These are the Medium days
How I came to be here on the larger than life, Medium platform
I have a couple of about me pages that look into the wider aspects of me, May More, and my life and writing. This story is just about my Medium journey so far…
In the beginning
I had/have my own blog and felt safe there. Writing personal stuff, stories and entering my work into other blogger memes. However, some writers who also linked to the memes did so from Medium. One or two really impressed me, so back in 2019 I created a Medium account via Google, simply to read their stories, and clap.
To me, Medium looked very basic, and I couldn’t understand how people interacted. Comments didn’t seem so chatty to those on WordPress blogs — like mine. But being a supportive writer, I continued to sign in to show appreciation of the authors I liked.
Then, in early 2020 I was asked if I would contribute to a publication on Medium. My friend said I could use something from my blog. I did. It was this story.
I wasn’t a member and hadn't signed up to the partner program. I just did it as a favour.
The blogging fall out
During 2020 a lot changed. Suddenly we were locked up like caged animals. I believe this made some people more insular, and they lashed out at anyone who dared to think differently from them.
Others decided to join that tribe with a bit of popular virtue signaling. And very soon a group of bloggers, me being one of them, were canceled. That’s the best way to explain it. For a while, the tribe continued to take bites out of me and others, who were, and still are, individuals. It wasn’t pretty. But if you are a doer and a creator, you carry on. That’s what I did, and others I know. But I really felt now something was lacking in my blogging world.
At the same time, WordPress changed its editor. And what used to be a very straightforward word processor became riddled with complications — for me…
Suddenly, the basic Medium page seemed more attractive.
Before the fall-out, I had been commissioned by online adult-themed magazines to write articles for them. Some, not this one, decided to take sides in the ridiculous farce that had taken up far too much time and tears. And so I needed to find other places where I could write and earn a little.
Erotic pull
In mid-2020 I noticed that My Erotica was a large concern on Medium, so emailed the curator, Rose MyErotica. She was so helpful. I sent her a story and she explained to me about the Partner Program, and so very quickly my first paid tale was live and earning.
Because My Erotica has so many followers, the story received loads of views and still earns me a little pocket money.
At that time I was still busy with my blog but managed to send MyErotica a few more stories before the start of 2021. Then I got thinking… I had accumulated loads of posts on my blog over the previous four years, so why not create a Medium publication of my own? A place to provide my work with a new audience?
I had a little scroll around, even though at that time Medium still seemed quite alien to me. But I checked out the options to create a magazine, and it looked relatively easy. After all, I’d created more than one WordPress site and a few Google Blogger sites too. How hard could it be? But I wanted someone to hold my hand, a partner so to speak.
Partners in crime
“Hey Posy Churchgate, want to come in on a Tantalizing project with me to provide a place we can share erotic fiction and supernatural tales?”
“Yeah May. Sounds good. And we can invite other writers to publish with the magazine too.”
“Fab idea Posy. I think it would be a good idea to have some in-house writers as well. Those that will be happy to publish every week so people can see the magazine is current.”
“Great idea. Anyone in mind?”
I certainly had. Two amazing erotic writers with differing styles, which would provide variety for the publication too. Liz BlackX and Mrs. K.
If you are wondering if Posy and I really had that conversation. We did, though it was much longer, but our idea became a reality very quickly.
Posy and I decided to play to our strengths. So I took over the admin/curation of the magazine, and she became the chief editor. Unlike many Medium publications — between the four of us — we do actually edit the stories with the writers.
Tantalizing the reader
Tantalizing Tales launched in January 2021. And none of the Tantalizing team had any Medium experience, but we had a lot of enthusiasm. Posy and I uploaded some of our older tales, so the magazine had an archive of work.
In the beginning, we only put out one story a day as there were just the four of us. But soon others, Kate Pasithea, Patricia Ray, Asrai Devin, Marie A. Rebelle, A.M. Harding, Nero J. Black, Cousin Pons, Marsha Adams, and as time went on so many more, published with us and Tantalizing Tales became a successful Medium publication.
(NB: I would like to add a note of thanks to Marsha Adams who recently became the 5th Tantalising Team member. She supports every story on the publication.)
Most of the editors, including me, write for other publications too. And this was something that I immediately loved about the Medium platform. Tantalizing Tales were after particular kinds of stories, and so we're other magazines. Invariably, if you had a tale to place, and looked around you could find a publication home for it, check the guidelines, and ask to be added as a writer.
Being a member of the gang
I should mention that I became so busy with the running of Tales that I didn’t really write much myself. Indeed, between July 2020 and June 2021, I only published 31 stories.
However, curating a publication is a very rewarding experience. You are providing a place for other writers to showcase their work. A great way of giving back to the community you are part of.
Then I decided to take the Medium leap and become a paid member. I started reading and interacting more and of course, this inspired me to publish more too. I branched out to write memoir-type articles, as well as fiction, and now I have over 200 stories.
All of the above really made me enjoy my time on Medium. I wrote an article to encourage some blogging friends to try it out — a beginner's guide to publishing a story. I was also finding the community very supportive and was happy to become more involved it that aspect too.
Of course, the more you read, comment and write, the more followers and subscribers you will have. When I started Tantalizing Tales, I only had 100 followers. I now have 1100, and 199 subscribers.
Audiences
Very quickly we grew a definite type of audience on Tales, and although we accepted Twisted Tales, Posy and I felt that dark fiction wasn’t really a good fit.
Having quite a back catalog of transgressive fiction, I looked around for a home for it and found one. But the publication wasn’t active and only had a handful of followers. However, I could see a spark of light. I knew the owner, Paul Mansfield. We chatted. Now I not only know the owner, I like him too.
Redeem me — fast
He agreed that I help him relaunch The Redemption Magazine. That was last October/November, and the publication is making leaps forward every month. I feel very passionate about this project — a place where censorship is not going to happen if Paul and I have anything to do with it.
Transgressive fiction is so important for many reasons. A simple one is for the author to be able to write the story they want to tell, even if there are dark or very emotive scenes. And for a reader to feel uncomfortable, elated, or shocked as well as perhaps learning something about the life they had no idea about.
Here and now
So that brings me up to the current time. I started on the platform in July 2020 to try and earn some money… My worst month was October 2020 when I earned $0.23. My best month was August 2021 when I earned $510.62. But now, Medium to me is so much more than a place to earn a bit of cash. I love the whole addictive, heart-warming experience.
My advice to others is don’t just dip a toe in, jump in with both feet by becoming a paid member and then watch your own readership grow.
Another two by May More
