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t as painful as I thought. I don’t mean that in an arrogant way either. I never gained a following before on places like Facebook or Instagram in the same way. It was never me when I was on those platforms. But on Medium, <b>I feel like I have found my home. I feel comfortable and this growth has felt natural.</b> I would check out new followers, read their stuff, and would follow back if I thought we would be a good fit. I never went out on a spree to follow people, it has grown slowly and organically.</p><h2 id="b6ac">Growing Naturally By Just Reading and Writing</h2><p id="3620">I read like-minded writers and follow them if I enjoyed their writing and connected with them. Sometimes they followed me back and sometimes they didn’t. No hard feelings. I still read their work because I enjoyed and learned from what they wrote.</p><h2 id="0aaa">Finally, let’s talk money.</h2><p id="9288">Has 1K followers made any difference to my income? I am afraid to have to report that so far it has not. I haven’t been lucky enough to have any story go viral as yet or reach top writer status in any category. I haven’t made it to the hundred-dollar club like other writers with a 1K following here. <b>Also,</b> <b>1K followers doesn’t mean 1K readers!!</b></p><p id="4a9e">But my earnings have been steady at around $20 a month, it pays the subs so at least I’m not making a loss. Yes, I would like to earn more, but I am also enjoying the experience on Medium and learning a lot about writing, and still developing my writing voice.</p><p id="e45b">I remain in awe at the number of great writers I have come across, who seem to produce effortlessly, and admit that <a href="https://readmedium.com/how-to-manage-overwhelming-thoughts-when-starting-something-new-c10efc009bed"><b>I have been overwhelmed at times</b></a><b>. </b>Whilst I enjoy writing, it does not come easily. Each piece takes a lot of time to craft.</p><div id="7e35" class="link-block"> <a href="https://readmedium.com/how-to-manage-overwhelming-thoughts-when-starting-something-new-c10efc009bed"> <div> <div> <h2>How I Managed the Overwhelm When Starting</h2> <div><h3>Keep this in check or it will make you give up</h3></div> <div><p>medium.com</p></div> </div> <div> <div style="background-image: url(https://miro.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:320/0*SGdHp5cstmfZsMfQ)"></div> </div> </div> </a> </div><h2 id="3a82">In Summary</h2><p id="2550">What a ride it has been so far, I am glad to still be here writing as many give up within those first months when they do not see the fruits of their labor. <b>Writing here is a long-term game</b>. Anyone who thinks it will happen instantly will soon be disappointed. Yes, there are the few who have been lucky and hit with big earnings early on, but for many, this is not the case. <b>Slow but sure, with consistency always gets there in the end, at lea

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st that is what I am hoping for.</b></p><p id="6187">Thanks for reading, following me, commenting, clapping, and highlighting my work. Love and light to you all.</p><p id="070f">© Bernie Pullen, All Rights Reserved</p><div id="2b7f" class="link-block"> <a href="https://readmedium.com/two-weeks-on-medium-291ce74a034"> <div> <div> <h2>My Medium Journey — Two Week Update</h2> <div><h3>(I’m blown away by what has happened)</h3></div> <div><p>medium.com</p></div> </div> <div> <div style="background-image: url(https://miro.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:320/0*a_4sFSrcRSm6pVoV)"></div> </div> </div> </a> </div><div id="17ca" class="link-block"> <a href="https://readmedium.com/my-medium-journey-so-far-894db0cab9ce"> <div> <div> <h2>My Medium Journey So Far — Month One Update</h2> <div><h3>How Much Did I Earn in My First Month?</h3></div> <div><p>medium.com</p></div> </div> <div> <div style="background-image: url(https://miro.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:320/0*RaF3TO9SHFwhaPrA)"></div> </div> </div> </a> </div><div id="ec20" class="link-block"> <a href="https://readmedium.com/my-journey-on-medium-month-two-update-a90f9f0cfea4"> <div> <div> <h2>My Journey on Medium — Month Two Update</h2> <div><h3>Sharing learning and time to ramp it up.</h3></div> <div><p>medium.com</p></div> </div> <div> <div style="background-image: url(https://miro.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:320/1*ng9QyAIJv9paY-iSJhxTKw.png)"></div> </div> </div> </a> </div><div id="dd56" class="link-block"> <a href="https://readmedium.com/5-things-i-found-in-my-first-3-months-on-medium-8d6fa95d3459"> <div> <div> <h2>5 Basic Things I Learned In My First 3 Months on Medium</h2> <div><h3>It has been a learning curve that is true.</h3></div> <div><p>medium.com</p></div> </div> <div> <div style="background-image: url(https://miro.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:320/0*qIu22XAm__p5FAFr)"></div> </div> </div> </a> </div><p id="1c5a">You can find all my stories in this <a href="https://readmedium.com/master-list-of-stories-e719c96a163a"><b>easy to navigate list</b></a><b>.</b></p><p id="7571">By signing up with <a href="https://medium.com/@berniepullen/membership">this link</a> you’ll support me directly with a portion of your fee, it won’t cost you more.</p><p id="d99e">Support me by <a href="https://ko-fi.com/berniepullen">buying me</a> a delicious coffee!</p></article></body>

