My brain swims with ideas of stories, anecdotes and exciting characters. I can’t wait to get them written down, but the thought of sharing them with anyone else in the world can make my head freeze and my fingers feel like rigor mortis. Do you sometimes feel this way about getting your words out there? A few years ago, I decided to get my brave on and look for ways I could start sharing the stories in my secret worlds. I came across a website called medium.com, who’s aim is to provide a safe space for readers and writers to connect and enjoy each other’s work. They welcome writers of all styles and genres by providing an easy-to- use platform to write to their heart’s content. How Medium Works Writers can post articles on their own page inside the platform or in a publication. There are several ways writers and readers can connect on Medium. For example:
Following a publication or a writer.
Posting comments on other writers’ articles.
Subscribing to a publication or a writer’s newsletter.
Tagging other readers/writers in articles. Articles have the potential to reach a large audience both within and outside of Medium, particularly if the content is well-written, currently relevant and especially if it is controversial. My Story on Medium When I joined the platform, I was still very hesitant about sharing my work and spent some time reading other articles and comments. My first impression was that this was an encouraging, supportive environment. The articles I read were empowering and most comments were positive toward the writer. By this time, my fingers had loosened up a little, so I decided to join in with the comments. Many of the writers replied with a simple, “Thanks for reading” comment, however one writer wanted to connect further. She told me she was just about to launch a new publication on Medium and was looking for writers to join her. I felt pretty chuffed. I had not yet written one article on the platform, but someone thought my writing would be fit for her publication! Now, granted, there are all kinds of levels of writing on the platform, but I had read several of this writer’s articles and I loved what and how she wrote, so I was more than willing to join her. Of course, the next obstacle was actually pulling my fingers out of their rigor mortis state and typing words on the screen. The publication I was writing for had specific guidelines around how they wanted submitted articles to be written. This made the process easy for me to achieve and there was no word limit to worry about.
I finally pressed the button to submit to the publication. When the article appeared the next day, I was over the moon. The publication owner had highlighted some of what I wrote and posted a meaningful, encouraging comment. Then others started highlighting and commenting. And I realised that others wanted to hear what I had to say, and I needed to keep writing. Do you ever doubt that what you write will be valued or accepted? Or you just can’t quite get your fingers to unravel themselves and press the submit button? Millions of people use the Medium platform every day. Out of the thousands of available publications, there is a good chance you will find the one that’s right for you and find connections with other writers and readers. Advantages of Writing on Medium
If you are not ready to put your own name to your writing, you can set up an account with any name you like. Many writers on Medium use pen names and some even have more than one account, so they can separate out their writing genres.
You can open a free account on Medium to read and write. However, for unrestricted access, the joining fee is affordable.
You can connect with many other writers and readers from all over the globe.
You can use the platform to gain subscribers to grow your email list.
You can add links in your articles to direct readers to your own or other websites. Not Ready for an Online Platform? If a platform like Medium is not what you are looking for right now, how about meeting with a small group of other writers who you feel safe connecting with? You could meet at a café or someone’s house and break the ice with some fun writing prompts and exercises. Or, why not join us for the next GCWA Critique session?
Rochelle Miller – Bio Rochelle works as a Virtual Assistant after holding various administration roles throughout her life. Her current Work In Progress is fueled and inspired by her travels around the world. You can connect with Rochelle on Medium at https://medium.com/@rochellemillerwrites