How I Made $12K Overnight from One Article

Summary

The article critiques the sensationalist and discouraging nature of some headlines on Medium, which often exaggerate success and belittle aspiring writers.

Abstract

The author of "The Digital Journal" expresses frustration with clickbait headlines on Medium that boast unrealistic writing success, such as earning $12K overnight from a single article. These headlines are seen as not only exaggerated but also as a means to demotivate new writers by implying that their own success is unattainable. The article calls out the negative impact of such titles, suggesting they contribute to a culture of negativity and discouragement rather than offering constructive advice or encouragement. The author emphasizes the need for more supportive content in the writing community, as exemplified by their own work, which is humorously plugged at the end of the piece.

Opinions

The author finds headlines that claim extreme financial success from writing to be shocking and indicative of self-aggrandizement.
Such headlines are viewed as attempts to demoralize and dissuade other writers, rather than to share genuinely helpful advice.
The author distinguishes between modest humble-brags and the absurdity of headlines that serve to punch down rather than lift up fellow writers.
Despite the fictional nature of the examples provided, they reflect the author's experiences with actual headlines encountered on Medium.
The article includes a satirical disclaimer about the fictional examples used to illustrate the point.
A tongue-in-cheek self-promotion is included, suggesting that the author's own articles offer a contrast to the negativity and are worth reading.

And why you'll never be a successful writer

Crazy fucking title, right?

As a new writer, I see insane headlines like this almost daily on this platform. It's incredibly shocking to see writers attempt to publicly suck their own d*cks while simultaneously trying to discourage and unmotivate others with these kinds of stories.

Here are more examples of headlines I've found around Medium:

100 Reasons Why I'm A Better Writer Than You

NEWS FLASH: Your Writing F*cking Sucks and Here's Why…

Advice to New Writers — Give up

How To Become A Successful Writer Like Me — You can't

10 Reasons Why You Should Give Up Writing

Stop Hitting the Publish Button — No one wants to read your stuff

Tips and Tricks for New Writers — Delete this app

There's a difference between the occasional, modest humble-brag and sharing valuable tips to help encourage new writers and the absolute absurdity of these types of headlines. There are so many "Negative Nancy's" in the world already; do we really need more? Stop punching down at those of us who are trying to climb up.

***Disclaimer — the examples above are entirely fictional but loosely based on actual headlines I've come across***

Here's a shameless plug for more articles written by yours truly.

THE DIGITAL JOURNAL

How I Made $12K Overnight from One Article

And why you'll never be a successful writer

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