Establishing a Sense of Community on Medium

You may be alone, but you need not be lonely.

Writing is our passion, but it can be a lonely activity. Sitting at our computers for hours a day by ourselves, we are stuck in our heads with all those thoughts. Many of us are somewhat introverted — something that comes from isolating pastimes like reading and writing. We need to feel connected to other people. We thrive when we feel supported, but sometimes that support does not come from our family and friends who may not understand what we do and why we do it.

Medium provides us the opportunity to create a community with fellow writers. This realization dawned on me while reading Terry Mansfield’s recent article about reciprocity, suggesting that writers can succeed by reading and commenting on other writers’ articles. Ideally, those people will read our writings. When someone does something nice for us, we want to repay them. Using reciprocity is not pandering for attention, reads, or claps; it is about creating a sense of community with other like-minded people.

Some writers don’t have a sense of community because they don’t put forth the effort to connect with other writers. Jonathan Chan, a writer for the Huffington Post, asserts that the benefits of a community include shared knowledge, connections, inspiration, resources, and support. Who needs those things, right? I’ll admit that I do! Not only do these make my writing process more enjoyable, but I feel my tribe is teaching me to be a better writer.

My writing community and I don’t chat over coffee or gather over meals, but I adore and appreciate these folks. We all have revealed tidbits of ourselves through our writings, and I feel like I know them. Now, when I sit at my computer, I can’t wait to get on Medium and see what my friends have created.

We benefit by having people in our lives who understand us so that we don’t feel so alone and vulnerable. We learn and grow from our community — especially when it is as diverse as Medium. I get excited to read articles from people who are writing from all over the world. I expand as I read about new topics or explore new genres. Even though each of us is unique, I feel a deep sense of unity with the readers in my community.

How to establish a community

If you are new to Medium or haven’t entirely found your tribe yet, look around. Keep a list of your favorite writers and follow them closely. Not everyone will follow you back, but some will. In time, you will learn about their lives, personalities, and the things that bring them joy and pain. If you put forth the effort to connect with others, you will find a home and a more profound sense of purpose in your writing.

Establishing a community is a process, one that requires trust, honesty, commitment, and respect. Not everyone is right for our community, nor are we the right fit for certain writers. We must be selective and treat our community in a way that nurtures everyone involved. As creative people, we have a fragility that needs to be strengthened, not weakened. Therefore, we must be encouraging, even when offering negative feedback. We want to elevate everyone involved to generate a sense of empowerment for each of our journeys.

To establish a sense of community, go out and read other writers, highlight and comment on their articles, clap abundantly, and follow those individuals with whom you feel a connection. Check up on each author at least once weekly to read what they have written. Be sure to stretch yourself a bit and read outside of your genres to help you learn and grow as a writer.

I believe that writing and all creative arts are sacred — the closest we can be to the Divine. We’re called to “show up” for it, and it will reciprocate. But we must also show up for others because, by helping other people, we are helping ourselves. Karma, the Golden Rule, or whatever you want to call it, is always at play, ensuring that we are sowing what we are reaping. How we play with others strongly impacts how others play with us.

In closing, I want to offer a huge thank you to all the people who provide a giant dose of motivation that pushes me to read and write. You make my day! Please keep writing and creating in whatever capacity you desire.

Thank you to my community!

In gratitude, here are some of the people who bring light to my days:

Mary Chang Story Writer, Stuart Englander, Amy Pierovich, Ed.D., Kevin Jahleel Ishimwe, Lindsay Rae Brown, Bashar Salame, Tim Anderson, Lori Lamothe, Vishnu*s Virtues, R. Rangan PhD, David Rudder, Michael Burg, MD (AKA Medium Michael Burg), Zahra Ali, Rebecca Romanelli, William J Spirdione, John C. Davis, Bobby Powers, Rob Janicke, Raza Hussain, MD, Younes Henni, Jen Gippel PhD, Penofgold, Jaylee Reign, ScienceDuuude, Terry Mansfield, Neha Sandhir S, Alberto García 🚀🚀🚀, and Genius Turner. Many other writers belong on this list; please forgive my omissions.

Thank you, also, to Ev Williams for creating an incredible platform for us wild and unconventional creatives to share our lives, passions, and souls. You have enriched our worlds beyond what words can say!