The Benefits of Writing for Medium

Summary

The author discusses the personal and professional benefits of writing on Medium, emphasizing increased confidence, audience engagement, and community building.

Abstract

The article reflects on the author's experience writing for Medium over a month, juxtaposed with over thirty years of creative writing. The author identifies three key benefits of writing on Medium: a boost in confidence from mastering new writing formats and technology, a heightened focus on audience through careful consideration of titles, images, and article structure, and the discovery of a supportive online community. Despite initial reservations, the author finds the platform to be a welcoming space that has positively influenced their approach to writing and publishing.

Opinions

The author believes that writing for Medium has provided a new level of confidence, especially in managing technology and formatting for publication.
They value the shift in perspective towards considering the audience more directly in their writing process, particularly in non-fiction work.
The author appreciates the sense of community on Medium, which has grown warmer and more welcoming over time, contrasting with the solitary nature of writing.
While the author is not currently submitting fiction or poetry to Medium, they acknowledge the importance of images and titles for all types of writing on the platform.
The author initially questioned their commitment to Medium but now looks forward to future opportunities and growth on the platform.
They recommend an AI service as a cost-effective alternative to ChatGPT Plus (GPT-4) for those interested in trying out AI-powered writing assistance.

A creative writer’s perspective

I have been writing for Medium for about a month (at the time of this publication), but I have been writing for over thirty years. Creative writing, especially fiction, has been my go-to genre since college when I learned to appreciate, and even crave, escaping into fictional worlds — as well as building those worlds myself.

I can think of a few experiences when I really felt pushed (in a good way) into new writing challenges, including my M.F.A program when I took classes out of my genre. However, nothing has shaped me more than my recent experiences writing non-fiction. It started with a blog post and a professional book review. Then, when I started writing for Medium, my whole mindset changed.

While there are numerous benefits, from the creative writer’s perspective, to writing for Medium, I’ve outlined my three big takeaways.

Confidence

It seems almost silly to think I lacked confidence in my writing. I am an English professor and a published writer. Writing is the only thing I have ever felt confident about. Being able to confidently write in a new way, as well as learn new technology and formatting in a short period of time is next level for me, though.

Instead of overthinking every choice, I jumped right into writing for Medium, deciding to learn as I go. Being in the driver’s seat as I published my own work is something I didn’t know I was missing. I am still submitting my work to publications on Medium and literary magazines, but knowing I have the option to take charge of my own work is such a gift.

Of course, I still focus on drafting, revising, and promoting my work after it is published. The difference now is that I am becoming more decisive and critical about my work. It is truly eye-opening.

Audience Focus

It is hard to write anything and not think about the people who will one day read it. With creative writing, though, at least in my case, I can push those thoughts to the side. I can write a scene and wait until revision to consider the reader’s reactions and questions.

Since I have focused on writing non-fiction on Medium, I am acutely aware of audience. Even though I teach audience and purpose to composition students, I have never considered those factors in my own work as much as I do now. This means I think about what titles will be helpful and clickable (not just pretty or evocative). I consider photos and wonder what each image might spark for the reader before they read a single word. Considering length, paragraph breaks, and links are part of my writing process now. It has been a fascinating way to think about writing and makes me really appreciate what other writers do.

Community

Community is such a big deal for me. Writing is often solitary in a necessary way, which is why social media is so much fun for me. I was worried at first that Medium would feel like one more cold and impersonal online space. Though it took a few weeks to feel comfortable, Medium has started to feel warmer and much more welcoming.

It is definitely different from social media sites and I am still learning as I go. Joining Facebook groups dedicated to writing for Medium has helped. As I gain followers and follow others, it is easy to see the opportunities for building a larger community through publications.

Note: writers can submit creative work on Medium, but I am not currently submitting fiction, poetry, or more “creative” prose on the site. I would say that even writers who are submitting stories and poetry on Medium should consider images and titles, as well.

Learning about Medium has been such a fun surprise, one I did not anticipate at all. Two weeks into joining, I wasn’t sure if I would stick it out. Now, I am looking forward, excited to see what comes next.