The Writer Who Changed How I Look At All Other Writers, Especially On Medium

If you've been struggling to get boosted, this might help

I was looking at a draft submitted to one of my publications. Here’s what was going through my head. This is a strong writer—but this piece? It’s not going to get boosted. I already knew that. The question was, should I say anything?

Let me unpack that for you.

First reason I hesitate to suggest edits is that some writers get angry if you suggest changes. They take it like a personal slight. Once when I suggested edits to a writer, she removed her story from the publication and blocked me.

It wasn’t just once. I’ve been blocked by multiple writers on Medium because they didn’t like my feedback to a piece of writing. Multiple. Think about that.

But still — blocking an editor is one of the more polite things writers do.

This week an editor was attacked publicly. By name. For suggesting edits. The writer said such nasty, scathing things it left the editor reeling and seeking intervention to get it taken down. Rightfully so. Personal attacks are prohibited but the writer was too angry to care and some readers sure enjoy a good hate post now and then.

Side note — If you know who I’m talking about, please do not use any names. Not even the publication. I would not want to be talked about publicly, so we don’t do that here.

There’s another factor besides repercussion. Time.

Editors aren’t paid to run publications. Every minute that editors spend reading drafts, suggesting edits, adding writers, editing posts — it’s all free. And why do they do it? Because they have a vision of a publication they’d love to create.

Now let’s talk about the boost program for a minute, okay?

I love when stories in my publications get boosted. It gets more views, which means more views for my publication. Every boosted post helps the publication get seen and grow and that helps every writer in the publication.

As a nominator, we get a sense for what will get boosted. I signed my nomination contract last March. Nominate 20 stories every month for eight months and you get a feeling for what they’re looking for. So every draft is read with that thought in mind. Would I nominate this? Could this post get boosted and bring us all more views?

So there I sat. Looking at that piece.

I decided to put out a feeler. Sent the writer a message. I said she has a strong story here, but wondered if she’s open to some suggestions.

Just to put you in my shoes a little, no one says no. Even the ones who will get angry. It’s “how” they reply that I watch for. Some replies come across as receptive and others come across as defensive. So I waited to see what she’d say.

Here’s what she sent back.

“Of course, Linda. I’m not a prima donna. I’m a professional journalist. I write on assignment all the time. You’re the publisher. You know what works here. Please tell me what to change. For that matter, just change. I don’t mind. It’s your publication. I trust you to know what works. They’re just words. I have more of them.”

I almost wanted to cry.

Since then I’ve added that writer to all three of my publications. If I create another, I will add her there, too. Done deal. That woman can writer for me anywhere.

There’s some takeaways here for writers, especially if you’re struggling.

First of all. Here’s a thing I hear a lot of…

Well I used to get curated before and now I don’t get boosted so Medium sucks because my writing hasn’t changed. Right. And that’s the problem. Your writing has not adapted to changes on the platform.

And that’s fine if you’re using Medium like a personal journal. It really, truly is. It’s fine. There’s no obligation to adapt to changes. Totally optional. But if you want to get boosted, then you need to adapt. Make sense?

Writing on Medium isn’t much different than writing on assignment, like a journalist or assignment writer. It’s not about whether you’re a “good” writer or not. It’s that sometimes the assignment changes. Simple as that. You adapt, or you don’t.

Neither of those has anything to do with being a good writer.

Some good writers adapt.

Some good writers don’t.

Both are okay. It has nothing to do with being a good writer.

When I talk about adapting to changes, please understand there isn’t a magic topic or formula. I wish! How easy that would be, lol. Stories get boosted in every topic that exists. Fiction and nonfiction. Essays and poetry. There’s no formula.

Here’s the thing. When you’re submitting stories every day for months, watching what gets accepted and declined by the curators, you begin to see the je ne sais quoi present in the ones that get accepted. There’s something special about those.

And the curators get it wrong sometimes. They do. They screw up and decline a post that should have been boosted. They’re human too. They make mistakes.

But still, there’s something about the ones that get boosted. And it’s probably harder to see when you aren’t looking at what gets accepted and declined every day for months on end. But trust me when I say that we do begin to see it.

I’m going to write about that as it applies to my publications on Medium very shortly. I hope it will result in more boosts and I hope you’ll watch for that post.

Incidentally, there’s a good ending to this story.

That writer I was talking about? I made some edits. Sent them to her for approval. Then I nominated the post and it got boosted. It’s now one of the top 20 posts in the publication for the entire year. Every time her post gets viewed, the footer shows other stories from the publication. Maybe that’s yours. You know?

Does my heart good when it works that way.

I’d love to know what you think of editors making suggestions. Do you like it, or does it offend you? Curious to know what you think.

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My newest on Medium…

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• A Strange Little Story For The Loners And Misfits Of The World

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xo,
Linda