Shout-Outs Play a Key Role In Your Success On Medium

In response to Coffee Times Challenge; Why I Am A Pro Shout-Out Movement

There is an imbalance on Medium tilted heavily in favor of writers; we have more writers here than readers.

My story on this topic did not find any takers. A snub to the bitter truth,but write a fantasy article on money-making, and people will lap it up.

In the absence of full-time readers on Medium, we writers have to don the role of readers as well. And let’s face it; writers are busy writing, that’s their primary reason to be here. That’s why you see so many stories on Medium stressing the importance of reading because no paid member is on Medium to read, and writers are not reading enough.

I have seen many writers leave the platform because they could not join the Medium Partner Program; they did not want to be just readers.

All the responses and claps to my stories come from fellow writers like you.

In short, it’s a writers-support-writers world on Medium, and now I will tell you why shout-outs play a pivotal role in sustaining this chain.

Shout-Outs Are The Best Way To Connect

We are the creators and the audience on Medium, and shout-outs to fellow writers play a significant part in getting us together to support each other’s writing.

Three of the regular readers to my stories on Medium are : Jasmine Aguilar , Alex Rosado and Purbita Chakraborty.

Guess how we met? You are right -I gave them a shout-out on Coffee-Times. I have been busy writing and with other stuff, but when I get the time to read, I give priority to their stories.

Shout-Outs Force You To Read

As already pointed out, we are all writers here, not readers. We only read when we are not writing.

When first asked to give a shout-out to a fellow Coffee Times writer/story, I did not want to give it to a random writer/story, just for the sake of complying with a policy.

So, I read at least five stories before I finally selected one writer/story.

I always do that. I don’t waste my shout-outs because they have strategic significance for me, which I will elaborate on in the next point.

Coming back to the subject of reading, I cannot overemphasize how vital it is; several well-known writers have already penned plenty of stories on that.

And shout-outs do precisely that: they make us read.

While I can give a shout-out to only one story/writer, do not think I wasted my time on the rest of the 4–5 stories I read; I clapped and left comments — paving the way for another connection. See the dual benefit? If the Coffee Times shout-out policy did not make me do that, I would be too lazy to do that myself.

And why is reading so important?

Because if we writers don’t read, nobody makes money on Medium.

Strategic Significance of Shout-Outs

Shout-outs allow you to connect with other writers, but how do you decide who to give a shout-out to that serves your best interests?

You can call me unfair, but I never give a shout-out to accomplished writers with around 500+ followers.

As pointed out by Winston:

“attach yourselves to a group of very closely knitted writers who are willing to band together, support one another to help each other grow.”

My strategy to achieve the above goal is by giving shout-outs to new, unaccomplished writers like me. And, of course, their story itself needs to interest me.

But why?

Because a newbie writer, who is trying to create a place for oneself on Medium, will be more appreciative of your gesture and will stick by you.

An accomplished writer who is used to accolades may not care that much.

Fundamental human psychology is at play here: you always remember the people who supported you in your struggling days.

Conclusion

Shout-outs are the perfect opportunity for writers to break the ice, build a bond of trust, and hope that it turns into a long-term ‘alliance.’

For these reasons, I am a big supporter of the shout-out movement. I wish Coffee Times had a policy of giving a shout-out to more than one writer/story.

Thanks to Winston for inviting me to this challenge.

Thank you editors at Coffee -Times: Vidya Sury, Collecting Smiles, Drashti Shroff, Yana Bostongirl, Dr. Preeti Singh, Sharing Randomly and Marrisa W.

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