Medium Almost Fooled Me Again

Forget gatekeepers and create your way on Substack

Last week, I decided to try writing on Medium again. What an idiot. I will be honest: the decision was entirely motivated by money. I have three children, who grow by the hour, and Christmas is coming. One good boosted story would make a difference to the bank balance. 

Everyone tells you that Medium likes a personal story; look at all the guidelines on boosting, and they all mention personal stories that teach you something. Well, boy, did I have a personal story to tell, all about my recent health crisis. 

So, I poured my heart and soul into one of the most personal pieces I have ever written. Writing crime is safe; you don’t have to expose yourself on the page; this was the exact opposite of that. 

Once completed, I submitted it to a publication with boost capabilities and waited. Before I tell you this, remember that I have 9.1K followers.

What to know: How many people read it?

Six out of the 19 who viewed it. I earned a staggering $0.35.

Maybe it wasn't perfect, but then I found this article on how to pay your rent with writing. Minimalist style that offers little information.

The whole of the article is formatted like this, takes you a minute to read it all. But, look at the views and response it has.

Now, all power goes to the writer who got this response, but Medium claims to be the home of in-depth, thoughtful articles. It claims that, but it is clear from the figures that it promotes clickbait about writing with little substance and quality. 

So, I am an idiot. I knew the platform, but I hoped for a different response. This is why, as a writer, you have to set up something on Substack. The reach is getting bigger every day. I get more and more views from people not subscribed to my email. Substack also allows you to experiment and do things your way. There are no gatekeepers who reject one type of writing for another. 

If you need a hand knowing where to start on your Substack journey, pop into chat and ask me questions. I am always here to help.

If you enjoy this email, please share it so more readers can find it. If you need advice or writing tips, I would love to hear them. Drop them in the comments or email me by hitting reply to this newsletter.

Until next week stay safe

Sam 😊

There is only a finger's difference between a wise man and a fool. Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me.

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