WRITING

Tim Denning Likes My Work!

Yippee! Hallelujah! I’ve Arrived!

Tim Denning recently reached out on Facebook to tell me that he enjoys my work. I immediately died and went to Medium Heaven.

No, I didn’t. But the only reason I didn’t was that already done that when Medium gave me a free T shirt.

And again when Medium handed me $500 for no particular reason.

Tim doesn’t just like my work. He really likes my work. Here’s what he said:

I am a huge fan of your work and read everything you write. I even bookmarked you so I never miss a beat.

So why does this matter? Isn’t Tim just another Medium writer plodding along posting his piffle like the rest of us?

Nope. The man is a Medium God. The Thor of Medium! He has 191,000 followers. He’s a Medium Celebrity. A Pooh-bah. An Influencer. Other writers write about him constantly. With headlines like:

The Tim Denning Impersonators are Here!

The Tim Denning Takedown

I’m Not Tim Denning but I am Australian

Thank You, Tim Denning

Why I Blocked Tim Denning

Learning that Tim enjoys my work made my day. Not just because he’s a Medium Celebrity. Because I enjoy his work as well. He’s a good writer. He explores interesting topics. And he doesn’t play it safe. I follow Tim Denning. So it’s really cool to know that he follows me too.

In a just Universe, every Medium writer you love would love — and follow — you back. But in case you haven’t noticed, Medium isn’t exactly a just universe. It’s fun! It’s fascinating! But fairness? Not so much. So it’s cool when Medium Love balances out.

Denning’s praise made my day not only because he’s a Medium Celebrity whose work I enjoy. But also? Because the man just turned 35. He’s a young, happening Medium Millennial. At 66, I’m an old lady. I’ve been writing since before Tim was born. Not only before Medium, but before the whole damn internet.

When Tim Denning was still in diapers, I was already publishing in the Christian Science Monitor and the Philadelphia Inquirer and Seventeen Magazine.

The fact that a happening young writer like Tim enjoys my work means that I may be old — but I’m still relevant. And that’s a very good thing to know. So thanks, Tim. You have no idea what this kind of validation feels like.

But I hope that one day you will, when you’re 66 and a happening young writer validates you.

Writing Coach and editor-for-hire Roz Warren, who writes for everyone from the Funny Times to the New York Times, can help you improve and publish your work. Drop her a line at [email protected]. (That’s Ros with an “s,” not a “z.”)