What I‘ve Learned From Publishing Stories on Medium

When I first dipped my toes into the waters of Medium, I didn‘t have a clear objective in mind. As a full-stack developer by trade, writing was more of a casual creative outlet—a place for me to share my thoughts on the topics that mattered to me and hopefully spark some meaningful discussions. But even as I wrote about the issues and ideas I felt deserved a bigger spotlight, I was dogged by pangs of doubt and insecurity.

Will anyone actually read what I have to say? Aren‘t there a million other people out there writing about the exact same things?

I genuinely had no idea if my articles would attract any readers whatsoever or if I‘d be able to sustain my motivation to keep writing in the face of deafening silence. But as I‘ve continued to publish consistently over the past several months, I‘ve been able to look back and reflect on how far I‘ve come. In this post, I want to share some of the most valuable lessons I‘ve learned in my time writing for Medium—the insights and wisdom I‘ve picked up while carving out my own little corner of the internet.

My First Foray Into Medium

My Medium journey began with a highly personal story about my challenging experience searching for a second developer job. While there were plenty of "how to land your first coding job" articles floating around, there was comparatively little out there about navigating the job market as an early-career developer with a few years of experience under your belt.

The more I reflected on my own job search tribulations, the more I suspected there were other devs out there who had gone through something similar and could relate to my struggles. As it turned out, this hunch was right on the money. That first article went on to rack up nearly 4,000 views, which absolutely blew my expectations out of the water. It was incontrovertible proof that I had zeroed in on a topic that resonated with people—and that there was a receptive audience out there hungry for more of my particular perspective.

Emboldened by the warm reception to my debut piece, I started jotting down ideas for new articles and committed to publishing on a consistent schedule, typically cranking out a new story every week or two. I made a point of capturing any kernels of inspiration as they struck me, even if it was just a rough sketch of an idea. Cultivating this regular writing habit kept my creative muscles limber and gave me a reason to keep showing up even when I was feeling stuck or uninspired.

Amplifying Reach Through Publications

One of the most important things I‘ve learned is that if you want your writing to get noticed on Medium, you need to get your articles placed in popular publications. Think of it like the publishing world at large—if you want your book to succeed, you need the backing of a well-known publisher with the marketing muscle and built-in audience to get it in front of as many eyeballs as possible.

So when I was gearing up to publish my first piece, I started researching different Medium publications to see which ones might be a good fit. As an active member of the freeCodeCamp community, I was thrilled to discover that they had their own official publication on Medium. I took some time to analyze the kind of content they typically published to get a sense of their editorial bent.

Seeing that my article idea was right up their alley, I decided to shoot my shot and pitch them a draft. Lo and behold, they got back to me lickety-split with an enthusiastic "yes." After a bit of back-and-forth to tighten things up, my article was up on their publication, reaching their audience of over half a million developers. I was over the moon—it honestly felt like I had summited Everest.

My positive experience placing that first article opened up an ongoing dialogue with the freeCodeCamp publication. I suddenly had a direct line to their editorial team and a much clearer pathway to getting my writing published. With each new story I placed in their publication, I earned new followers and greatly extended my organic reach. It was an incredible opportunity to get my work in front of such a massive audience of developers while also engaging with other writers in the space.

My follower growth on Medium after publishing consistently with freeCodeCamp. (Source: Personal Medium data)

The Dreaded Sophomore Slump

Of course, one of the pesky truths about early success is that it tends to ratchet up the pressure to deliver an equally impressive follow-up. I definitely struggled with this after my first Medium story blew up. All of a sudden I felt like I had to chase that dragon, to recapture the magic of my breakout piece.

Even though I had a slew of enticing ideas for what to write about next, I was paralyzed by indecision. I kept second guessing whether a particular topic would have the same broad appeal and commercial potential as my debut.

In the end, a full month lapsed before I managed to publish my sophomore article. And despite all my painstaking deliberation, it didn‘t come close to achieving the same reach and engagement as my first piece. I wrestled with feelings of disappointment, even though I knew rationally that the two articles were apples and oranges in terms of subject matter. I had to check myself and refocus on the bigger picture.

Something I‘ve come to accept is that as writers we ultimately can‘t control the size or makeup of our readership. The Medium ecosystem sees thousands of new articles published every single day across its vast network of publications. Standing out in such a hypercompetitive landscape requires equal parts skill, persistence, and serendipity.

