The Biggest Mistake That I Made on Medium

Summary

A Medium writer reflects on the decline in their blogging success due to ceasing writing and engaging with the community, emphasizing the importance of consistency and interaction in maintaining a blogging presence.

Abstract

The author shares their journey on Medium, starting with the excitement of their first published story and the initial success of earning money and gaining followers. Over time, they achieved milestones such as having their membership fee covered, receiving their first "curation," and becoming a "top writer." However, the author's second year on the platform saw a significant drop in earnings and engagement, which they attribute to their decision to stop writing regularly. They also acknowledge that ceasing to read and interact with other writers was their ultimate mistake, leading to a disconnect with their audience. The author uses their personal experience to encourage others to persist in writing and staying engaged, even when it seems challenging, to avoid having to start from scratch.

Opinions

The author believes that stopping writing was their first mistake on Medium, as it halted their momentum and made it difficult to return to the platform.
They express regret over not sustaining their writing efforts when they started earning money, suggesting a fear of not being able to maintain their success or a sense of accomplishment that led to complacency.
The author emphasizes that the biggest mistake was not just stopping writing, but also halting reading and interacting with the Medium community, which they see as crucial for maintaining a connection with the audience.
They advise that consistent effort is essential in blogging, and even when writing is not possible, reading and engaging with others' work should continue.
The author's narrative implies that the effort put into blogging can be easily lost without continuous engagement and that the platform's algorithms or community engagement may not favor inactive writers.

I wish I could turn back the time

It’s been 2 years since I created an account and started posting content on this site. The 5th of September 2020 marked my first published story here. I was full of hope and energy, finally fulfilling my dream to become a blogger.

While I used my first month to learn the ropes, I was able to write 13 stories and earn $3.08. That was a huge accomplishment for me.

In my second month, my earnings grew to $15.20 in exchange for 11 stories. To have my membership fee covered was another milestone. But what made me celebrate was my first “curation”. For a newbie blogger, the feeling given by that achievement is beyond compare.

I had my stint as a “ top writer” in my 5th month.

By the end of my first year, my follower count grew to 2k and I had these average stats per month:

Views: 1600 Reads: 900 Earning: $20

Unfortunately, in my 2nd year, with 3k followers, I earned an average of $1 or less per month. I’m just paying the membership fee so as to have a reason to stay on Medium and not give up my interest in writing.

My 1st Medium mistake

The first mistake that I made on Medium was — I stopped writing. When I stopped, it was very hard to come back. I made promises that I’ll write at least twice a week but I never honored my word.

I stopped writing just when the momentum started to build up. When I reached my 1st $100, I didn’t know if I feared the thought that I cannot sustain it or if I stopped because I was able to prove that I can make money through this online writing.

I was so wrong to stop when things started doing great.

My Ultimate Medium Mistake

When I stopped writing, I also stopped reading and interacting with fellow Medium writers. I only visit the site on the 30th day of each month and read as much as I could to support those who followed me while I was away. It was also my way so my membership fee won’t go to waste.

I recognize that it was a mistake to stop writing but the biggest mistake is I stopped reading and connecting

Lesson: If you can’t write, at least read! You need to be constantly in touch with your audience or risk them totally forgetting you.

If you’re reading this post, I hope my experience can motivate you to write even though it feels like a lot of work. Remember that if we don’t keep trying, most of our hard work will go to waste. See, now I have to start from scratch.