Medium And I

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Abstract

e. However, I read other authors totaling almost the same amount of time each day, seven days a week.First, why so few submissions from me each month? I’m not one of those writers who feels compelled to write, and certainly not every day. I enjoy writing, but it is not the highlight of my life. Most of all, to be creative, I require emotional energy, usually derived from issues/events in the world that cause me anguish, anxiety, joy, hope, wonder, in short, those that make me feel most alive. In addition, an occasional humorous piece, or relating an experience that meant something special to me, completes my repertoire of topics.My primary motivations are simple. I want to bring a measure of hope, support, light, comfort, and encouragement to others in a world that too often feels dark, oppressive, and impersonal. By attempting to do so, I want to encourage myself, so there is a selfish motive as well. My ego also plays a role; when people praise my work, it does give me a temporary lift.Most of all, the responses to my writings help me to feel connected to the wider world, and less isolated. Also, the idea that maybe, just maybe, a reader might find in some of my words something that lifts their spirits a bit, makes their day a little brighter, brings a smile to their face, or causes them to pause and reflect;

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that possibility makes the time and effort worthwhile. An added bonus is being able to see the world through the eyes of other writers from different cultures, religions, and countries from my own. Some of these have become what I call my Medium friends, and I look forward to their new submissions. This is why I ultimately decided to return to Medium.My difficulty, then, is how to remain on Medium and still maintain some semblance of balance in my life. Family, volunteer work, prayer and meditation, and entertainment all require an investment of time. Here is what I decided to try: Writers to whom I subscribe, who write multiple pieces daily, I will only read one, with the exception of any writer who is eighty years old and from Australia. Those whose writings I have read over a period of months without even one reciprocal read, I will stop subscribing to get their work. Writers whose work gives me a lift or a laugh will be preferred. Listicles will be avoided, and advice columns on love life. Sundays will be my Medium day of rest, I will not read any pieces that day, and will not try to catch up on them later. Rather than adhering rigidly to my self-imposed goal of a submission per week, there may be weeks where I feel that I have nothing of worth to say. We’ll see how this goes for a while and then take another look at it.</article></body>

How To Strike A Livable Balance

First of all, let me say in advance that this essay will not be one critical of Medium. Financially, I’ve never done so well as in the past three months on this platform. I have a vague understanding of why, but I accept that the mysteries of the algorithms that govern Medium are beyond my comprehension.

The problem I have is with myself and how I’ve been handling my interactions here on Medium. In particular, the fact that my time spent here is taking up a disproportionate amount of my daily available hours. Last Spring I took a break from Medium that lasted over four months because of the same dilemma, and seriously considered just quitting entirely. Some context, I only write four or five pieces a month. Each one takes me three or four hours to complete. However, I read other authors totaling almost the same amount of time each day, seven days a week.

First, why so few submissions from me each month? I’m not one of those writers who feels compelled to write, and certainly not every day. I enjoy writing, but it is not the highlight of my life. Most of all, to be creative, I require emotional energy, usually derived from issues/events in the world that cause me anguish, anxiety, joy, hope, wonder, in short, those that make me feel most alive. In addition, an occasional humorous piece, or relating an experience that meant something special to me, completes my repertoire of topics.

My primary motivations are simple. I want to bring a measure of hope, support, light, comfort, and encouragement to others in a world that too often feels dark, oppressive, and impersonal. By attempting to do so, I want to encourage myself, so there is a selfish motive as well. My ego also plays a role; when people praise my work, it does give me a temporary lift.

Most of all, the responses to my writings help me to feel connected to the wider world, and less isolated. Also, the idea that maybe, just maybe, a reader might find in some of my words something that lifts their spirits a bit, makes their day a little brighter, brings a smile to their face, or causes them to pause and reflect; that possibility makes the time and effort worthwhile. An added bonus is being able to see the world through the eyes of other writers from different cultures, religions, and countries from my own. Some of these have become what I call my Medium friends, and I look forward to their new submissions. This is why I ultimately decided to return to Medium.

My difficulty, then, is how to remain on Medium and still maintain some semblance of balance in my life. Family, volunteer work, prayer and meditation, and entertainment all require an investment of time. Here is what I decided to try: Writers to whom I subscribe, who write multiple pieces daily, I will only read one, with the exception of any writer who is eighty years old and from Australia. Those whose writings I have read over a period of months without even one reciprocal read, I will stop subscribing to get their work. Writers whose work gives me a lift or a laugh will be preferred. Listicles will be avoided, and advice columns on love life. Sundays will be my Medium day of rest, I will not read any pieces that day, and will not try to catch up on them later. Rather than adhering rigidly to my self-imposed goal of a submission per week, there may be weeks where I feel that I have nothing of worth to say. We’ll see how this goes for a while and then take another look at it.