Summary

The provided content offers guidance on effective commenting and responding practices on Medium to foster a positive community and enhance communication between writers and readers.

Abstract

The article discusses the etiquette and strategic use of the comments function on Medium. It emphasizes the importance of commenting to provide praise, insight, questions, or respectful opposing viewpoints, and the necessity for writers to acknowledge feedback. The author advises on when to refrain from commenting, such as when one cannot be civil or has not read the story. The piece also touches on the potential of comments to build relationships or cause discord, urging users to engage constructively and maintain courtesy to nurture a supportive Medium community.

Opinions

Positive comments can be as valuable as monetary rewards for writers, enhancing their sense of appreciation and pay.
Insightful and questioning comments can improve the clarity and effectiveness of a writer's communication.
Responding to comments is a matter of courtesy and can foster a writer's relationship with their audience, though trivial comments may be acknowledged with claps alone.
Comments should be avoided when they cannot be civil, rational, or constructive, or when they are motivated by pride, self-promotion, or influence.
The author suggests that comments can significantly impact a writer's success by building or damaging relationships with readers.
Writers are reminded to prioritize their audience and treat them with respect, as talent alone does not guarantee a following.
The comments feature on Medium is likened to a tool that can foster communication and goodwill or act as a weapon that can destroy relationships, highlighting the importance of using it wisely.

Writing

How to Comment and Respond to Comments on Medium

And when saying nothing is your best option

The Medium comments function makes it easy for readers to give and for writers to receive feedback on stories. Here are a few tips to help make your comments experience a positive one for all involved.

When should you comment on a story you’ve read?

There are several instances where a comment is appropriate and even encouraged:

When you loved the story and want to praise or thank the author beyond just awarding them 50 claps

Writers love praise, and since most writers don’t get much in the way of monetary rewards, approval is a big part of their take-home pay. Don’t be stingy. Spread it around.

When you have some insight to add to the discussion

If you read a story that inspires you to share a similar experience or if it relates to an area in which you have some wisdom or expertise, most writers will welcome your contribution. The readers of your comment will, too.

When you have a question about what you’ve read

Suppose the writer puts forth an argument that doesn’t make sense to you or presents an explanation for something that you don’t understand. Ask your question. There’s a good chance that other people had the same reaction and will appreciate hearing the answer, too.

Writers want to communicate effectively. The good ones will be happy to respond and may even go back and edit their story based on your question. The whole point of writing is communication. If they’re not communicating effectively, they need to know.

When you have an opposing viewpoint, you’d like to share

Give this one a lot of thought because it can be a little tricky. Avoid emotional or knee jerk responses and state your position clearly and respectfully. Don’t be a troll.

When should you respond to a comment on a story you’ve written?

Almost always

When someone takes the time to read your story and give you feedback, the least you can do is acknowledge it. It’s common courtesy. An exception would be when the person just says something like, “Thanks, Bob!” or “Loved it!” In these instances, just give them the old 50 claps and call it a day. If you get in the habit of responding to everything, once you start getting a lot of feedback, it’s going to be a time suck you can’t afford.

When to refrain from commenting

When what you’ve read has made you so angry that you can’t be civil, rational, or constructive
When a reader has said something that wounded your pride, and you’re tempted to use your rapier wit to put them in their place
When you’re doing it purely to demonstrate what you believe to be your superior knowledge, intellect, or moral direction
When you didn’t read the story
When want to suck up to someone you think is important or influential
When you’re under the influence of anything as mild as cold medicine or as potent as grain alcohol
When you want to refute something in the story, but you haven’t done your research. PRO TIP: Listening to your favorite podcast or network news program is not research

The finer points of commenting

Comments add to the feeling of community on Medium. They have the potential to build friendships among users on the platform and to raise the self-esteem of writers of both stories and comments. They also have the potential to spread ill will, divisiveness, and to make other people feel bad.

We’ve all probably had an experience on social media that has stressed us out. I have reached for a tranquilizer on more than one occasion. Let’s not do that here. Keep it friendly but never lose sight of the fact that most of these people are not your friends, nor are they your enemies. They’re neither for you nor against you.

Most Medium users are simply neutral observers, but how you respond to them can push them into one of the other two camps. Make sure it’s the friendly one, especially if you’re trying to build a following.

I recently asked a writer to clarify something he’d written, and he responded that I probably read the article too fast and that his story was “nuanced.” He said there were a couple of sentences that I must have missed. He ignored my request for clarification, implied I was a little dim and sent me on a treasure hunt. I thought of some great comebacks, but, in the end, I kept them to myself. It’s pointless trying to deflate an ego that big. I just unfollowed his ass.

As writers, we need to remember that our audience, not our talent, is the key to our success. Many ignorant, untalented people have devoted followers. Don’t make the mistake of thinking you’re too good to worry about your audience or to treat people with courtesy and respect.

If you don’t care about your readers, why publish your work at all? Keep it in a box under the bed and take it out every once in a while to remind yourself how great you are!

Here’s your takeaway

The Medium comments function is a useful tool for fostering communication, goodwill, and relationships. It can also be a weapon with the power to destroy those things. Use it wisely.

If you’re new to Medium, you may be too focused on writing stories to pay any attention to this feature. That’s okay, but in time, you’ll want to take advantage of it. It can give you a big leg up on building a following.

To paraphrase Luke 6:38: Give, and you shall receive. The amount and the quality of your output will determine the amount and the quality of your input.

Denise Shelton holds a bachelor’s degree in Communications from Ithaca College.

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