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5 Ways To Improve Writing Skills
By: Madhu Nidhi
Tags: Writers Block, Writing Tips, Writers On Medium

Many of you would have written a one page essay or more while in school or university, a handful of you would have put your heart into it while the rest would have slept on it. A few from that handful may even be thinking of improving the writing skills, be it for career, for passion or simply personal endeavors. Are you lost in the sea of resources scattered in the web? Then here is what you should do to find your light.

Read! Read! Read!

Many great writers in the past learned to write through days and days of reading. It doesn’t have to be a book named, “Read me to become a writer”. Any books, newspapers or magazines with good writing are enough. There are various websites like The Guardian, Longform, The Book of Life which are informative for the English learners.

Vocabulary is king

New words are all around you and ever existing. Learning new vocabulary will make you a better writer. While reading look for new words, phrases that you think would help you with writing take a note of them. Google Dictionary is a free tool which lets you check the meaning for words, examples and pronunciations.

Join writing groups

More than learning, practice is much needed when it comes to writing. Cultivate a habit of writing every day, either in a diary, a blog and even social media. Find writing communities and groups, participate in activities and get feedbacks. You can find likeminded people at applications like Hello Talk, Reddit, Meetup etc, to name a few.

Enroll in writing courses

There are different aspects to writing when you are a beginner. Style, Spelling, Punctuation, Organization etc. One way to learn these aspects is by taking a simple online course. Universities around the world offer free writing lessons. Few courses for example are, FutureLearn, Coursera, edX etc.

Identify good and bad writing

Autocorrect and Grammar checks are not enough to correct bad writing. Ask yourself a few questions before finalizing your write up. Make sure about the clarity of the sentence, the why of the write up, relation between each sentence, relation between words. Do this even while reading and also while writing, identify bad writing and turn it around.

These are just a start, a needle in a haystack, way to help you with honing your writing skills. Start with these and slowly progress to your own ways of improving writing.
This is my 100th Medium story.
By: Tina L. Smith
Tags: Writing, Creativity, Nonfiction, Writers On Medium, Short Form

This is my 100th Medium story.

Nope, I’m not going to share my work. (Check my profile!) Instead, let’s discuss the best part of Medium: other writers. I now have friends around the world with different backgrounds, lifestyles, and beliefs who enrich my life daily. Here are just a few (I only have 150 words!).

Sarah J. Baker — Awesome Aussie with passion for the environment and equality

Kristi Keller — A skillful, spirited writer whose work takes me to new places with joy

Kim McKinney — My soul sister in North Carolina whose words make me laugh and cry

Carl L Lane — A bold writer who enriches my understanding of race, society, equality, and more

Remington Write — Midwestern girl who embraces NYC life and enchants with words

Connie Song — Making music daily with beautiful poetry

Tracy Stengel — Fellow Michiganian who brings love and light to every topic

So many more…love you all!
How to Make Your Writing Readable
By: David Ferrara
Tags: Publishing, Reading, Writing, Writers On Medium

My writing wasn’t great. It probably still isn’t that great. But it is ten times better than it was about six months ago.

Ok, let me qualify that statement. Specific to writing blogs, articles online, content writing in general my writing is much better today. Specific to an academic paper or a work memo my writing wasn’t that bad before.

But for pure readability. The ability to write in a way that is closer to the spoken word. I think I have improved immeasurably.
Congratulations on the milestone, oh soul sister of mine.
By: Kim Mckinney
Tags: Writers On Medium, Writing, Relationships

Congratulations on the milestone, oh soul sister of mine. It has been a privilege to know of you early on and read most of the 109. 💜
Find Me on Medium
By: Jennifer Friebely
Tags: Writer, About Me, Profile, Writers On Medium, Illumination

Jennifer Friebely is a New York-based writer, editor, coach, and speaker covering stories from personal development, bully bosses, the Law of Attraction, marketing, and productivity to politics and music to whatever idea strikes. She has a 30+ year background in marketing and advertising and holds a BA in Political Science. Email her at jenny@on-call-marketing.com or visit www.successpicture.com.
Dear Medium reader,
By: Gal Mux
Tags: Readers Challenge, Claps On Medium, Writers On Medium, Readers, Claps Medium

Photo by dhanelle on Pixabay

Dear Medium reader,

Why did you clap just once?

Thank you for reading my story. I really appreciate you taking your time. Over all the millions of articles on here, you chose to read mine and I am grateful.

Also, I noticed that you liked it because you clapped for it. But dear reader, why did you clap only once? One clap? That clap was not loud enough!

What are you going to do with the rest of the 49 claps? Where are you going to take them? Give them to someone else? Give them to another story?

When I read a story depending on how much I liked it, I never give less than 5 claps.

My average claps are about 15. Above 25 if I really love it. All 50 claps if it spoke to me!

I am aware a story needs to be good to deserve and to get many claps. I am also aware that claps no longer determine earnings on Medium. I wasn’t even a writer on Medium when they did, so that is not what I am aiming for.

