Stop Bitching and do the Work

Summary

The article encourages writers on Medium to focus on improving their writing craft and the joy of writing rather than complaining about earnings or platform mechanics.

Abstract

The author, Lawson Wallace, reflects on the tendency of some Medium users to be discontented with the platform, particularly with the financial aspect of writing. He emphasizes that instead of fixating on monetary gain or criticizing Medium, writers should dedicate themselves to honing their skills and embracing the process of learning and growth. Drawing inspiration from Ray Bradbury's perspective on writing with love, Wallace suggests that financial success is secondary to the passion for writing and that focusing on the quality of one's work will naturally lead to a more fulfilling writing experience and potentially to earnings as well.

Opinions

The author believes that writers on Medium should concentrate on improving their writing skills rather than complaining about the platform or their earnings.
He suggests that new writers often have unrealistic expectations of making significant money quickly on Medium.
Wallace advocates for embracing criticism as a means to grow as a writer.
He cites Ray Bradbury's philosophy that the primary motivation for writing should be the love of the craft, not financial reward.
The article posits that focusing on metrics like claps or followers can distract from the actual writing process.
The author's opinion is that writers should not be preoccupied with external validation or earnings, as these are beyond their control, and should instead focus on producing their best work.

Concentrate on being the best writer you can be

I sat down at my computer logged-on to Medium and read the headlines with a sigh.

I think it’s funny that people pay Medium to read articles bitching about Medium and its publications.

You will earn as you learn

I know people join Medium with visions of making the big bucks, I know I did. I quickly discovered that my writing skills were not good enough yet. I didn’t write articles that complained about not making any money. I stepped up my game and accepted criticism of my writing, and grew as a writer.

Write for the love of writing

I recently read “ Zen and the Art of Writing” by Ray Bradbury. He wrote that writers should write because they love to write.

The answer to all writing, to any career for that matter, is love

The money will come, or it won’t. The writer can’t control what he makes on Medium, but he can control his output. Write for the joy of writing, do not worry about making money or how many claps or followers you have. Reads and claps are a distraction from doing the work, so do the best work you can and don’t get distracted by the other things. They will take care of themselves.

Concentrate on doing the work and stop whining.

Stop Bitching and Do the Work

Concentrate on being the best writer you can be