Should You Self Publish?
Should you submit to a publication?
A new member of Medium, Judy Derby, has asked about the advantages of publishing her articles to a publication. I know many other new writers ask this same question, so I thought I would give you my personal views on this topic.
Now I can tell you that although Judy Derby is new to Medium, she is an experienced writer; however, each platform is different, so her experience brought the question, rather than her inexperience.
My obvious disclaimer in this is that I own two publications, "New Writers Welcome" and "What is love to you?".
Self Publishing
I think this is an excellent idea for experienced writers who would like to build their profiles and have complete control over their articles.
They can publish when they like, create their tags without being changed or removed, and build a real community of followers.
It may be a slower approach, as you get limited exposure. However, a gratifying one, so it depends on the writers' approach. They may already have a following before they join the Medium platform.
Submitting to a publication
First of all, there are thousands of publications, and they are not all the same. Some have particular niches, and others don't. Some publications have a few hundred followers, some and hundreds of thousands.
You may think the more significant the publication, the better it would be. In the main, that would be right; however, there are some exceptions.
Exceptions
Firstly, you, you're the exception. If you are "known", people will generally click on your article and at least give it 10–15 seconds of reading time, then decide if they should continue or not.
Next would be the title of your article. Is it interesting to the reader? Does it entice them into your work? Always think of the reader whenever you decide to write.
Your content is critical; there is no point in having a funky title with weak content, and please do not produce pages and pages of writing without breaking it up with pictures, videos etc. It is honestly a pet hate of mine, and I just switch off.
That might be a personal issue, though!
Publications, part two
Some publications have huge followings, that does not mean everyone who follows that publication will read your article; however, the majority will probably see your title.
I have never submitted to a big publication, and this is on purpose. I feel that your article has limited screen time due to the sheer amount of articles submitted. No sooner is it published, is it on the page, two or three etc., most people don't look past the first page.
I tend to submit articles to small to medium-sized publications with strong communities, the biggest publication I have submitted to is illuminations. They are a very well run publication whish, great editors.
Recommendation
I would recommend one particular writer for new members on Medium to follow. Her name is Kristina God; her writing is outstanding, easy to read and very informative.
Kristina God, also has her own publication, "Online Writing 101, "which I would encourage you to follow, you will pick up some great tips, and I have learnt a lot from Kristina myself.
Closing thoughts
Should you write for a publication or self publish, the choice is yours. However, I hope I have given you a small insite into my feelings on this matter.
Written by Robert Ralph
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