I’m not sure if all these soulless people ever took an English class because I’m assuming they couldn’t have. All these points went through my schooling like a stick of rock.,.I can’t have been the only one. We all have to have some sort of livelihood - it’s not optional…don’t condemn those who are playing the slot machine - pity them that they felt they had to sell their souls. But the life of the imagination is quite as real. The endurance of the greats of literature is testimony to that fact.
I don't write to make art (I'm pretty sure), and I don't write to make money (or is that just what I'm telling myself after looking at last year's 1099s? 🤔). But I do write things I enjoy writing, and that some people enjoy reading, and even if they didn't I'd still feel some satisfaction in just posting the stuff I like. I think I've improved over time, but I'm judging that by the number of things I wrote eight years ago that are worth republishing versus the the number of things I wrote three years ago that I republish — there may be some bias, is what I'm hinting at. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
I love your reply there. One thing that astounds me is the amount of misunderstanding. I read a post this morning where someone said her post was great but didn't get boosted so clearly boost is broken. Read another where someone asked what topic the curators want. It's not about any of that. People make it far more complicated than it really is.
I want to believe that the fixations on topics and formulas are vestigial from Medium's prior eras, when you could pull levers to get certain outcomes from the algorithm. It just doesn't work like that any more -- and that's for good reason! We want humans writing as humans for humans, not humans trying to write like robots for the algorithm. It's sad to see how much the past decade of "content production" has hurt our collective abilities to just share our stories.
You, Linda, are another "killer writer" and I am one of many who are grateful. (You might get tired of the appreciation I send you, but if you do, just pass it along. I won't mind.)
Ah, THAT fork in the road. With the Interwebs being what they are, I seem to keep coming upon it . . . and turning away from the road more traveled. I'm lucky that writing found me at a time in life when I don't have to depend on it for my full livelihood (just my full life). And just this morning I was reading a piece that arrived in my inbox from a very well-known and successfull, big-bucks Medium writer — and it was full of anger and blame at the Other Side. I'm on the writer's side politically, but I'm not interested in marinating in the vitriol. Even though it obviously sells. Not my fork.
I write to entertain. I write to take people away from the blue light screens, to give readers moments of relaxation, joy, humor, moments of consideration, and anything else they might take away from a couple of hours reading my fictional words. I do not strive for the top echelon. If I am a bottom writer, so be it. But I give something back. Enjoyment. I don't think that is a bad thing.
I can hope so. Writing as Holly Newman, I write Historical Mystery and Mystery/Romance. In other words, Genre fiction. Many in the literary world see these as less than. I know of one writer, who is not the best writer at all, but he can tell a story, and I find I look for his new books for that reason! writing is not his top strength, but storytelling is!
I found your piece on Toni Morrison's wisdom incredibly inspiring. The contrast between writing for the "bottomed-out mind" and creating true art was particularly thought-provoking. Your inclusion of poignant excerpts, like John Hampton's heartfelt poem and Ani Eldritch's insightful prose, added depth and resonance. Brilliant piece.
Spot on. Thanks for all the great examples. Especially the Maria Nazos piece. I chose the art path long ago… yet not really a choice. I don’t know how to write for the bottomed-out mind and nor would I want to. Don’t we all need uplifting more than ever?
Great advice. Thanks for this! There does seem to be so much writing on the internet today, but that writing doesn't always have thinking that goes along with it.
“It hit me on a Tuesday afternoon, a revelation as banal as it was profound: the world had become a labyrinth of simulations, a hall of mirrors where reality was nothing more than a flickering shadow on the wall… ”
Ray Bradbury, in the middle of his classic novel 'Fahrenheit 451', in 3 or 4 pages, explores this in depth.
Well, this is just glorious. Thank you. I am going to go pick some blackberries that have burst to black in my field and then spend some time pressing and forming pie crust dough and loading it with sticky filling. Pie is today's poetry.
Thank you so much for sharing my work, Linda. My work means the world to me. That others find their own value in my words, large or small, is really all I ever seek.
Aren't they wonderful?!?
I’m not sure if all these soulless people ever took an English class because I’m assuming they couldn’t have. All these points went through my schooling like a stick of rock.,.I can’t have been the only one. We all have to have some sort of livelihood - it’s not optional…don’t condemn those who are playing the slot machine - pity them that they felt they had to sell their souls. But the life of the imagination is quite as real. The endurance of the greats of literature is testimony to that fact.
