5 reasons why I started writing on Medium and why you can too.
And I am not a born creative.
I have a finance background, loved math and science in school and generally stuck to the norm working in corporate jobs doing very structured activities. This limited the amount of creativity required of me. Sure, I would always do just fine in English classes and write essays without too much trouble, but I was definitely not the favourite writing student of any teacher ever.
That said, things started to change for me when I became an entrepreneur running my own business. I always dreamt of having my own brand and leadership platform and my life started to evolve. Running a business has definitely pushed me to become more mentally agile, decisive and creative in how I grow my business. I have done everything from writing copy for Facebook ads to drafting up legal documents and contracts. I recently wrote a long email to someone about my journey who was so caught up in the story that she ended up being late for a meeting. She saw emotion, passion and ambition in every word I wrote. After this encouragement, I really assessed whether writing would be something I could pursue as part of my greater vision.
I looked to Medium since I did not have my own blog. From a brief look around and reading a few articles on the site, I realized it was pretty straightforward to get started. Plus, I would have the flexibility to write about anything I wanted to.
In just over a month, I have published 16 articles (with a vacation in between) and here are my reasons for sticking to the platform and now committing to writing 5 times a week.
1. Clean metric driven platform
Medium makes writing really simple with it’s clean white screen opening you up to anything in your big wild imagination. I find it easier to get my flow than writing anywhere else. (I don’t like clutter generally!) Not only is it easy to use but a math person like me loves it because behind the scenes it is all about the metrics.
Now granted, I am very new to the platform so I don’t have very many followers and receive a few claps to articles (come on people be more generous! encourage the girl why don’t you!) with some not getting read very much at all. But that doesn’t make me loose hope. In my illustrious writing career of just 16 articles published, 3 have been curated by Medium and 1 has been published in one of their largest publications. And I got paid! Not a lot. But it is a sign to keep going! I am sure more claps and more followers will come.
I remind myself that Rome was not built in a day.
2. Build my personal brand
Through this process, I also get to further enhance my personal brand. I often public speak, run various activities and manage a team. As a leader, I have a vision that I wish to share to empower others. It also involves building my own brand and finding a voice that resonates with those who follow me.
Writing is the perfect way to grow as a leader because you learn to find your voice. You try to find a style that works for you. You learn what lights your heart on fire.
3. I have always dreamt to be an author one day
So then what am I waiting for?! Writing a book is on the bucket list of many, many people including those who are not professional writers. The problem is that it always gets pushed out to some other time and day. The reality is the time is now. Each and every one of us has a unique story and voice to start a book today. Writing on Medium allows me to test what resonates with my readers and is the ideal way to beta test thoughts before publishing them in a book. It helps me to reduce the risk of going out and writing a book, which nobody wants to read. So writing here daily is a perfect habit and muscle building exercise to get you to your goals to author a book.
4. Pushes me to be vulnerable
Reading great articles is so easy. Writing them is so much harder.
We should be original and share insights that are unique to us. This means that you sometimes have to be vulnerable. You have to open up to ideas and feelings that are personal to you or maybe share thoughts that you only thought would live in your head. This brings your unique perspective to the table. Some of the biggest lessons come from articles where writers put their life out like an open book. It is hard to quote very personal experiences but by pushing through every word you will grow. It will make your stories authentic. It is what will resonate with your readers.
When you publish on a public platform you are also opening yourself up to criticism and praise alike. You have to learn to be open to constructive feedback. Be open to having your ideas challenged. This is what it means to write. And I will not let that scare me.
“Vulnerability is the birthplace of innovation, creativity and change.” ― Brene Brown
5. Opens me up to possibilities
As an entrepreneur, I am always putting myself out there. Whether that be through networking events, workshops or conferences. There is always hope of a chance encounter that could potentially change the course of your business. Likewise, when I write, I am putting myself out there. Who knows who is reading my article? Maybe it’s a publisher who will eventually get my book out there one day? Maybe it opens up an exciting career opportunity? Regardless, with such a large and diverse pool of writers and readers, there is always something to learn and adopt from spending time on Medium.
“Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity.” — Lucius Annaeus Seneca, Roman philosopher
I hope this will inspire you to write too!
