Writing on Medium: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

Medium levels the playing field for all writers, just don’t quit your day job.

I forget how I stumbled upon Medium’s website but I’m glad I did. The pandemic isolation had triggered my writing genes and I bravely posted some articles on my Social Media feed. My friends and family loved them and encouraged me to find a bigger platform to publish. Sure, why not? Time to share my scribbling with the world.

J. K. Rowling, meet Sapna.

Medium: The Good

1. Easy to start and easy to use: As a new writer you absolutely love how easy it is to use this platform. A few clicks and genius formatting strokes and viola! your post looks like a professional magazine article.
2. You’re never lonely here: There are thousands of writers, on every topic, and millions of articles to read. Like most writers on this platform, I enjoy reading and learning from other writers. Tired of writing in my leather journal stuck in the oblivion of my desk drawer, I’m glad to have found this Medium Community.
3. Never-ending articles on the Do’s & Don’ts for success on Medium: Case in point, you’re reading one right now. Some articles even map out the holy grail to get rich quickly. Yes, most writers (me too), enjoy eyeballing these articles searching for Medium’s Cave of Wonder, secret code.
4. Medium Partner Program: Why not? This platform pays you to write. So, it’s a win-win. Just don’t buy that second vacation home yet.

Medium: The Bad and The Ugly

1. Even the best writer can get lost in Medium’s Ocean of 1000s: They have thousands of writers and millions of posts. Medium writer J.J. Pryor has worked hard to give us the exact figures and statistics of the number of writers, viewers, and daily posts on Medium, in his article here.
2. Most views/impressions translate to zero reads: With the sheer volume of data coming in every second, there’s no way all your articles will make it to the coveted, viral list. I know, it’s a bummer. Besides being read by your favorite fans and followers, most articles barely see the light of day in the Medium tunnel.
3. Promote your articles through your own Social Media platform: Medium suggests that you promote your Medium articles on your personal social media accounts. Ouch! I tried that in the beginning and soon noticed ‘reader fatigue’ when the comments, likes, and views started dropping with every new article I posted on Facebook. Many friends disliked the idea of having to sign up on Medium to read my articles. Now I’ve stopped posting on Facebook and prefer to publish my articles through Medium Publications like Illumination. Thanks to its Founder, Dr. Mehmet Yildiz, new writers like myself feel welcomed and supported from day one. Yes, publications do boost your article viewership count but don’t expect overnight miracles.
4. Finding the right audience is tough: This is especially true for culturally centered articles, despite using specific keywords and tags. As an Asian-Indian living in America, some of my stories are lost to the larger Medium Audience. The ethnic tie-up fails to receive the right attention, and the message is lost in translation. I wish the platform gave us the option to promote our writings to different geographic audiences.
5. Don’t ever quit your day job: The Medium Partner Program is a great motivator for any writer. Just don’t get too caught up in trying to find your acres of diamonds on this platform. I’ve published 26 articles in 7 months. In the first 4 months, I had less than a hundred views and ZERO earnings. In the 5th month, I hit a jackpot! With a grand earning of $1.05 transferred straight to my bank account. Proof below.

Bottom line, Medium is a great platform, to hone your writing skills and share your creativity with the world. It’s also a fountain of information to stoke your reading interests. Enjoy the writing process and don’t fret over followers, claps, and $$$. Plus, keep that day job.