Writing On Medium/Celebrity
Why Can’t I Be “Trending?”
If there’s a secret, let me in on it
Ladies and gentlemen, the cult of personality is alive and well on Medium! How do I know this? Because there is a story that repeatedly popped up in my feed even though I’m not following the writer and have no intention to.
But it was there. Trending, every single day. How long can a story “trend,” by the way? None of mine ever have. I must really suck. Then again, I don’t have thousands of people following my every move, Tweet, and Instagram post. In fact, I rarely post on Instagram, that’s how lame I am. Who gives a damn about what I eat for breakfast? Or how artfully I plate my Whole 30 omelet? No one! I don’t even eat breakfast.
Someone, tell me how to trend. Please!
The article in question garnered over 59 thousand claps from a writer who, in her maiden voyage here on Medium amassed close to six thousand followers! From one story. Personally, as someone who has been beating my head against the proverbial wall for three years to get the editors to notice I’m alive, this is disappointing and frustrating. Not to mention puzzling as hell.
You, yourself, may be wondering, “How can this be? I’ve been toiling away on this platform for years now and didn’t even know such a mercurial rise was possible!”
Oh, it’s possible. If you’re a social media darling, an “influencer,” it’s possible. If you’re a celebrity by default, it’s possible. Because we love our celebrities here in the good old US of A, don’t we? And it’s not the writer’s fault that in spite of all my hard work, I’m a gnat here but it is indicative of something…disturbing.
By now, you probably know what story I’m talking about because I’m fairly certain damn near everyone here has been privy to the piece because again, it was trending, for days. Hot. Widely discussed. Shared and re-shared. Top of the heap. La crème de la crème. (Damn. I finally nailed accent marks.)
The writer is, admittedly, a huge hit on social media. Enormously popular, yet for what, I can’t say as I don’t follow her nor have I read any interviews or stories about her…because I’m just not into it. More to the point, I don’t have the time as I’m too busy trying to “trend” my own damn self.
This is not a personal jab, I merely prefer to spend my pandemically-long days on other things, like writing and drinking wine and cuddling with our cats and nagging my hubby and drinking wine, and interacting with people who have something to say to me. People with whom I can relate. Writers and publications that I actually follow here on Medium.
Outside of Medium, yes, there are those folks who have attained a certain level of “celebrity” who fascinate, inspire, and never fail to engage me, most of them noted authors, actors, and musicians like Bruce Springsteen who is still kicking ass at 71 and shows no signs of slowing down.
“Hey Medium, if you ever publish a story by the Boss, I’ll be the first one to read and clap!”
Now by all reports, and in fairness, from the little information I’ve gleaned, the author of the piece in question is sweet and funny. Her story was one of loss and heartbreak and for that, I feel bad. And I only know this because of another writer’s article on Medium who wrote about her frustration that the story continued to show up in her feed even though she had no intention of reading it. Nor did she follow the author.
Yes, I feel bad for her, but do you know what else breaks my heart? Those who needlessly lost their lives to COVID-19. The mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers, and yes, children who were struck down by a pandemic that never should have been. Most of them were “regular” folks, people who believed in the American Dream and got kicked in the teeth for their trouble. They weren’t “celebrities.” They didn’t have a lot of money and all that comes with it, or a huge fan base to draw from. The only comfort they gleaned was from their loved ones, in their last moments, by way of FaceTime.
I guess it’s just too damned bad that the pandemic is still trending.
And check this out: In sharp contrast, previous to her win, Vice Presidential nominee, Senator Kamala Harris’ piece (yes, she’s on here, too) about Ruth Bader Ginsburg received 467 claps! Beyond pitiful, in comparison to the story I’m referring to, which was simply entitled, “Hi.”
Not the most compelling of headlines. How many of you would read a story from me entitled “Hi?” I wouldn’t read one from you, to be sure. Instead, how about:
“Hello. This is my first piece on Medium.”
“I just want to say ‘thank you’ for the love.”
“Thank you for your support. It means everything to me.”
You know. Like that. A title with heart. I’m just trying to be helpful in case the writer reads this. But she won’t because as I said, I’m a gnat. A gnat who doesn’t trend.
What’s more, I have to wonder how she came to Medium. Was she invited? Did her publicist suggest it? Did she figure, “Oh what the hell. Who couldn’t use a gazillion more followers?” Naively, I thought this was a platform for serious writers, not influencers looking for even more love. Where’s the love for those of us who’ve been sticking it out day after day? Precious little from what I’ve experienced, as well as heard from many of my friends, here.
I know that a lot of people will disagree with me, but by and large, I just don’t get our fascination with “fame,” or what stands for it. Are people who have attained a certain level of notoriety any better than you or I? If so, why?
That chick who mastered the perfect cat’s eye on YouTube — is she any better than you? Or the dude right here on this platform who consistently writes about all the dough he makes and who sells all manner of courses and workshops and crap like that?
Maybe the rest of us are just bored and need our diversions. I can certainly understand that given the fact we’ve been under quarantine for months, with more to come.
Remember that kickass jam “The Cult of Personality” by Living Colour and the line, “I’ll tell you one and one makes three?” That sticks in my brain as a measure of our gullibility. Hell, look at the MAGA creeps if you need further proof of that. They’ll believe anything as long as they hear it from the bastard who will soon be ousted from the White House.
I don’t know. Maybe I’m just a schlubby gnat who will never be trending no matter how hard I try.
Don’t swat me, please!
Adding insult to injury, for some reason, I’m not showing up in the feeds of people who are following me! How the hell am I going to “make it” on Medium if my readers can’t find my work? This is one bitch of a glitch and I need to get to the bottom of it. And I will because to their credit, every time I’ve emailed the support staff here, they’ve been surprisingly responsive. But I do need to figure this out because if I’m not being read, what’s the point? I might as well launch my own YouTube channel called “Cooking Drunk.”
At the end of the day, I have to look within myself and keep driving home the reality that all I can do is my best. Same as you. We may never write a story that “trends.” We may love it and think it’s our best work ever. Our fans may love it but if it doesn’t get the magic wand treatment from the editors here…then no trending for us.
Do you know what we can do instead of obsessing over our stats? Some good, old-fashioned head-bangin’ like Vernon Reid in the following video. Get off our asses and shake a little somethin’ while we wait for Biden and Harris to shake shit up. Enjoy.
© Sherry McGuinn, 2020. All Rights Reserved.
Sherry McGuinn is a slightly-twisted, longtime Chicago-area writer and award-winning screenwriter. Her work has appeared in The Chicago Tribune, Chicago Sun-Times, and numerous other publications. Sherry’s manager is currently pitching her newest screenplay, a drama with dark, comedic overtones and inspired by a true story.
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