Medium Journey

What Does It Feel Like to Reach 1K

Followers that Is

Photo by Ante Hamersmit on Unsplash

I wish it was 1K in monetary value, but that does not mean I don’t value each and every one of my 1K followers, because I do. Thanks to each and every one of you.

screenshot of 1K following by author

I have been writing here since November 2021 and reaching this milestone takes me back to when I first started. I almost fell into the 100 followers, follow for follow trap. I’m glad I didn’t succumb to that. I grew a bit slower, this has helped me to get to know a community of supportive writers. When I have hard days and struggle to write, I will get a comment that lifts me and helps me to keep going.

I’m grateful to reach 1K followers as I heard how hard this was to do. To be honest, when I started, I was worried whether I would even get one follower let alone reach this epic number. It seems so long ago now, and I am still blown away to think I have gotten this far.

My Thoughts of this Journey to 1K Followers.

Engagement is the vital key

You have to engage with others. I found this out quite early on, thankfully. After I do my daily writing, I spend time commenting, clapping, and highlighting. It is a practice I still do daily, after my morning meditation. Engagement is like my soul meditation; giving back to others what I receive by writing thoughtful comments. I almost became addicted to the platform, and this seems to be a rite of passage that many of us fall into.

Was it Hard Reaching 1K

Honestly, it wasn’t as painful as I thought. I don’t mean that in an arrogant way either. I never gained a following before on places like Facebook or Instagram in the same way. It was never me when I was on those platforms. But on Medium, I feel like I have found my home. I feel comfortable and this growth has felt natural. I would check out new followers, read their stuff, and would follow back if I thought we would be a good fit. I never went out on a spree to follow people, it has grown slowly and organically.

Growing Naturally By Just Reading and Writing

I read like-minded writers and follow them if I enjoyed their writing and connected with them. Sometimes they followed me back and sometimes they didn’t. No hard feelings. I still read their work because I enjoyed and learned from what they wrote.

Finally, let’s talk money.

Has 1K followers made any difference to my income? I am afraid to have to report that so far it has not. I haven’t been lucky enough to have any story go viral as yet or reach top writer status in any category. I haven’t made it to the hundred-dollar club like other writers with a 1K following here. Also, 1K followers doesn’t mean 1K readers!!

But my earnings have been steady at around $20 a month, it pays the subs so at least I’m not making a loss. Yes, I would like to earn more, but I am also enjoying the experience on Medium and learning a lot about writing, and still developing my writing voice.

I remain in awe at the number of great writers I have come across, who seem to produce effortlessly, and admit that I have been overwhelmed at times. Whilst I enjoy writing, it does not come easily. Each piece takes a lot of time to craft.

In Summary

What a ride it has been so far, I am glad to still be here writing as many give up within those first months when they do not see the fruits of their labor. Writing here is a long-term game. Anyone who thinks it will happen instantly will soon be disappointed. Yes, there are the few who have been lucky and hit with big earnings early on, but for many, this is not the case. Slow but sure, with consistency always gets there in the end, at least that is what I am hoping for.

Thanks for reading, following me, commenting, clapping, and highlighting my work. Love and light to you all.

© Bernie Pullen, All Rights Reserved

You can find all my stories in this easy to navigate list.

By signing up with this link you’ll support me directly with a portion of your fee, it won’t cost you more.

Support me by buying me a delicious coffee!

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