Want to Find Major Success on Medium? Just Make This Next Sharp Left
How Corporate Politics, Favored Viewpoints and the Unrealistic Expectations of the Impatient are Poisoning My Favorite Platform — Expressed Through An Open Letter To Its CEO
Hey Ev,
It’s just me again. I wrote you but you still ain’t callin’. I sent two letters back in Autumn but you must not have got them. There probably was a problem at the post office or something. Sometimes I scribble addresses too sloppy when I jot em’ but anyway fuck it, what’s been up man — how’s your platform’s profits?
Me, I’ve made a whopping twelve dollars on Medium this month and five of it is going directly back to you. What a bummer.
Despite my qualms and criticisms, I inexplicably advertise for Medium for free, for reasons I still don’t quite understand. Anytime an aspiring writer or writer to be asks me the best place to start writing, I direct them here. I guess it’s because for all its flaws, Medium is still the best writing and reading platform available.
I wouldn’t get too comfortable or complacent though. I don’t know if you’ve noticed but nobody is really digging the corporate presence as of late. If you ask me it’s only a matter of time before some fed up writer or coder gets sick of the bullshit and creates the next big platform. It might even end up being someone from one of your own companies. I mean, just look at the whole Tinder/Bumble fiasco.
And though I’m far from leaning right politically, Medium seems to be favoring articles and content with a heavy left punch to them as of late. It all just becomes a lot to swallow. The modern American white male is forced to just stand there and take it. This platform seems to value every viewpoint but our’s — which I get. We’ve had our time and our fun.
In theory, I don’t disagree with your initial intentions of providing a voice to those who feel they are being ignored or are going unnoticed. To original writers and creatively critical thinkers who have something to say. Let me be abundantly clear — CNN, The Washington Post and Rolling Stone are the very opposite of such.
I read an entire post yesterday where some poor girl lost her collective shit about Natalie Portman earning profits via locked posts here. The woman’s frustrations are not with the beloved Black Swan actress, they stem from being spoken over and tuned out by the Corporate titans I named above. None of us want to compete with the likes of them and few of us stand a puncher’s chance in doing so. I’ll be honest, I don’t think a whole lot of people here are interested in what any of them have to say. If we were, we’d download their apps, visit their website or turn on their commercially plagued and misguided channel.
Also, while I commend you on opening the Paid Partner Program door to all writers, I’ve gotten several emails and messages from people in different parts of the world who say they are ineligible to receive payment because of where they live.
Okay so let me get this straight, American Corporations worth hundreds of millions of dollars are able to make money they don’t need here but struggling writers from foreign countries are excluded? That doesn’t seem very fair or inclusive. Though admittedly, I don’t know the reason behind their ineligibility and I’m sure you’re working on a solution. I don’t say that sarcastically by the way, just to be clear. I have my gripes but I still believe in your mission as much as I respect it. If I didn’t care, I wouldn’t waste my time writing shit like this.
Before I go, I just want to make you aware of how many comments and messages I receive both on here and Quora from people asking for tips for finding success through the Paid Partner Program. Which forcibly leaves me in the awkward position of holding my nuts in my hand as I hit them with the old Hollywood catch phrase of “Nobody Knows Anything”. I’ll be honest, I’m not even convinced you know what it takes to find success here. I’ve yet to come across a banger you published personally. Anyway, I’ve digressed.
My point is, are you positive it was a good idea to open the paid door to people who are going to post once and quit once they don’t become an overnight success? To people who want the accolades but refuse to put the work in? I’m not suggesting every one I get a message from falls into this category. I truly hope they all go on to find success here and that they believe me when I tell them it won’t come easy. Well, I guess that’s it for now. Thanks for not listening.
Until next time, Ciao
Sincerely, Brian Brewington
