Why Medium does not work (for the first time)
When I started to write in Medium, a few months ago this year, I was very motivated thinking people will read my stories and they would be fascinated! I turned on the music and write we go… After a few stories published, the views were equal to zero…big ZERO! What the hell?! I thought they were good. Unfortunately, I found out that Medium curators have millions …maybe thousands…I don’t know exactly the number but I guess loads of stories to read and don’t forget that most of them are already being published in very well known publications…So I thought I am a drop of water in the ocean.
Then I thought, well since curators don’t care about my stories I will continue to share my stories with my social media accounts…and I did but people were occupied reading other stories (since I started writing during pandemic times) and not to forget I don’t have many followers on Facebook, on Linkedin, on Instagram…This is hard man! Who is going to read?! I shared and shared the same stories…Nada, Niente, a few hits, and nothing more. I literally also begged my family to read a few stories.
In my stories, I also tried to choose, a theme. First I started to think well, let's share also my view of COVID, then I was so fed up with COVID stories, then I thought of making people forget about COVID, I had a few words written a few years ago about slices of my life and experiences I had that I wanted to share with the readers. But I was trying to accomplish perfection like, write well with references that support your views and opinions that in the end…Oh My, it was boring text. I’m laughing now while I’m writing this but it was sad not to have validation from no one out there. I even thought of writing about Kim Kardashian’s butty. Oh Well,…
I stopped writing. “This isn’t for me!” I thought. Truly honest I started to write in Medium, thinking that I also have something to say to the world, like everyone else, but also thinking I could make some money aside. I couldn’t be more wrong. Maybe some people are lucky writing their first post and that will be a hit but most of us common mortals need to do some hard work.
Reading online and talking to a friend, he advised me, to be known in Medium, start writing to a publication. Since I’m a veterinary doctor and also doing a master's in computer science, maybe I will find some opportunities in these fields. I read also online some people pay companies to give you hits etc but Medium only pays you if subscription Medium readers read your stories. So, again, a long long way shot. So in the end, I realized, for alone writers medium is not profitable (at first probably).
The way I see Medium is like a platform where you can write what you want in an easy direct way. Host it and share it. The most important lesson I learned during my journey on Medium is you should write what you would like to read. So I like reading my post. It is also a way for you to leave your keyboard print in the world. Changing perspective I’m enjoying writing not to be profitable but to make myself happy. Maybe people will read or not but I’m reading what I would like to read. That’s the key to continue to do it and enjoy it. Maybe a rewarding profit will appear in the future but I’m not counting on it. I’m only doing it because I enjoy it..and guess what?! I don’t need to be perfect.
