x2 Followers | 66 Shy

At the time of writing, I have 44 followers on Medium. When I asked for help with gaining followers, I didn’t expect much. I have to say that I’m very pleasantly surprised.

Before going on, I would like to say, “Thank you.” I really do appreciate the support. Learning that there are other people out there, reaching for that threshold, made me feel a little better about the position that I’m in. Thank you.

@jordynaitken left a comment that got me thinking:

Not only am I on a mission to reach 100 followers, but I am trying to figure out if Medium is the right platform for me. I’m also trying to work out what I really want to write about, and what will be valuable and interesting for other people to read.

Starting out on a writing journey isn’t easy. It takes a certain level of commitment and perseverance. The daily trial of writing is most often defeating. When faced with only your words on a page, it’s easy to see all of the hidden meanings, humourous phrases, and clever character twists. Arguably, it’s even easier to see all of the cloudy phrasing, inaccurate sentence structure, and incomplete descriptions. All the whirling of words that’s taking place in your head somehow has to find a path down your arm, into your fingers, and through the nib of your pen. It’s no easy task.

I don’t have a large readership. I never have. I would like one. I think we all would. If we didn’t want to be read, we wouldn’t be hitting the publish button. It takes a certain courage to put your work out there not knowing how it’ll be received. For some writers, those with large readerships, I imagine that it’s not as nerve-wracking to publish your work on a platform like Medium. I imagine that those writers have a certain expectation about the performance of their posts, in that they expect them to do well.

For those writers out there who are still finding their way in the world of online writing, I commend you. It’s an act of bravery to put work into a piece and not have any expectations, only hopes, about its performance. To continue to write, to publish, and to repeat the process, is a display of commitment and perseverance. I urge you to continue trying new ways to write, to take risks with your word choice, and to upend all of your conventions for something extraordinary. You are deserving of praise.

Even though I was only earning a few cents each month, I liked that Medium was paying me for my work. After nearly 15 years of writing online, it felt nice to be rewarded. With the addition of the 100-follower requirement, I’m a bit miffed.

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