Medium Hasn’t Been Working for Me…

Summary

The author has been experiencing a decline in income due to a decrease in the visibility of their stories, primarily because of their over-reliance on their own publication, One4All, instead of submitting to other publications for broader exposure.

Abstract

The author began with a promising start on Medium, witnessing growth in their writing career as they engaged with the community and published consistently. However, this growth plateaued around December/January, which coincided with a general slowdown on the platform. The author attributes this to the convenience of publishing in their own publication, One4All, which has not been growing quickly and thus limits their audience reach. Recognizing this, the author acknowledges the need to submit stories to other publications to increase visibility and followers. They also caution others against becoming complacent with their own publications, emphasizing that growth can stagnate if one doesn't actively seek wider audiences.

Opinions

The author believes that income is a significant indicator of success in writing.
They consider the slow growth of their publication, One4All, to be a significant factor in their decreased visibility and earnings.
The author recognizes the importance of publishing in various publications to maintain growth and reach new readers.
They suggest that writers should not fear rejection from publications, as it is a normal part of the process.
The author advises against the necessity to publish a story every day, noting that occasional gaps are acceptable and won't significantly impact growth.

I had a strong start

Things started off pretty well. Once I started getting serious, writing regularly, interacting with other writers and readers, and publishing in more publications, I quickly started to grow. This lasted for a few good months.

I learned more and more and was generally making the right moves. I’ve yet to have even a semi-viral story, but that’s just random luck, near as I can tell. Regardless, I think things were going pretty well.

Things started slowing down

Around December/January, things started to slow down. I’ve heard that it was slowing down for everyone so I didn’t worry about it too much. As time has gone on though, things haven’t seemed to get any better.

I’ve thought about it and I think I’ve figured out why things have slowed down so much for me at this point. I started a publication by the name of One4All. By starting this pub, I gained the convenience of just dropping my stories there. The problem is that my pub has been growing rather slowly.

So what’s the problem?

I’ve been using my publication as a crutch. It’s so much easier to just publish whenever I want than trying to be accepted by other publications. As a result, not a lot of people outside of my followers are seeing my stories. I’ve been slowing my growth for the sake of convenience.

With that being the case, I know what I have to do. I’m going to have to actually start submitting to other pubs. It’s the only way for me to get a decent amount of views/reads and much better for getting more followers.

What even was this story?

It’s me putting out there what’s going on with me. It’s also a way to warn people off of going this route. Sure, start your own pub. Be sure to publish in it periodically. Just don’t get complacent.

If you’ve been seeing good growth, it’s a great way to see that growth die. At least in my experience. Also, if you are nervous about being rejected by publications, don’t be. If they are, just move it to another appropriate pub. Also, don’t be too worried about having a story out every day.

Don’t be worried that it might take a few days for a pub to publish. Missing a day here or there isn’t a big deal.

Medium Hasn’t Been Working for Me…

…and it’s my own fault!

I had a strong start

Things started slowing down

So what’s the problem?

What even was this story?