Summary

This article discusses the strategy of combining professional writing with frequent posting to succeed on Medium, a social media platform for writers.

Abstract

The article titled "Write Like a Professional but Post Like an Influencer" explores the successful strategy for Medium writers to emulate influencers' posting frequency while maintaining a high standard of writing. The author draws parallels between the need for influencers to constantly create content to maintain their following and Medium writers needing to frequently post to stand out in the vast sea of content on the platform. Despite Medium being a more involved platform than traditional social media, the author suggests that writers should not lose sight of the fact that their work is not a reflection of themselves, but rather an expression of their art. The article offers practical advice for writers to treat their craft as a vocation, setting aside time for writing and maintaining consistency. The author also encourages writers to overcome perfectionism and post frequently, emphasizing that even if the work is not perfect, it will help them grow and improve.

Bullet points

Medium is a social media platform where writers can share their work, but standing out requires frequent posting, similar to influencers.
Medium is a platform for artistic self-expression, but writers should not equate their work with their identity.
Writers should treat their craft as a vocation, dedicating time to write regularly and consistently.
To grow and improve, writers should overcome perfectionism and post frequently, even if their work is not perfect.
Success on Medium often comes to those who write and post frequently.

Write Like a Professional but Post Like an Influencer

The strategy that seems to work well on Medium these days

Have you ever seen an influencer out in the wild? Taking hundreds of selfies in dozens of poses? Filming nonstop content?

It might seem strange to you but you should appreciate the hustle: influencers work hard.

And it’s because they have to! If you stop posting content your influence disappears. Your follower count will steadily leak until it’s empty. You need to post two, three, seven times a day. You need stories to highlight your posts and links to click on from both.

What Can We Learn?

We can learn from influencers because Medium isn’t just a writing site — it’s a social media platform. We have accounts. We interact. And while it is much less toxic than any other social media platform in existence, it still functions in a lot of the same ways. There’s a constant stream of new content. And there are 100 million active users on Medium. So put two and two together — your voice will be drowned out in the chorus of voices if you don’t open your mouth and sing.

That Being Said

That being said, Medium is more than a social media platform. It’s a haven for artists who use words as their paintbrushes. It’s a canvas for self-expression. The content is more involved and takes more effort than most social media endeavors.

That’s why we need to write like professionals. Steven Pressfield, in The War of Art, says this:

“The professional loves her work. She is invested in it wholeheartedly. But she does not forget that the work is not her.”

We should write as professionals. We shouldn’t sell ourselves short. We should show up every day and write for the allotted time we’ve given ourselves, rain or shine, inspired or overtired. Because we love the work. Because we’re invested wholeheartedly.

BUT —

We must not forget that the work is not us.

We are not influencers — we are not the end product here. It’s our art. It’s our words.

What To Do

Treat yourself like a writer when it’s time to write. Have your own writing corner, hit up the local coffee shop and take up a regular seat. Write for a set amount of time every day. Treat it like a vocation, like a calling.

But make sure you don’t stew in your thoughts. Post what you write. And post often. If it’s not good, you’ll grow if you keep at it. Don’t obsess, don’t be a perfectionist.

Influencers post photos even when they have a pimple because that’s what influencers do. Writers on Medium should publish even if the work isn’t their best because writers write.

If you can do this, you’re going to be successful here. I’ve seen a lot of people blow up on Medium in the past two months and they all had two things in common:

They wrote a lot
They posted a lot

That’s all you have to do — I’m looking forward to seeing you blow up, too.

Thanks for reading!