Some Thoughts on Writing about Medium, Writing about Writing about Medium, and More So, Some Thoughts on Medium Followers and Followings and Writings on Medium Followers and Followings

Just Some Thoughts, Really

I have been reading a lot about Medium. Medium writers. Medium money. Medium followers. I’ve noticed that writing about Medium is what people like to read on Medium. Silly! And also, I am sure practical, right? I love and value Medium because every single day it is the one place in the world where poetry is valued. Where we have a community of poets. For real. Where there are people who write poetry, read poetry, and talk about poetry. This is rare. This is a gem. This is a gift. Bless it and keep it. I love this community.

I also love writing. And I like the idea that for my writing, for my love of writing, for my work at writing, I can earn some money, and also, have people who are there, maybe, waiting to see what I write next. Followers.

And this is the brief topic at hand today. I have read a lot about followers. I have written a piece on the entire relationship — following people, being followed by people, and not in a creepy way.

But what I want to say is that, hear me out: there is no strategy, no basic rule, no right way, to follow and be followed. As long as it is respectful and as long as it is something that contributes to the meaning of your work or time spent on Medium.

I follow people. I just do. I do not follow them for random or hopeless or strategic reasons. I follow them because I searched for “poet” or “poetry” or “poem” on Medium and these names came up. I want to follow and know the poets. Because this is a thrilling and exciting and nerdy space, as mentioned. If there are poets out here poeting I need to follow them and support them and see what they do. This does not mean I expect a follow back, or that I expect to clap for everything they do. It means sometimes I will see their work pop up in my feed, which is helpful because Medium’s magical system knows I want to read poetry and will show me poetry. I follow people who clap for poems I liked because their bio looks amazing and their bio said “poet” or “poetry” and now I will hear from them when they publish something and I won’t miss out on it!

There is this one poet that I love and fangirl over. He has never read my work. Or followed me. He is like a mystery. But I clap for his work every single day because it is amazing to me. I respond to his work, often. I promise, it is not creepy or weird. It is just art.

And yes, you have no idea how much I want to beg him to come check out my work, beg him. Because that is part of it too, I want people to see my work, as I see their work, and have this sort of back and forth sharing experience. But, if it is not happening, it is also okay. Maybe it will eventually? This is part of the follow. The someday. The maybe. The at least we won’t forget each other. The maybe he will think I am good too.

I also follow people who are into what I am into, — reading, books, learning about and writing about race and racism, sociology, social issues, social problems, sexism and misogyny and feminism, parenting and family issues, humor, love, and love poems.

I follow some people because they are kind and in FB groups and I might not have a tech mind or a drive to read political or bitcoin stuff every day, but I like them, and I am glad to see them when they pop up in my reads of the day. It is a mixed bag, it is fun, it makes my day nicer, and it is not a bad thing to do.

I love and appreciate the names who pop up in my reads and also on my claps. It feels like I got to talk to a lot of great people but in a way that is meaningful for this introverted nerd poet girl. I am amazed and overjoyed that I pop up in some people’s daily read feeds or the in case you missed it section of something. It means I am in this too. I am someone else’s follow!

I think it is okay and maybe part of a neat process to just follow people who are doing what you like despite having yet to read something by them. I follow people as a just in case. I follow people as a reminder to remember them. I follow people so that they end up in my reads of the day. And of course, the obvious, yes, I follow people that I fangirl over and that I enjoy reading and need to hear from and that I look forward to reading every day.

There is truly no other space like this, no other opportunity like this. And following people has rarely done me wrong, — if I follow someone and have yet to read their work, and their work pops up in my daily read and it is … not my thing, aka misogynistic, racist, petty, etc.then bam, an unfollow is easy. But at least I tried. At least I knew. I have had to unfollow and block a few folks for these wild and unfortunate reasons.

Also one of my favorite things to do is search for “poets” and read through as much of the new finds as I can, following along as I go, after I read. Just to make sure I see them again. Because having a community of poetry is rare. And wonderful. The more the merrier because there are really so few of us anyway. Come on in!

I think the stuff I have read about turning following into some kind of game or scam or art or strategy sort of takes from the innocence of it. I want to see more of this, so I follow this. I think that is what many of us do. And I think that is a good way to be able to see more of what we want to see.

And a diverse world full of smart, woke, interesting poetry and essays in my feed is a wonderful thing to wake up to every morning. Variety and community are so intertwined here on Medium. Enjoy it!

Jenny Justice is a mom, Sociology instructor, and writer. You can follow her on Medium and at Jenny Justice, Writer. She has been recognized as a Top Writer on Medium in Poetry, Parenting, Reading, Education, Books, Racism, Feminism and Climate Change, so far.