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May 14, 2021
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Linda Caroll's avatar

Sam, that really touched me. I might just do that. Are you on Medium?

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Kristi's avatar

I write the first person drivel you mention, probably 80% of the time and it brings in 100% of my Medium income. The other 20%...the times I write actual useful content doesn't get read nearly as much. So there's that.

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Linda Caroll's avatar

Oh, no you don't. Essays and drivel aren't even close to the same. Margaret Atwood and a ton others write personal essays. I love them. If I was the kind of person that used names, you'd know what I mean. lol.

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Kristi's avatar

I'm glad you make a distinction between the two.

I'll tell you what I can't stand on Medium are the people who incessantly complain about a biased system behind Medium. If all they ever do is complain, of course they aren't going to elevate themselves to more success!

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Linda Caroll's avatar

Right? It strikes me as a special kind of stupid. Curators and editors are people, too. Man, a couple of names come to mind automatically. lol

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Kristi's avatar

Yup me too.

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Robin Klammer's avatar

Amen! No drivel from you Kristi!

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Henya Drescher's avatar

Linda, you wrote about what I often think, but don't write about. Bullet points, for the most part. But, heck, the Internet is filled with telling people how to write using bullet points. Many writers heed these pearls of wisdom seriously.

As to Jerusalem, and as to the rest of the world where children and people get killed and where problems simmer constantly --- I think you might want to tread with caution. I am from that part of the world. Do you want to talk about Jerusalem? Good. How about talking about Sudan, or Nigeria . . . . . As we speak, there are more than forty wars all over the world. Heck! I have a better one...how about we talk about NYC? Where three people were slashed on the subway (today? yesterday?)... How about talking about stray bullets killing children in the US? As to Jerusalem? Some outsiders could never understand the core problem but are quick to condemn. But it seems to be the fashion of the day to single out one country and not another.

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Robin Klammer's avatar

I agree, but there's so many factors involved it'd makes ones head spin. There's always more than one side to the story. There are so many countries at war we never hear anything about , ie, Yemen being targeted by the Saudis and sanctioned up the wazoo. They don't have natural resources to exploit , so somehow they're deemed expendable? So many more countries are targeted by propaganda which feeds hate and ignorance, and stupidity. All dangerous traits. :(.

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Linda Ann Robinson's avatar

There’s a certain writer on Medium who I stopped following but whose content continues to come into my feed now and again (maybe because I occasionally read a title of hers that has sounds intriguing).

Note: this writer has lots of fans and has occasionally written about supporting herself through the Medium platform making a six figure income.

But, there’s always a thread or two in too much of what she writes that is akin to a pity party...oh, woe is me the damsel in distress. Please come and save poor me by reading my drivel.

I want to leave a comment, but never have since she comes across as a “hothouse flower;” a comment something like: life is hard, then you die - will you PLEASE grow up already. But I haven’t yet written that, as I’m not fond of hurting the feelings of a person I’ve never met. And don’t wish to be viewed as a troll!

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Suzanne V Tanner's avatar

Another of your excellent posts. Thank you. Always a good takeaway for some further brain debate. It’s because of how you lay it all out.

Question for you,unrelated. On Substack, if we ❤️ Your post, do you see a list of names attached to the ❤️? On Vocal, it’s only total hearts, crickets on the names.

Happy weekend to you.

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Robin Klammer's avatar

I absolutely love this post! I think people "these days" are in of of with either two or three camps. One being they don't don't at all and speed ignorant vitriol, or snowflakes who are offended by Everything, and then the humans! :)

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Robin Klammer's avatar

Looks like my coffee hasn't fully kicked in yet. Pardon my faux pas! :)

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Jenine Baines's avatar

Great piece, Linda. Great wordsmithing too!

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Brendan Terrick's avatar

Nicely put, Linda. Medium is my editorial section. I like reading other people's opinions and see if they mesh with mine or if they get me to think differently. And I started posting articles and comments within the last month. It has been an eye opening experience for me.

Money is a human construct, but thought is a human constant. If you are out to make money for your posts all the power to you, just don't expect me to take an interest. I'm all about substance not subsistence.

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Deniz Çakır's avatar

A clever post really.

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