The Unexpected Gift of Medium

It has everything to do with “earnings” of a different kind

Note: The following piece was written three years ago. I have now been here for over five.

For those of you who thought this was going to be a story about how much bank you can make on Medium, I’m not sorry to disappoint you. Bloviating about my earnings here isn’t my thing and I’ve made no secret of that. Of course, I don’t make enough to impress nor inspire anyone. With that said, plenty of other writers here will fulfill that particular need for you.

“Gleefully,” I might add.

There is a rash of top writers who will happily share how much manna they pull down every month from the Medium heavens while assuring you that the same good fortune could befall you if only you did…what?

“What,” indeed?

No. Instead, I’d like to share with you what has happened to me in the nearly three years I’ve been publishing my ramblings on this platform.

I’ve made friends. True friends, who I believe will be sticking around for the long haul. At least, I hope so. And if that isn’t a blessing, I don’t know what is.

Since losing my job in 2018 and during the pandemic that followed, I’ve been feeling…insular. That’s the only way I can express it. And I’m certain you can understand this as we’ve all been in the weeds, together. Quarantined at home, some of us, by ourselves, and craving human interaction.

Covid aside, the majority of my work friends gradually fell by the wayside as time went on. Certainly, some of you know how that goes. Once you no longer have your jobs to bitch — or laugh — about, there’s really not much left. And, honestly, when I do talk with one of my closer work buddies, and she natters on about how many hours she’s been clocking, very quickly, I’m bored AF.

I’ve not met people for cocktails, nor mixed and mingled in any fashion for a long time. Except for my nephew’s wedding, last month. And that was a whole different ball game.

Other than attending that affair, my husband and I do very little socializing. While I’m good with that, part of me wonders if I’ve become lazy.

Do you know what I mean? It’s easier to just stay home and cuddle with our kitties. Most of the time, after a day spent writing, the last thing I want to do is “get ready to go out.”

No, I’d rather stay home and enjoy a glass of wine or two in the confines and relative safety, of my abode. That’s because I believe people are crazier than ever and nowhere is that illustrated more clearly than on our roadways.

It takes nothing for some asshole to cut you off because they’re in a hurry to go nowhere and well, their time is more valuable than anyone else’s. And then, there are the bat-shit-crazy anti-vaxxers and anti-maskers. Who needs ‘em?

I do see my sister from time to time, so I’m not a total hermit, but I’m not the “down for any party” gal, I once was. Unless it’s one hell of a jam.

Those old buddies that I used to meet up with? I no longer miss them, nor need them as I’ve had the great, good fortune to make some wonderful new friends right here on Medium. People who I believe will be in it for the long haul.

I know I will be.

Many of us have moved on from talking on this platform and Facebook Groups to having long, heartfelt phone conversations. I can’t express how invigorated I feel, after.

To have a real, no-bullshit conversation with someone who “gets” you is indeed a gift. A blessing, really, in a society where people appear to have lost the simple art of conversing with one another. Why bother when you can text?

I mentioned “earnings” in my subtitle. That’s because, just as it is with ‘respect,” a true friendship must be earned.

What does that mean? It’s simple. They lend an ear, you lend an ear. They support you when you’re dumped on by trolls and you do the same for them. You solicit their advice and when they ask for your opinion on a matter, you give it, freely, and honestly.

It’s called “reciprocation.” The old “give and take.” We’ve all experienced one-sided friendships where one person does the heavy lifting and the other is a passive bystander.

Those relationships don’t last. They can’t as they lack nurturing; there is nothing to encourage growth. And, as time goes by such “friendships” can become toxic.

In 2018, when I jumped head-first into the Medium pond, I never expected to meet as many incredible individuals as I have. I wanted to get my name out there and make a few bucks. Those were my expectations. I didn’t sign on in the hope of making a BFF.

But now, I can’t wait to see what my friends are up to, each day. Some of us have gotten so close that by merely reading our stories, we can gauge one another’s moods.

Pretty cool, no?

Sometimes, when I’m feeling low and wondering what the hell I’m doing and why, it’s people like Suzanne V. Tanner and Helen Cassidy Page and Sterling Page and Denise Shelton and James Knight and P.G. Barnett and Stephen Sovie and Gayle Kurtzer-Meyers and Sydney Duke Richey and Robin Klammer and Scott Tarlo and WLB (my new friend!) and so many more “mensches” who smack me upside the head when I need it (which is frequently), or provide a virtual hug. And then, like magic, I’m back to my crotchety self.

I hope I do the same for them…for you…because if not, I want to know.

Initially, I wasn’t going to “name names,” as I always forget people and then feel terrible about it, but I couldn’t resist adding a few. I’m hoping the rest of you know who you are and that I treasure every one of you. And I know in my heart that at least a few of us will meet in the flesh one day.

Hey, I don’t mean anything untoward by that remark.

This story has been floating around in my head for a while. I thought that now was the perfect time to share these thoughts with you as I’ve just come down from writing some really dark shit. And, that takes its toll, as any writer will understand.

Maybe this piece can be construed as my one and only “How to Make it On Medium” story.

As in, how to make friends.

So you newbies take note. Engage with those folks who have the generosity to read and comment on your work and be sure to return the favor. Be as kind as possible (I know, I know), but you don’t have to lie down for nimrods, because they’re here, too. I’ve stumbled over quite a few, recently.

Work hard, hone your craft and keep an open mind and heart. If you do all that, you will make it here and the returns will be greater than your wildest expectations.

And that’s all I wanted to say.

Sherry McGuinn is a slightly-twisted, longtime Chicago-area writer and award-winning screenwriter. Her short films have screened at The Pan African Film Festival in Cannes (awarded “best short”), the Nashville Film Festival, the Honolulu Film Festival, the Los Angeles Film School, New Filmmakers New York, and New Filmmakers Los Angeles. Her work has appeared in The Chicago Tribune, Chicago Sun-Times, and numerous other publications. Sherry’s manager is currently pitching her newest screenplay, “The Month We Fell Apart,” a drama with dark, comedic overtones and inspired by a true story.

Thanks for reading, guys. If you enjoyed this, I’d love for you to check out the following, as well as my newsletter, Sherry Raw.