Are You Feeding Yourself or the Algorithm?

Summary

The author reflects on the challenges of content creation for platforms like Medium, considering personal limitations and the value of their work for the platform's algorithm versus their own well-being.

Abstract

The author discusses their struggle with publishing content on Medium, having spent four hours writing without producing a publishable piece due to fatigue. They acknowledge the common advice to publish daily but admit that their ADD and Asperger's syndrome make planning and time management difficult. The author questions whether their efforts are primarily benefiting the platform's algorithm or themselves, emphasizing that the algorithm should compensate them fairly if it demands a constant stream of content. The author is determined to prioritize their own sustenance and fulfillment over feeding the algorithm without adequate remuneration.

Opinions

The author believes that the effort put into writing should be compensated fairly by the platform's algorithm.
There is a recognition that daily publishing is a common piece of advice for success on Medium, but the author suggests that this advice may not be practical for everyone.
The author feels that their personal well-being and ability to "feed their body and soul" should not be sacrificed for the sake of constantly feeding the algorithm with content.
The author implies that there is an imbalance in the relationship between content creators and platforms, where the creators' needs are often secondary to the platform's demands for content.

If the algorithm wants me to feed it, it needs to pay me enough.

Yesterday I wrote for four hours. I didn’t get anything ready to be published on Medium. I was going to copy-paste a post from my WordPress blog, but I was too tired. So, I didn’t publish anything on Medium yesterday.

I’m trying to publish something on Medium daily, at least until I’ve published 100 stories here. That’s the advice many Medium writers give you: Publish daily. But I can’t always do that, and that’s OK.

Here’s the question: Are you feeding yourself or the algorithm?

If the algorithm wants me to feed it, it needs to pay me enough. That applies to any writing platform.

I can feed algorithms too, but only if doing so helps me feed my body and soul.