Rather than getting caught up in the horse race of stats and rankings, I‘ve tried to focus on more modest, achievable goals: Am I putting in my reps and publishing on a regular basis? Is my writing connecting with anyone out there? By celebrating the small wins and maintaining realistic expectations, I‘ve been able to keep myself motivated even when the numbers aren‘t always flattering.

Developing My Distinct Writing Voice

Getting published in high-profile Medium publications is a major coup for any writer. But it‘s definitely not a gimme—the process demands dogged persistence and a willingness to accept editorial feedback that doesn‘t always jibe with your original conception.

Speaking from experience, I‘ve found it prudent to heed constructive criticism from publication editors (within reason). These are folks who spend their days wading through a deluge of pitches and submissions. They have a finely tuned editorial spidey sense for what makes a story work—or not.

That being said, writing for someone else‘s publication doesn‘t mean checking your artistic integrity at the door. If you feel like the input you‘re getting would undermine the soul of the story you‘re trying to tell, you should absolutely push back and lay out your case. Odds are your editor just needs a little more context to fully wrap their head around your vision.

Ultimately, with each new article I‘ve published on Medium, I‘ve gotten a little closer to nailing down my signature style and perspective. For me, that voice is characterized by a mix of conversational language, quirky analogies, and a knack for spinning entertaining yarns out of potentially dry topics. I‘ve worked hard to apply this unique editorial lens consistently across my writing—to make it my calling card.

A screenshot of one of my articles, demonstrating my distinct writing voice. (Source: Personal Medium article)

The Wisdom of Experience

Here are a handful of key principles I‘ve picked up in my time writing for Medium:

• Honor your unique perspective: Your specific blend of skills, experiences, and insights are what set your writing apart—lean into that. Tell the stories only you can tell.
• Consistency is key: Committing to a regular publishing cadence is essential for building your voice and growing an audience. Set realistic goals and do your best to stick to them, even when inspiration is running low.
• Ideas are the lifeblood: Rather than pretzeling yourself to appeal to publications, focus first on nurturing your own creative instincts. Chase down the story ideas that get your heart racing and trust that you‘ll find a home for the finished product.
• This is a marathon, not a sprint: Whether it‘s the nuts and bolts of the writing process, waiting on a publisher‘s verdict, or dealing with the vagaries of viewership, patience and persistence are absolutely critical. Keep the faith and keep putting one foot in front of the other.

My time on Medium has taught me that building a successful writing career really comes down to good old fashioned elbow grease. The only way to keep growing and filling in the gaps is to show up day after day and put in the work.

By the Numbers

To give you a better sense of my trajectory on Medium, here are a few key stats from the past 12 months of publishing:

Metric	Performance
Total articles published	27
Total article views	85,274
Total reads	57,492
Total fans	4,963
Net earnings	$5,374.92

Key stats from my first year writing on Medium. (Source: Personal Medium Partner Program data)

The numbers paint a picture of slow and steady growth, punctuated by the occasional breakout article. While I‘m nowhere near the ranks of Justin Pot and Zulie Rane, I‘m proud of the traction I‘ve gained and the foundation I‘ve built for future success.

The Road Ahead

Looking ahead, I‘m excited to continue growing my writing career alongside my full-time work as a software engineer. And despite Medium‘s recent controversial changes, I still believe it‘s one of the best venues for new and emerging writers to find their footing and cultivate an audience—especially those coming from STEM fields like myself.

My biggest piece of advice to other devs looking to do more writing? Don‘t be afraid to leverage your specialized technical knowledge to carve out a unique editorial niche. There‘s a huge demand for writers who can break down complex concepts and make them accessible to a general audience. Embrace the things that make you different and use them to your advantage.

At the end of the day, I write because I genuinely love it. Even if I never got another page view, I‘d still show up to the blank page again and again. The opportunity to shape ideas and share them with the world will always be the driving force behind my work.

If my story has inspired you to start writing or to double down on your craft, check out some of my other articles on Medium. You can also find me on Twitter @yourtwitterhandle or via email at [email protected].

I‘d love to connect with fellow writers and swap battle stories from the content trenches. Until then, keep showing up, keep staying curious, and never stop believing in the power of your words. The world deserves to hear what you have to say.