I just love them. I love seeing many claps below my story. They make me happy and I know that they also make you happy and that you love them too.

One clap is like going to a 2 hour comedy show and only letting out a crackle. It’s like making love to a lover who responds lazily to your good strokes and rides.

If you gonna clap, clap like you will never clap again!

So dear reader, don’t be afraid. Don’t hold back. Make that loud noise. Clap away!!! Because I am going to do the same to your story too.

Thank you for coming to my Ted talk.

Sincerely,

Me
‘Fly The Nest’
By: Shaira Mohan
Tags: Loss, Poetry, Writers On Medium, Poem, Poetry On Medium

‘Fly The Nest’

Awash with grief and misery

She watched him say the words,

Her mind constructs a fortress of fury,

As her gaze drifts to chirping birds.

Wasn’t it just a few pleasant nights before ?

Resplendent in scarlet silk and fur,

She had spun and pirouetted in his arms

Until the last flame flickered no more;

Whilst her laughter betrayed the rapture.

Just as the birds outside too began their dance

Her thoughts insidiously circled the drain,

Her heart in a sempiternal state of trance

Sought no concurrence with her brain.

As her rogue tears staged another act

She pleaded with him to halt,

With the makings of a scorned man on attack

He soldiered on, laying siege to wounds with

worded salt.

As the remnants of her fragile heart

Withered away before her eyes,

He opened the door and began to depart

A final severance of all ties.

It was then that she felt it under the blanket of agony

Could it be – yes, profound relief!

In the undercurrent of all the melancholy,

A cascading waterfall rushing forth

Dousing the fire born from years of treachery.

As she opened her flooded eyes again

In search of the birds outside,

Their gaze met ever so slightly, hers betraying

the pain,

As if a silent cognisance had passed,

they took their final flight.

“Goodbye, old friend”, as if to say

“You’ve got it from here”,

“You can move mountains with that smile”,

“There is nothing left to fear.”

And just like that she knew it to be true

That she was finally free of fear,

That an episode of grief had ended

And a new chapter of joy was near.

As she rose and refilled the birdbath,

With hope clutched close to the chest,

She knew it was time to spread her wings

It was time to seek a new nest.

(Photo Credit : The Atlantic)
About Me — Michael Butorovich. My only aim is to live well enough to…
By: Michael Butorovich
Tags: About Me, Writers On Medium, Gonzo, Ｍedium, Reality

My only aim is to live well enough to write about it and write well enough to live on it

Thank you for taking the time to know me a bit better. I’m Michael Butorovich, commonly referred to as Mike, Shortstop, or Short.

My influences are Dr. Hunter S. Thompson, dirty ole Hank Chinaski, Sylvia Plath and Anne Sexton. Whilst all who I’ve named have a unique voice their work spawns either from or close to personal experience, which is attractive to me because I’ve always found reality is far more interesting, and I can relate to these figures in one way or another.

Dr. Thompson would say as his character Raoul Duke “When the going gets weird, the weird turn pro” and there is enough weirdness around to keep me as a professional until my dying day. Which come to think of it, things have been pretty weird the entire time. San Pedro, Ca was where I parted from my mothers womb on a Sunday in December just before the dawn. It was 1987 and there were more births in the US than there had been 23 prior. Out of 3,829,000 registered births, teenagers contributed to 63.4% of the margin, my parents among them.

Its been a helleva long and bouncy ride since the day I left Little Company of Mary on Sixth Street and as the saga continues we’ll get into more retrospectives.

Vincent Thomas Bridge, San Pedro, Ca

One thing I understood early on was that my vocation would be in writing. Its safe to say there is a journalistic spirit in everything I do, whether it be poetry, lyrical stanzas or shooting photographs to pair with words.

I’ve made attempts at keeping journal blogs before and had near success with one, until discovering that the Ad Sense was suspended because Google deemed my content rewritten or uninformative. One might imagine how after a year of believing you’re getting somewhere only to see it go to shit could kill ones motivation to continue (for a moment.)

I tried to raise another blogspot calling it LIFE WITH SHORT only for some reason I couldn’t find a rhythm. I do feel comfortable here recording my saga through the rabbit hole, where my only aim is to live well enough to write about it and write well enough to live on it. By showcasing my work I’d hope to inspire and gain some support.

On the Highway

I’m currently in Phoenix, Arizona. For more of my work click a link below
Wanna earn money as a writer on Medium? Play SimCity
By: James Crawford
Tags: Writing, Simcity, Writers On Medium, Long Term Thinking, Long Term

Wanna earn money as a writer on Medium? Play SimCity

Photo by ben o'bro on Unsplash

One of the things that SimCity and other Real-Time Strategy games teach you is to invest in the long term. You don’t simply plot one unit of a residential area to instantly be handed a million simoleons.

