Is Your Friends Reading Club Membership about to EXPIRE?
New membership rules effective March 1, 2024!
Attention anyone who has previously signed up to join the Friends Reading Club, and also write for the MFR Club publication.
If you’re not sure who you are, the list that I’ll be pulling names from is found here: Member Roster.
I plan to remove ALL members who fail to comply with the requirements already posted, for club membership, and for writing for the publication.
This was never meant to be a dedicated club and publication in name only, and I’m sorry to discover that all this time, I’m practically the only one who seems to be taking it serious.
Angie Mangino, Tovah Rainsong, and Heaven's Healthy Healing, I see you three, and I appreciate your diligent efforts, but honestly, no one else seems to be giving the club or publication goals another thought.
While I’m not one who likes conflict or controversy, I’m also not one to bite my tongue or sugar coat things.
I just published another hard to write story about my current road to burnout. I was motivated after looking back at a former story I wrote when I’d been writing on Medium for six months.
Looking back all that time, and recognizing just how much work I consistently put in, has really begun to bother me again.
This has also promoted me to take a closer look at what’s happening with my current FOM activities.
I considered how well I KNOW the FOM program can work, when other writers are just as sincere as you, because I saw the proof when I first began shouting praises for the option to upgrade our accounts.
👉 I still believe in the FOM program, but what I am slowly losing faith in, are many of the “dance partners” that I’m apparently being neglected by at the party.
This reference is to the story I wrote, about finding the right dance partners, and making sure you’re doing the same dance together on Medium — figuratively speaking.
Well folks, after a long look at my “dance card”, I came to a sad and shocking realization.
All those who insisted they were interested enough to come and get involved, were not as sincere or committed to the idea like they claimed.
Of the 27 names who currently follow the publication, just 5 or 6 are actually MFR Club members., even though the club roster consists of 54 names besides my own.
WTF guys? The publication and newsletter is supposed to consist of members, who want to work together to help one another succeed.
Is that what’s happening?
- My personal stats don’t indicate that
- Publication subscriptions don’t indicate that
- Story submissions to the publication don’t indicate that
- Bio story submissions to the publication don’t indicate that
👉 I’m not even sure how other club members and related writers are fairing, because no one is bothering to get involved, like they stated they would.
So while the “members” are doing who knows what, I’ve been busy, busting my butt, trying to make sure to support:
A) The member names on the roster as much as possible
B) Turning to the alphabetized list of FOM members and trying to support some of them
C) Continuing to do my best to read and engage with my existing non-FOM tribe.
Well, I hate to break it to you friends, but this one-way party is about to be over at the end of the month.
It’s time to clean house, and consider a new way of doing things — one that involve me trying to play martyr.
Final Thoughts
If this story sounds harsh or causes anyone to take offense, I apologize, but if it hits too close to home, then clearly, the message is warranted.
I still believe in what I was trying to accomplish with my club and with the pub, and I won’t be disillusioned by those who only pretend to want to help one another, but not with their actions.
📌 On March 1, I have no problem being a club of one, or two members, who are sincere and not merely paying lip service to the cause. A nice even dozen would be fine with me, and it would also allow for a much more serious degree of support to one another.
📌 But this time, I’m seriously vetting individuals who step up and want to take part. So if you’re currently on the roster, and you’re still interested in belonging here, certain REQUIREMENTS are necessary before the March 1 deadline.
- Respond to this story and indicate you want to stay
- Read the Bio guidelines for THIS publication, and submit one as instructed
- Submit at least one story in one of the category tags related to either FOM stats, FOM strategies, or FOM obstacles.
ANYONE who doesn’t bother to follow through has automatically given their departure notice.
What the results are going to be, I have no idea. I know that there are at least a half dozen individuals who I’ve been consistently engaging with, and who have at least submitted bios, and one story.
I suspect they will choose to remain, and I hope that’s the case. But even if EVERYONE on the list decides to take a hike, that’s okay too.
I have no doubt, that I can eventually find a small group, committed to genuinely uniting together, in an effort to reap the most benefits that we can from being a FOM.
Thanks for reading…
Check out my Medium resource for new publication owners
☕️ How To Build An Awesome Medium Publication in 2024 ☕️
