How Medium Has the Right Approach to Ratbags and Twerps.

Thanks, you’ve taught me a lot.

Before I came to Medium, I dabbled in short story writing on Reedsy.com.

I wrote a few entries for their weekly prompt competition and one story won a nice little US$250 first prize.

My intention in entering the competition was to dip my toes into the literary ocean to gauge the temperature of the water. It was incredible to me that I could actually win and immediately reacted the way I always do when something I believe to be serendipitously good happens. I imploded.

The anxiety and foreboding turned to joy when I started to receive likes and some lovely comments. I hadn’t known there was a system of followers and following, like Medium’s, but I felt flattered that anyone would want to follow me and read not only that story but also the others I had submitted. That all happened at the beginning of September last year.

By the end of September, I joined Medium and have been happily submitting articles since then. And reading, clapping, highlighting and commenting, and receiving same.

My Reedsy short story that won the competition, now sits beneath a pile of other weekly winners, although it still, on occasion, attracts a like, follow or comment.

For both platforms, you need to make a relevant, personal-type response. The rules are the same for both places; be positive, be polite, be supportive.

But there is one distinct difference between Reedsy.com and Medium.

The writers here will support, praise and respond with enthusiasm if your work deserves it. If your work falls short; if it has many errors, if it is repetitious, if it needs better formatting, and so on, you will be told. If you are up yourself and acting ignorant, you will know it. Firmly but acceptably.

Writing for Medium either attracts experienced, tougher writers or makes them.

Three and a half months on here and I know how to play. I can kvell with the best of them, and kvetch like a pro too. The latter being a skill I never thought I’d ever have to flex on sweet, wonderful Reedsy.com. The Pollyanna of short story writing, the platform of bonhomie and positivity. Usually.

This morning I woke to this notification from Reedsy.com:

Young Albin, so far, has not written one thing for Reedsy.com. I went there because I was honestly curious whether this person had the chops to critique my story. And so harshly.

I fear praise and success. I don’t crave it, and if you’re a legitimate, experienced and published writer who wants to tell me my story sucks, go ahead. I am happy for the lesson.

However, the most gratifying thing about having people read my story, is that it pays tribute to my mother. A woman whose life bears acknowledgement. And if other people, who are going through the same experiences with an elderly parent, read the story and relate, then I am a happy writer.

I can also understand why you might not relate. After all, I did what writers are told to do. I wrote with one specific person in mind. I chose my audience, and it was not written for ratbags.

So I get back now to the problem that I have with Mr. Ewers. He does not yet possess the sensitivities of a writer, nor perhaps, of an experienced human who has even the remotest understanding about civil society. If you can choose to express your dislike of someone else’s art, their creativity, through sheer ridicule, then in how many other ways could you offend people whose paths you cross in everyday life?

I would probably need to untangle that last sentence for Albin, were he to read it, which is highly unlikely. The simple version is:

Crass, naive little twerps need to grow up before they embarrass themselves even more.

This is a screenshot of my original reply, sent this morning.

And I only just noticed the ‘minus one point’ above dear Albin’s comment. That is pure comedy, when I needed a laugh. Thank you.

The takeaway here should be about being the bigger person and taking the righteous path. About copping it on the chin and having compassion for one’s detractors. But it’s not.

Arrogance and nastiness are not appealing. To anybody. Except to like-minded, unpleasant fools. They are destructive traits. If that is what you want to attract in your life, vent without intelligence. If you want to grow up to be a successful, contributing human, think before you act. And then act with compassion.

That’s it. I feel better. It’s time to write.