MEDIUM

One Month on Medium — Here’s What I’ve Learned

The last four weeks on Medium have taught me so much

Hooray! I’ve survived! Party!

If you have read any of my other stories, you may know that I had never heard of Medium before joining on February 9th.

I knew nothing.

I’ve always been tech-savvy. If I don’t know how to do something, I prefer having someone with experience to ask. Since I don’t always have one of those people, I do a lot of research.

I had a lot to learn and adapt to using this platform. I generally learn fairly quickly, especially when hands-on.

I am still learning, but some things were simple enough to figure out on my own. Or to find an article someone had written about anything I was confused about or unable to figure out.

Eventually, I was able to meet some of you lovely people that have been kind enough to lend me a helping hand.

I am very appreciative of that help. I know it can be frustrating to lend help to someone when they can figure it out for themselves like you had to. I personally prefer to help people so they can have an easier go of it than I did. Ya know, so they can surpass me in success! LOL! (ahem, BBB discord)

I am so grateful that I forced myself to overcome the fear I had about writing.

I’m not just a writer on Medium, I also spend time here as a reader. I have learned a lot, met a lot of people with similar experiences, and I’m able to support other writers that way.

These are things that I learned about Medium and what works for me…

Be yourself

Be authentic. Write from the heart. While I’m capable of being a “formal” or “technical” writer, it’s boring and exhausting for me.

Sure, there may be more informative types of pieces that I write, but I will always have a personal experience to go along with it. I will always write “informally” and casually. Like I’m talking to a friend. Because some of you already are my friends or are becoming so.

Writing is therapeutic

While I didn’t just learn this in the last 4 weeks per se, it did remind me. I have already been able to improve my mental health by writing about my experiences, and reading those of others.

Writers can join and create Pubs

I didn’t even know what a “pub” was. Funnily, I saw the word “pub” and thought it was in reference to a British bar, so I didn’t pay any attention. LMAO! I’m a recovering alcoholic, after all, I avoid what I need to. Now I’m laughing at myself!!

I had to do some research on publications to find out what their purpose was and if becoming a writer for a pub was something I wanted to do.

If I could get more exposure, I was all for it. So then, which pub should I join? Then, what do they require for you to become a writer for them? What are there submission guidelines? These are different for each pub!

Sometimes there is no information on how to join as a writer or sometimes they aren’t currently adding writers. If it isn’t made clear, or I can’t find it within a decent amount of time, I move along.

There are a lot of pubs. Some share on specific topics only, while others are more general in their topics and pride themselves on inclusivity. Being added as a writer does not guarantee that the pub you submit to will publish your story.

Medium isn’t just for writing

Since I joined Medium to start my own blog as a writer, I was pleasantly surprised by all the content I have access to. There is a piece written for almost anything you may want to read about. I do not just spend time as a writer here, I am also a reader. This leads me to my next point…

When reading…

When reading an article/story/piece whatever you wanna call it, SCROLL ALL THE WAY TO THE FUCKIN’ BOTTOM TILL YA CAN’T SCROLL NO MO’!

I only learned this by joining a publication. The pub Bouncin’ and Behavin’ Blogs is on Discord and that is where I learned that in order for your reads to count as a read, you must scroll down until you can’t anymore.

I had no idea about this little morsel of information. As a writer who reads to support other writers, this is something I began implementing right away.

Interaction with others is essential

For the first week, I read a lot of articles, clapped once (instead of the 50 claps PER story that you can give, my bad!), and followed them if I liked what they wrote or their topics of choice.

But I never commented. I was nervous! Directly interacting with a stranger felt weird to me and I had to push through my anxiety and fear.

The first comment I received turned out to be a spam account which made me a little sad. And as I’m editing this piece, I received another comment from the same company, just a different spammer! Reported and Blocked!

But my second comment came from a real person- another writer. It opened up a conversation. Some of this person’s readers found me through the comments I left and followed me.

Some commented on my stories. My stats were starting to improve this way. I’ve also been able to meet some awesome people that resonate with my stories, so we have something in common already.

I have received some exceptional comments from people that warm my heart. Beautiful words from beautiful strangers, complimenting my words. This is especially important and moving for me, someone raised with a mother that never gave me positive reinforcement or validation.

In fact, I still struggle to accept compliments from people! I’m working on it with each new one I receive.

No niche is the way for me to go

This one is debatable depending on who you talk to. When I was doing research prior to starting my blog, choosing a niche was a big suggestion. Then others said you don’t have to.

So I pondered on it for a while. I decided that I would rather write about a range of topics, with all of their own interested readers than just a single topic with just one type of interested reader.

I want to have broad horizons. I want to meet people from all walks of life. I want to share the things I’ve been through, my likes and dislikes, and anything and everything. So that is what I am going to do!

There is nothing I know more about than the adversity I have experienced in my life. Writing about my personal life is the one thing I am a master at that no one else can compete with me for.

My stats aren’t juicy like some of my new friends' stats are. I didn’t expect to meet the 100 Followers requirement for the partner program for months.

Of course, I was shocked when I hit that mark on February 25, just 16 days after publishing my first story! First Story:

I posted almost every single day, or I made up for days I missed in one way or another. I was able to get 132 followers all by myself and that made me happy!

I still had a few wrinkles to iron out before I applied to join Medium’s Partner Program, so instead, I joined a pub!

I published my first story in Bouncin’ and Behavin’ Blogs on February 28th. I’m really glad I didn’t become the “twatwaffle” chic considering that is one of my stories with the most responses.

Then, I was signed up for the Medium Partner Program, accepted, and monetized by March 1st! I’ve made just over $6 so far y’all!! PARTY!

Things are only getting better from here and it is such a lovely feeling to blow my own goals out of the water!

Now, I am a writer for multiple pubs, though I’ve only published in two so far: The Random Nerdiness Collective and Bouncin’ and Behavin’ Blogs.

I also somehow got myself an editing gig for the little pub The Community Building Movement thanks to my new buddy The Sturg. Which means I’ll be able to learn even more!

So that’s it for now!

Thank you to everyone who takes time out of their lives to read about my life. I truly appreciate everyone and I am so grateful for the experience I have had in such a short time on this platform.

I look forward to going on my healing journey with all of you as witnesses to my progress. Yes, it started out on the dark side of my life, but that won’t be forever. I am grateful that many of you have stuck around this long and I hope you continue to do so.

Many, many, many thanks from the bottom of my purple heart!

Love, Quinn