Why I continue to write even though I get almost no views

Summary

A writer reflects on their first month on Medium, having earned minimal views and money, yet remains motivated by the joy of self-expression and the potential for improvement and discovery.

Abstract

After a month of writing on Medium, the author has published seven articles and earned a mere one cent. Despite the lack of financial success and viewership, the writer is committed to continue writing. This persistence stems from a desire to write authentically and share personal insights without succumbing to popular trends for the sake of visibility. The author values writing as a form of self-expression and an outlet to make sense of the world, choosing Medium for its ease of use. The process of writing itself brings joy and fulfillment, with the hope that each piece might resonate with readers and lead to a breakthrough in visibility. The author advises other writers to focus on the enjoyment of writing and to write about their passions, as this is the key to consistent and meaningful writing.

Opinions

The author prioritizes authenticity and inspiration over writing about popular topics to gain viewership.
Medium is chosen for its simplicity in publishing, allowing the writer to focus on content rather than web design.
The lack of views and earnings is not deterring the author from writing, as the primary reward is self-expression and personal fulfillment.
Writing is seen as a way to share opinions without imposing them on others, providing a socially acceptable means of expression.
The author believes that consistent writing and sharing can lead to unexpected success and is part of the excitement of the creative process.
The enjoyment of writing and passion for the subject are considered more important than immediate readership or financial gain.
The author suggests that writers should not force their craft and should find joy in the act of writing to maintain consistency and authenticity.

Reflections about my first month at medium

7 articles and a blink of an eye later, my first-month writing on Medium has already come to an end. When I first started researching about writing on Medium, many of the ‘first-month reflections’ on Medium I read tended to be about writers earning hundreds of dollars and having a ton of views. Yet, in my first month at medium, I earned a total of 1 cent in earnings. Yes, that’s right, you didn’t read that wrong. A single cent. As such, this isn’t going to be your typical “write on medium to get rich” article. Instead, I am more interested in sharing my journey thus far and why I continue to write despite the dismal results.

I write because I am inspired. I only write about things I want to share about and avoid caving in to ‘public wants’ and writing ‘populist’ articles that will have confirmed viewership. Before writing mainly on Medium, I used to own a blog that shared opinions on books and movies I’ve read and watched. Often, they were not trendy and many were instead lesser-known. Yes, I might have become more successful if I constantly wrote reviews about the latest films and the fashionable books to read, but I felt that that wasn’t me. For me, being authentic and truthful was far more important than writing frequently about things I don’t feel inspired about. I believe that good writing can only mean something when it comes from the heart.

On Medium, I decided to restart afresh with new content and articles instead of porting over older essays I’ve written before. I shared nothing over my social media accounts and told no one around me that I was writing on Medium. I wanted to put my skills to the test and see if I could attract new readers through my writing alone. Of course, I had no idea about how the Medium curation system worked (none of my 7 articles were curated), I didn’t know what all the fuss about publications were and the clapping system was a little confusing for me. As a result, my articles weren’t seen by many and I earned close to nothing.

Yeah, many at this point would have thought about quitting. After all, what was the point of writing if no one would see what you wrote anyway. But yet, I’ll continue to write. No, I’m not going to claim that its because Medium is a godsend and the best outlet to write on. I only choose Medium as my outlet because it’s easy to write and publish on as I don’t have to spend time planning and designing web pages. I continue to write as writing is my outlet for self-expression. Humans are social creatures and sharing our own opinions is one of the things that make us unique and able to make sense of this huge world. Of course, it wouldn’t be nice if I went to my friends and family and started ranting about a certain issue they might have no interest in. Hence, I put it down in words. With writing, I can express myself in whatever way I deem appropriate, be it a poem about not accomplishing anything or an article about the benefits of nuclear power. When and if someone reads my writing, an extra layer of fulfillment is reached. I experience a sense of joy for being appreciated and understood.

Writing constantly also improves my writing. No, you don’t have to write every day. But being able to share a piece of work that might get traction inspires and continually works to encourage me to write and post more. Maybe this will be the breakthrough article, maybe the next one will be the one that garners attention, maybe it’s the following one. No one knows and that makes it exciting.

To all the other writers reading this trying to find answers as to how to get more readership, I’d like to tell you to stop worrying. Writing shouldn’t be forced or mentally draining. It should be an enjoyable moment where you write about your desires, your opinions, and your beliefs. Because if there’s anything I learned from writing for so long (I’ve had a writing journey longer than the past month on Medium), it’s that the best writers that can write consistently are those who love what they write about.