Earning money takes a long time. Not only do you start with laying down roads and eventual residential, commercial, and industrial areas. There’s much more to do. Hospitals, fire, police, taxes, utilities are just a few things you’ll need to invest in. Also, the constant concern of plummeting into negative funds is usually somewhere in the background of your mind. Keeping said negative funds long enough will lead to a possible foreclosure of your city.

However, this can all be avoided if you take your time and play the game with the long-term result of having a metropolis in mind. With consistent spending and keeping the interests of you Sims at heart, this goal can be accomplished.

Playing the long-term game is how you thrive on Medium as well. Honestly, this is the same for any social platform or content repository. Whether it is writing articles on Medium, uploading videos to YouTube, posting about your brand on Instagram, or even live streaming on Twitch. You start with nothing but as long as you keep dishing out content consistently, being yourself without completely giving in to the algorithmic overlords then you will eventually thrive.

It might be next month, year, or even a possible decade later but you will find your plot of land and craft out your metropolis from nothing.
How This Writer Likes Explaining Scriptures in Scientific Language
By: Kimberley Payne
Tags: Writing Tips, Scientific Language, Scripture, Writers On Medium, Writers On Writing

When did you join Medium? What influenced your decision to join?

3 months ago. I have a passion for writing and joining Medium is one of the ways of maximizing my passion.

When did you join Koinonia? What attracted you to this publication?

A month ago, it’s the first platform I found that allowed me a chance to spread the Gospel and reveal the truth hidden in the covers of the scriptures.

How long have you been writing and how did you come to it?

I have been writing for 4 years, it’s a talent that I learnt to discover.

Who are some of the people who most influenced your decision to write?

Bishop David Oyedepo, Pastor Chris Oyakhilome, Dr. Myles Munroe and Prophet Uebert Angel among others.

Where do you get your ideas? What inspires you?

I get my ideas from a place of prayer. The Holy Spirit is my all time inspiration.

What do you like most / least about writing?

What I like the most about writing is that I get to learn a lot from what I write before the second person could read what I’ve to offer. What I like the least about writing is that it has made me a full time researcher, which is not a bad thing but it’s like I’m ever wanting to get a story from people that surround me which I pretty much try to avoid.

How do you balance professional time with personal time?

It was a challenge that I turned into a joy. I love what I do and I understood that doing best from what I do is as a result of having quality personal time with myself, so I trained myself to harness the energy from personal time first before exerting anything on my profession.

What Medium publications/writers are you currently following?

Apart from Koinonia, I follow Illumination and The Ascent.

What are some of your favorite things? What makes you unique?

I love things that don’t make sense to most people, like explaining scriptures in scientific language. That makes me unique, taking scriptures for what they are and not bending them to mean what I want.

How is your faith reflected in your writing?

That depends on who is reading my writings, but there is no atom of unfaithfulness that can be found in my writings.

What are some things you learned from your own writing? From others?

I’ve learnt a lot from my own writings, things like I should not be in competition with others, if I’m ever to be in a competition then that competition should be against me.

And from others, I’ve learnt to keep my style of writing and focus on it so that it can become as a brand for people’s admiration.

What is your ultimate writing goal?

To bless even the least of them readers even in my small pieces.

What advice do you have for a newbie on Medium?

You don’t become a pro writer by writing more, but you become a pro writer by managing the little that you write. Desire to write more but most importantly desire to manage your own brand of writing.

Where else can we find you on the Internet? Do you have a website, blog, Pinterest board, etc?

www.facebook.com/anthonionsamba
How to Determine What Topics Your Story Was Recommended In
By: Devin Arrigo
Tags: Writing, Writing Tips, Writers On Medium, Writers On Writing, Writing Life

If you’re anything like me, Medium’s recent updates have left you searching for more. More insights, more data, and a better way to understand the impact of your writing.

According to the new curation guidelines, the changes are intended to “place a greater emphasis on the connections between readers and writers” and free creators to focus on “doing their best work for themselves and their audience.”

Luckily, Medium is still curating and promoting posts within the platform. However, there is no longer a way to view what topics a story was promoted or curated in on the Stats page directly.

After some digging, I discovered that there is still a way to determine what topics your story was distributed into. It takes a few minutes to do so, but if you want the data, or are just curious, here’s how you can determine the topics your story was distributed in.
I wish.
By: Abha Singh
Tags: Serendipity, Philosophy, Life Lessons, Writers On Medium, Life

“Sometimes things become possible if we want them bad enough.” - T.S. Eliot

I feel.

I wish my felicity would consume my affliction, show me the beauteous part of asperity and help me oppugn through all odds. Good lord, what i seek for is puissance.

Abha
Don’t Give Me That Excuse: “I Don’t Know What to Write”
By: Anthony Dezenzio
Tags: Writing Tips, How To, Writers On Medium, Writers On Writing, Writers Block

A topic that repeatedly comes up during discussions is how most writers are capable to write hundreds of articles when others find it challenging to write just one article.

What most individuals don’t realize is that a goldmine of information is at their fingertips. I’m talking about the internet. It’s a place where information on any topic can be found. And the best part of it all is that most of the work has already been done for you.

