Smart Strategies for New Medium Writers

Take risks, be active on the platform, and try to stay positive

Recently, I asked a group of writers to let me know what questions they have about writing on Medium. One common concern people have is whether or not newbies can still make a decent living here.

Or are they too late?

My philosophy about making it on Medium has been pretty simple.

When I see other writers doing well here, I think, “Why not me too?” And then I try to figure out what I can do well.

Look, I am well aware that I might never have the chops nor audience of certain popular writers here. But I’m not going to let that hold me back.

Everybody has to start somewhere, and everyone is on a different journey. If I make an effort, I am bound to get further than if I refuse to try.

That's been my basic Medium strategy from day one.

I just try.

That doesn't mean I’m not scared.

I don't pay a whole lot of attention to my fears of failure because I don’t think those fears serve me at all. If you must know, I have plenty of days where I feel insecure about my writing abilities.

Sometimes, I feel overwhelmed about making it as a single mom writer. My life feels like a perpetual time crunch. I might feel like my work is in some kind of rut. Or I’ll lack confidence when it comes to making pitches.

The truth is that I don’t make many pitches because I’m not that confident as a writer. And I don’t market my work too much because there’s that part of me that feels like anyone who supports my writing is just doing me a favor.

I battle frequent self-doubts and imposter syndrome. The only difference between me and plenty of other writers is that I typically keep writing even when I’m afraid.

But I never forget that writing is filled with rejection.

I have writer friends who have started to panic when their Medium journey wasn’t as successful as they hoped. And I have to ask, what did they expect?

When I first got started on Medium, I didn’t know how long it would take to become successful enough to quit my job. To be fair, I didn’t know if my dream was even possible.

What I did know? Writing is filled with rejection. In some ways, Medium insulates you from rejection because you get to publish whenever and whatever you want.

However, rejection still exists all over the platform. If you’re not getting the results you want, that can be a form of rejection.

Also? We writers are pretty good at creating our own sense of rejection. If it feels like it’s been a while since I’ve written a popular story, I might read other stories on Medium and suddenly feel like I’m no good.

You don’t need a following right away.

But you do need to build your following. In the beginning, I did this a few different ways:

• I wrote for other publications about once a week.
• I followed, read, clapped, commented, and highlighted work I admired.
• I maintained a positive attitude through the entire process.
• I took risks with my writing.
• I invited readers to follow my journey.
• Finally, I wrote as often as I could.

Writing for Other Publications

It’s important to understand that getting your stories into other publications isn’t some ticket to going viral. It also doesn’t mean that you will snatch up tons of new followers.

Not right away, anyway.

Getting into other publications is a nice way to get your work out to new eyeballs. It’s also a way to connect with various communities right here on Medium.

Follow, Read, Clap, Comment, and Highlight the Work You Admire

If you want to grow on Medium, get to know the work of other writers here. Think of it as research and networking.

For most new writers on Medium, I don’t think you can skip this step. Medium is, after all, part social media platform on top of a tool for writers.

When you engage on Medium, it encourages others to engage with you. People who never knew you existed might suddenly notice you.

Reading other people’s stories will help make you a better writer. You can see what works on Medium for writers who excel in the topics that interest you.

Try to Stay Positive Through the Whole Process

You want results right now. I get that, but it’s not realistic. It took me about eight months to go from 0 to 5,000 followers, and that was pretty quick compared to most journeys.

Consistency is what delivers real results for most online writers. But it’s pretty hard to be consistent with your writing if you feel down in the dumps. It’s important to do everything you can to stay positive on discouraging days.

Remember that every writer has faced rejection, and every writer will face more rejection. Disappointment comes with the gig, and you’ve got to be able to move past that.

Take Risks with Your Writing

I have seen a lot of folks ask how to write popular stories, and that’s probably the wrong question. If you spend too much time worrying about what readers want from you, you will likely wind up playing it too safe.

Don’t worry about writing a story that some readers don’t like. Take some risks with your writing to separate yourself from the pack. Figure out your style and voice with those risks.

Invite Readers to Follow Your Journey

If you’re a longtime follower, you know that I often share my journey as an aspiring writer. I also write about being a single mom and my struggles with weight and body image.

Some readers follow me just for the journeys I share.

Inviting readers to join your journey (whatever it may be) is a great strategy to gain more invested followers. Sometimes the journey is much more relatable than the actual person. Perhaps you’re like me: awkward and hardly charismatic. It might be your story that really interests your readers.

Is it too late to make a name for yourself on Medium?

I don’t think so. Medium curators select more stories than ever before. And the Medium-owned publications like GEN, Human Parts, and Forge take submissions from every kind of writer.

So, although Medium algorithms and procedures have changed, there are still plenty of opportunities here.

And it’s helpful to keep in mind that overnight success is rare in the writing industry. So, you’ll have to put in plenty of work if you expect to reap the benefits.