30 Things I Learned On Medium In 30 Days Of Posting

Summary

The article "30 Things I Learned On Medium In 30 Days Of Posting" provides insights into the author's personal experience and lessons learned from writing and publishing consistently on Medium for 30 days.

Abstract

The author shares a comprehensive list of 30 lessons learned from their 30-day writing challenge on Medium. These lessons encompass the value of Medium as a publishing platform, the importance of writing consistently, the benefits of vulnerability in writing, and practical tips for improving one's craft and reach. The author emphasizes that Medium is an accessible space for writers of all levels to share their work without the need for agents or publishers. They highlight the importance of engaging with writing classes, being attentive to the world for inspiration, and making public commitments to maintain accountability. The article also touches on the significance of quality headlines, relevant images, and thorough editing. It suggests that building an email list is crucial for maintaining an audience independent of platform changes. The author reflects on the success of authentic and vulnerable writing, the necessity of perseverance, and the acceptance that perfection is unattainable. Ultimately, the author encourages writers to continue writing, learning, and sharing their experiences, regardless of the challenges faced.

Opinions

Medium is praised as an excellent platform for writers to share their work directly with an audience.
Writing classes and continuous practice are seen as essential for improving writing skills.
The author believes that inspiration can be found in everyday life and personal interests.
Public declarations of writing goals can serve as a powerful motivator.
The creation of a publication on Medium is likened to having a website without the technical difficulties.
Successful Medium writers, such as Shaunta Grimes and Shannon Ashley, are cited as inspirational figures.
The author stresses the importance of engaging visuals and compelling headlines in attracting readers.
They advocate for the idea that personal stories and vulnerability resonate well with readers.
The article suggests that over-analyzing and over-editing can sometimes hinder the natural flow of writing.
Building an email list is recommended as a safeguard against changes in platform policies or algorithms.
The author acknowledges that writing about personal challenges can be emotionally taxing but also rewarding.
They encourage writers to trust their instincts and to not be discouraged by initial low view rates.
The author emphasizes that consistent writing and publishing are key to building a brand and audience on Medium.
They remind writers that bad writing days are part of the process and can lead to better writing in the future.
The importance of finishing and publishing a piece, even if it's not perfect, is highlighted as a learning experience for future work.

On writing.

Medium is an excellent place to share your work. You don’t need an agent. You don’t need a publisher. You only need a story to tell or a lesson to teach.

Anyone can write, and the more you post on Medium, the more eyeballs on your essays.

Taking a writing class while writing on Medium — even an online course — puts you writing mode, and makes the journey easier. During a class, you will most likely have homework assignments to chew on which will spur ideas on what to write.

The world is yours to write about; this makes for many subjects to parse. If you have interests, then you have something to write. Pick up a book, listen to a song, or go for a walk and you will come across something to write. Pay attention to the world around you, and you will never have a writing drought.

Making a public declaration on social media to share your work is motivating. You have your own built-in accountability partner with Medium. See if you can write and publish for 30 days straight and see what happens.

Anyone can start a publication. A publication is like having a website hosted by Medium (without all the technological hassle).

Read advice from writers who are successful at earning an income writing on Medium. Shaunta Grimes and Shannon Ashley are teaching a Blogging on Medium class and hearing how they are successful as writers on Medium has been inspiring. You can do it also.

Medium is a great place to become a better writer — you don’t have to be great; you only have to start. You can start as a good writer, and get better just through writing and putting yourself out there.

Images on your published work are important — make sure the image reflects the writing in your post, that it is somewhat related to your story. The more thought you put into the image attached to your story, the better.

Headlines are crucial. There are many tools you can use to generate an emotional headline that grabs a reader’s attention. Here is one, https://coschedule.com/headline-analyzer.

Everyone takes ideas from everyone. Nearly everything has already been written about, but not by you. Time and time again, I’m drafting an idea out on paper with an outline, and before I get a chance to post it, someone has written something very similar. Post your spin anyway.

Read your story out loud before you post it. The errors will be obvious. I cannot overestimate how helpful this is to hear one’s writing aloud. You will hear things you didn’t hear when you read it to yourself in your head.

Edit, edit, and then edit some more. Print your essay and take out a red pen and “make it bleed.” Write with brevity and clarity. Good writing is clear and concise.

When you are starting on Medium, don’t obsess over stats. Just write and see what happens. Get a few, or 30, posts under your belt. Write consistently and post consistently. Check stats once a week, don’t go crazy with it. If you try to write another post like the one that did well, it will stifle your creativity a bit, and hold you back.

The posts that flow out of me when I don’t “overwrite” do the best. Trust yourself, trust your thinking and your ideas and get those ideas out on paper. Many times, the posts I labor over for hours don’t do as well. I have no idea why this is, but I’m sure someone on this platform has written about this and why it is so.

Most writers who are successful on Medium did not start that way. They started with low view rates and built their “brand” through hard work. Sure, there are outliers, but they most likely had an audience outside of Medium when they started. It takes time to build an audience. It takes time, effort, and a lot of writing.

Build an email list now. Everyone says this, and it is true but not easy, but work on building an email list, so if and when Medium changes its platform, you will have your followers outside of the bounds of the platform. All platforms change; it is inevitable. Social media platforms evolve; their main objective is to take our information and use it to make money. Those are the cold hard facts.

The posts I write when I’m the most vulnerable and open do the best.

I don’t’ like being vulnerable. I am working out how to be vulnerable AND not overshare — and be a good writer at the same time. While it is emotionally draining to write about challenging personal experiences, it is also cathartic. The process of writing deep, personal situations onto the page doesn’t feel good when I’m writing, and I struggle to “sit in the chair,” but when I end up with writing I’m proud of or have gleaned some new information about myself, it is worth it.

Don’t sell yourself short. Put it all out there. Be honest. And then edit, and then edit some more.

Building income on Medium means getting more eyeballs on your work, write interesting well-written content, and promote that content on social media sites.

Medium is not only a great tool to practice the art of writing better — by reading the writers on this site and writing daily — you will become a better writer, but it is also a great way to drive traffic to your website. Build a website.

Writing for Medium expands your life if you allow it. The best posts are when a writer teaches something they recently learned and is now putting it to action. This has made me want to try new things that I may not have tried otherwise so that I can write about them. Even if you try something and “fail,” readers want to hear about the “trying” part — what you learned and why you failed.

Writing and publishing on Medium can give you a better idea of what content will resonate with your blogging community if you have a blog outside of Medium. It can give you a better idea on how to effectively communicate with an audience you are trying to reach.

Viewing your stats can help you develop a framework for your blog, allowing you to see what content gets consistent results so you can write to your audience more effectively.

Good writing is rewriting. When I don’t spend a lot of time on the editing process, my content is not as clear and concise.

When I have fun with my writing, and not take it so seriously, it is better. You can fall into the trap of taking Medium too seriously — reviewing your stats with OCD zeal is a good sign — and really, you are doing something you love, so go into with a healthy and balanced perspective.

Finish your story. Perfect doesn’t exist. Do the best you can with each story and then release it. Be who you are and hit publish. Do better the next time. Implementing a daily writing habit will ensure that you will do better the next time.

Bad writing days lead to good writing days.

Don’t give up. Keep writing. No matter what.

Even though my 30-day Medium challenge is complete, I’m going to keep writing.

Jessica is a writer, an online entrepreneur, and a recovering Type A personality. She lives in Los Angeles with her extrovert daughter, two dogs, and two cats.