Today, more than ever before, the internet has become the major source for new content. With that also comes the problem that with so much new content uploaded each day, someone most likely has already covered on the subject that you want to write about. However, all is not lost. Your job is to do more research on that subject and improve upon it in your own words. You should never plagiarize someone else’s work.

The following are a few examples that could help you improve upon similar content:

Look the article over and see what it is trying to tell you

Take down notes of what you think might contribute to the article

Compare your notes with the article and see what areas have not been covered

These are just three examples to follow to help get your creative juices to flow. It’s always easier to write about a topic you have some knowledge of or are interested in. However, that being said, that’s not always possible.

So, where do you go to find the information on that topic? You can start by using the online search engines, it’s still the easiest way to navigate the internet.

Here are the top 5 search engines:

Google

Bing

Yahoo

Ask

Yandex

Besides search engines, there are lots of other informative resources such as article directories. These directories can provide you with an unlimited amount of ideas on hundreds of topics. Once you come up with some interesting topics, do a search of what has been already covered.

Discussion groups provide another wealth of information and ideas on any topic.

There’s no need to create one thousand word articles. An article containing five hundred words or fewer that is well written and informative is all you need to make your point. The important thing to remember is that you want content that is useful to the reader.

Here are five of the best forums where you can find information and ask questions. These forums allow you to find topics and also ask questions.

Reddit

Quora

Stack Overflow

GamesSpot

Final Thoughts

Also, don’t forget to browse the daily news websites for daily updates. Staying on top of the latest updates can help you with more topics to write about.

Once you have found a topic you want to write about, reflect upon what you want your article to accomplish. What do you want to let the reader know? Once you have answered these questions, you’ll be creating articles that people want to read in no time.
You are an angel for alerting all of us.
By: Jennifer Rose
Tags: Support, Writers On Medium

You are an angel for alerting all of us. You solidify why I am going to continue to support the writers here and pay for the access that I have to medium. Make your money!!
Homecoming.
By: Abha Singh
Tags: Poetry, Writers On Medium, Poem, Indian Army, Literature

“This will remain the land of the free so long as it is the home of the brave.” -Elmer Davis

Source: HT Media

Being with a special someone instills a feeling of pride and joy in you, especially when they are part of the forces. The life you lead is in itself a beautiful journey. Wrote this for a special someone.

Homecoming

A mere thought of you gives me a chill down the spine,

Your aura my beloved is that divine.

Those gleamy eyes are like a dream,

I wish these shine brighter than a moonbeam.

Your strong and stalwart touch is the source to plenary delectation,

May you shine and fill the world with your passion.

Intrepidity and fidelity are your uniform,

It’s the nation you take pride in and conform.

The hefty sound of those combat boots when you return is felicity,

Now that you’ve come, the world seems to be zesty.

Abha
A year much appreciated.
By: Abha Singh
Tags: Poetry, Life Lessons, Writers On Medium, Nomad, Poem

“Long is the way and hard, that out of Hell leads up to light.” - John Milton

There are times that teach you to appreciate the little details of life. Generally those times come when you’ve had the hardest of times.

A year much appreciated.

It started with a giggle, like that of an innocent neonate,

It begun with serendipity, like new supple leaves find their way to the lifeless branches of trees just after fall, bidding goodbyes to autumn.

The warmth of people, placidity of nature subtleness of time, the year embraced it all.

How did it stay a forgotten fact, rosy times aren’t eternal. The sound of convulsive roaring winds could be heard, the obstreperous surroundings invoking hysteria.

Little that was known, there was a timid her oblivious of the travesty, consumed up in making world an outclass place for people to live. Filling the void that scars had left in a dear ones heart.

The storm swept away the felicity, leaving behind a languid pulverised soul.

But somewhere the meek fatalist knew, it would end well. She gathered her shattered self and decided to resurrect.

Like a beautiful dawn after a stormy night, she rose and enclasped life once again.

A new roseate future awaited as she revived back to life.

She opened those dreamy eyes with a dulcet smile and walked like there’s no stopping, With a fantasy to rise and fly and get hold of her dreams.

It was the last day of the tumultuous year.

Brimming with passion and extraordinary zeal to redeem her aim she looked towards the new life and a new year to begin with.

The belief it would be joyous and full of life

an approbation from her, steered her close to life.

And the story begins again.

Abha
Not a feminist.
By: Abha Singh
Tags: Writer, Poetry, Poet, Writers On Medium, Literature

“There is a stubbornness about me that never can bear to be frightened at the will of others. My courage always rises at every attempt to intimidate me.”

― Jane Austen ( Pride and Prejudice)

I had a sociology lecture and the ongoing topic was status of women in the Indian society. It’s very unfortunate to see women in such condition in a society that also worhsips women in the form of shakti. A very strong thought came up while studying about different facets of the topic.

Essence of Life.

From the shining hues, emanated an aura

Yes there she was in all her glory.

