Who Needs 100 Followers?

Summary

A top writer on the platform pledges to help other writers gain followers to meet the new requirement for the Medium Partner Program without any ulterior motive of selling.

Abstract

In a bold move, a writer recognized within the top 1,000 on the platform announces their intention to assist fellow writers in reaching the newly mandated 100 followers to stay in the Medium Partner Program (MPP). This writer emphasizes their commitment to providing help without any sales pitch or personal gain. The motivation behind this initiative is to ensure that talented writers do not feel discouraged by the follower threshold and continue to contribute to the platform. The writer points out the benefits of Medium, such as the ability to self-publish immediately and receive compensation for one's work, which can be a significant morale boost for writers. The writer invites those with fewer than 100 followers to comment on the post, promising to follow them and encourage others to do the same, fostering a supportive writing community.

Opinions

The writer believes that the requirement of 100 followers to remain in the MPP may be daunting for some writers and could potentially discourage them from continuing to write on the platform.
They highlight the value of Medium's features, particularly the immediate self-publishing capability and the psychological boost that comes from earning money from writing, as key factors that have kept them motivated and writing.
The writer expresses a desire to maintain a community focus on Medium, emphasizing the platform's potential as a vibrant space for writers and readers to connect over shared interests, rather than being driven by greed or sensationalism.
They suggest that by offering support to less established writers, the community can help each other out, framing the assistance as a "hand-up" rather than a "handout," and encouraging writers not to be shy in seeking help.

Apparently, we all do. So read this.

I’m going to do something radical. Something rebellious. Something so revolutionary, it will come as a shock to many around here.

I — a Top 1,000 Writer — am going to help other writers on this site. And I’m not even going to try to sell anything in the process.

Starting in 2022, writers will need 100 followers to remain in the MPP.

One hundred followers may seem like a low bar to clear if you’re a writer with hundreds or thousands of followers.

But I can assure you, for some writers, it’s not that easy.

And that’s a shame — because this site has some great features, particularly for new writers.

Two of those features drew me here over a year ago:

1) The ability to self-publish — without delay — whatever I wanted. After spending months submitting short fiction to websites that would take weeks or months only to tell me, “No thanks,” it was a thrill to self-publish a short story right after I finished writing (and editing) it.

2) Getting paid for my work. Even if it was pennies on the dollar, getting paid something — anything — for my writing was an enormous psychological boost. It gave me confidence that my writing had value. And it’s what kept me writing.

In turn, I want other writers to keep writing. I don’t want them obsessing over this new, contrived hurdle of 100 followers and thinking to themselves, “I’ll never get there, so I might as well give up.”

So here’s what I’m going to do.

If you’re a writer with fewer than 100 followers, leave a comment on this post. You can add a link to one of your posts or just say ‘hi’. Either way, I’ll follow you — and I’ll see if I can encourage some friends to do the same.

At its best, this site is a vibrant community of writers and readers sharing common interests. At its worst, it’s like most of the internet: greedy, mad, and sensational.

Let’s see if we can’t make it a little more like the former and less like the latter?

And remember: It’s a hand-up, not a handout.

So don’t be shy!