My Take On the Quality of Medium Writing
Natalie has encouraged me to post my thoughts on this subject which I sent to her in response to her story, “The Private Space Between a Reader and a Story is None of Your Business.” It deals with posts from more experienced Medium members who are bewailing the low writing quality of today’s contributors.
Frankly, I don’t read those posts. When I see a title like that, I just leave it alone out of respect for the perception of that particular writer — which will be of no help to me at all, since I haven’t been on here as long as he has. Besides, it’s obvious that he hasn’t found MY stories yet, as I am a superb writer!
I wrote to Natalie: “As you point out, with 20,000 new stories a day, anything that anybody says about Medium HAS to be true! It’s all a function of which small section of those 20,000 you happen to be reading.
“There are writers here of all skill levels and all experience levels, contributing their stories for all sorts of different reasons — from seeking professional publication, to gradually learning their craft in a safe environment, to sharing experiences with a friendly community, to simply needing human contact.
“The people who complain about the quality of writing are right in one sense. In another, they haven’t begun to find and appreciate the vast numbers of excellent contributors we have here.”
Yes, there are some writers on Medium who handle the English language as though it were something wrapped in newspaper from the Fulton Fish Market. Those few whom I have read strike me as having sincere hearts and the best intentions, which make them worthy members of our family. Which is why I wrote my story, “I’m Glad I’m Not an Editor.” I don’t have to worry myself over their nascent English skills.
Then you have past masters of the written language, whose only purpose in posting is for their own joy of writing and the hope that others might share a bit of that joy. These people don’t even care about the money angle. And their stuff is delightful. If some of the long term members haven’t found them yet, it’s no surprise. 20,000 new stories a day!
An important sub-set of these guys is the writer who is working out important psychological and philosophical issues, for whom writing is the most necessary form of self-therapy. Again, no thought of money. Superb and scholarly contributions in the fields of Self-help and Self Improvement. Haven’t found them, yet? Keep looking!
I haven’t even mentioned the vast numbers of writers seeking professional employment or recognition. I just want to establish that there are multitudes of reasons for people to be on Medium. If you aren’t comfortable in the company you’ve found, drop them and keep looking. Your people are here — I promise!