A Thank You To Writers

For your help and encouragement in 2020

Like many, perhaps like you, when I first began writing on Medium, I hardly knew where to start or what to do. Before that, I’d only written personal communications and technical reports. The stories I had written all got filed away. I didn’t have the courage or confidence to submit anything to a publisher.

Then a friend invited me to join Medium. And when COVID struck, I decided to dive in. Facebook had become a bore, so I clicked over to Medium and wrote a few stories, then a few more. I read, I wrote, I responded. It became a fun game. The fact that I could write and get published built my self-confidence.

As it became clear that the COVID storm wasn’t going to pass quickly, I learned to do the Medium dance in the rain. At first, I read more than I wrote. Then I learned about the Illumination publication that Dr Mehmet Yildiz had formed. I started submitting there, and to my surprised, everything I submitted got published. Through Illumination, I met other writers who were kind enough to read and comment on my stories. In addition to my Facebook friends Rasheed Hooda (who invited me) and Holly Jahangiri, I soon met many others. Today, Medium says I am following 333 of you and that 494 of you are following me. I’m truly humbled and honored. Thanks, Helmet, Rasheed and Holly!

Among my first Medium Writer friends was Tree Langdon. Reading her, since she was an editor, helped me a lot. Recently she wrote an excellent article on how to improve your Medium stories and get published sooner. Thanks, Tree

Rasheed and Holly helped me greatly, too. They challenged me to write and showed me how to write better. Following their lead, I learned how to construct more appealing stories. Thanks, Rasheed and Holly!

Amy Marley encouraged me to write often by introducing me to some daily prompts and challenges. Thank you, Amy!

Trista Ainsworth invited me to tag along on a couple of 100-day writing journeys, one of which she’s still on. By doing so, she got me to think about writing everyday, and how to find the ideas and motivation to do so. That she completed her first 100-day journey showed me it could be done. Her determination inspired me. Thanks, Trista!

In a similar manner, Rasheed’s recounting of his walk on Route 66 entertained and inspired me. Seeing the people he met and hearing about the places he passed through and the lessons he learned along the way renewed my appreciation for this great country we live in. That he encountered no bigotry or people with evil intent made me feel good about our country again. I must confess that listening to the news had me almost believing that the nation had gone through the veil to the dark side. Thanks, Rasheed!

Among the many others who helped me along the way, the following writers stand out because they were kind enough to read and comment on many of the stories I’ve written and published here on Medium. They encouraged me greatly.

Ayasha Khan, Caroline de Braganza, Dr Mehmet Yildiz, Desiree Driesenaar, Eli Snow, Gurpreet Dhariwal, Harley King, Manasi Diwakar, Michele Thill, Riku Arikiri, Saloni Joshi, Terry Mansfield, Timothy Key, Trista Ainsworth, Wolfie Bain, and many others.

Thanks, friends!

From the beginning, I never expected to make much money writing for Medium. I saw it, rather, as an opportunity to read, write and connect with other writers through our writing. I viewed it somewhat like Facebook on steroids. I still do.

Medium has given me an outlet for thoughts that percolate up and demand to be written. I’ve been inspired by signs seen on walks through my neighborhood, people I’ve met on those walks, the change of seasons, photos on a contemplative photography website, and photos I’ve taken myself. As Rasheed once suggested, when you find yourself out of story ideas, open up your photo album and scroll through the photos. I’ve done that many times and always have found something that inspires a story.

Mostly, though, I’ve been inspired to write by stories you’ve written and published on Medium. As Stephen King admonishes in On Writing, a writer must read widely. So I read (and write) poetry, fiction, and nonfiction. However, I think it pays to have “specialties,” too. I like to read spiritual/religious topics, memoirs/biographies, and travel stories. I especially enjoy stories about people who have walked or ridden their bicycles long distances.

Finally, to the countless, unnamed writers whom I’ve read here on Medium over the past 9 months, thank you!

Happy Reading, Writing, and Connecting! Happy 2021!