Apr 14, 2021
So the best way to make a killing with Medium is to write, write, write! — Right?
Writing on a public platform is not always easy. I had to read a lot about writing before I felt brave enough to start taking it more seriously!
There is lots of advice out there about how to write on Medium and how to plant the seed and become successful. Of course, that depends on how you define successful. For me, just being able to finish what I started to write and actually publish it without a week going by, is what I might consider a success.
For someone else it is making 22,000 a month (or more). That does sound pretty cool though, too.
I have read a few articles about writing and here are a few things that stuck with me that I would like to share.
Write every day!
The best advice I have seen about writing on Medium, to date, is to write every day! This gives you momentum — writing will soon become a habit (I hope)
Write, don’t think!
In the film “Finding Forester”, Jamal, a young boy who is a naturally gifted writer, gets a scholarship in a prestigious school, but he needs a little guidance. He befriends William Forester, (Sean Connery), a reclusive writer, who becomes Jamal’s mentor. In one scene Forester tells Jamal to sit at the typewriter and to just write.
Make a list
Choose a different ‘topic’ for each day and write about that subject every week…on the same day. Make a list! For me, think that Wednesdays can be for writing about writing. ( I just thought of that now, because I am actually writing about writing). Thursdays can be for life experiences, Tuesdays will have to be about the religion/ or the strange, etc,; after the Elon Musk post yesterday.
It is amazing that by just writing, the ideas start to flow!
Okay, so let’s make that list!
Tuesdays — decided to go with religion/ the meaning of life — the deep stuff that bores the hell out of people at parties.
Wednesdays — Writing about writing, — this can about my daily writign experience. A progress report of sorts.
Thursdays — for life experiences.
The life experience idea is a good one. The idea is to bear your soul, write about something that people can identify with — personal stuff. It is not always easy but it is worth it. One of my best posts to date was about something that happened to me, you can read about it here — it didn’t get me thousands of views or cash— I have made $1–22 to date, but I did get satisfaction at the fact that it had a read ratio of 80% — that is an excellent read ratio!
So, do I have weekends off?
Maybe — or maybe the weekend can be for writing the first draft with the heart, or editing with the head…or both.
How much should I write?
Apparently, you don’t have to write masterpieces of 2000 words every day either, you can write just 1000. (1000 words is about 2 pages single spaced or 4 pages double spaced.) Words are time, and time seems to be important on Medium too. Each article comes with a read time.
So what about Mondays? — what shall I write about on Mondays? I can write about Portugal. That will also fall into the life experience category — which makes for better reads. I have been living in Portugal for over 30 years , I am sure I can think of hundreds of things to write.
Fridays — can be about learning a language. As I teach Portuguese that fits in nicely!
My finished list looks like this:
Mondays — living in Portugal
Tuesdays — religion and the bible — twilight zone material
Wednesdays — writing about writing
Thursdays — life experiences
Fridays — learning a language
I have a few longer stories I have written and I have even thought about serializing them and posting here. I read that some people were successful doing this…
Well…what started out as my notes and ideas turned into another article. It is Wednesday and I am writing about writing — so it is fitting.
Oh yes! Don’t forget the random photographs that have no relation at all with what you write about!
Until tomorrow!
:)
