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r writer</h2><p id="8b1f">I live in Vancouver, BC. The Westcoast. In a rainforest.</p><p id="c8ac">I need sunshine to motivate me to write. Need I say more?</p><h2 id="a878">Mistake #6 — I don’t follow a sleep schedule</h2><p id="b13e">Call me crazy, but some days… I like to stay up late watching Netflix again, of course. Then I like to sleep in on the weekends (I know… it’s ludicrous!) My circadian rhythms are total chaos. <a href="https://www.sleepfoundation.org/circadian-rhythm#:~:text=Circadian%20rhythms%20are%2024%2Dhour,is%20the%20sleep%2Dwake%20cycle.">All the changes in my sleep pattern disrupt my sleep-wake cycle resulting in fatigue.</a></p><p id="3d7c">Who can write like that? If I followed a regular sleep schedule and consistently kept a healthy diet, I would probably be able to write better and write more. That’s okay, there’s always tomorrow.</p><h2 id="9951">Mistake #7 — I have no clue what kind of writer I am</h2><p id="6ed6">Because I don’t write regularly, I haven’t quite figured out what I like to write. I’m all over the place. I write about mental health, meditation, humour (or at least I try), relationships, home decor and even writing. I haven’t found a niche, so I write about anything and everything. I guess this can be a good thing, but sometimes I confuse even myself.</p><p id="4c12">Maybe we should keep mistake #7 on the back burner. The jury’s not out yet, it could be a good thing or a horrible hot mess.</p><h2 id="3d0e">Mistake #8 — I plan to take writing classes but never do</h2><p id="0a95">There’s so much to learn out there! Shameless plug here… but I seriously love education and I wrote an article attached to the bottom of this post on the benefits of lifelong learning. So why haven’t I taken a writing course?</p><p id="2f3c">Because I’m cheap.</p><p id="b071">However, to be truly good at something, you want to invest not only time but money as well. We can always improve, and I know I should… but ugh, maybe another time.</p><h2 id="060a">Mistake #9 — I have difficulty writing about my personal life</h2><p id="6be1">Don’t we all have a story? Like everyone else I tell myself that if I could only write a book about my life. Or if I could write freely, without inhibitions, I would become a famous best-selling author and viral on Medium. And if I had $1.00 for every time I said that to myself I could probably afford a Starbucks Venti Vanilla Latte, twice a day, every day for one year.</p><p id="b997">I have trouble getting past this, but if you can write without being constricted, then that would be powerful. Maybe consider a pen name if you want to be truly free. Doesn’t that sound amazing? To me, however, it sounds like a lot of work!</p><h2 id="d5ba">Mistake #10 — I worry about what others will think of my writing</h2><p id="3b2f">I know this is related to the last point, but I’m afraid of embarrassing myself in my writing. I would love for an editor to believe my work to be worthy of The New York Times or Psychology Today, but the truth is I worry all the time that my writing is the absolute worst regurgitation on paper that ever existed.</p><p id="7408">How could I possibly know?</p><h2 id="7b8d">Mistake #11 — I’m not a prolific writer</h2><p id="fffe">In order to have any chance at a regular following, I would need to write every day. But as mentioned above, life and work get in the way.</p><p id="b507">Writing every day would help improve the quality of my work. They say 10,000 hours at something makes you an expert. I have difficulty finding two hours! Those Medium Gods though write every single day, some even write several times a day. They’ve taken their work seriously and are full-time writers.</p><p id="f34a">Maybe I can do that one day… maybe this time will be different, I’ll keep my momentum and become a prolific writer myself. But to do that, I’ll have to put in the time and put writing first. That probably won’t happen any time soon!</p><h2 id="a9fb">Mistake #12 — I don’t pay homage to social media</h2><p id="32fe">Everyone says that Pinterest and Instagram are great for posting blogs. I believe it, but I would need to make professional-quality Pinterest pins, and I