Mother Nature bestowed upon her all the serendipity, yet she’s vulnerable

She’s gracile like a daughter, genial like a wife and nurturing like a mother.

All the fortune flows from her smile, she looks at with an awe

Engulfed by the pernicious customs, that pure smile tardily evanesced.

Misogyny it is or the very essence of manhood, the little life sinks

The very existence of the shrimpy man would be imperilled.

Supernal baby came as a benediction to bless the mankind,

Immaculately disseminating fortuitousness.

Like a drop of rain in the desert,

But then he is the man, peremptorily vanquishing the epitome of life.

The little he knows, she’s the source of eternal puissance and audaciousness

Picayunish creature would also come to an end if the flare dies,

And there would prevail somberness.

Abha
A Soul very familiar.
By: Abha Singh
Tags: Poetry, Writers On Medium, Nomad, Poem, Literature

“Soul connections are not often found and are worth every bit of fight left in you to keep.” -Shannon Alder

Isn’t it rare, when you meet people you connect with? Little do you now, a total stranger can turn into your soul person in no time. The same happened with me. I met this person quite a long time back. Today, he’s the person i can confide in, whether a high or a low.

A Soul very familiar

Out of the blue appeared those gleamy impeccable eyes, curious , with a twinge seeking affection and passion,

With a tardy yet benevolent smile, he stole her soul.

Awestruck, she looked at him finding herself lost in those deep eyes waiting to consume her,

His touch like a fallen feather aroused her deepest desires, she knew she had fallen but bridled.

They gazed at each other, forlorn of hope,

Their nimble fingers entwined with each other invoked bodily pleasure.

She felt the love emanating from his passionate kiss, craving for more

Wanting the moment to never end, they hugged goodbyes waiting to meet next.

As she walked, she covet for him to turn back and kiss him. But he walked and hiatus prevailed.

Abha
Abode of love.
By: Abha Singh
Tags: Writers On Medium, Intimacy, Poetry On Medium, Love, Literature

“Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that.” - Martin Luther King Jr

Abode of Love.

And there i am heading towards gratification, abode of pleasure and contentment i see in you.

You’re sensuous, you’re voluptuous, you’re the world to me.

You complete me, with you felicity entwines me.

You’re my puissance, a source of invigoration.

Deep down, you possess me. Every bit of serenity and tranquility flows within you.

That fortifies me and there i say i’m taken.

Abha
How to write for Reimagine
By: Niketa Reed
Tags: Writing Opportunities, Arkansas, Community Engagement, Writers On Medium

Get paid to write thought-provoking articles, personal essays and other content based on the topics offered from our “constellation kits.”

Photo by: Aiman (Adobe)

Our editors are looking for contributors to the publication who can offer authentic stories, articles and other content based on topics found in the Reimagine Arkansas constellation kits.

If your story idea is accepted, we will pay for original content only. Submitted content should be between 600–3,000 or so words.

Sample story topics include:

— Various personal experiences or reflections

— Impact of COVID-19 on essential workers in your community

— How overlooked businesses have survived and/or thrived in the pandemic

— Goodwill, charity and acts of kindness

— Inspirational accounts of Arkansans persevering

— Stories featuring rural Arkansas communities in the pandemic

— Ways we can make a difference or help others in need

And here is a list of upcoming articles and submissions to get a good understanding of what we’re looking to publish:

The Forgotten Essential Worker: Mental Healthcare Providers for Minority Communities

Black-owned businesses adapt in the pandemic

Saving the arts world | Impact of pandemic on visual, performance artists and more

Service sector and domestic workers impacted by the pandemic

*Pay rates for accepted submissions are as follows:

Personal essays, first-person accounts, op-eds: $100 — $200

Feature stories and articles: $150 — $250

Profiles and interviews: $100 — $200

Videos (2–3 minute minimum): $250 — $500

*Pay rates vary due to word length and writing/content creation experience. This pay scale applies after receipt and acceptance of FULL content submissions.

If you have a Medium publication account, please apply to be a contributor using the form below. If you do not have a Medium account, please send your story pitch through this form.
Freelance Writers, These 2 Sentences Make No Sense in Your Sales Copy
By: Erin Singh
Tags: Writing Tips, Marketing, Freelancers, Writers On Medium, Business

Freelance Writers, These 2 Sentences Make No Sense in Your Sales Copy

Photo by Jelleke Vanooteghem on Unsplash

I follow and subscribe to other freelance writers who have been working in this industry longer than me.

But when it’s time for these more experienced freelance writers to promote their online writing course in an e-newsletter; there are two sentences they include in their sales copy which make no sense to me.

“I wanted to be a writer.”

AND

“I almost gave up on my writing.”

Here is why.

You are already a writer and you’ll never give up writing — until it’s time for your body to move on from this Earthly plane — because you do it every day.

You send an unpaid text to a friend. You share social media updates on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, Twitter, or LinkedIn.

You write emails when you pitch to magazine editors.

You write in your journal.

