Do Successful Writers Have a Moral Obligation to Help New Writers?

It may sound all goody-two-shoes and altruistic, but the truth is, it’s delightfully selfish

I love comments on my writing, who doesn’t?

“Beware the inevitable crash… by hedging with Gold and Bitcoin.”

My first commentor on Medium, two years ago, was a psychotic dystopian who warned me, in all sincerity, about the impending collapse of our monetary system and the urgent need to diversify into gold and bitcoin. I didn’t do that, but I did manage to cobble together a friendly and coherent response. He’s inactive now, probably hiding in his bomb shelter with loaded rifles and freeze-dried fruit.

For days, I swelled with pride knowing that my words had enough of an impact on someone that they would feel compelled to respond. Something saner would have been preferred, but honestly anything to me, a new writer, was a powerful stimulant.

I buckled down and wrote more articles and over time more people read, clapped, and commented. Every single word of response is a delight that I slowly savor and treasure, even now when I consider myself a more seasoned writer on the Medium platform.

Should I, as a (sort of) successful Medium writer, spend my time hobnobbing with the elites? Or do I have a moral obligation to the new and emerging writers who are just as green as I was back in the day?

The correct answer is “both.”

Morality first

As a general rule, should people with greater influence be held to higher moral standards? Their reach and influence are stronger, and their words have a more profound effect.

If Gandhi had preached the gospel of violence, Hitler was a peacenik, Martin Luther-King was introverted, or the Kardashians were humble, the world would be a much different place today.

But it’s not, because these are people of immense power and influence. Right or wrong, words from the powerful matter to the millions of followers who blindly and loyally kill or hug people as they’re told.

In contrast, if toothless Barney Hick from up ‘round the bend were to post on his Instagram that the Norwegians are scheming to conquer the world, there wouldn’t be so much as a peep. His reach is no further than the barn.

Should we demand the same morality from Barney as from the infamously immoral killer named Putin?

“I never wanted to be famous, I only wanted to be great.”

— Ray Charles

Entertainers, CEOs, dictators, kings, athletes, senators, actors, civil rights leaders, and writers have the power to help or harm, regardless of whether they chose it — or it chose them. Their words and actions cascade through countless layers of followers, many of whom are innocent, starry-eyed and impressionable. And they act on them.

“Normal” people like you and me may not command the allegience of the masses, but our words and behavior have impact.

On Medium I can make a difference. With over a thousand followers, I’m more than a writer — I’m an influencer, one that some people look up to and model.

You are too, probably more than me.

New writers

New writers arrive on this platform in droves every day. They don’t know what to do or how to navigate their way around, they only know that they need to write a lot and engage with the community in the hope of capturing the one-hundred followers needed to be a member of our exclusive club.

Like the little pitcher with big ears, or the shy classmate with thick glasses, new writers look up to us for advice and encouragement. Their initial efforts may be clunky but they get better, and many of them will become wildly successful. But until they figure it all out, they hang on our every word and follow our advice.

We are their influencers. Whether you like it or not, you’re in a position of power.

How high is your moral bar?

Think back to your first article, clap, follower, and dollar. Those were exhilerating moments. The feeling of accomplishment, recognition, and acceptance were powerful drugs and you wanted more. Over time the urge may have lessened for you, but new writers are still craving that high.

Let’s help them. It’s the right thing to do, and it happens to be good for us too.

“By the way, thanks for always taking the time responding to comments — we know we are supported!!”

— Marianne O, 117 Followers

What’s in it for us?

We’re busy. We’re running a business that requires focus, deep concentration, and a lot of writing and promotion. We have bills to pay and mouths to feed and no time for distractions.

Our job is to attract eyeballs from Medium members who pay us, not to entertain the petty dalliances of the newbies who won’t contribute a dime to our income. Reading, writing, and engaging with top talent is the fastest way to grow our business.

Or is it?

A long-term view might argue that the more members Medium has, the more eyeballs you can attract. Those new eyeballs come from new writers who become new members, who read the fascinating articles you write.

Then they become successful too, make money, attract and motivate more new writers with talent who become members and read your work.

The cycle repeats, everyone’s income grows, and we’re all winners.

Invest in new writers as you would invest in the stock market. Not with your money, but with your time.

When you engage with new writers, they’ll remember you, follow you, and read your articles. They’ll be the ones clapping with unbridled enthusiasm and sharing their feedback and support. Most of all, they’ll remember the kindness, patience, and respect you showed when they were finding their footing.

• It feels good to help others. It’s one of the strongest contributors to personal happiness.
• New writers are thirsty for advice, and loyal to those who offer helpful tips.
• You’re a positive role model of morality that will inspire them to do the same.
• Your income will rise as people take note of your responses of support and advice, and in turn engage more actively with you.
• You’ll earn recurring referral income from new writers who sign up.

How to best help new writers

Patience, kindness, and respect are a good starting point, and the Medium platform offers a wide range of options to showcase those values.

Clap:

Claps are a terrific way to help writers feel good about themselves and their work. If you spent even 30 seconds on someone’s article, clap! It costs nothing. Lots of claps — ten or more. Twenty.

Highlight:

Show the author what jumped out at you by highlighting the sections you like. Highlights give specific feedback so new writers (and all of us writers) know what styles and subjects resonate best with readers.

Comment:

Something as simple as “Nice article, Jane. I enjoyed it.” won’t take more than a few seconds and it cements a relationship between the two of you. Always use their name too, it’s far more meaningful when you do.

Reply:

This may be the most important way to invest in new writers and build strong relationships. When someone takes their valuable time to comment on your work, you know it’s important to them, and you should always acknowledge (clap) and reply with a thoughtful response.

Follow:

If you liked an article and the writer has promise, following them is the highest compliment you can give. And in many cases they’ll reciprocate.

Other actions:

• Subscribe to their emails
• Private notes
• Mention them in articles
• Quote or reference their articles
• Publish them if you own a publication

Morality or practicality?

Is morality too strong a word? How about practicality? Take your pick, but either way there’s a solid argument for carving out time to help others.

Never forget that your words and actions are powerful, profound. What you do with that power can make a world of difference to others who look up to you for guidance and help.

Your words can be a glorious boost to one’s esteem, or a cold knife to the heart.

Choose to boost, you’ll be glad you did.

I’d like to call out a few promising writers who took the time recently to share their honest thoughts on some of my articles. These are only a few of the many writers, new and established, that have encouraged me in my quest to be a better writer. Thank you!

“Nice Read” by Colleen Hannegan (167 followers)

“What a great piece!” by Karen Rosinger (82 followers)

“I am still laughing at this!“ DREDMON (39 followers)

“This resonates with me so much.” Topher Freeman (112 followers)

“This is terrific, Brian.” Jay Davidson (170 followers)

Care to join me?

If you’re considering joining Medium you can sign up here (https://brianfeutz.medium.com/membership) and I’ll get a slice of your pie. No additional cost to you and it’s a great way to support independent writers. Thank you!

Oh, and thanks for reading!

Connect with me here on Medium and in my blog: the Life After Work Zone. You’ll find articles, stories, and poems about finance, life, travel, and retirement. Don’t miss a word. Stay in touch by subscribing to my newsletter or emailing [email protected].

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