Highlighting: Some Dislike It So Much They Click ‘Unfollow’
Been highlighted much?
How do you feel about your stories being highlighted?
Personally, I feel everyone should be “Perlmuttered” at least once in their writing career, and I don’t mind reading articles that have been highlighted to death.
But then, I can tune out my tinnitus, so my powers of concentration are pretty good.
Susie Kearley points out that not everyone is okay with someone highlighting their stories, and that some find highlighted text harder to read.
She also points out that highlighting demonstrates reader engagement.
Some simply don’t like it; others find it distracting.
Daan Spijer agrees that highlighting breaks the “rhythm of the piece,” while Jimmy Misner Jr. states he’s not a huge fan of highlighting primarily because the notifications make you think you’re getting more interaction than you really are.
Out of the 27 comments on Susie’s article, only one person spoke out against highlighting. However, the majority were on the fence and would be open to options if Medium offered them.
She reached out to Medium’s help desk to see what could be done. And voila! there actually is something you can do about excess highlighting!
This solution had also been written about in J.A. Taylor’s 2020 article, so apparently this highlighting quandary has existed for quite some time. Pluto Wolnosci says he has used this solution more than once, but he wishes Medium offered more options.
What can you do when you want to highlight an entire stanza of a poem? Walter Rice gives us a solution!
“Today I wanted to highlight a stanza of poetry here on Medium, but the way the poetry was arranged wouldn’t let me.”
When it comes to Medium’s famous highlighter, you’re either a fan or not.
Elizabeth Emerald wants to know if you are among the lucky group of Medium writers that David Perlmutter graces with highlighting, while Carol Lennox checks to see if David has read her articles even before she makes her morning coffee or brushes her teeth! Robin Christine Honigsberg remembers when her wish to “be Perlmuttered” was fulfilled.
Victoria Suzanne says she’s so tired of people complaining about a certain someone who is well-known for highlighting. Kristen Stark almost beat David P. once when she found a new story that he hadn’t yet highlighted.
Due to a glitch, she had to admit defeat:
“That 5 seconds COST ME THE GAME. Once the story loaded in The Bad Influence, David was already there. He had highlighted all of the best parts.
I left my stupid comment, clapped, and closed out of the story. I sunk in my chair, defeated.”
There are some writers who aren’t so happy with being highlighted. Darren Hughes says that for him, it’s like someone else deciding what part of a story is important.
Another writer says David P. highlights over 5000 stories every day, and even got a reply when he asked David what his favorite highlighting color is! (It’s the first comment in the comment section.)
Read Raine Lore’s poem about David’s exploits with the highlighter:
“Who is this legend of the dark? A myst’ry man of fear? He comes and goes, and leaves his mark On all our words, once clear.”
Okay, here’s your chance to leave your comment or opinion about highlighting, or about that masked quick-as-lightning highlighter who rides once more tonight!
Join me in writing for Medium — it’s free! If you use this affiliate link you can get unlimited reads (it won’t cost you extra, but I’ll get a portion of the fee). If you’d like, you can make a small donation here. ❤️