Or you use speech technology to get your words out there for people to read your written content.

So instead of saying in your sales copy “I wanted to be a writer” or “I almost gave up on my writing,” you could write:

I wanted to become a well paid [X] and [X] writer earning [$] per annum after tax.

Or

I almost gave up on becoming a well paid [X] writer earning $[x] per annum after tax.

Replace the “X” with copy, feature or creative et cetera. And include the dollar amount next to the $.

This is a simple fix any freelance writer can do to improve their sales copy.
5 Flaws on Medium For Android That I Noticed
By: Gal Mux
Tags: Writers On Medium, Android App Development, Ｍedium, Android, Android Apps

Photo by saulhm on Pixabay

That I hope will get fixed.

Feedback is very important I believe. Particularly on new innovations and products. It is never possible to achieve perfection or to please everyone, but I believe products should be made to be the best they could ever be for the maximum benefit of their consumers.

In addition, I believe they should always be room for improvement in every situation and an open space for giving constructive criticisms and suggestions.

It is not a lie that Medium for Android has not been fully optimised yet. Which is kinda sad because Android attracts more users than its competitor and because mobile devices are the primary methods in which the majority of the global population accesses the internet in 2020.

Here are some flaws I noticed on Medium for Android. I point them out not to criticise but in the hope that they could get fixed.

Claps

When you clap for a story then accidentally press the save icon that is adjacent to the clap icon, the claps disappear. You have to begin clapping for that story again from the beginning.

Remedy : Any accidental action should not erase my claps. Let my claps remain even after such an action.

Edits

When you edit your topic a number of times, and publish your story, the new edits do not get published even though it might appear so from your end. Also when you edit your story after publishing, particularly the heading, the new changes do not reflect sometimes.

Remedy : One should be able to publish all new edits in a title at all times.

Notifications

The green notifications indicator does not disappear immediately after you view your new notifications. So even after viewing it still makes you think for some few instances and minutes that you have new notifications even when you don’t.

Remedy : It would be nice if it would disappear immediately after viewing my notifications.

Following

When you follow very many people at the same time, the number of the people you follow does not increase immediately after you follow them. Sometimes these new follows do not even reflect at all! Following people in general on Medium for Android is problematic. I have to click on the follow button several times before the App recognises it and the following turns green.

Remedy: Let the number of people I follow reflect immediately after I have followed them. And fix following on Medium in general.

Highlights notifications

When a reader highlights your story more than once, you get notified that ‘xyz and 3 others highlighted your story' when it was only one person that did it four times!

If a different reader highlights your story, you get notified that ‘xyz and 4 others highlighted your story' when it’s only two readers that have done so at this point.

Remedy : Let the notification be the number of times one reader highlighted my story. Eg ‘xyz highlighted your story four times.’
Write For Us
By: Gal Mux
Tags: Writing, Favourite Things, Writer, Writers On Medium

Photo by RetroSupply on Unsplash

Would you like to share with the world a list of your favourite things? And hopefully, bring a smile to your face as you remember and list them and to the face of the readers too as they read them?

Consider writing for us.

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Submissions may be essays, poems, drawings, comic, bullet points, lists, images etc.

They may be long or short or may contain emoji or told in any way that best helps to make the story your own.

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Here is a list of my favourite things...

Here is why I created the publication..
How to Approach a Medium Writer and Don’t Offend in the Process
By: J.E. Guzman
Tags: Writing, Approach, Writers On Medium, Networking, Manipulation

WRITING

How to Approach a Medium Writer and Don’t Offend in the Process

Photo by Emile Perron on Unsplash

You are about to leave a private note, send a message, or interact with a writer here in Medium. Please show respect.

How do you show respect?

You have to show that you mean what you say. You have to transmit that you dedicated a reasonable amount of time and effort to write your message. You need to show that you know what you are talking about, and more vital that you care about what the other person cares about.

Please, I beg you, do not use a template message that fits anyone.

That is such a disrespectful and evil act. Your message tries to appeal to what is essential for the other person, but you really don’t care. At that moment, you are playing with feelings. That is horrible, and I am sure you are not a horrible person, my dear.

How did I come to think about this issue?

Last week, I read the article “What Happens When You Actually DM a ‘DM to Collab’ Instagram Scammer” by Zulie Rane, where she tells with utmost details and patience how she dealt with spam brands that were reaching her.

I feel empathy when she says she felt flattered and thought she did it, to feel then embarrassed at the realization these people were playing with her dreams and feelings.

Some days ago, I received the next message:

Screenshot of my Private Notes

I might be exaggerating or might be too sensitive, but the first four letters are offensive. Why? Because it is a lie.

At first, I felt happy. Someone read my first post and loved it!

Then I thought, let see what does this person loved about my writing. Nothing.

It is clearly a message redacted to copy and paste here and there and everywhere. Engineered to make the writer feel happy and propel him to do what you want with the emotion as gas. Cheap evil manipulation.

