My Medium Milestone

A one-year roller coaster ride

Image by 453169 from Pixabay

It’s now been about a year since I joined Medium and began writing, so I guess it’s time for the traditional story about my first year on Medium. I had been blogging for a number of years and not making any money or reaching a large number of readers, so I was on the verge of giving up writing anything at all when I came across Medium. I must admit that I had dallied with the idea of joining Medium quite a while ago, but didn’t think it was for me.

…so it was no big deal if I bombed out again.

After spending a few days getting to know the site I took the plunge and joined. I also decided to join the Medium Partner Program at the same time. I decided to try it for 3 months to see if spending $5 a month was worth it. I didn’t make any money writing my blogs so I didn’t have that much to lose. It also seemed more exciting than posting to my blogs and seeing minimal or no results, post after post. I’ve tried a few other writing sites with no success, so it was no big deal if I bombed out again.

I was hooked!

My first payout was in August of 2018 and I earned a whopping 87 cents! I wasn’t upset because that was 87 cents more than I had made in the past year with my blogs. It wasn’t enough to cover my $5 membership cost, but hey, it was only the first month of my 3 month trial period. The second month I made $14.04 which was more than enough to cover the membership fee. I was more than happy with that amount and was quite satisfied with myself for having accomplished that small fete. When the 3 months had elapsed I had never made less than $5. I had made a good choice and I decided that I would stay for the long run. I was hooked!

Then I discovered Medium Facebook groups.

I continued to earn money in the months that followed, albeit not a great deal though. I realized that the more work I put into writing and interacting with fellow writers, the more money I earned. I began to gain followers and read and commented more, following the advice of veterans on Medium. I began to spend much more time on Medium, with both my laptop and my iPhone. I was not only writing more, reading more, commenting more, but I was enjoying writing more. Then I discovered Medium Facebook groups. I began to spend even more time, as I joined more groups and began reading and clapping more than ever. I had become addicted to these groups and started to neglect my other obligations around the home. With all of the extra time and work, I didn’t earn that much more money though.

I lost all motivation and confidence and I didn’t care if I ever returned to Medium.

Then I was hospitalized with complications of the flu and was unable to use either my laptop or my phone for almost a month. It was during this time that I realized what I was doing to myself. While I was incapacitated my stats, the views and claps tanked. As far as the other members of the group were concerned I was non-existent. If I wasn’t there in the group to clap, no one clapped for me. I had no desire to go on Medium to read or check my stats, much less write or support anyone else’s writing. I lost all motivation and confidence and I didn’t care if I ever returned to Medium. I thought of going back to my blogs, because at least there I could write what I wanted and when I wanted, with absolutely no pressure. I didn’t make any money, but I didn’t have any stress either.

I would write what I wanted to write and when I wanted to write.

I retired from a very stressful job and the last thing I wanted to do was to become involved in an endeavor where I would once again be overwhelmed with stress. I was upset for allowing myself to be put into this situation. The Facebook groups and members and Medium didn’t place me in this stressful situation. I did. And it was up to me to remedy the situation. I could admit defeat, wave the white flag and give up completely on Medium or I could take charge of my life, my writing and my interactions on Medium. I would write what I wanted to write and when I wanted to write. I would publish my writings when I felt like it and submit them to the publications that I deemed fit, or I would publish them on my own publication.

I did not feel good clapping for stories in hopes of having the author clap for mine.

The more time I spent on Facebook groups the more I realized that I was reading articles that did not in the least interest me and I was not clapping for them for the right reasons. I did not feel good clapping for stories in hopes of having the author clap for mine. I had always felt that people clap for stories because they appreciated them, they learned from them or felt a connection with them, not because they were pressured into doing it or expected reciprocation. I noticed that the more people that joined and shared their stories in the groups the less attention the articles seemed to get. Not only mine but just about all others. Now I spend less and less time on the groups.

Sometimes I really feel cheap begging for others to clap for my work,…

Don’t get me wrong. Facebook groups are and have been a valuable resource for sharing ideas and seeking help and information, as well as offering support to writers, especially new writers. But at times they have become clapping mills, encouraging people to clap for something just because a member posted it to the group. Sometimes I really feel cheap begging for others to clap for my work, even though they may not have read my work or liked it. It’s unfortunate that thousands of articles go unnoticed unless they have been curated or featured on the Medium homepage and the only way for them to be recognized is through Facebook groups, where they may enjoy one last gasp of life before obscurity.

The vast number of publications has confused me…

When I first joined Medium I was a bit afraid of submitting my stories to publications, but I took a chance and submitted to the ones I felt would be a good fit for my articles, and I was accepted. I have remained with those few publications I started with, as I feel comfortable with them. There have been times when I could not find a perfect fit or I didn’t want to wait a long time for my article to be accepted, so I started my own publication, which I now use quite often. In the year since I started writing here, however, there has been an explosive growth in the number of publications available. I read somewhere on one of the Facebook groups that there are now over 900 publications, many founded by writers on Medium. The vast number of publications has confused me to the point where I only want to publish in my own or the ones I have been using since I joined.

Overall though I feel good about my year’s experience writing here.

Over the past year, I’ve had my ups and downs on this roller coaster ride called Medium. I’ve been encouraged and I’ve been discouraged. I’ve felt like a winner and I’ve felt like a loser. Overall though I feel good about my year’s experience writing here. I’ve met some very nice people who have offered their help and encouragement along the way. I’ve never experienced any rudeness or condescension from my fellow writers here, something I cannot say about my experiences blogging. I’ve learned a great deal about writing and about myself as well. I feel comfortable now and I will continue to be a part of Medium.

…I will simply refer to myself as a person who likes to write.

I know that some people reading this will be upset at some of the things I’ve said about clapping and Facebook groups. I apologize if I have offended anyone, but I am only expressing my feelings about my experience here. I realize that for some professionals writing on Medium is a full-time job and their earnings support their families. While for others writing is a part-time job to earn some extra money. Their views and opinions may be directly opposed to mine, but that’s what Medium is all about; a diversity of experiences, abilities, styles, views, and reasons for writing. People have commented to me that I am a writer, but until I must rely upon my writing as my livelihood or my craft I will simply refer to myself as a person who likes to write. And I thank Medium for that opportunity.