I don't write to make art (I'm pretty sure), and I don't write to make money (or is that just what I'm telling myself after looking at last year's 1099s? 🤔). But I do write things I enjoy writing, and that some people enjoy reading, and even if they didn't I'd still feel some satisfaction in just posting the stuff I like. I think I've improved over time, but I'm judging that by the number of things I wrote eight years ago that are worth republishing versus the the number of things I wrote three years ago that I republish — there may be some bias, is what I'm hinting at. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
The act of writing is part of your DNA (Discover New Answers) and your RNA (whatever that thing is)!
Such great advice, and I maybe I'm reaching but it feels relevant to the convo I just had with a publisher who was asking about which topics we needed pubs for the Boost Nomination Pilot: https://arielist.medium.com/i-get-a-lot-of-questions-like-this-asking-what-specific-topics-medium-is-looking-for-in-boost-bd6a26caf4e0
I love your reply there. One thing that astounds me is the amount of misunderstanding. I read a post this morning where someone said her post was great but didn't get boosted so clearly boost is broken. Read another where someone asked what topic the curators want. It's not about any of that. People make it far more complicated than it really is.
I want to believe that the fixations on topics and formulas are vestigial from Medium's prior eras, when you could pull levers to get certain outcomes from the algorithm. It just doesn't work like that any more -- and that's for good reason! We want humans writing as humans for humans, not humans trying to write like robots for the algorithm. It's sad to see how much the past decade of "content production" has hurt our collective abilities to just share our stories.
Oh man, did you say a mouthful. I can't scream YES loud enough.
You, Linda, are another "killer writer" and I am one of many who are grateful. (You might get tired of the appreciation I send you, but if you do, just pass it along. I won't mind.)
Ah, THAT fork in the road. With the Interwebs being what they are, I seem to keep coming upon it . . . and turning away from the road more traveled. I'm lucky that writing found me at a time in life when I don't have to depend on it for my full livelihood (just my full life). And just this morning I was reading a piece that arrived in my inbox from a very well-known and successfull, big-bucks Medium writer — and it was full of anger and blame at the Other Side. I'm on the writer's side politically, but I'm not interested in marinating in the vitriol. Even though it obviously sells. Not my fork.
I write to entertain. I write to take people away from the blue light screens, to give readers moments of relaxation, joy, humor, moments of consideration, and anything else they might take away from a couple of hours reading my fictional words. I do not strive for the top echelon. If I am a bottom writer, so be it. But I give something back. Enjoyment. I don't think that is a bad thing.
I can hope so. Writing as Holly Newman, I write Historical Mystery and Mystery/Romance. In other words, Genre fiction. Many in the literary world see these as less than. I know of one writer, who is not the best writer at all, but he can tell a story, and I find I look for his new books for that reason! writing is not his top strength, but storytelling is!
Toni Morrisson is huge!
Few writers can match her talent, but reading her truly can elevate us.
I found your piece on Toni Morrison's wisdom incredibly inspiring. The contrast between writing for the "bottomed-out mind" and creating true art was particularly thought-provoking. Your inclusion of poignant excerpts, like John Hampton's heartfelt poem and Ani Eldritch's insightful prose, added depth and resonance. Brilliant piece.
Spot on. Thanks for all the great examples. Especially the Maria Nazos piece. I chose the art path long ago… yet not really a choice. I don’t know how to write for the bottomed-out mind and nor would I want to. Don’t we all need uplifting more than ever?
Great advice. Thanks for this! There does seem to be so much writing on the internet today, but that writing doesn't always have thinking that goes along with it.
“It hit me on a Tuesday afternoon, a revelation as banal as it was profound: the world had become a labyrinth of simulations, a hall of mirrors where reality was nothing more than a flickering shadow on the wall… ”
Ray Bradbury, in the middle of his classic novel 'Fahrenheit 451', in 3 or 4 pages, explores this in depth.
Well, this is just glorious. Thank you. I am going to go pick some blackberries that have burst to black in my field and then spend some time pressing and forming pie crust dough and loading it with sticky filling. Pie is today's poetry.
Well said, Linda!
Thank you so much for sharing my work, Linda. My work means the world to me. That others find their own value in my words, large or small, is really all I ever seek.
Thanks for your encouraging words Linda. For those of us who don't write about popular topics this is good to hear.
"No matter what you write, there are people out there looking for you. Don’t ever compromise."