Summary

The author reflects on the value of organic growth and experimentation in writing on Medium, emphasizing the importance of enjoying the craft and finding one's niche over the pressure of quickly amassing followers for monetary gain.

Abstract

The author shares their experience of being removed from Medium's Partner Program for not reaching 100 followers, viewing it as an opportunity to focus on content quality and niche exploration rather than succumbing to the pressure of rapid follower growth. They advocate for using the initial phase on the platform to experiment with different writing and publishing strategies without the influence of monetary expectations. The author stresses the importance of writing about topics that excite them while paying attention to audience engagement to find their niche. They also highlight the mental health benefits of not fixating on earnings and the sustainability of writing as a passion rather than merely a means to earn. The article advises against quick follow schemes, suggesting that authentic engagement and consistent posting are key to building a meaningful follower base, aligning with the theory of 1,000 True Fans.

Opinions

Rushing to accumulate followers can detract from the learning and enjoyment of writing.
The initial stages of writing on Medium are ideal for experimenting with content and publishing methods.
Discovering a writing niche is a journey that requires exploration and attention to both personal interest and audience engagement.
Writing for the love of it, rather than for money, is crucial for long-term sustainability and mental health.
Authentic engagement with other writers and consistent posting are the best strategies for building a sustainable following.
Quick follow schemes are tempting but ultimately detrimental to a writer's focus and time management.

WRITING

Don’t Waste the Experience of Building Your First 100 Followers

Rushing your follower requirement is unnecessary pressure

I was one of the people recently removed from the Partner Program here on Medium. I didn’t make it to 100 followers before my time was up. But, you know what? That’s exactly what I needed.

I made $16 in March, my second active month (I posted 4 articles back in June 2021). Considering my goal was $5, I was pretty hyped about that, and it was enough to know there’s definitely earning potential here.

And then, one morning, I woke up and reached for my phone, opened the Medium app, eagerly checked how many extra pennies I’d made that day (I don’t recommend this habit), and found I was no longer a part of the Partner Program. Not the greatest way to start the day.

Naturally, I did what everyone does.

I read tons of articles on how to get 100 followers in 24 hours. And I probably could have done it. Instead, I made the decision to take it slow, focus on publishing good content and not stress about growing my followers at all.

Here’s why:

You should make the most of the discovery phase

This is the best time to experiment with your writing.

Starting fresh on a new platform can be daunting as there are a lot of nuances to learn, but it’s important not to rush through that learning process. The bright side is that there are no expectations. You’re completely free to test out certain aspects of writing and publishing on Medium. For example:

Should you submit to big publications or self publish?
Are you hitting the curation requirements, or is something missing?
What do you want your call-to-action to be? How is it displayed?
What headline and photo combinations work for you?

And most importantly, you get to explore your niche

Not everyone instantly knows their perfect niche.

For most of us, niching down is a journey. My own plan is to eventually start publishing content for my niche 60–70% of the time and go a little rogue with the rest. That way I get to write about topics I have a burning desire to explore, even if they’re a little outside my usual brand. The problem is, I’m still deciding what that niche should be.

And the best way to do that? Write, and then write some more.

Pay attention to what topics you’re genuinely excited to write about, but also check your stats to see what topics are getting you the most engagement and attention. Your sweet spot — your niche — is somewhere in between.

Stats are your friend (for now).

Money equals pressure

The moment your writing becomes about money, it changes forever.

I obsess over stats, I also obsess over money. Temporarily losing my ability to earn here has been so freeing. My mental health can be quite volatile, to say the least, which is why I know checking my earnings multiple times a day (even though I’m aware it only updates once) is a disaster in the making. Not having access to my earnings is teaching me much better habits.

Writing for money is also a big difference from writing purely for fun.

You have to genuinely enjoy writing for it to be sustainable in the long term. That’s why it’s worth discovering if you actually do love writing or if it’s just the idea of it you love. You lose the clarity to figure that out when money gets involved. Once you start earning, you’ll be driven primarily by money, and if it turns out you don’t actually like writing, it probably won’t be a sustainable side hustle or income stream for you.

And true success on Medium doesn’t come overnight, even if you go viral.

Learn to build your followers sustainably

The best method of building followers, based on everything I’ve read, is to authentically engage with other writers that you’re interested in and post consistently.

Not follow-for-follow schemes or any other hacks to “get followers quick”. Those might get you to the first 100 followers and open up the Partner Program, but there’s a good chance those followers will be worthless to you if they’re not interested in your content. If you haven’t already, I recommend you become familiar with Kevin Kelly’s 1,000 True Fans theory.

Temptation also becomes a factor when using these unsustainable methods — they’re so easy, after all. Good old instant gratification. Why not chase 1,000 followers? Or even more? And soon it becomes a habit. A habit you’ll then need to break at some point down the line when you inevitably realise it was a mistake.

You do this, and all your time and focus is spent not doing the one thing you absolutely need to be doing.

Writing.

I know, I know, I’ve just said I’m not rushing to 100 followers.

But if you’re interested in how creative professionals can live happier, mentally healthy lives, follow me for more.