Why Medium Is the Best Place To Be As a Writer

Whether you’re making money here or not.

I’ve been a Medium member since the beginning of December 2019. Since then, I’ve written over 320 articles and have made some decent money. My work has been seen by clients who have then offered me actual real money for my work.

It’s been a good time.

If you’re a writer, Medium is where you want to be. You might be an aspiring novelist, memoirist, or blog content creator. You might be a poet. You might write greeting cards.

Whatever your bag, you’re in the right place.

Let me explain why.

Populated By Writers For Writers

Not everyone here is an established or aspiring writer of one kind or another.

But most of us are.

Sure, some here just want an occasional forum. You might see a former president, scientist, or pop culture icon passing through. You will likely come across regular people from all sorts of disciplines writing here who do not necessarily identify themselves as a writer.

Nonetheless, most of us here are writers to the bone. Levels of experience and success vary wildly, but we’re writers and that, ultimately, unites us.

I’ve been involved with other writing communities — both as an active participant and as an amateur hovering about the edges. I’ve never seen an online writing community as enthusiastic, devoted, and supportive as Medium.

And I’m not talking about the Faceless Masters running the show behind the scenes. I’m talking about the members — you, me, that person over there. We write, we read each others’ works, we comment (or, at least, clap), and celebrate each others’ successes as much as we dispense advice and observations based on our own experiences.

There’s a lot to love about a community like ours.

A Bottomless Well of Ideas

Since arriving here, the sorts of things I write about have significantly expanded.

I used to write tech and cybersecurity articles almost exclusively. That was fine for a while. I had an affinity for the topics and a knack for writing decent articles.

However, writing on Medium has demonstrated to me how much more there is to write about that people want to read.

My articles on freelancing and productivity have done pretty well, as have my pieces on creativity and inspiration. I’ve even doled out some of my personal thoughts and observations regarding the pursuit of happiness.

That was a pleasant surprise… finding welcoming audiences for those topics.

And it doesn’t, nor will it ever, end there.

With Medium, I’ve dared to branch out into many diverse topics, including homeownership, health, and the environment. I see my fellow writers out here writing whatever enters their hearts and take that as an encouragement to do the same.

If I ever run short of ideas (a rare occurrence, but it has happened a few times), all I need to do is peruse the vast field of Medium articles to see what kind of topics other people are writing about and getting inspiration from that.

No, I’m not copying other people’s ideas. But I am embracing new topics with my own take and perspective.

There is no shortage of fresh perspective here.

Writer’s Boot Camp

I won’t go so far as to say that Medium is a proving ground — that success here means success everywhere else — but it does serve as an excellent boot camp for aspiring writers.

No one is forcing you up at dawn to write fifty laps. No one is yelling in your face to write faster, faster, faster.

Medium is more about the carrot than the stick.

But that carrot is a really good carrot.

Consider. Medium provides a supportive environment in which writers support writers. Many of the articles here feature helpful advice in composition, editing, researching, creativity, and making a living at writing. Many other articles here offer valuable insights into productivity.

Also, you can get paid. A few get paid better than others, but most here will at least earn enough to cover their monthly subscription fee, plus an occasional cup of coffee. Being paid means someone sees value in your work. It’s not a perfect metric, but it’s better than simple exposure.

But let’s not dismiss exposure. A lot of bloggers and writers have trouble getting an audience right away. This leads to discouragement and quitting before they’ve had a chance to develop any real skill.

Medium provides a ready-made audience. And it serves as a potential portfolio for clients. You don’t have to learn a lot of coding or muck around with WordPress settings. It’s all here.

A few months at Medium will help make you a better writer. A year of regular Medium participation will make you an excellent writer.

A few years? Look out, world!

So long as you show up and put in some work, you’re coming out ahead.

Happy To Be Here

I’ve been online since the late 80s. It was a primitive, lawless time, but some great communities have sprung up here and there over the years.

Medium is, by far, one of my favorites. I’ve gained more here as a writer than in any other writing community — either virtual or meatspace. I’ve been here for a bit over a year and a half.

I expect to be here for many years to come.

Even when my writing has made me rich ‘n famous, I’ll be here.

Because there is always something new to take away.

Cheers!

Thank you for reading. I’d love to share more with you via my Bi-Weekly Word Roundup newsletter sent to subscribers every other Sunday. It will feature news, productivity tips, life hacks, and links to top stories making the rounds on the Internet. You can unsubscribe at any time.