Summary

The author emphasizes the importance of writing for the love of it rather than for financial gain, acknowledging that while making a living from writing is possible, it's not a common outcome for most writers on platforms like Medium.

Abstract

The article "Write for the Right Reasons" by an experienced writer on Medium addresses the reality that while many aspiring writers may dream of making a substantial income from their craft, the statistics show that this is highly unlikely for the majority. The author draws a parallel between the myth of Santa Claus and the illusion that writing on Medium will lead to significant wealth, cautioning against the disillusionment that can come from chasing money in writing. Instead, the writer encourages newcomers to focus on the joy of writing and the continuous learning process, suggesting that success should be measured by personal satisfaction and growth rather than financial reward. The article offers three key pieces of advice: to read widely, to hone basic writing skills, and to start writing passionately. The author, with decades of professional writing experience, stresses that even without financial success, the act of writing itself can be deeply fulfilling.

Opinions

The author believes that the majority of writers on Medium and similar platforms will not make a living from their writing.
Success stories on Medium can be inspiring but may not reflect the typical experience of most writers.
There is an overabundance of articles focused on making money from writing, which may mislead new writers.
The author has a realistic view of their own writing abilities and acknowledges that even with experience, they may not meet the standard of "great writing."
Writing should be pursued for personal enjoyment and the love of the craft, rather than as a get-rich-quick scheme.
The article suggests that

Write for the right reasons

Money shouldn’t be one of them— Sorry

I never actually told my children, there’s no Santa Claus — I couldn’t.

They would work it out themselves at the right time. In the meantime, we wanted them to enjoy the wonders of as many childhood Christmases as possible.

I think I was six or seven when my older brother, by a couple of years, shattered my illusions on Christmas morning and told me Santa Claus didn’t exist. It wasn’t the same after that. The childhood magic was lost.

The stark reality

I’ve been thinking about this piece for a while pondering whether I’ll be the one to shatter any illusions for aspiring writers on Medium or other writing platforms for that matter. That couldn’t be further from my intention.

Like thousands of others subscribing to Medium, I love to write, but the reality is we’re not all going to make a living from it. That’s not going to happen — Not by a long way.

The evidence and, crucially, the statistics available on this very platform are stacked heavily against us.

If you didn’t know that already — I’m sorry.

That’s not to say it can’t happen. It can and it does (occasionally). I genuinely enjoy reading the success stories that serve as an inspiration for myself and so many others.

Medium has so much to offer readers and writers and I’d be the last person to say, don’t write.

But, do so for the right reasons and knowing that success in the form of large monthly bank deposits is extremely unlikely.

What’s been playing on my mind is the increasing number of articles focusing on ‘How I made $100 dollars a day, a month; $500; $1,000; $2,500, $10,000…

There was another one headlining in my Medium Daily Digest this morning.

I appreciate these headlines are designed to target new writers and encourage reading time and claps and some of them do offer value for ambitious novices. However, there’s an increasing degree of piggy-backing and espousing of well-established writing practice. Just be aware of it and expand your sphere of influence.

I don’t want you to be disappointed or disillusioned.

I’ve earned a fluctuating living from writing in one form or another for nearly four decades — As a journalist, sub-editor, editor, PR, marketing and advertising copywriter — You name it.

I’m a Jack of all writing trades — Master of none.

But, as a professional communicator and lover of reading and words, I know what great writing is and fully accept I don’t fall within that category.

I write simply because I genuinely enjoy it. Like the vast majority of us on Medium, I’m still learning. We’re all just works in progress.

At the risk of sounding like Liam Neeson, what I have acquired over the years though, is a particular set of skills and tools that give me a strong writing foundation. It’s those that I still continue to build on every day.

Three simple pieces of advice

For what it’s worth, I offer just three pieces of advice for less experienced writers looking to develop their writing:

1. Read avidly

Medium’s a great place to start. The diversity is incredible. Don’t stop there. Read quality news and, particularly, magazine titles. It doesn’t matter how old the piece is — Good writing is good writing.

These are professionals who earn their living, writing. Learn from them. These sources are particularly valuable when writing shorter pieces 200–300 up to 2,000 words. You’ll discover and appreciate the breadth of writing styles and countless wonderful authors and ideas. Keep reading.

2. Work on your basic writing skills

As a sub-editor and editor for weekly, regional and national publications in the past, what gives away the novice more than anything else is a lack of basic writing skills.

You need the following:

A reasonable grasp of grammar — Develop it
Use of language to express style and tone
Sentence structure — The key here is keeping it simple
Spelling and punctuation

Start with these basics. Work on them and like everything else we have to master in life, practice. Keep practising.

3. Get writing

Start now. Just write about something you’re passionate about. There will be mistakes and that’s okay. We all make them — Believe me.

Just write...

Final thought…

Don’t make the mistake of writing to get rich. Write because you enjoy it.

Whether you make it to the big time or not (and the likelihood remains not), you’ll derive increasing satisfaction and joy from the journey and become a far better writer for it.

At least I didn’t wait until Christmas morning to tell you.