When I started on Medium, I was tepid and full of doubt. Will this work? Is it worth my time? How much can I earn? What if I make a mistake? (I’ve done that before on websites, for example, and either lived to regret my early naïve mistakes or had to spend a ton of time fixing the damage.) Of these, the concern over a costly mistake is the worst.
You see, all of my other online-writing-for-income efforts winded up costing me money, not making it. People promised riches if I would just do their program. I fell for it. I paid. I did the program. The results were not instant as they promised, so I quit. My bank account was lower. I was short-sighted. I went back to my other work.
Starting on Medium, I was afraid of a similar outcome.
So, I wrote cautiously, carefully, and slowly added a few things. My first articles didn’t do much — they certainly didn’t go viral and they made little to no money. But for me, that was fine. Writing wasn’t costing me anything either. Medium was a welcome step forward. Other than my $5 per month membership, no one was picking my pocket.
As I looked for a way to improve my results, I read a lot of articles about how to succeed on Medium. Many said: Write a ton! But many others disagreed. They said: Write with excellence! Without, of course, defining exactly what that is. In reality, both matter. And one other thing they rarely mention matters even more.
Why Quantity Matters
There are two reasons why you need to write a lot, especially in the beginning. First, the more articles you publish, the more articles you can get paid for. It’s pretty simple. Years ago I was thinking about applying for a grant to support my writing, and when I went to discuss it with my mentor he said, “One thing you know for sure is that if you don’t apply, you won’t win.” It’s like that with articles on Medium. If you don’t publish, you won’t get paid.
But there is a second and even more important reason to write a lot. I say aim for 3–5 articles per week for one critical reason: It will make you better. You will learn what works and what doesn’t. You’ll get a feel for good headlines and test your learning. You will come to learn about the interests of the audience you are attracting and how to meet their needs. High volume means a lot of practice, and with practice, you get better.
Why Quality Matters
Quality, of course, is how you build an audience. When people read quality pieces that give them a perspective or a challenge, they are more likely to return. Readers will look for your name and they will follow you. They will appreciate your work.
The thing about quality is that it is very audience-centric. Of course, grammar should be clean, with no spelling errors, and get rid of typos. Some will say to use lots of short sentences and headings so people can skim. Others will say that such tactics are lame. Here’s the thing: There are millions of members on Medium, and their reading preferences are all over the place. You will find an audience who likes your style. That’s not the biggest issue.
For me, what I keep getting better at is finding stimulating perspectives and ideas, better headlines, and ways to keep people reading without being manipulative. If people click but don’t read, I don’t get paid on Medium. So being an engaging writer is just as important as writing that good headline. For me, all of these things got better the more articles I wrote.
Why Endurance Matters
The piece the articles don’t talk about as often is endurance. The longer you endure as an online writer, the better it gets. Why? Because it’s the same as it is in business — 95% of people quit or fail out. Most of the rest are part-time. It’s the one percent who endure, persevere, and keep going who get to the top.
There is never a quick answer. There are no shortcuts.
Country singer Brad Paisley used to have an ad promoting radio in which he said, “Before it took me ten years to make it overnight, I was on the radio.” Ten years to make it overnight. That’s the reality. And it is why you need to love what you do.
For the first time in my life, I am doing what I love to do. I’m a writer. Not just a contract technical writer — I’ve done that before. Not just a writer who takes assignments — I’ve done that, too. Not just a freelance writer whose income comes from jobs — yep, done that, too.
Rather, I am a writer who writes what I want to write for the audience I want to serve. I don’t have to sell projects. I don’t have to chase assignments. I don’t have to ask for a contract. I write, edit, polish, and post. And the longer I endure, the better it gets.
I am a writer. I love this. You will, too.
“There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you.”
― Maya Angelou, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings
Recent Articles
Note: Use the links below to access my current articles published on Medium.com or other platforms.
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The projects are already in the pipeline
Two Questions Climate Activists Won’t Answer…
But they are required for a viable solution
Inching Closer to Free Energy
A step in a new vision for building wind turbines
Where Did We Get The Idea Veganism Can Solve Climate Change?
Mistaken science is distracting us
In Case You Missed Them
Note: Use the links below to access my current articles published on Medium.com or other platforms.