Medium Give and Take

Some of the most important writing we can do on Medium is to correspond with other writers on the platform.

I am both a spectator and a creator

I want to spend almost as much time reading and responding to the works of others as I do generating my own original work. I believe I have a moral obligation to read thoughtfully the insights, perspectives and opinions of others whom I may or may not agree with.

If you can’t be complimentary at least be constructive

I hope that the majority of writers on Medium believe in a collegial, supportive environment. I also hope that Medium is the sort of place where criticism and differences of opinion can be expressed diplomatically.

You get what you give

Seeing my articles published is an enervating experience. When I view my work on my computer screen, it is merely a composition. When I see my work published it becomes a communication. I presume most authors feel the same way. The work becomes communication when it inspires others to comment. If that’s the kind of validation I want, then it’s the kind of validation I must give.

Presently I feel it is easier to be a writer than a responder. As a responder one has to be sensitive to how comments will be received. As a responder one may have a larger, more varied audience for your comments.

I agonize over my comments!

I want to be truthful, but diplomatic. I want to be complimentary but not pandering. I want to be crystal clear without rambling. Even if I have a negative comment, I want to be liked by the reading public.

When writing my personal articles I can be extremely self-centered; after all, this is my personal point of view.

One comment can change the flow of the whole comment section.

There might be a series of compliments that are highly laudatory. Then a Grinch will throw a “monkey-wrench” into the flow with a negative (and often unfounded) comment. There will then be a series of negative comments that get progressively nastier! I believe the old adage “if you can’t say anything nice then don’t say anything at all” applies to our Medium comments.

Try very hard to make commenting part of your Medium process.

Now, if I can just figure out what “claps” are at the end of an article!

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