Doubling Down On What Works: the Striking Power Of Top Writers
Spend 90% of your time on what pays the most
According to Cheddar.com, “A Medium spokesperson noted that the company is approaching 100 million monthly readers.”
In two years, Medium grew from 7,092,000 articles per year to 16,614,000.
The best performing article made $9,958.82, and the top writer received $49,581.31 in August 2020.
Only 2 of the top 5 stories of 2020 were published in Medium publications.
So, you have the proof that Medium works.
Yet, does it work for you?
Start studying Medium top writers like you learned a famous writer in high school. And you’ll find interesting patterns.
Every top writer follows the same levels of learning until they reach the top. But a good percentage doesn’t make it for two reasons:
- Give up too soon.
- Writing is not their thing.
In April 2020, I started my journey, and at the same time, thousands of other dreamers signed up too. I followed some of them since day one. But unfortunately, they published only 10 articles. Never hear about them since.
Give-uppers come to this platform with the wrong expectations. When you write your ass for one month, and Medium pays you $0,08, it’s easy to give up. This isn’t for me, they think.
I can’t imagine how many beginners gave up. Some could have already had a viral article. And suddenly, the $0.08 would turn into $1,000.
Three years from now, some of those give-uppers could be the next Tim Denning. How awesome would it be if they wouldn’t give up?
Unfortunately, give-uppers will never be writers. And that’s ok.
I could have been a great soccer player, but I wasn’t. Yet, I’m a successful real estate investor.
We don’t have to be good at everything that moves.
The spirit is, keep trying. Keep fighting.
Time is the most valuable thing on earth. It’s up to us to find that specific thing we’re really good at.
Let us double down on what works.
Focus On What You Can Control
When things don’t go the way we want, it’s easy to get engaged in the wrong thoughts.
“In the last two years, we have discovered that thoughts really do create your emotions,” Dr. Shannon Irvine, neuropsychologist, tells. “Thought fires before emotion, then your brain connects. You repeat that link enough, and it starts running automatically.”- Brianna Wiest in Forbes.
If you start thinking about something, and it repeats 67 times, it turns into real emotion, says Dr. Shannon Irvine.
Your real freedom is when you understand that some things are within your control, and some things aren’t. You must identify and separate matters so you can manage those that are in your control.
You can find yourself in one of four mental states:
- Wasting your energy. When you focus on what isn’t within your control.
- Being paranoid. When you ignore what isn’t within your control.
- Wasting opportunities. When you ignore what is within your control.
- In a sunshine state of mind. When you focus on what is within your control.
You know what to choose, but always remember:
You can live in an eternal sunshine state of mind as long as you consciously practice the art of focusing on what’s within your control and then doing something about it.- Omar Itani
What Doesn’t Work, Doesn’t Work
I’m almost reaching the 100-article milestone. I wrote about self-improvement, single-fatherhood, and climate change. Also technology, disruptive innovation, writing tips, running, health, and life.
The further I go, the more I know myself as a writer. And more feedback I receive from my audience, my fans. In a short period of time, you can already conclude what works and what doesn’t work.
For a new writer, you must grow as fast as you can. You want more people reading your content. That’s why you must focus on themes your audience love.
I wrote three articles about climate change. They didn’t get traction. And believe me, I love writing about those issues. It means a lot to me. But somehow, my audience didn’t engage. And that’s fine. It’s a lesson I have to learn.
When I write about innovation, technology, or writing tips, my audience loves it. They engage, send messages, underline a lot of phrases. According to the audience’s behavior, I know what’s their preferences. So, I invest most of my time investigating those themes. And sharing more enticing content.
As soon as possible, try to find out your audience’s desires. But more importantly, find what doesn’t work. Your time is the most valuable asset you have.
Don’t waste it.
Grab Your Reader's Attention
Usually, the audience likes well-founded content, with bibliographic references and quotes. In a moderate way, it’s the best way for you to elevate your authority.
Yet, you get to the point where you need to put some personal stamp on your writing. And that’s great.
Writing a more personal, more humane text makes you attract your super fans. These articles do not generally have as much initial traction. Yet, they are a kind of long-term investment.
After a few months, those more-personal articles reappear. New fans are eager to meet you and curious beyond the scientific data.
Behind the super fans, there are always other fans. They are also curious to know about the writer’s personal history.
Never forget your super fans. They are the pillars of your golden list. They are the ones who pull or push back your success on this platform.
Consistency Pays Off
It’s the most challenging thing in this long journey. To be consistent.
As a non-native writer, the most challenging thing is my grammar. I know it’s something I will improve. That’s why I’m taking an online course.
Yet, about consistency, you need to have another kind of skill. It’s called will power. And that’s something a little more complex to achieve.
Why do I know that?
One of my hobbies is running in the mountains. I’m an ultra trail runner. I spend hours and hours in the high mountains. If you don’t have willpower, you don’t survive the first 20 miles.
Usually, you have all your body in pain and still have more than 20 miles ahead to run. Can you imagine your body begging for you to stop? And your mind be healthy enough to keep your body moving until you reach the 40-mile range to complete the race?
I look at Michael Thompson, Zulie Rane, Sinem Günel, or Thomas Oppong and see them as ultra trail runners who quickly finish a 40-mile race.
Why?
Because they keep running, even in those days where their bodies begged them to stop. They keep pushing and pushing. They never stop. Never give up.
It’s called consistency.
Quality, Quality, and More Quality
In my short evolution as a writer, the most important thing I’ve noticed is my editing. As the months go by, I see that I don’t spend so much time editing. A sign of ameliorating.
I couldn’t understand my writing in the early days when I tried to edit it. The sentence structure was so bad that I didn’t understand myself. It makes you want to laugh, right?
I never lacked ideas for writing. Still, I struggle with grammatical and phrasal articulation.
Quality is essential to get your message across and to refine your voice.
My main focus is to improve the quality of my writing. Grammarly Premium and Hemingway App are two apps that helped me a lot. I say that in earnest.
Sometimes I pay someone to edit one of my drafts. I usually do it once a month on Fiverr. It’s the best way for you to see how far your writing skills have improved. And also, having someone you trust giving you inputs and advice to enhance your vocabulary. Take your time choosing the right editor.
The best compliment you can have is from your fans. When several fans share their happiness with your improvements. That’s the best way to keep working hard and deliver it better.
Final Thoughts
The most important thing is your self-awareness. It’s your capability to know and understand your own weaknesses.
Always take critics as compliments. I still have a high rate of rejections from the top publications. But I always appreciate editors’ honesty. They work for free to improve publication’s quality. If they understand that your piece is not fit for that specific publication, assume they’re right.
Be humble and keep getting better. One out of ten times, I get accepted. And that’s fine. A few months from now, it will be two out of ten. Then three, then seven. That’s the best barometer to measure the quality of your work.
Focus on what you are better at. Don’t lose time and energy trying to knock down a concrete wall. Your fans are the compass to help you along the way.
Double down on what works.
Quality. Drive. Focus. And willpower.
Mix these four elements. Concentrate on what works and everything will be alright.
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