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still don’t understand how Instagram would help the nature of my articles, but they say it would.</p><p id="1661">Twitter, I understand, can be helpful. I was once sick and home from work for a few days, something made me investigate Twitter and I learned about hashtags, groups and followers. I ended up with a nice amount of followers, (sometimes being sick at home is beneficial) but I stopped engaging so now when I post on Twitter, the views are relatively low.</p><p id="d335">The same goes for Facebook. There are Medium groups you can join that could boost your blog read rate through the roof.</p><p id="f9bd">However, by the time I finish my article and adding extra posts to the footer, and choosing my tags, I’m tired. I know 100% that if I engaged more on social media, I would have more reads and more engagement from others.</p><p id="6843">I seriously need to up my game on social media. It’s full of opportunity.</p><p id="30b1">I know improving my engagement here with other writers and on social media, would probably double my views, maybe triple. That’s pretty easy considering I am still working on 200 views!</p><p id="8a83">In conclusion, I’m writing for myself, I’m writing for the reader, my writing is all over the board, but it’s my writing. If I want to go viral or increase my views I need to do the work.</p><p id="5b01">After all, I can’t harvest the garden if I don’t take care of it.</p><p id="9a27">Maybe I should.</p><p id="3efc"><i>Come see my greatly ignored blog at <a href="https://kathylum.com/">Lifestyle by Design.</a> I love home decor and it has some other cool stuff too!</i></p><p id="24cd"><i>More from Kathy Lum</i></p><div id="f99a" class="link-block"> <a href="https://readmedium.com/most-common-mistakes-for-novice-fiction-writers-9ee4e5dedb1b"> <div> <div> <h2>Most Common Mistakes for Novice Fiction Writers</h2> <div><h3>Simple rules to navigate the convoluted world of fiction</h3></div> <div><p>medium.com</p></div> </div> <div> <div style="background-image: url(https://miro.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:320/1*n2whl2V8YHnN2BVVL9hNHA.jpeg)"></div> </div> </div> </a> </div><div id="7b90" class="link-block"> <a href="https://readmedium.com/push-your-boundaries-with-continued-learning-eb2df0e4f558"> <div> <div> <h2>Push Your Boundaries with Continued Learning</h2> <div><h3>Top professional development courses that can improve your career</h3></div> <div><p>medium.com</p></div> </div> <div> <div style="background-image: url(https://miro.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:320/1*H1UYCYdU_PSDgLt-FeyySw.jpeg)"></div> </div> </div> </a> </div><div id="304b" class="link-block"> <a href="https://readmedium.com/proven-benefits-of-meditation-844569e2748"> <div> <div> <h2>Proven Benefits of Meditation</h2> <div><h3>How the simplicity of meditation can improve quality of life</h3></div> <div><p>medium.com</p></div> </div> <div> <div style="background-image: url(https://miro.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:320/1*IpHWnIsRMhKCi_TsNranug.jpeg)"></div> </div> </div> </a> </div><div id="bdd6" class="link-block"> <a href="https://readmedium.com/6-simple-steps-to-increase-resilience-today-86d28d9448c6"> <div> <div> <h2>6 Simple Steps to Increase Resilience Today</h2> <div><h3>Scientists share findings on resiliency and mental wellness</h3></div> <div><p>medium.com</p></div> </div> <div> <div style="background-image: url(https://miro.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:320/1*Ju_D4FL3nJ7X5_fwEdHQvQ.jpeg)"></div> </div> </div> </a> </div></article></body>

My Posts Won’t Go Viral on Medium, and Here’s Why

Sharing 12 of my biggest mistakes on Medium that keeps me on the outside looking in

Ohhh those Medium Gods… you know the ones. Everything they write is golden. They know Medium inside and out. They’ve done the grunt work, they've worked hard, and they deserve every single view! I wish I had that, and seeing other writers with 20k+ views stings a little.

However, I don’t deserve 20k+ views. Not by a long shot. I’m a lazy sleuth when it comes to writing.

And here’s why:

Mistake #1 — Everything has to be perfect

Everything around me has to be 100% perfect. Any amount of stress in my life; I can’t write. Period. If you check my profile, you will see a trend. Tons of writing when life is good, then I’m an absentee if anything else needs attention.

A total absentee for months at a time.

I’m not much of a multitasker, just ask my current employer! I focus intently on one thing until it’s done, so when life happens, writing doesn’t. I suppose that would make me a good writer, as long as nothing distracting ever happens in my life ever again.

Mistake #2 — I’m horribly self-entitled

The first thing I do after pressing the snooze button at least 25 times in the morning is to check my stats. I’m an obsessive stats checker, bordering on unhealthy… I do the usual morning routine, walk to work, make my latte and then check the stats again. Funny thing is, I check the stats, even when I haven’t written anything! I’m so darned entitled that I’m expecting views when I haven’t done a thing.

Somehow, God only knows why, but I believe that an article I wrote 7 months ago, curated by Medium, should be getting thousands of views at any moment. I mean, it has to right? After all, I wrote it and it’s perfect… miraculously via Medium magic, I’m going to become a viral sensation.

This is a ridiculous assumption since I fail to make a proper effort.

I hate to admit it, but I’m a quasi writer. My biggest dream is to become an accomplished author and blogger, but I let life and work get in the way. Darned responsibilities and rent, and bills, and blah blah… and I curse Netflix too of course.

Netflix just so happens to be a procrastinating writer’s worst enemy.

Mistake #3 — I’m the worst procrastinator on the planet

I work a lot, sometimes 12 days straight… don’t ask. So when I get home I want to relax. I don’t want to write. I’m ‘entitled’ to a break right? So… I’ll check my stats, surf the web for ‘How to be a Great Writer’ articles, eat a little something, make a tea and well… it’s already getting late so why not watch a movie. I’ll write tomorrow.

