fabiochiu/medium-articles huggingface dataset:
What is Medium? -My Understanding.
By: Johnson Sigamala
Tags: How To Start Blogging, How To Write, Médium, How To Make Money, Ｍedium

MEDIUM.COM

Medium is the American online Article publishing Platform developed by Evan William (co-founder of Twitter). Medium is now 8 yrs. old and has grown from a 60 million reader base to 170 million till today.

A medium is a place on the internet where people share ideas and stories that are longer than 140 characters. It also helps to find the right audience for whatever we want to say and designing little stories.

Medium has raised about 132 million dollars in venture funding and it’s still not profitable. It doesn’t even use banner Ads as it’s revenue model.

GOAL

The main goal of the medium is to reduce the time spent on reading articles.

How to use Medium:

The medium can be used as a free platform that allows everyone to sign up and publish their stories and blogs. It also allows saving the stories for the future or offline reading.

Creating a Medium Account:

> Visit www.Medium.com

> Click on the “GET STARTED” button on the top right side.

> It shows a pop up with the signup options to join Medium.

> Use any of the options to sign up.

>It will create your account and redirects you to the homepage of Medium.

10 Reasons to use Medium:

1. We can import our whole blog directly into Medium by just giving the link from anywhere on the internet.

2. Audience already exists here. (There is no need of sending friend requests, building connections we can directly reach them)

3. Gives you the real Engagement (people who are really excited about your content).

4. Medium offers new reach and a fresh audience daily.

5. The Publishers who are already available can “Hire” and publish our articles.

6. There is no option of scheduling a post to avoid spamming

7. You can redirect your audience wherever you want.

8. Requires Minimum effort.

9. Your articles are Monetised.

10.Medium supports all content types of articles for publishing.
Why Typing Feels Weird
By: Jasmine Nicole
Tags: Ｍedium, Mindfulness, Journaling

I found Medium through a friend who posted about it on twitter. I really liked the idea of writing and reading about meaningful things, so I signed up. I was going to write something more profound but I stopped, erased it all, and started writing this. Typing is weird. Since I was in Kindergarten, I’ve had journals, after journals, after journals, but never typed any of them. I still have all of those journals in the top of my closet in a giant box that has fallen on my head while trying to take it down a few too many times. Those journals have been with me through foster care, my mother’s passing, my adoption, middle school, and high school. Some of those journals are empty, merely because I deem them too beautiful or expensive to write in them. So the beautiful things I want to write in those beautiful journals will go here. Maybe I will start scrapbooking and make those journals scrapbooks, printing and decorating them with flowers, photos, and print-outs of my writing. Right now, I’ll just take things day by day. Typing still feels weird.

Xoxo,

Jasmine Nicole
Workflows Curated: Sign-up with Email on Medium
By: Workflows Curated
Tags: Ｍedium, UX, UI

Sign-up with Email

Medium is an online publishing platform developed by Evan Williams and launched in August 2012. The platform is an example of social journalism, having a hybrid collection of amateur and professional people and publications, or exclusive blogs or publishers on Medium, and is regularly regarded as a blog host.

Sign in with Facebook

Sign in with Email

Sign up with Google

Sign up with Facebook

Sign in with Twitter

Sign in with Google

Landing Page

Are you a designer or developer trying to develop an app similar to Medium?

Learn how the details of their UX design by observing their workflows.

We’ve documented the Medium workflow on https://www.workflowscurated.com/websites/medium
Medium now offers shortform publishing. Back in October of 2020, in an effort to publish more content and experiment with Medium, I decided to conduct a “Short Article Experiment.” And now it appears…
By: Aaron Schnoor
Tags: Social Media, Writers On Writing, Writer, Ｍedium, Writing

Medium now offers shortform publishing.

Back in October of 2020, in an effort to publish more content and experiment with Medium, I decided to conduct a “Short Article Experiment.” And now it appears that Medium is following suit. With the new shortform feature, writers can publish articles that take only a minute to read. Those articles have the opportunity to be curated by Medium staff — which, as any Medium writer knows, is crucial in garnering views and earning money.

Here’s a great article by Michelle Legro that explains publishing in shortform:
BEST LIFE QUOTES
By: Sri Ram
Tags: Blog, Quotes, Inspiration, Ｍedium, Motivation

WELCOME TO MOTIVE FORCE

TOP 5 BEST LIFE QUOTES FROM MOTIVEFORCE ARE WAITING FOR YOU.THESE QUOTES ARE WRITTEN BY MOTIVEFORCE WITH MUCH INTEREST AND INVOLVEMENT AND NOT COPIED FROM ANY OTHER SOURCE.

