Medium writers want views from readers, but do they also become readers to give views to fellow writers?
Writers chase readers, yet the attention they want from readers is the same attention they may not be giving fellow writers
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| Pensive writer among zero-view articles |
Summary
- Medium attracts writers seeking readership, followers, and income, creating competition for attention across its many published articles.
- Writers can publish frequently while struggling to attract readers who spend time with their work.
- Building a readership involves more than publishing articles, since writers must give people reasons to discover and read them.
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Medium writers have a problem. Plenty of people arrive hoping others will read their work so that they can make money, but how many are actually willing to read someone else’s writing in return?
For writers wishing to earn an income, the platform offers an appealing prospect: publish articles, attract readers, and turn their attention into income. Yet every writer chasing that outcome faces the same challenge: no readers.
Readers have limited time, and the supply of articles just keeps coming in the feeds. So the end result is an awkward situation. Writers want attention, but attention is precisely what every other writer wants too.
Writers want readers but don’t become readers themselves
If you spend some time around articles offering writing advice on Medium, you’ll find plenty of discussion about views, followers, headlines, and earnings. Writers want to know which topics attract clicks and how to make their next article perform better.
There’s nothing wrong with that. Anyone hoping to earn money from writing needs to understand their audience for sure. But the trouble starts when the pursuit of numbers becomes the whole point.
A writer can spend hours studying statistics, polishing headlines, and planning the next post without spending much time reading other people’s work. This creates a strange cycle. Everyone publishes, everyone hopes to be discovered, and everyone competes for the same readers.
Of course, not every Medium writer behaves this way. Some do read widely, leave thoughtful comments, and support fellow authors. The question is whether enough people do so to sustain the reading culture many writers hope to benefit from.
A catchy headline might earn a click, but the article still needs to deliver something worth the reader’s time. Useful information, fresh ideas, strong storytelling, and honest personal experience can give people reasons to stay on the piece.
Writers also need to think beyond their own publishing schedules. What makes an article worth reading when hundreds of other pieces compete for attention?
There is no right or wrong answer. Different readers want different things, and no writing tactic can promise steady traffic or income.
Still, a community built around writing needs people who enjoy reading, too. Discovering another author’s work can offer fresh ideas, useful lessons, and connections that go beyond chasing statistics.
My view is that you write for the audience you want to reach, but take time to understand what makes you read someone else’s work as well.
If everyone only wants attention, someone, somewhere has to give it first. So where is it going to come from?
There’s nothing wrong with that. Anyone hoping to earn money from writing needs to understand their audience for sure. But the trouble starts when the pursuit of numbers becomes the whole point.
A writer can spend hours studying statistics, polishing headlines, and planning the next post without spending much time reading other people’s work. This creates a strange cycle. Everyone publishes, everyone hopes to be discovered, and everyone competes for the same readers.
Of course, not every Medium writer behaves this way. Some do read widely, leave thoughtful comments, and support fellow authors. The question is whether enough people do so to sustain the reading culture many writers hope to benefit from.
Publishing more articles doesn’t automatically mean more readers
Publishing every day may help a writer practice and build a body of work, but it doesn’t guarantee that anyone will read those articles.A catchy headline might earn a click, but the article still needs to deliver something worth the reader’s time. Useful information, fresh ideas, strong storytelling, and honest personal experience can give people reasons to stay on the piece.
Writers also need to think beyond their own publishing schedules. What makes an article worth reading when hundreds of other pieces compete for attention?
There is no right or wrong answer. Different readers want different things, and no writing tactic can promise steady traffic or income.
The attention writers want must come from somewhere
Medium writers don’t owe every fellow author a read, a clap, or a comment. Reading should be a choice, not another chore on an endless list of writing tasks.Still, a community built around writing needs people who enjoy reading, too. Discovering another author’s work can offer fresh ideas, useful lessons, and connections that go beyond chasing statistics.
My view is that you write for the audience you want to reach, but take time to understand what makes you read someone else’s work as well.
If everyone only wants attention, someone, somewhere has to give it first. So where is it going to come from?
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