Summary

The author has significantly increased their Medium following by 75.62% in 2023 by sharing authentic beliefs, being vulnerable, writing engaging headlines, and maintaining a conversational tone in their writing.

Abstract

The author, who has published over 350 stories on Medium, has embraced their identity as a writer and implemented several strategies to achieve substantial growth on the platform. They focus on discussing topics they are genuinely interested in rather than following trends, which helps their content stand out. The author also emphasizes the importance of sharing polarizing beliefs, drawing inspiration from a man named Tom, who openly expresses his controversial views. Additionally, the author advocates for vulnerability, suggesting that sharing personal struggles makes one more relatable to readers. They also highlight the significance of crafting compelling headlines to attract readers' attention, a lesson reinforced by an interaction with a social media influencer. Lastly, the author stresses the value of writing in a natural, conversational style that reflects their personality, free from rigid grammar rules.

Opinions

The author believes that authenticity in writing is crucial for standing out and building a unique personal brand.
Polarizing beliefs are seen as a tool for creating engaging content that resonates with readers and drives interaction.
Vulnerability in storytelling is considered essential for relatability, as it reflects the shared human experience, including struggles and failures.
Effective headlines are viewed as a critical element in capturing the reader's attention in a crowded content landscape.
Writing in a conversational style, as if speaking directly to the reader, is preferred for creating an immersive reading experience.
The author values freedom in expression and prefers to write without adhering to formal grammar rules that may stifle their voice.
The author acknowledges the role of the Medium algorithm in their success but emphasizes the importance of genuine content and reader engagement.

I’ve Grown My Medium Following By 75.62% So Far In 2023 — Here’s How

I Started Sharing My Wild Beliefs

After publishing 350+ stories on Medium, I’ve finally accepted I’m a writer.

It sounds absurd, I know.

If you asked me what I do a couple of weeks back, I would have told you I’m a machine learning engineer.

Never a writer — depending on who you are of course (a potential client would get a different response).

This caused me lots of problems without realizing it.

For example, I’d prioritize working on machine learning projects instead of writing even though it was writing bringing me the most results.

My identity issues were to blame for my several stop-starts in my Medium journey.

But despite all the confusion, I’ve still been able to enjoy my most significant growth since joining the platform.

There’s been a few tweaks I’ve made in my writing to make it possible.

Here they are…

Talking about what I’m thinking about (not what’s trending)

Most people online like to talk about what’s trending.

At the moment it’s Instagram Threads.

A few weeks ago it was a missing submarine.

And a little while before then it was ChatGPT.

These topics get clicks cos they’ve got the most coverage, but they come and go fast.

I don’t talk about what’s trending unless it’s something I was heavily embedded in before it became cool to talk about — like my story on how to stay relevant during the AI writing revolution (I was a machine learning engineer then).

My philosophy is simple —

“If I talk about what everyone else is talking about, I’d just look like everyone else.”

I want my writing to stand out from the crowd.

The only way I’ve learned to do that is to only add my input when it’s authentic.

Sharing my wild beliefs

Polarisation sells.

I won’t even use Andrew Tate as an example.

There’s a dude from Zinc, Arkansas called Tom.

He’s racist as f**k.

But everyone loves him — even the people he’s racist towards (like me).

Black YouTubers literally travel all the way to Zinc to speak with him.

… And it makes for a bloody good piece of content. Just take a look at the comments section of the videos.

**Screenshot of the comments section from Sneaking Back Into America’s Most Racist Town. Image By Author**

Tom doesn’t hold back on his beliefs.

He will tell you straight up to your face, “It’s not that I don’t like black people, I just don’t want em next to me.”

I love it.

No beating around the bush.

It’s better than being around someone who’s passive-aggressive towards you for what seems like no reason, but deep down it’s cos they ain’t fond of your skin tone.

Anyways…

The main gist here is you should always pick a side and share your beliefs about it too.

Some people won’t like you, others will.

Being more vulnerable

We ain’t as different from each other as you might think.

For example, I bet your parents told you a story about how they were the best in the class at something unimaginable.

From my dad it was running and football, and from my mum it was ice hockey — which never made sense to me given she grew up in Ghana (one of the hottest countries on the planet).

That’s not even the point I’m trying to make…

What I wanna get across to you is we’re all similar in the sense that we’re going through “the human experience.”

Sometimes maybe good, sometimes maybe shit.

Sharing only the good stuff is what most people are comfortable with. It separates you from the reality of being a human.

You’ve got to add your personal struggles and failures to the mix to balance out this dynamic.

Why?

It makes you more relatable cos everyone has shit days.

Learning to write better headlines

The other day an old schoolmate who’s now a big-time Onlyfans model followed me on socials.

She posted an image of her butt cheeks with the caption “I just blocked 500 people. Say Hi if you’re reading this.”

I didn’t say hi, but it taught me a major lesson.

People won’t just check you out for checking's sake. You’ve gotta give em a reason.

Her comments were flooded with relieved followers saying “Hi.”

Here’s the gist: the first point of contact someone has with you must be a reason for them to drop what they’re doing to focus on you.

On Medium, that’s your headline.

If you don’t get this bit right, everything you do afterward is irrelevant.

Writing as I speak

I don’t follow grammar rules or use formal language anymore.

It kills the flow of what I’m saying and robs you (the reader) of an experience.

A story is supposed to read like I’m sitting in your face having a conversation with you.

I want you to hear my voice as go over the words.

This means getting rid of transition words like “therefore,” “in conclusion,” and “as a result,” cos I don’t use em in real life.

Final thoughts

The main gist is I’m more free.

I talk about what I know and don’t hide my f**kups.

I try to make it easier for you to relate to me and give you a reason to click on my stories.

I’m no longer trying to pose like someone I’m not — everything I share with you is who I am.

That’s about it.

The rest is down to the algorithm.

Thanks for reading!

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