Why Leaving Medium Was the Best Thing For My Writing
And why I’m back
When my earnings on Medium suddenly dropped after the change in their distribution policies at the Fall of 2022, I blamed it on myself.
Was my writing not good enough? Was it boring? Off-putting? Was I boring or off-putting? Did I not engage enough with my readers? Did they get tired of the topics I chose to write about? After poking around Medium and talking to fellow writers who had the same experience, I realized it was none of those (at least not all of those).
Then it hit me: my writing and my earnings (and my self-esteem) were in the hands of an algorithm, and not a good one at that.
The same algorithm now fed my reading page with poorly-written clickbait content instead of quality writing. So I stopped reading Medium. Then I stopped posting.
That’s when the good things started happening.
Background story
A former journalist and then a screenwriter, I started writing on Medium in 2020, after my daughter was born, and my first couple of pieces went viral (a serious case of beginner’s luck). Having collected hundreds of comments and a few thousand dollars in commission in just 30 days, I was encouraged to keep going.
It took me a while to find my voice, but eventually, I settled on two themes: my experience of living in Denmark and learning from what the (almost) happiest country has to offer, and, on the contrary, my Danish husband’s experience of living in America and growing disillusioned with it.
I tried to write lighthearted pieces, never preachy, never judge-y. I then added a few articles on parenting in the United States versus Europe.
By 2022, I had over 50,000 followers, for what it’s worth. More importantly, I had loyal followers and my writing was getting high levels of engagement and (almost always) intelligent comments, all of which I tried to answer.
One of my favorite articles received 160 comments and even created a bit of controversy for a while.
What happened in the Fall of 2022
Suddenly, my writing wasn’t getting the same views as it used to. I went from making a few hundred dollars per article to a few dozen. I noticed other writers had similar experiences.
“Surely, I can manifest my way out of this,” I thought, “I just have to stay positive.”
And so I tried for a few months, but manifest it I did not.
It was becoming clear: Medium has changed, and for me, it was bad news. Plenty has been written about these changes in the Fall of 2022, and I don’t want to go into it here because…
The only constant in life is change and, instead of moaning about it, I decided to take action.
Why I stopped publishing on Medium
As an experienced writer, I knew that my time was valuable. The thing that attracted me to Medium in the first place was that I was getting compensated at a higher rate than in traditional publishing.
When that wasn’t the case anymore, I had to re-focus.
At first, I felt let down and discouraged. Until I remembered that my goal was always to be the best writer I could be, to push myself, and to tell stories no one else could tell in a unique voice.
And yes, publish a book or two.
The kind of a book that would remain on someone’s bookshelf after they move. Not the kind that is picked up at a roadside library and gets thrown into the wood-burning stove when done with (my mom uses the “literature” she reads to get their fire going).
Instead, I was stagnating, afraid to take risks, and spending all my writing time on Medium.
I also lacked business or marketing background that many truly successful Medium “writers” seemed to have - the fact I started to resent. Along with all the advice to write in two-sentence paragraphs. And the headlines with words like “flow” and “side-hussle.” And all the promises to never have to work 9 to 5 again.
After seeing yet another article from such a “businessman-turned-writing-guru,” I closed the Medium page and didn’t open it again for four months.
What I did instead
First, I got accepted into a creative writing program which gave me a mentor and a strict set of monthly deadlines to write, write, write. And write well, too. I was now surrounded by talented, experienced, well-read people and I had to step up.
Six months later, I’m well into my first book, receiving very positive feedback and reading and analyzing challenging books every month. I can’t believe the progress I’ve made as a writer.
At the same time, I started to spend more time on Substack, where a lot of good writing lives (sorry, Medium), absorbing, learning, and planning. I started not one but two free newsletters, eventually re-strategizing and sticking to just one I’m planning to focus on for the next year.
On substack, I also found writers who inspired and surprised me. And the company itself seems more writer-friendly and forward-thinking.
Likewise, earnings on Substack are not algorithm-dependent. It takes proper planning, writing, and consistency to develop your subscribers’ list on Substack, but once you do, you’ll have a dedicated following and a steady source of income.
Those are the exact things that, I believe, should be encouraged within an online writing community.
Last but not least, I took courses in social media marketing, as a part of building my own brand as a writer and to supplement my income. Since then, I’ve been able to collaborate with a couple of small businesses and really enjoyed the process.
I’m also working on my own website and social media strategy.
Why I’m back
Now that I’ve addressed all my grievances, lowered my expectations, and taken all the pressure off the process, I’m ready to come back to Medium.
Because Medium remains a great place to try out new ideas, reconnect with old readers, and explore different themes. With no strings attached and no hard feelings, I hope to enjoy it for what it is.
Also, I noticed that Medium once again made a promise to change the ways payouts are calculated. Always an optimist, I’m eager to give it a try.
Above all, I miss my readers. Those who were always there for me with supportive comments. Who shared their life stories with me. Who turned out to live around the corner from me. And those who pushed my baby’s stroller in London while I drank a Latte (wink-wink, Melissa).
So many beautiful connections happened on Medium, and for that, I’m eternally grateful.
What I learned
The only constant in life is change.
It’s important to stop and re-evaluate your goals, skills, and dreams once in a while.
Whatever you do, don’t fall into stagnation.
Always have a backup plan.
Surround yourself with talented people who push you to do better.
Don’t rely on one platform as a writer.
Sometimes you need to fail at one thing to succeed in another.
And, above all, human connections are everything.