In How Many Publications Should We Publish Our Stories?

There are no rules, but here are some interesting observations

I was a bit hesitant before writing this story, and then I decided that it was a good thing to share what’s on my mind. That’s what I’ve always done until now, and I will continue to do so. And then maybe it will be useful.

As you may know, I’ve been editing Scribe for over four years now and writing on Medium for about seven years. This dual role of writer and editor makes me happy every day, and right now I wouldn’t change that for the world.

Of course, there are not only positive sides. The thing that saddens me the most is that with all the stories I have to read and sometimes edit to a minimum before publishing them on Scribe, I often don’t have enough time to read the writers who also publish outside of the publication. I’m sure I’m missing out on some great pieces, but being a human with human abilities, I unfortunately can’t read everything I want to.

I never hid the fact that I dream of being able to do these activities full time to write and read more, because it’s a real job, but for the moment I do it in my free time in addition to my work. It’s a sport, and therefore it’s also pure fun!

Since my first steps on Medium, I have experimented and observed a lot the different ways of writing, publishing, and interacting with readers and writers. I learned a lot, and I’m still learning as the platform is constantly evolving. But today, I wanted to share some observations with you.

We write to be read

For some time now, I have been noticing a recurring behavior among many writers who are starting their adventure around here, and who for some have joined Scribe. They go on a wild goose chase and publish their stories in every possible and unimaginable publication, no doubt thinking that the more they publish, and the more they publish in different publications, the more people will read them. I completely understand this enthusiasm.

If we write, it is to be read, the logic is implacable. Well, almost, I would say. I have often defended the fact of writing for oneself before writing for others, to keep this part of authenticity which for me makes all the beauty of our stories. But that doesn’t take away the fact that if we write, one of the greatest rewards is to see our words resonate in the hearts of our readers.

I just don’t think that the method of knocking on every door to offer our stories is the best one. Unless you write about niche topics and need to choose publications that exclusively publish those kinds of stories, I tend to think that when you spread yourself too thin, you end up losing yourself. This is only my opinion, of course, and it reflects my own experience as a writer and editor.

That said, I remain absolutely convinced that if there’s one rule to know when you start writing on Medium, it’s that there is no rule. But I still wanted to share my thoughts and observations with you.

Big numbers do not mean reward

When I first started writing regularly on Medium, I was also impressed by the big publications with lots of followers, and I thought that if I could publish in one of them, I would reach the holy grail. It’s true that it helped me to find new readers and build my readership.

As the editor of a medium-sized publication, it would be strange to say that the audience doesn’t contribute anything. But keep in mind that a publication with a lot of readers/followers does not mean that the stories will receive a lot of views and reads. You can write every day in publications with hundreds of thousands of followers and get thirteen views on each of your stories. That’s why I don’t focus on numbers, but rather on words.

Back then, I wasn’t looking to publish in as many publications as possible. I preferred to try to really invest myself in two or three publications that I felt really good about, and where I could read and discover writers that I really liked. My idea was that I would not only try to get my stories out there but that I would also read a lot by responding to others’ stories. In the long run, I think it worked out pretty well.

Medium greatly helps the interaction between readers and writers, and that’s the whole point. I put a lot of emphasis on this in the way I run Scribe, in the sense that I attach a lot of importance to the fact that readers and writers interact with and support each other using claps, highlights, and responses.

This is something that is difficult to achieve if you publish in dozens of different publications. It would take too much time to try to connect with every reader and writer you love. There are exceptions, of course, and some writers do very well by publishing in many publications. But it is not the number of publications in which they appear that makes the difference, it is the quality of their writing and their openness to others, and only that.

Less is more

We all know the saying, less is more. I’m probably going to go against a lot of opinions here by saying that publishing in only two or three publications is more relevant than flooding Medium with your writing.

I don’t mind, because I chose to create my own publication by doing things differently and I like to cultivate this difference which also makes it unique. All those who read me for a long time know that I have always been very selective at the risk of disappointing. But I have always preferred this philosophy of quality over quantity.

I have also always thought that in any creative process, breathing times and stepping back are important. Regularity is obviously required, but I think we should cultivate one’s imagination and inspiration by putting down the pen sometimes. Publish less, and therefore publish in fewer publications to focus more on our writing and our way of making words dance.

Which publication(s) to choose

I’m not one to give advice, but if I had to start from scratch myself and choose which publication I’d like to submit my stories to, these are the things I’d look at. Hoping from the bottom of my heart that this will help those who are making and will make their first steps on Medium and on Scribe.

Do I like scrolling through the publication’s page? Is it pretty to look at? Is it easy to read? Do I feel that there is a clear editorial line?

What kind of story(s) does the publication usually publish? Does it fit with what I like to write and read?

Are the stories I read on the publication of good quality? Are they well-edited and illustrated with beautiful pictures? Do their writers have well-filled profiles with quality photos?

Do I feel that the publication has a soul and values that I feel close to?

Is the publication focused on growth, statistics, and anything to do with numbers? What does this reveal about the real intentions of its creator?

Has the creator of the publication created any other publications besides the one I’m interested in? Do I feel that he or she is doing a real job as an editor? How can he or she do it when piloting many different publications? What is his publishing pace?

How many editors does the publication include? If there are dozens, what about the number of stories published per day? If it is hundreds of stories, is the publication doing any real editorial work? Do I really want to join a gas factory in which my stories will be drowned among hundreds of others in a single day?

Can I feel that the editor(s) are close to the readers in a human way? Do they take the time to publish newsletters to highlight writers and stories, always in a human and personalized way? What place is really given to writers?

Do I feel the desire to engage with the writers of the publication and to fully invest in these conversations?

If I join the publication, do I feel like people will really take the time to read, write and interact with me? Would I really have a special place among the other writers?

Final word

If you have read this far, thank you from the bottom of my heart. I really wanted to write this story, and I hope it will help as much as possible those who are wondering about the publications.

If you ever want to revisit some of the points made here, the story is linked to the publication guidelines. It may also be the subject of a new page accessible via Scribe’s navigation bar, to be seen.

To make sure you don’t miss anything I write around here, feel free to choose to be notified by email when I publish a new piece. It’s this way → Here. You can also support me on Buy Me a Coffee.

Thank you for reading.