After the previous drama, maybe the guy who sent me the message is right in a pragmatic way in the context of his goals. Maybe after one hundred copy and paste, he gets 70 persons to do what he wants, making his platform grow and eventually increase his revenue.

With more dollars in the bank account, then, who cares about sensitive people?
Giving Claps
By: Mary Keating
Tags: Writers On Medium, Medium Clapping, Roz Warren, Essay, Clapping

What’s your philosophy?

https://unsplash.com/@markusspiske

After reading Roz Warren’s article about claps, I began to see claps in a different way. What are they really?

Are they my judgement about a piece? How pompous is that?

Maybe my way of saying how much I liked the piece?

A way for telling the writer, hey I read your story?

Or, I get how it is to be writing in a void. Here’s a little liferaft of encouragement?

As a fellow poet and micro fiction writer, I’m going to hold the clap icon in solidarity and maybe change the pennies you now earn back into dollars.

I’m giving 50 to mostly everyone I read to say:

Thank you. I wanted you to know you’re not alone. I stopped by and gave you a hug. Keep on writing.
4 Reasons Why I Follow Many People On Medium
By: Gal Mux
Tags: Followers, Followership, Following, Writers On Medium, Ｍedium

I follow 2.6K writers on Medium so far. I hope to increase it to 10K with time.

I know in this era, it is ‘cooler' to have more followers than those you follow, but I am not into coolness. I am into purpose.

Here’s why I follow so many profiles on Medium.

Diversity

Because I want to have access to a wide range of stories, from many different people and from many different perspectives.

Some writers will write about why they like being single while others will tell you why being in a relationship is the best thing ever. I enjoy all these different viewpoints. It’s like listening to a debate, picking points from both sides then deciding and borrowing what works best for you.

Follow Backs

I follow many profiles in the hope that they too will follow me back. We all want our stories to be read by and to reach the biggest audiences right?

The more followers you have, the better the chances are for your story to be read in huge numbers. I hope to grow my 327 followers to 1000 followers by the end of the year.

Love For Followers

Because people love followers. I know how excited I feel when I get a notification about a new follower. I imagine that is how others might be feeling too. Follow for follow is my philosophy. If you follow me, I must follow you back.

For Inspiration

Reading other writers' stories and topics inspires my own topics or stories.

After reading an article about why a writer preferred reading hard copy books, I was inspired to write an article on why I prefer to read ebooks sometimes.

After reading poetry on Medium, I was inspired to start sharing poetry pieces myself.
How This Writer Learned That Writing Is a Lifelong Pursuit
By: Kimberley Payne
Tags: Writing, Writing Tips, Consistency, Writers On Medium, Writers On Writing

When did you join Medium? What influenced your decision to join?

2018. I enjoyed the platform.

When did you join Koinonia? What attracted you to this publication?

A couple of months ago. It’s a great platform.

How long have you been writing and how did you come to it?

I have been writing for 8 years. I started writing when I conceptualized an idea for a novel.

Who are some of the people who most influenced your decision to write?

Jesus. My therapist Michelle. My sister Christina.

Where do you get your ideas? What inspires you?

I get my ideas from Everywhere. Thoughts. Songs. Books. Out of thin air. The Holy Spirit.

What do you like most / least about writing?

I like to help others through my words. I don’t like that writing takes years to hone your skills.

How do you balance professional time with personal time?

Currently, writing fits in with my personal time. I try to take time each week to develop new ideas and work on my craft.

Personal photo of Michael Christopher

What Medium publications/writers are you currently following?

Invisible illness. The inspired writer. Nicolas Cole.

What are some of your favorite things? What makes you unique?

Guitar. Skateboarding. Going for walks.

How is your faith reflected in your writing?

I write to inspire and I aim to uplift.

What are some things you learned from your own writing? From others?

I learned that writing is a lifelong pursuit. I’ve learned this is in both my writing, and the writing of others.

What is your ultimate writing goal?

My aim is to reach others who are struggling in life and give them the tools to lift them higher. And to give glory to Jesus Christ. King of Kings.

What advice do you have for a newbie on Medium?

Be consistent and keep at it. Little by little. Don’t give up!

Where else can we find you on the Internet? Do you have a website, blog, Pinterest board, etc?

www.epiphanyartistry.com
It’s been a week of feeling lucky, dodging dangerous algorithms, and almost-real-life zombies.
By: Alexander M. Combstrong
Tags: Writing, Self Improvement, Writers On Medium, Internet, Psychology

I’ve read a lot of good, useful writing on Medium this week. Hopefully I’ve written some too.

My favourite piece of the week was on Better Humans, one of my favourite publications to read and write for. Written by Jared A. Brock, it’s about taking back your life from the internet and its algorithms and it’s a must-read. It’s here.

May Pang brings an old parable back to life with excellent advice on how not to feel unlucky here.

Advice on how to do self-help better comes from therapist Dr. Marina Harris on my own publication Happy Brain Club here.

