Summary

The author acknowledges a preference for certain followers on Medium based on their level of engagement and interaction, advocating for the value of playing favorites to foster genuine connections and mutual support within the writing community.

Abstract

The article discusses the concept of having favorites among one's followers on Medium. The author admits to treating followers differently based on their engagement, ranging from those who read without reacting to those who actively engage through claps, highlights, and comments. The author believes it is acceptable and even beneficial to favor followers who consistently interact with their content, as this creates a more meaningful and supportive network. The article outlines different types of followers and emphasizes the importance of reciprocal support, suggesting that focusing on a core group of engaged followers enhances the experience on Medium. The author also shares their method of managing engagement by dedicating specific days to discuss stories they've read and by creating lists of favorite writers, further reinforcing the idea that playing favorites is a strategic and emotionally rewarding approach to online writing and community building.

Opinions

The author openly endorses the idea of having favorites among followers, asserting that it is perfectly acceptable.
Engagement is valued highly; followers who read and react in multiple ways are considered ideal.
The author suggests that trying to please everyone is unrealistic and that focusing on smaller groups of followers is more effective.
A system of categorizing followers based on their interaction with the author's content is advocated.
The author has developed a method of engaging with their preferred followers, including a weekly feature of read stories and the creation of lists with unique names for favorite writers.
There is an emphasis on the emotional impact of writing, with the author expressing appreciation for writers who elicit strong reactions from their readers.
The article implies that playing favorites is a natural and beneficial aspect of the Medium community, leading to more authentic connections and mutual support.
The author encourages others to adopt a similar approach, suggesting that it can lead to a more fulfilling and successful experience on the platform.

Do You Play Favorites When it Comes to Your Followers?

This is why I don’t treat my followers all the same!

We all have our favorites in life, whether it’s our favorite places to visit, foods to enjoy, music to listen to, etc.

When I think about the way I do things on Medium, I can’t deny that I have my favorites in this regard as well.

So in answer to my question that’s posed in the title of this story, when it comes to the followers that I engage with; yes, I absolutely play favorites.

Think about it. When you do, you’ll realize that you probably play favorites too, whether you admit it or not.

The question really should be: “Is it okay to play favorites when it comes to your followers? Personally, I think it’s perfectly okay.

Take a few minutes to read my logical reasons for feeling this way.

What are the different types of followers you should recognize?

Have you monitored your notifications enough to realize that not all your followers are created equal?

This is true in more ways than one, and it has nothing to do with race, religion, or gender. It has to do with engagement.

The truth of the matter seems to be:

Some followers only read, but never react (no claps, responses or even highlighting).
Some followers read and react in at least one of the above mentioned ways.
Some followers — heaven forbid — don’t bother to read, but will react in 1–3 ways.
Some followers read, and react in at least one of the three way
Some followers — the ones we really all hope to gain — will read and leave a little reaction in all three ways (claps, highlighting and response).

The last thing you want to do is be a #1 or #5 follower to someone who is always just a #3.

But even if you’re lucky enough to gain followers who fall into category number five, you still have to be realistic. There are just way too many stories to be read and writers to read, to be a #5 Follower all the time, to all the people you’re following.

What ends up happening (if you’re smart), is that you begin to notice the writers that you enjoy the most, who also seem to enjoy you equally as well.

You get to know a lot about them — sometimes more than what’s necessary. But because they’re loyal followers, they could say the exact same about you. It happens when you start sharing, but it’s actually kind of fun and quite liberating.

I love getting a birds-eye-view into the lives of people that I would otherwise never come to know!

That’s one of the perks of playing favorites with your followers.

Which followers should you play favorites with?

When I first started writing on Medium, I had the hardest time trying to maneuver and figure out the best way to interact with people who read my stories, as well as the people whose stories I read.

Ideally, you want them to be the same people.

I tried various ways, and finally decided on the most effective way for me. I can’t speak for anyone else, but having a set day to discuss stories I’ve read and give kudos to the writers has really worked out for me.

On the days that I don’t have time to leave a response on a story, I don’t feel so bad, because I know I can comment on it later, when I give my update on what I read.

Of course, there are plenty of stories that I still comment on right away, and unfortunately, there are stories that I forget to add to my list of things I read.

But for the most part, I get a chance to play favorites, and continue supporting the writers who help to support me.

Once you stop trying to appease the masses, and concentrate on small groups of followers at a time, you begin to truly know the meaning of engaging on Medium.

That was how I was able to create several lists of Medium writers that I gave unique names to, based on how I see them. You can view all my lists, and see what I mean. They’re the ones with the smiley faces.

As I stated earlier, all of us have several writers on Medium that we follow and read, whenever they publish something.

These are the writers we can count on to make us laugh, cry, get pissed off, or feel some kind of way about what we’re reading.

Whatever the emotion, it’s a good thing when you can read a story and it makes you feel, because that means the writer did something right.

So sure, you can give me a story by: Jessica Wildfire, Carmellita, Susan Wheelock, Edina Abena Jackson, Love’Nia Renee, Burk, Janice Eastman, Cate Monaghan, Cee Arr, Jan Sebastian, Kristina Segarra, MarkfromBoston, Caitlin McColl, Robert Ralph, BichoDoMato, Chrissie Marie Massey, Jasmine Dudley, Robin Christine Honigsberg, Deb Fiore, Checkmate11, Ilam Padmanabhan, Kristy Kendall, Susie Kearley, Carlyn Beccia, Maria Rattray.

And you can be sure any reading I do on Medium will definitely include these characters: Sherry McGuinn, Michael Burg, MD (AKA Medium Michael Burg), J.J. Pryor, and my guy David Perlmutter.

It’s not that I won’t support other followers or continue reading their stories. I simply try to give as good as I get. That makes me more loyal to some followers than others, and I don’t feel bad admitting it.

What about you? Do you play favorites too? If you don’t, you should.

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