Let's Celebrate Fiction on Medium

Help creative writers find their voice

It makes little to no sense to see such a lack of interest given to creative writers on Medium. The Medium members I have spoken to via social media and through comments are just as bewildered at the state of play as I am.

It appears people go on Medium to read about current events, opinions, and self-improvement/productivity articles. But why does it have to end there? Why isn’t there a home on the platform for poets and short storytellers?

With your help, I want to change the Medium landscape to include fiction writers, no matter their genre or subject matter.

This transformation will not happen overnight; hell, it isn’t going to happen over a week or two. This needed change will be a significant challenge and one that will be bloody difficult to achieve. However, I believe with enough support; we could see a gradual shift, helping creative writers receive the attention and airtime their craft deserves.

The creative community faces two considerable hurdles in its quest for more readership. The first is the type of readers that by and large come to Medium, and the second is the way readers perceive fiction in general. The first issue we cannot change; however, the second issue we have the power to influence.

There is this idea among many readers that fiction only serves to pamper and entertain, providing little or no other benefit. This mindset is one of the biggest misconceptions regarding the power works of fiction harness. Not only do they entertain, but they can provide far more insight into who we are as a society and as a species than most of the ‘10 Ways to Improve Yourself’ articles plastered across Medium.

“Literature is a luxury; fiction is a necessity.” ― G.K. Chesterton

The best way we can change these attitudes is to do what we creative writers do best, and that is to create awe-inspiring pieces that are powerful, insightful, and thought-provoking. Our stories and poems should make no apology for ripping up the conventional rule book and providing hard-hitting truths that leave people wanting more.

The first thing we should all do is come together in one place. I have started this process by creating a Facebook group called: Share Short Stories. Here Medium members are free to post their creative works whenever they want. We already have a fantastic community that is engaging and supportive when anyone decides to share their work. This gathering place should be our first port of call, and I would encourage every reader to follow the link and join our growing community. (I hear the Admin is a handsome devil)

www.facebook.com/groups/shareshortstories

The second thing we need to do is support each other. If you are a creative writer, I don’t need to explain how long and time consuming the process is. To create a fictional world that never existed, along with a storyline and characters plucked out of thin air, takes an age. Some stories don’t even escape the gravitational pull of the desktop recycling bin that devours many hours of hard work.

With this in mind, take the time to read writers’ work, encourage, applaud, and, if you can, spare a moment to leave a comment or critique. Not only will you make someone’s day, but you will also help motivate writers to keep doing what they love doing. Too many writers are de-motivated by the lack of interaction and we need to do our best to try and reverse this process.

“If you will practice being fictional for a while, you will understand that fictional characters are sometimes more real than people with bodies and heartbeats.” ― Richard Bach,

So this is my mission on Medium. I hope to inspire those around me with articles and short stories that help drive this movement forward. In the meantime, I hope you fly the flag for fictional works and champion all creative writers across the platform.

If there are enough of us, we can change the Medium landscape and create a permanent home for our beloved works of fiction.

I want to use the comments section as an idea board and a space to give feedback. If you feel you have ideas or any suggestions that could help the cause, please make sure you pop them in the comments section below. Your contribution is hugely appreciated.

Follow me and make sure you join my Facebook group :)

Dean Middleburgh is a writer that has had the good fortune to write for P.S. I love you, Invisible Illness, The New North, and Storymaker. Please feel free to follow him and read his short stories here: https://medium.com/@deanmiddleburgh