This week I’ve written about my experiences of raising $2 million using just psychology, the endearing traits of Princess Diana, and based on the current pandemic, what would really happen… if it was zombies.

Finally, for writers, my favourite writing tips came from Nadia Rawls in a hugely useful piece on headlines, here.

Looking forward to next week on Medium!
It appears that one of this platform’s most successful cash cows is also one its most ageist.
By: Sherry Mcguinn
Tags: Success On Medium, Rant, Life Lessons, Ageism, Writers On Medium

It appears that one of this platform’s most successful cash cows is also one its most ageist. Now, I despise any “ism,” but as you guys know, ageism sticks in my craw because I’ve been the victim of it time and again. And I’m not alone.

“Over 50? You’re done. Over 60? Well, let’s pull the dirt over you and call it a day.”

What an ignorant mindset! And to see this in a writer who is making bank by sucking others into his web of “expert” advice and courses and formulas for this and that is disappointing and infuriating.

I stopped following this individual months ago but my buddy Terry L. Cooper alerted me to the offending piece (related to success here) and this line:

“If you’re old and lazy, you’ll likely continue being old and lazy unless you have some divine turning point in your life.”

What a travesty.
On Writing
By: Ankita Das
Tags: Writers Life, Writers On Medium, Love, Writing Prompts, Thoughts On Writing

On Writing

It’s been days and it’s not like I haven’t thought about it.

Like lovesick people waiting to be in each other’s warm embrace after a prolonged period of time

The very idea of returning to the warmth of holding the pen and scribbling through the varied landscape of a thousand thoughts is no less than a love affair. Often preoccupied by a stinging pain of having lost something dear , I have found myself on the verge of hysteria on being so away from doing what I love to do the most.

And now as I am writing this, I feel I had never been distant on the first place. That the bitter-sweet pain of separation was only an exaggeration, a concocted notion about the idea of love and how it is supposed to make you feel. Now I know that love , the kind that I have felt is wholesome , intertwined into a beautiful and rare tapestry that binds us together and distance plays no role in this.

#shabdonkeshaukeen ✨
An Efft-Up Love Story
By: Faren M
Tags: Writer, Writers On Medium, Love, Ｍedium, Romance

Steph’s wearing a black denim, a black t-shirt and brown sneakers. Alison can’t keep her eyes off him! His beard is trimmed perfectly and his hair is wet and spiky. His cologne scent lingers far enough for Alison to be drawn to him, and maybe some other girls too. But his eyes are fixed on her only. Alison is wearing a tight-fit mustard dress with a black heel and a black clutch bag. Her hair is tied in a high ponytail.

They arrive at the cosy Indian restaurant Lisa referred them to. Before they enter the restaurant, Steph stops and takes out his phone. ‘A selfie with the gorgeous lady…’ Alison leans in under his left arm, puts her hand on his chest and smiles.

The unofficial couple are welcomed by a friendly waiter. ‘Table for two?’ ‘Yes,’ Steph answers. Steph orders a bottle of wine. ‘I’m glad that you’re not mad at me anymore,’ Alison says carefully. Steph places his elbows on the table, rubs his hands together in a prayer position, then place one hand in the other in a fist position. He looks at Alison and blows into his hands. ‘Listen,’ he starts saying. ‘I don’t like that man. It’s no secret. After what he has done, not only to me but also to you, I really don’t want to hear his name, especially not from your sweet mouth,’ he says and smiles and continues,’ But I over-reacted. He takes Alison’s hand and gently rubs it. ‘You really are a Stephan,’ the thought comes up, but she erases it quickly. ‘I’ll try my best to avoid that from happening again,’ she says.

They order some of the best curries on the menu. Steph loves spicy food so he’s going all out! They order more wine. Alison is way past tipsy by the time they’re done eating. She insists to pay the bill, this time Steph does not allow her to. ‘But it’s my treat.’ ‘And I’m the man here. I pay,’ he says sternly. ‘Okay you’re growing some balls, I like,’ she thinks again.

Steph opens the car door for Alison, like a real gentleman. They drive off and the g-force when he accelerates awakens her adrenaline, which she then transfers into her evolving like in him. The rush arouses her; the wine most certainly plays a part also. She looks at Steph. And suddenly she feels content. She’s happy.
No matter where you write — on Medium or elsewhere — put the following article on your required…
By: Rocco Pendola
Tags: Writing, Writing Tips, Freelance Writing, Writers On Medium, Writers On Writing

No matter where you write — on Medium or elsewhere — put the following article on your required reading list. In fact, keep the larger Medium Creators Hub as an open tab you refresh multiple times per day.

It reminds me of a program I conceived and wrote a significant bit of content for when I was full-time at financial media platform, Seeking Alpha. The Seeking Alpha Author Experience. Except the Creators Hub is better.

Sloane Miller and crew crush it with this post on grammar mistakes. Focusing on what seems like minutia to others can help set you apart as a writer. (Feeling the spirit of this article, I double-checked “a part” versus “apart” :-).