Tomorrow comes, and it’s the same routine. I procrastinate again.

Why do I believe that I’ll feel like writing any more tomorrow than I do today?

I should probably keep to a strict, regimented schedule and stick to it… I probably should, but I’ll do that tomorrow.

Mistake #4 — I keep the best article ideas in my head

I mean why write them down? I’m just getting comfortable and that notebook is so far away… (the other end of the sofa) and Netflix is just about to start. Surely I’ll remember the topic “25 Reasons Why I Threw a French Fry at My Partner!” but then a few more excellent article ideas come along… movie’s only half-way through so I’ll write them down in that notebook later, where was it again?

Mistake #5 — I’m a fairweather writer

I live in Vancouver, BC. The Westcoast. In a rainforest.

I need sunshine to motivate me to write. Need I say more?

Mistake #6 — I don’t follow a sleep schedule

Call me crazy, but some days… I like to stay up late watching Netflix again, of course. Then I like to sleep in on the weekends (I know… it’s ludicrous!) My circadian rhythms are total chaos. All the changes in my sleep pattern disrupt my sleep-wake cycle resulting in fatigue.

Who can write like that? If I followed a regular sleep schedule and consistently kept a healthy diet, I would probably be able to write better and write more. That’s okay, there’s always tomorrow.

Mistake #7 — I have no clue what kind of writer I am

Because I don’t write regularly, I haven’t quite figured out what I like to write. I’m all over the place. I write about mental health, meditation, humour (or at least I try), relationships, home decor and even writing. I haven’t found a niche, so I write about anything and everything. I guess this can be a good thing, but sometimes I confuse even myself.

Maybe we should keep mistake #7 on the back burner. The jury’s not out yet, it could be a good thing or a horrible hot mess.

Mistake #8 — I plan to take writing classes but never do

There’s so much to learn out there! Shameless plug here… but I seriously love education and I wrote an article attached to the bottom of this post on the benefits of lifelong learning. So why haven’t I taken a writing course?

Because I’m cheap.

However, to be truly good at something, you want to invest not only time but money as well. We can always improve, and I know I should… but ugh, maybe another time.

Mistake #9 — I have difficulty writing about my personal life

Don’t we all have a story? Like everyone else I tell myself that if I could only write a book about my life. Or if I could write freely, without inhibitions, I would become a famous best-selling author and viral on Medium. And if I had $1.00 for every time I said that to myself I could probably afford a Starbucks Venti Vanilla Latte, twice a day, every day for one year.

I have trouble getting past this, but if you can write without being constricted, then that would be powerful. Maybe consider a pen name if you want to be truly free. Doesn’t that sound amazing? To me, however, it sounds like a lot of work!

Mistake #10 — I worry about what others will think of my writing

I know this is related to the last point, but I’m afraid of embarrassing myself in my writing. I would love for an editor to believe my work to be worthy of The New York Times or Psychology Today, but the truth is I worry all the time that my writing is the absolute worst regurgitation on paper that ever existed.

How could I possibly know?

Mistake #11 — I’m not a prolific writer

In order to have any chance at a regular following, I would need to write every day. But as mentioned above, life and work get in the way.

Writing every day would help improve the quality of my work. They say 10,000 hours at something makes you an expert. I have difficulty finding two hours! Those Medium Gods though write every single day, some even write several times a day. They’ve taken their work seriously and are full-time writers.

Maybe I can do that one day… maybe this time will be different, I’ll keep my momentum and become a prolific writer myself. But to do that, I’ll have to put in the time and put writing first. That probably won’t happen any time soon!

Mistake #12 — I don’t pay homage to social media

Everyone says that Pinterest and Instagram are great for posting blogs. I believe it, but I would need to make professional-quality Pinterest pins, and I still don’t understand how Instagram would help the nature of my articles, but they say it would.

Twitter, I understand, can be helpful. I was once sick and home from work for a few days, something made me investigate Twitter and I learned about hashtags, groups and followers. I ended up with a nice amount of followers, (sometimes being sick at home is beneficial) but I stopped engaging so now when I post on Twitter, the views are relatively low.

The same goes for Facebook. There are Medium groups you can join that could boost your blog read rate through the roof.

However, by the time I finish my article and adding extra posts to the footer, and choosing my tags, I’m tired. I know 100% that if I engaged more on social media, I would have more reads and more engagement from others.

I seriously need to up my game on social media. It’s full of opportunity.

I know improving my engagement here with other writers and on social media, would probably double my views, maybe triple. That’s pretty easy considering I am still working on 200 views!

In conclusion, I’m writing for myself, I’m writing for the reader, my writing is all over the board, but it’s my writing. If I want to go viral or increase my views I need to do the work.

After all, I can’t harvest the garden if I don’t take care of it.

Maybe I should.

Come see my greatly ignored blog at Lifestyle by Design. I love home decor and it has some other cool stuff too!