Should You Start Writing on Medium in 2020?

Short Answer: Probably. It’s better late than never.

This is the first post in a weekly series that will run the rest of 2019. Every Sunday, I’ll post an action plan to help you get ready to start writing on Medium(or take your Medium blog to the next level) in 2020. Click here to get a free ebook about blogging on Medium and be notified when new posts in the series go live.

It’s November. Maybe your New Year’s Resolutions are starting to tickle the back of your mind. And maybe one of those little tickles is the idea of starting a blog in 2020.

But 2020. That’s the Jetson’s era. And blogging is, like, so fifteen years ago. Is it even something anyone should be doing at all anymore? Is there some better use of your time, some better way to share your ideas? Maybe a podcast would be better or, I don’t know, a vlog?

Or whatever the kids are doing these days.

I mean, if you want to. But even if you do (or maybe especially if you do) a daily blog is a good idea. There’s not a better way to get practice writing, stay in touch with your own ideas, stay on top of what’s going on with the things that matter to you, and start to build an audience for any project.

What in the world have you been waiting for?

I’m always inspired by Seth Godin’s take on writing a daily blog.

He thinks everyone should do it. Everyone. Here’s what he said in a podcast about eighteen months ago:

“I’m encouraging each one of you to have (a blog). Not to have a blog to make money, because you probably won’t. Not to have a blog, because you’ll have millions and millions of readers, because you probably won’t.

But to have a blog because of the discipline it gives you, to know that you’re going to write something tomorrow. Something that might not be read by many people — it doesn’t matter — it will be read by you.

If you can build that up, you will begin to think more clearly. You will make predictions. You will make assertions. You will make connections. And there they will be, in type, for you to look at a month or a year later.

This practice of sharing your ideas to people who will then choose or not choose to share them helps us get out of our own head, because it’s no longer the narrative inside. It’s the narrative outside, the narrative that you’ve typed up, that you’ve cared enough to share.” — Seth Godin

So maybe you’ve heard that blogging is dead. Or that it’s impossible to get noticed in the sea of noise now. Whatever. Even in 2020, you should probably start a blog if you don’t have one already.

Especially if:

• You’re a writer.
• You want to be a writer.
• You’re any sort of artist.
• You want to be any sort of artist.
• You have any reason at all for wanting to reach an audience.
• You just have something to say.

Would it be better if you started your blog ten years ago? Well, sure. But, you know what they say. The second best time to start is now.

So — does that mean you should go out and buy a domain?

That all depends. Do you want to go out and buy a domain and start a blog on a self-hosted website?

I have a website like that. I used to blog there. I haven’t in close to two years. For me, it’s not the best choice. I’m happier writing on a site that has a simple WYSIWYG interface. I also like writing where there’s already an audience.

Blogging in a public space vs. on a website that I own is what works for me. It means giving up some things though, like the ability to place ads or be as aggressive as I might like to be about building my email list.

So, ultimately, you’ll have to make a choice.

You might even choose to create your blog on a social media platform like Instagram or Facebook. Anywhere you can show up regularly (preferably daily) and people can follow you, is a potential platform.

Substack is a newer site that allows you to create a newsletter-like blog that you combines blogging with email list building in a way that’s kind of exciting. I have a Substack that I use as an RSS feed for people who want to get daily links to my posts and I also operate a subscription newsletter on that site with Shannon Ashley.

Will you make money if you start a blog in 2020?

You might. Can I make a suggestion, though?

How about if this first year, all you worry about is developing a daily writing habit, learning how to use your platform well, building an audience, figuring out how to best serve that audience, experimenting some, and becoming a better writer?

You’ll take the pressure off your writing while you’re gaining experience. You’ll put yourself in a much better position to make some money a year from now. If you do make some money, you’ll be happy with it, now matter how much it is. And you’ll have more fun.

Can you make some money blogging in 2020? Sure. Of course you can. And, if you stick with it all year, it’s likely that you will. I can’t begin to tell you how much, though.

If you’re going to get upset if it’s not much this first year, then you might be better off setting a goal that’s not monetary. Like blogging every day or building your email list to 1000 subscribers or finding your niche. Or all of the above.

Go into year two of your blog with a foundation that includes a solid back catalog, 1000 subscribers, and a solid niche in place and you’ll be unstoppable. Anything else you gain in your first year is gravy.

What are the things that matter most, if you want to start blogging in 2020?

You need to remember that you are not an early adaptor. You’re coming into a very crowded field. That doesn’t mean that you can’t get noticed. It just means — we’re not in 2004 anymore, Dorothy.

You’re going to have to work harder for it. The things that matter most are:

• Consistency
• Building and nurturing your audience
• (that means creating an email list)
• Understanding whichever platform you use
• Learning how to serve your reader

Your reader isn’t doing you a favor when they show up to read your blog. They’re in it for themselves. Figuring that out is one of the first big hurdles you’ll face as a blogger. You’re there to serve your reader. That means paying attention to what they want from you.

So, how do you get started?

I’m so glad you asked.

I’ve put together a free little ebook with some basics that will get you started. You can download that here. Every Sunday for the rest of 2019 I’ll have a new post with steps you can take to get ready to start your blog in 2020. When you download that ebook, you’ll join my email list and get notified of those new posts.

Whether you’re starting a brand new blog next year or just want to take your efforts to the next level — there’s no better time to work at that then the new year.

These two quotes are guiding lights for me.

I think they’ll help you, if you decide to (finally) dive into blogging in 2020.

“First forget inspiration. Habit is more dependable. Habit will sustain you whether you’re inspired or not. Habit will help you finish and polish your stories. Inspiration won’t. Habit is persistence in practice.” — Octavia Butler

“Just write every day of your life. Read intensely. Then see what happens.” — Ray Bradbury

Here’s my secret weapon for sticking with whatever your thing is.

Shaunta Grimes is a writer and teacher. She is an out-of-place Nevadan living in Northwestern PA with her husband, three superstar kids, two dementia patients, a good friend, Alfred the cat, and a yellow rescue dog named Maybelline Scout. She’s on Twitter and Instagram and is the author of Viral Nation and Rebel Nation, and The Astonishing Maybe. She is the original Ninja Writer.