READER’S ARE ASKED TO USE OUR QUOTES TO MOTIVATE THEMSELVES IN HARDEST PART OF THE LIFE.

https://motive4s.blogspot.com/2020/12/best-life-quotes.html

TO SUPPORT OUR PAGE PLEASE LEAVE YOUR COMMENTS IN THE COMMENT SECTION.
The Medium feature that displays an editor’s name at the bottom of a story if the editor exchanged private notes with the writer before publishing needs to be tweaked in my humble opinion. For…
By: Walker Sweet
Tags: Notes, Writing Tips, Ｍedium, Writing, Short Form

The Medium feature that displays an editor’s name at the bottom of a story if the editor exchanged private notes with the writer before publishing needs to be tweaked in my humble opinion. For instance, my first story was rejected by an editor of another publication. She rejected it via a private note on the story. I replied back, thanking her for her response. The next day, before submitting to Illumination, I removed the private note from the story.

Her name still appeared at the bottom of the story.

Image created by Walker Sweet

To summarize, Medium added a line at the bottom of my published story giving thanks to an editor of a different publication, all because we exchanged simple private notes associated with the story.

There is an option to hide it (as shown in the image above) but, Medium, please hide this line unless the writer chooses to add it.
Hi, Maria
By: S M Mamunur Rahman
Tags: Ｍedium, Writing, Publication

Hi, Maria

We’ve added you as a writer.

Please follow the guidelines while submitting your best unpublished-drafts.

Thank You and Welcome to The Masterpiece.
Medium Exclusive!
By: J. Lee Graves
Tags: Self Improvement, Parody, Humor, Sarcasm, Ｍedium

2 Things Everyone Should Know

Wisdom is hard to find these days. I find it difficult to discover inspirational quotes and comments on social media, a void of depression. While spending hours on social media decreases work productivity (*citation needed) the distraction of kitten videos and (possibly) real scary ghost’s caught on camera are the best you can get these days.

This has driven me to action and I have discovered there are 2 Things Everyone Should Know!

You may think, that is impossible; only 2 things? This is click-bait! To this I say FALSE (no, it’s true)!

Without further delay; here are the 2 Things Everyone Should Know!

But first!

Do you find it frustrating when articles promise quick steps to riches, success, and popularity only to deliver a list of steps you already know, have already attempted, and have already failed at? This is NOT one of these articles (well, it might be)!

Finally, without further further delay here are the 2 Things Everyone Should Know!

— — — — —

Do not tell everything you know.

2.

— — — — —
7 things to do when you are going through your 100th existential crisis (or your first)
By: Karina Guadiana
Tags: Growing Up, Personal Growth, Life, Ｍedium, Lifestyle

Let me preface this by saying that I in no way have credentials to give actual advice on overcoming an existential crisis. The list below is just things that have helped my while I am having one and panic about life. If you are having an existential crisis or are suffering from anxiety, please seek a medical professional who can give you actual advice. I just find myself having moments of “what am I doing in life?” pretty often and these are things that have helped soothe me in those moments.

Like many, if not most, people, I am stressed, always. It has been an extremely stressful and scary year for all of us and I truly think we as a society will have some emotional scarring after this intense and horrendous year we have all had. On top of that, with this year came many changes, such as a change in future plans or questioning what the meaning of life is. And the older I get, the more I start to question what my purpose in life really is. Unfortunately, the stress of this year has only brought greater self doubt and numerous existential crisis’. And while self care is nothing new, we are limited to what we can do to take care of ourselves since many of us are still quarantined.

Below is a list of things that you can do when your mind is a racing and needs a break from feeling like there is no light at the end of the tunnel, based on things that have helped me.
Call Me Crazy. But This Might Be Why Your Stats Imploded.
By: Julia E Hubbel
Tags: Writing Tips, Illumination, Medium Stats, Ｍedium, Writing

Photo by Jan Baborák on Unsplash

Call Me Crazy. But This Might Be Why Your Stats Imploded.

This is the email I just got this morning:

You have 35 new followers on Medium, for a total of 7437.

Here is what my profile says about the number of followers I broke my back and busted my ASS for three years and nearly SEVEN THOUSAND ARTICLES:

7.4k

Seven thousand four hundred and counting is what my PROFILE says and what was paying some of my bills before Medium decided to conduct multiple disastrous surgeries on the platform this year.

So would you like to explain to stupid, silly, crazy old me what happened to ninety-five percent of the people who chose to follow me, people who joined Medium to read my shit (and YOURS)?

Medium isn’t talking. They aren’t explaining.

The cynic in me says that the mindless tinkering- or wilful, who knows- says that Medium gets to keep their annual fees, while the stats, which for so many of us, have plummeted, which means they can no longer see or read us. Which means we don’t get paid.

But Medium does.

I have lost count of how many times I’ve asked for an explanation.

Crickets.

