Let’s Stop Only Blaming Our Fellow Writer’s for Low Reads and Views

Time to dig a little deeper

Photo by Ivan Botha on Unsplash

I don’t mean to ruffle any feathers.

This may not be a popular view with many, including the “powers that be,” but, I think it may be time to resist pointing so many fingers at only our fellow writers for our unstable views, reads, and cash. The so called view/read ratio.

Blaming the members of our Medium writer community, who are probably working just as hard as we are, for our low stats, seems a little unfair, and perhaps a bit shortsighted. (in my opinion). We are all hustling, doing what we love, and trying to make a buck or two.

I am not saying it isn’t frustrating. It is! I know that sinking feeling when my ratio is high in the morning and starts plummeting through the day, day after day.

Seems so unfair!

And the really discouraging part is this downward turn most likely has nothing to do with the quality of our writing.

Like kids in a sandbox, throwing dirt at each other, smoke and mirrors, distracted, and maybe so preoccupied that we fail to see, or address the bigger issues on Medium.

And, while the internal quibbling can make for some interesting reads, and stats, it does nothing to address the larger concerns.

So what are the bigger issues?

Medium is a platform for creative individuals. We love ideas, words, stories, expressing ourselves, and making money. But, don’t forget, first and foremost, Medium is a business, a company in the business of making money.

Their bottom line!

Their policies reflect their attempts to increase profit and decrease loss. Their algorithms are probably tweaked when they are dolling out too much money and congratulatory pats on the back all round when they are not.

They can do what they want.

We are just cogs in a great big Medium money making business wheel. We think we have control, but perhaps we do not.

This is all just my opinion. I think we have to be really careful that we don’t let the day to day ups and downs of Medium distract us from the bigger picture.

If you were to ask me what we should do to solve this problem I would have to admit I don’t have a clue.

But, if we writers don’t have each other’s backs, who does?

It may not be who you think.

Thank you for reading.

Janice Tovey 2024