2021: First post published in About Me. Updated 2023 Read HERE
2022: Twin Targets = Gaining Traction + Reciprocating Reads.
2023: The Booster Club was introduced to offer writers support.
2024: Intentional Action to Rewrite My Reality.
Building a bridge between diverse writers in 2023 was empowering. Read HERE. Organizing the 6-week-long social experiment was instructive. It catalyzed my actions via reflection, reassessment, and recalibrations.
A growth goal governing why I wrote emerged in 2024. Clarity empowered me to establish an expectation. It led to the development of an actionable professional writing plan.
ƆOИꟻUƧƎꓷ
Making sense of Medium is mostly about navigating confusion. There are so many moving parts to this site. Most seem to make absolutely no sense. My feeling is, no matter what changes were enacted…
I just couldn’t quit Medium!
Do you feel the same? Does it equate to an unhealthy addiction?
Is there something you cannot describe that compels you to return?
Please head over to the comments and share your thoughts.
𝗘𝗻𝗾𝘂𝗶𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗠𝗶𝗻𝗱𝘀 𝗞𝗻𝗼𝘄
Medium is what its name implies. It’s a middle ground erected amid a vast virtual space. It’s a space to gain validation from peers. It’s a space to grow your influence. It’s a space to learn how to sharpen writing skills.
It’s where quality words are rewarded with a boost in both viewership and income. The boost turns up the volume of your post. It allows the post to rise above the noise on this overly crowded site.
I did a little research to get my story straight on Medium. The most reliable information was sourced directly from Medium’s founder, Ev Williams. He wrote the passage below in 2012.
“We now live in a world of infinite information. Most of our systems weren’t designed for this world. Even if you had the best recommendation system ever, and everyone stopped publishing interesting stuff tomorrow, you’d never get through all the content you’re interested in. You need a place to start. So, our goal is to help people pay attention to the most valuable stuff first and to have the best ideas win.”
Before stepping down to hand the reins over to the new CEO, Williams cobbled together a tiny leadership team. At 80 employees it’s still small. Their purpose remains unchanged. They provide digital tools and space.
M̶a̶k̶i̶n̶g̶ M̶o̶n̶e̶y̶ O̶n̶ M̶e̶d̶i̶u̶m̶
The posts I read from Ev Williams did not mention monetization. In fact, CEO Tony Stubblebine has gone to great lengths to repeatedly articulate that this site is NOT designed to generate income for writers.
Compensation was built into the package, at Medium’s inception, as a perk. A few early adopters made six figures and wrote about income ad nauseam. You can still find plenty of these posts on the platform. Leaving them there just causes confusion for recent arrivals.
From what I’ve read, the Medium team works to ensure the platform’s ethos isn’t lost in a multitude of messages. So, if money is the primary reason you write on Medium your tenure will likely be short-lived.
C̷o̷m̷p̷e̷n̷s̷a̷t̷i̷o̷n̷
Money was NOT what kept me coming back. My first payout in 2021 was a mere .022 cents. It grew from there. From an ROI standpoint. Medium payouts have covered my membership fee for the next 25 years.
Riddle me this, “What other social media platform extends the option to earn back your investment?” It’s one of many reasons that I’ve got nothing but love ❤️ for Medium.
Full disclosure: Watching coins stack up daily does add to the addiction. Cash, no matter how little, sends dopamine-driven hits to the brain. The effect is like sprinkling crack on top of the icing already generously applied to Medium’s cake.
𝗧𝗮𝗸𝗲𝗮𝘄𝗮𝘆
Medium levels the playing field for writers who lack a large following. Their goal is achieved by anchoring a platform that aids in:
№. 1 Honing and showcasing writing prowess.
№. 2 Amplifying the Voices of Subject Matter Experts.
№. 3 Helping writers connect with readers in a specific genre or niche.
Medium is a launch pad where writers build, fuel, and hopefully rocket into the stratosphere. At the site’s conference, 3 writers whose posts went viral were featured because each landed book deals.
What each newly published writer accomplished proves that Medium is simply what its name implies.
🔹About Me ➖ Toni Greathouse ➖ Toni The Talker
Once upon a time, I was obsessed with Medium. That’s over now. See the evidence (from the past) reflected in the posts below.
🔹Parting Note ➖ From the Vault ➖ My Poetic Prose
I write to share ideas. I write to impart wisdom from lessons learned in the school of life. I write to reinvent my reality. I write because I’ve chosen to pursue my passion for writing as if it were my profession.