Crickets.

Crickets.

This remarkable stat: fully ninety percent of those who read and followed my work have simply been disappeared, like dissidents in a Chilean coup.

I’d be curious, guys. Did anyone else get this, and did the light finally dawn?
4 Reasons Why People Fail in Medium
By: Sachin Mishra
Tags: Failure, Life Lessons, Learning, Ｍedium, Writing

Medium is a microblogging platform that needs no introduction, some call it thoughts sharing place, and others call it youtube for writers.

Medium is gaining popularity since 2018 when blogging started to become a full-time profession. In the favorite year of 2020, this microblogging platform, along with other social media channels, witnessed a surge in growth.

Traffic and users on these sites increased with a lot of small startups and entrepreneurs promoting on all sorts of social media sites.

A lot of people started blogging, some used it for time pass while others had a plan to make a decent passive income from it.

One such platform is Medium, Which was ideally created to pay a decent amount to writers, and in due course of time, they have succeeded in the goal, as a lot of writers have achieved a milestone in earning on this platform.

The platform has some big earners who can inspire others, but a lot of people can earn less than $100, which is not a good sign.

In my 5 Months on Medium, here are the points I have analyzed as the main reason why people are not able to earn well medium.
Why We Should to Stop Comparing Ourselves With Others — A Motivation Brief
By: Bit Rate Media
Tags: Beauty, Beautybreaks, Featured Stories, Blog, Ｍedium

Why We Should to Stop Comparing Ourselves With Others — A Motivation Brief

pinterest.com

In other’s something what we really want sometimes hit. Our life’s so difficult. We sometimes cannot be pure ourselves, and the other side we cannot be somebody else. So why then, these things will always be not enough?

“The God’s blessings are very broad, can we should be thank for this?” — the sentence we have already knew, but the implementation is a hardest to be. In the society nowadays, many of them realised how our styles actually break the common rules. A beauty. We can be anything we want without a long considerations, and without an afraidness to not be other’s ‘something’.

“We create a fashion style that we want it shown to the world. We trust this is much prettier. But when it starts, a self-doubt emerge. Think that it is much oddity, not suitable, and the other minds.”

From this case, we are actually trying to not be ourselves. We just want to follow what other’s expecting. That’s a really bad understanding. So you can imagine it, when you stop being you overall, it would be hard to get back on what’s God has given to you.

When we compare ourselves with others, so do they are, it is something sickening. We will always be not the same thing, and the comparing is always committed. Anything, anywhere.

The beauty in us, and what other’s ‘haves’ are the difference that should not be controverted. We cannot easily judging because it’s theirs. And what God created is actually an uniqueness that must be preserved.

“A one thing that reminds me of gratefulness is about an actress is enjoying her origin skin color — a tan skin for Indonesian woman, even more darker but it is something she want to thank for. She prouds of being tan, no more than tan skin that brings her the ‘influential actress’ and the most beautiful woman that breaks the common beauty rules. By her appearance and her self-confidence, she can run the world. She doesn’t care of what people said about her body size, her skin color, and what current she does.”

I saw her when the last night she got a winning-award of the best film actress. She dressed very well, and of course, unique and beautiful. And the few minutes then, a good news come within the media that tells everybody online at explores ‘She breaks the common beauty rules’. It’s quiet nice.

She enjoys being ‘something’ that others don’t really have. Noted that not every woman can do this way. Every woman born in different way, and also a different mind.

If people said, the more you whiten your skin, the more you being beautiful. And it was totally a wrong mind. I don’t even want to whiten the skin for unhealthy reason. I know what I want to be, so I close all the talks that related — and yeah, this is the right decision. I know everybody is beautiful without any exaggerated changes. Once again, a beauty is depending on us, not others.
How should I start my #Medium Journey!
By: Tracy A. Porter
Tags: Journey, Learn, Activity, Life, Ｍedium

Live with my own freedom!! There is no such a bug in life but we should take every steps ever carefully. ❤❤
My Most Viewed Medium Stories — (Updated Weekly)
Tags: Quepayal, Quepayal Blog, Ｍedium, Top Stories For You, Writing

We used to look up at the sky and wonder at our place in the stars. Now we just look down, and worry about our place in the dirt. — Interstellar
Hey Medium, can you fix this already!? Repeated stories in the feed are annoying…
By: Eric Kleppen
Tags: Short Read, Commentary, Short, Shoutout, Ｍedium

Hey Medium, can you fix this already!? Repeated stories in the feed are annoying…

Medium, I personally love the new landing page since it gives more visibility to the writers I like to read, but who wants to see repeated stories back to back? I hope you can find a way to prevent the same stories popping up multiple times in the article feed.
“Writing For Your Life” Newsletter: December 13, 2020
By: Joel Eisenberg
Tags: Writers On Medium, Newsletter, Ｍedium, Writing, Reading

Presenting a plethora of articles as we inch towards a new year …

Rod Serling in a publicity photo for “The Twilight Zone”

I have elected to lead off this week’s e-newsletter with an image of Rod Serling, as our publication’s most commented-upon article for the period was introduced with this photo.

