The Climb: (Re)Connecting with Former Followers
The craving to realign with followers, which took years to find, exerted a pull so powerful that it facilitated my re-entry to Medium. I’ve shared the story that led to my brief departure HERE.
In retrospect, writing daily morphed into an unhealthy addiction. Being given a timeout illuminated the problem. A link to Medium arrived in 2018, from the USA-SBA (Small Business Association) for volunteering.
When the freebies expired, I paid the membership fee in March of 2019. Initially, I never thought about writing on this platform. I only read what others wrote. Then, as my retirement loomed, I began writing.
My first “About Me” post was published by Quy Ma in October 2021. I think he was the only one who read it. It earned a whopping .022 cents. I was crushed. But I’m no quitter. I kept at it. I also updated that post HERE.
By March 2023, I’d left 8,032 comments, published 176 posts, and had 184 unfinished drafts. See the proof below, extracted from past screenshots.
Becoming a Medium Top Writer in Ideas, February 2023, felt affirming. It happened around Valentine’s Day and the emotion that best describes how it felt was love!
Ideas is the niche, I want to burrow into on Medium. It’s in my nature to share what I know. I enjoy compiling “special days” that prompt people to write. Sharing suggestions is a great way to help writers get unstuck.
Moreover, writing about the people, places, and things that mean the most to you helps readers get to know you better. That’s the way it’s worked for me. In total, the process has empowered me to rewrite the story of my life.
Writing on Medium was a slow build that morphed into a hard-wired habit. It took me a while to get going, but once I gained traction in 2022, it felt like I was off to the races.
My big boost arrived on Halloween, October 31st, 2022. That’s the day Hollie Petit Ph., onboarded me as an editor. Though her pub “Everything Fun” is shuttered. Her introductory is still there. Read it HERE.
New Year’s Day 2023, my resolution was to post daily. Mid-March, I hit a brick wall. Those writers who are closest to me, know the details of the story. I’m back because Hollie, Natalie, Liz, Vidya, and Deb, advocated on my behalf.
Medium listens and will give you a chance to state and defend your case. Big love also to Toya, Malky, Devette, Shante, Mark, and Ann James for emails that buoyed me.
Every person named is living proof of the power of connecting on Medium. I tell everyone who will listen that Medium is my metaphorical mountain and I intend to hold on this time and scale this sucker to the top!
