avatarHelen Cassidy Page

Summary

A writer recounts their journey of re-engaging with a daily writing habit on Medium, detailing their progress, challenges, and achievements over a 30-day writing challenge.

Abstract

The author shares their experience of returning to Medium after a hiatus, setting a goal to publish 30 articles in 30 days. Despite facing initial doubts and the need to relearn some lessons, they have made significant progress, with 21 articles published in 18 days and a modest financial return. The author reflects on the humbling nature of their journey, considering their previous success and current efforts to regain their footing in the writing community. They offer insights into their strategy, the virality of some articles, and the importance of maintaining connections within the Medium community. The author expresses determination to continue writing beyond the challenge and provides advice to others facing burnout.

Opinions

  • The author views their return to writing as a personal victory, emphasizing the importance of consistency and the challenge of staying motivated.
  • They express humility in the face of their previous success, acknowledging the decline in earnings and the effort required to rebuild their presence on Medium.
  • The author considers the act of writing and publishing multiple times a day as a key factor in their resurgence, showcasing their dedication to the craft.
  • They see the selection of their articles for further distribution and the increase in followers as indicators of their progress and as sources of motivation.
  • The author believes that maintaining engagement with the Medium community, even during periods of low productivity, is crucial for long-term success and personal fulfillment.
  • They offer a piece of advice to fellow writers: to keep reading and stay connected with the community, even when not actively writing.
  • The author is optimistic about the future, feeling reinvigorated by the ideas they have for new articles and the joy of reconnecting with the writing community

My 30-Day Writing Challenge Is A Challenge

But, so far, I’m winning.

Photo by Vincenzo Di Giorgi on Unsplash

I’d kick myself in the rear end for giving up my daily writing habit on Medium, but with my bad knees, I’m afraid that move would land me in my orthopedist’s office.

Instead, I’m suffering the indignities of relearning the lessons I thought I had in my back pocket as a newcomer to this platform.

Productivity. Consistency. Humility.

But I’m back in the groove and reporting in with my stats. Here’s what my dashboard looks like right now.

I began to hack my way back on March 6th with my first article in over five months. I published four pieces in September, and this will be my 21st article in the past eighteen days.

Some days I’ve published more than once, some days, not at all. But my goal was 30 articles in 30 days, and I feel confident I will meet my goal and continue on as a regular contributor again.

So far, I have $55 heading toward my bank account, and while I’m not doing as well as I did the first time out, considering what I’d heard about Medium’s decline, it’s better than I had expected.

My first twelve days back in 2019 earned $55, but I started out with a piece about my sex life, and it went viral. What do you expect?

Eleven pieces have been “Chosen for further distribution,” and I have several new followers.

Three of my articles went viral if you can call 2k reads viral, and I will. But they gained views and reads on social media, not from paid members, but they’ve made my dashboard look good. Anything that motivates me is a win right now, so I’ll take it.

If you think I’m boasting about all of this, I was earning $2k a month when I let my daily publishing regimen slide.

So yeah, this is a bit humbling. But I’m reporting my progress for accountability and to let you know what it’s like to claw back from a stagnating account.

I’ll post again at the end of my 30 days and dig deeper into my lessons, so for now this is a brief report.

I hope it offers you encouragement to continue your own writing practice.

But even after 30 days, that won’t be the last you’ll see of me. I’m so happy to be back, chatting with old friends, meeting new ones, and reading great work again. Why did I ever leave?

I have one piece of advice for anyone who gets burned out writing for a while.

Don’t stop reading. Don’t lose touch with your friends on Medium. You don’t have to write to keep those connections, and for me, they mean the world.

I now teem with ideas for pieces. When I left, I felt the well had run dry. It’s a good feeling. In other words, I’m back. Happily so.

I’m an editor and writer on Medium with Top Writer status. I’ve published 55 titles on Amazon. I edit fiction and non-fiction for private clients. If you’d like to hire me as your editor for fiction, non-fiction, or business writing, please contact me here. If you’d like to read more of my work on Medium, click here to sign up for my newsletter. Thank you for reading, and stay safe.

Writing Tips
Self Improvement
Writing
Advice
This Happened To Me
Recommended from ReadMedium