PERSONAL EXPERIENCE

One Year Medium & Key Things I’ve Learned

Things that work for me — maybe they can work for you too

Many years ago, I created a Medium account to comment on posts linked to my almost 10-year-old meme, Wicked Wednesday. I never once considered posting anything on Medium, because I had my personal blog, after all.

That was until May More shared her Medium experience with me and encouraged me to post here too. It was a learning curve, but combining what May shared with me, with my technical knowledge and experience, I gradually got the hang of Medium.

I posted my first story on Medium on 2 February 2021, and this post is my 181st post on this platform. Along the way, I have learned a couple of things which I want to share with you today. I believe in giving back, and paying forward, so here goes!

Claps show appreciation

Clapping for stories you’ve read might not make you any money, but you leave the writer with a good feeling if you clap.

When I started out, I clapped only once, and thought only editors could clap 50 times. Then I learned to hold down that button (with your finger on a tablet/phone and with your mouse on the computer) means anyone can give 50 claps.

The way I do it is to hold down that button when I start on a story, and allow the claps to run up while I continue reading.

So clap not only once, but give writers the full 50 claps, and put a smile on their faces!

Organize your posts in lists

I write in several genres. My content includes articles about mental and physical health, places I have been, recipes, photography, transgressive fiction, erotic fiction and also flash fiction stories in exactly 100 words.

I know not all readers want to read my erotic stories, and others come here only for those. This is the most important reason I use the lists feature, to make it easy for my readers to find what they are looking for. Don’t want to read erotic fiction? Then they can avoid that list, and click on the others.

Lists also make it easier for me to find my own stories as my content is growing every day.

Every publication is different

Publications are not only different in what subjects they support but also in how editors manage their publications. Not all editors are the same. Some suggest edits, others edit without telling you, and yet again, others don’t edit at all. Some inform you of the publication date for your story, others don’t. With some publications, editors publish immediately, on others it can take days. Some editors clap for your story, others don’t. Some comment, others don’t.

Editors are people too, with lives and jobs. One way you can make their work easier is to send in a ‘clean’ copy of your work. Make sure you have edited your words, and you have followed the publication’s submission guidelines.

Chosen for distribution

When you post on Medium, your post might be chosen for further distribution, either by the Medium algorithm or Medium curators. To many, this feels like the Medium ‘stamp of approval’.

What I have seen over the year of posting on Medium is that you never know which of your posts will be distributed. I have posted things I thought might be distributed, then it wasn’t, as well as the other way around.

Bottom line: I don’t write with distribution in mind. I write because I love writing, and want to share my words, whether fact or fiction.

Highlighting and commenting

One thing I love about Medium is the feature to highlight specific phrases and comment on them. In my humble opinion, this helps you to engage with the writer on a totally different level than only being able to comment at the bottom of a post, like it happens on blogs.

I don’t always comment on everything I highlight. Sometimes it’s just enough to highlight — it shows the writer what caught my attention.

Medium is community-based

Medium is community-based, and it’s up to us to build the community.

I drowned myself in reading, wanting to read everything of everyone I follow. I couldn’t keep it up. Not with also reading blogs, working, the household and taking care of my husband.

I now have a handful of people where I still read all their stuff, because they also read everything I write.

With others, when they commented on one of my posts or if they followed me, I add one of their posts to my reading list. When I have time, I read and comment, repaying the favor they have done me to read my work. This has helped to relieve me of the stress I felt because I couldn’t read everyone’s work.

Last but not least: A formatting trick

When you write on Medium and you hit enter, it leaves open a white space between the two lines. Recently, I shared a recipe for South African bobotie, and I didn’t want that white line between the list of ingredients.

To solve it, I held down shift when I hit enter, which means the next line follows directly below, without the white space.

Hooked on Medium

After my first year on Medium, I can say I am kinda hooked on the platform, and looking forward to share much more of my work!

If you’re thinking of joining Medium, click on my referral link to support me and other writers.

Find more of Marie on her lists, and here…