6 Traits Possessed by the Top 1% of Writers on Medium
Join the best by adapting these traits to your writing game
Some say that traits are characteristics that are decided through your genes or environment. I have to disagree. I studied the top writers on Medium, some of the best authors in the world, and writers at various different skill levels.
The best have these traits in common, I adapted them, learned them, and now I have joined the top 1% of Medium earners.
Personality
You may be wondering how someone can be taught personality. Everyone has a different personality, it’s not possible, right? Yeah, you are right. About that anyway, but I’m not talking about having a ‘winning personality’ or the ‘right personality’, nope. I’m talking about letting your personality work its way into your work.
People often think of writing as something corporate. Writing can be so much more than boring facts, and figures. Add a touch of ‘you’ to your work and your readers will appreciate it, leaving them wanting more.
Emotion
Writing with emotion in your work is how you change skimmers to readers. You want your reader to feel each word. Are you feeling bad at the beginning of your story? Your readers should feel like a nettle is stinging them with each word they consume. Are you happy at the end? Your readers should feel the joy emanating from each sentence.
The best way to do this is by showing your reader, instead of telling. Don’t say you are sad, show them.
“I was sad”.
“The sky was grey, I felt like the dark clouds were following me, even after I locked the door and fell onto the couch in a miserable slump”.
Both convey the same message, one makes you want to read, and the other gives you a ‘meh’ kind of feeling.
Adaptability
Being adaptable is useful in any situation or profession and writing is no different. Writing is evolving and changing. Thanks AI. It may never be the same again, you will always have to decipher between human authors and our robotic nemeses. I’d imagine if anything AI will only become more involved with the craft of writing.
So, can you be adaptable? Or will you be like Grandpa Simpson and refuse to change?
Clear
There are good writers and great writers. Want to know the main difference?
Great writers know how to make their writing clear and concise. If your reader walks away from your article confused, then you have failed. You should be giving your reader a simple message to follow throughout your post. Are you talking about becoming a better writer? Don’t start talking about how to grow an email list halfway through your story.
Stay focused, and deliver one clear, strong message.
Research
There is nothing worse than reading an article that is meant to enlighten you, the reader, and realizing you know more about the subject than the author. I understand no one can be an expert at everything, but that isn’t the issue.
I don’t know anything about cars, but If someone asked me to write an article about cars, I would either:
- Decline
- Research a lot
It isn’t difficult to research, Google is chilling right there.
Consistency
Let’s play this one out. You are looking for something to read, you find a title that interests you so you click on it. It’s incredible, you see another recommended article by the same author so you read that, and again, it’s amazing.
You click on their profile, this is your journey to work sorted, you can fulfill your reading needs from a writer that you love the work of.
With a smile on your face, you scroll past the two stories you just read and see…
A handful more stories. That’s it. Five stories, maybe they are a new writer? Maybe I have lots of content coming soon? Joined four months ago? Oh…
Give the people who like your work something to read! Consistency is key in everything. Especially as a beginner writer on Medium.
Thanks For Reading
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- Join The Fabledwords newsletter for a free writing course.
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Until next time,
Jeff.