Summary

Ilam Padmanabhan reflects on his third month on Medium, marking significant increases in content production, engagement, and earnings, while also expressing gratitude and exploring the challenges and strategies of his writing journey.

Abstract

In his third month on Medium, Ilam Padmanabhan achieved a substantial increase in his writing output, publishing over 43 posts, which is a 65% rise from the previous month. This surge in content creation led to a 10% increase in 'reads' and a 13% increase in earnings. Padmanabhan's month was highlighted by his first post receiving over 1000 claps, acceptance into several popular Medium publications, and the completion and initiation of new writing series. He also made a conscious effort to use more personal photographs and tools like Google Trends and a writing assistant AI to enhance his content and SEO performance. Despite the success, Padmanabhan acknowledges the need to evaluate his approach to maximize the value of his work and is considering starting his own publication. He remains optimistic and open to learning, despite some of his posts earning zero dollars and the ongoing challenge of finding his niche.

Opinions

Padmanabhan views his increased writing output as a positive step, leading to improved engagement and earnings.
He believes that personal stories resonate more with readers when accompanied by personal photographs.
The author is uncertain about the effectiveness of publications in expanding reach but appreciates the validation they provide.
Padmanabhan has developed a habit and a love for writing, with over 200 ideas ready to be developed into articles.
He values the role of tools like Google Trends and writing assistant AI in improving his writing and SEO strategy.
Despite the successes, Padmanabhan is analytical about his progress, questioning whether his current path is the most effective for value creation.
He is contemplative about his niche, feeling conflicted between writing on a variety of topics and specializing in a few.
Padmanabhan remains hopeful and excited about the future, looking forward to potential success and learning opportunities.

How Did the Third Month Go?

I’ve completed my third month on Medium. I’ve written more than even before, so how did the month turn out!

Story of my third month on Medium — Screenshot from Ilam Padmanabhan

So, the third month has come and gone. I have written more this month than any other month- over 43 posts in one month! So how did the month go? If you are interested the previous reports are here — Month 1 & Month 2

This post is not a brag — the very opposite. I intend for this post to be a detailed analysis. If you are interested in the top-line numbers, the table below should be sufficient.

However, I hope you read all the way through. May be we have the same struggles, or I have an idea or two that you could use. Our journeys as writers are similar, maybe we can give each other hope!

Summary: I wrote 65% more. Increased ‘reads’ by 10%. Earned 13% more, and was happier by 80% for sticking to my plan (to continue writing)!

Quick summary of the month — 1 min overview! Screenshot — Ilam Padmanabhan

First post with 1000+ claps (maybe semi-viral?):

This is my first post with more than 1K claps (1.6K as of now). I want to take this opportunity to thank everyone who has supported me by reading, highlighting, clapping, and commenting on my content. Your encouragement means a lot to me! I now know what it feels like to be mildly successful!

I have more hope than ever because of you!

Nearly doubled the number of posts:

In the month of December, I wrote a total of 26 posts. In the month of January, that number went to 43. I made a conscious decision to write more. Rather than trading my time for other activities (such as social media), I decided to use that time to write.

Why not build my own tiny empire, one post at a time! I won’t be competing with Elon Musk anytime soon, but hey, it’s fun to fantasize!

More in love with the process of writing:

In the month of January, I fell even more in love with the process of writing. This is likely because I wrote more than ever before. Doing more makes you believe more!

The act of writing has now become a habit for me, and I look forward to it each day. I have over 200+ ideas that I want to develop into full articles.

Used more own pictures:

I decided to use more of my own pictures this month. I wanted to create a more visual connection with my readers. Personal stories are better with personal photos, I think.

Publications:

This month, I was accepted into a few popular publications, including Cryptostars, Globetrotters and Illumination. I am grateful to be a part of these publications, and I look forward to contributing more in the future. I’m still not sure if publications help get a wider reach.

But it does help to know that people more successful than you think your writing is worth putting their label on it.

Finished a series:

I also finished my Iceland series this month. I really enjoyed writing about my experiences, and I learned a lot during the process using my own pictures and stories.

I also learned how to take an adventure and break it into a multi-part series.

Started a new series:

This month, I also started a new series called “Best of the Week.” This is a series where I will be highlighting my favorite posts from the past week. I hope that you enjoy reading them — week 3 & week 4. These are awesome work from amazing writers!

More posts were ‘Distributed’:

I got more of my posts curated this month than any other month. Whenever I go back to my stats, it is pleasing to see the words ‘chosen for further distribution.’ It means some professional has chosen to let other people see my work.

I am grateful to all of the curators who have shared my content.

Entered a competition:

I decided to enter a competition called “Best Places I’ve Been.” It was much fun to do. I learned a lot about writing about the different places I have been to. My posts on Norwegian Fjords, German/Austrian Alps & an odd bridge were accepted into the competition.

I enjoyed writing and reliving my memories.

Used more Tools:

I also started using more tools this month- such as Google Trends and a writing assistant AI. I find these tools very helpful, as they allow me to analyze my content in more detail. I also used more Grammarly, an excellent tool for improving your writing skills and plagiarism checks. I suspect a lot of external views this month came from using the tools (& win the SEO battle).

I try to learn from the tools as much as they learn from us.

New Publication, maybe?

I am considering starting a publication shortly. This would be a great way to share my content with a larger audience and help others like me. If everything falls into place, I hope to launch it in the month of February. And of course, I have no idea if this is a good or a bad idea!

There is never a wrong time to learn something new!

A moment of silence for the Zero Dollar Club:

Let’s spend a moment of silence for all the posts that made ZERO dollars. I’m proud of them, and they played their part in making who I am as a writer. I understand my audience didn’t like them (or didn’t see them), but that is okay! Check them out. Maybe there is something you may like there.

Should I course correct?

The analyst in me wonders — I wrote 65% more and increased the reads only by 10%. And made only 13% more money. Is that a fair result? Is this par for the course, and should I continue on this path?

Should I self-publish more? Maybe I should try other publications? Should I write less or even more? I have more questions on how to get more value from my work — read about it here.

Finding my niche:

This has been the hardest thing for me to do. I am genuinely interested in writing about so many topics. It doesn’t feel right to restrict myself to a few, but it also doesn’t feel right to write about everything either. I genuinely am confused on how to go forward.

Maybe I just keep writing and stay patient? Who knows, maybe I’ll become a top writer in 10 areas.

In conclusion, January was an excellent month for me. I wrote a lot, learned new things, and made some great connections. I have more questions than answers, but I hope to find them soon enough!

I am hopeful for even more success in the months to come! Thank you for reading!

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By the way, I write on a lot of other topics. More about what I write here!

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