Medium is a website where writers share stories, ideas, or their perspective with the world.
According the the CEO of Medium, the goal is to help writers find their audience.
While I have a small, growing audience here on my blog, Medium gives me the opportunity to reach more people. In the same way I chose to publish and sell my online courses on Udemy, so I could reach people already looking for online courses, sharing my writing on Medium puts me in an arena where readers are looking for stories. It’s not unlike what I did when I started my online business back in 2004, writing and publishing content on article directories.
I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised I’ve ended up publishing on Medium.
Historically, it’s what I do. In this case, the decision wasn’t planned, it showed up in a conversation last week. I felt inspired to check it out, and as they say, the rest is history 🙂
I’m also on Medium to read.
I know I can become a better writer by reading other peoples’ work. As my memoir writing instructor says, Reading is passive writing. In fact, in class yesterday she said you can learn everything you need to know about writing well, by reading good books.
I’m already doing that, reading a new memoir, or book on writing memoir, pretty much every week. Medium gives me the opportunity to read short memoir and personal essays.
I can also build a following and create relationships. As an introvert, I’m not always comfortable reaching out to connect with people in person. I’m more comfortable connecting online. Probably why I ran an online business for so long.
I’m trying to work with my strengths, and do what I know works for me, as I build my new career as a writer.
Lastly, writing on Medium supports my quest to see myself as a writer, and not just someone who writes. If you want to better understand my distinction between the two, I wrote about it here.
I’ve made the decision to join other writers where they congregate, where they write, and where they publish. It’s a symbolic gesture to myself, that tells my brain I belong in that group. That I am what they are. That I am a writer.
I’ll continue sharing my memoir writing journey, and my writing on my blog. But I’ll also be sharing my essays on Medium.
If you’d like to check out my Medium profile and what I’ve posted there so far, you’ll find both here.
Please follow me there if you feel so inspired.
And, if you enjoy my stories, be sure to give them some applause (you’ll find an icon of clapping hands at the bottom of each story—just hover over it and hold down your mouse button to applaud. I’ve been told applause between 25-50 claps is ideal).
Your applause will help other readers find my stories.