“Why Write What You Know is the Most Harmful Piece of Writing Advice You Will Ever Receive” proved fairly controversial. Approximately 75% of our readers agreed wholeheartedly with the piece, while the other 25% were vociferous in their disapproval. You decide. I stand by my words, and the reasons are here.
My Medium Reading List is Out of Control
Tags: Digital Life, Nonfiction, Ｍedium, Writing, Reading

I currently have 855 stories saved in my Medium reading list. That feels excessive, if only because I don’t know that I’ll ever get through them all — and not because I’m not constantly reading through them — but because I keep finding great stories and adding to that list. Every. Single. Day.

And so it grows. And so it grows.

And where it stops, nobody knows.

With tongue in cheek, I say that I suppose it’s the fault of all these amazing writers who create so much amazing content—that, and the fact that there are only so many hours in a day. I read a lot every day, but I’m also writing a lot every day.

Somehow a balance must be struck.

I know that learning how to speed read is one option, but I’m not really interested in that. I read at a speed I am comfortable with. The same goes for writing. I know some writers crank out 1,500 words in an hour or less, but for me, the time it takes to write a story is the time it takes to write a story. I don’t want to rush the process and end up unhappy with my results.

I like the fact that when reading Medium on the desktop, I have the ability to search my reading list. That makes it easier to filter saved stories on any particular topic I might be interested in at any given time.

I also find it helpful that the Medium app for iOS provides three different reading list sort options: recently added, recently published, and shortest reading time. Sometimes I’ll sort by shortest reading time and knock out several stories with 3–5 minute read times.

Perhaps, this isn’t a problem begging for a solution after all, but rather an awesome treasure trove, the riches from which I may plunder whenever I want.

Okay, enough bloviating. I’ve got “It’s Me, The Rest Of The Cilantro You Bought” by Eric Lundquist at the top of my list, and it ain’t gonna read itself.

How many stories are currently saved in your Medium reading list?
My Linux Coverage Continues Here, But That’s Just The Beginning
By: Jason Evangelho
Tags: Jason Evangelho, Linux, Open Source, Ｍedium, Forbes

Writing is in my blood and I’ll never escape it. I’ve spent more than 15 years pouring words onto digital pages about technology, the music and video game industries. Once in a blue moon I even venture off-script and try my hand at inspiring others. Before the internet was a thing I scratched out lyrics, poems and short stories. I suppose my passion never fades; only the platform does.

[The short version if you don’t like verbosity: The Linux For Everyone magazine now exists, right here on Medium. And you’re welcome to submit your words about Linux to it.]

The Linux For Everyone “Helping Hands” Community Logo

I’ve been a paid contributor at Forbes since 2012 and have generated tens of millions of views for that platform. In 2018 I shifted my focus there to covering desktop Linux and open source. Countless people have shared their enthusiasm for seeing desktop Linux coverage on such a mainstream publication. Countless others have shared with me that one of my articles there convinced them to try Linux. I’ll embrace those stories and carry them with me here, rather than all the peripheral negativity.

Wait, what negative stuff? I won’t bore you with those details, because 2020 had enough sour news for a lifetime. Instead, I’ll just say I believe in platforms like Medium that reward quality writing, provide their content creators the tools and freedom to properly grow a brand, and don’t inundate readers with aggressive ads.
Why I struggle with Medium
By: Itamar Serfaty
Tags: Ｍedium, Writing, UX, Blog

For years, design articles and posts freaked me out.

The endless nature of the web flooding my feed with countless must-read medium posts on the “latest design trends” or “ best practices usability testing” left me with the sense that there is so much to know and so little time.

I felt stupid so I closed that door. If I can’t keep up to date with the latest buzz words/ design practices, I choose not to play this game. Newsletters and publishers kept knocking on my inbox/feed, and I had to ignore them with a strong sense of self resentment.

My learning path had to lean on actual work. I had to justify design reasons to myself and other stakeholders, and I humbly listened to what is the feedback b/c I don’t know it all. I was holding myself back from one of the great advantages of our time, exchanging knowledge and ideas with the design community.

Something happened.

This year cosmically changes everything about life. I had my first child this year and was lucky enough to take some significant time off to spend with my new family. For 3 full months, I didn’t think about work.

The perception of time changes when you have a little one. First, you don’t own your time anymore. Second, In that time there are hours of gazing and not doing much. That time off had another positive side effect, My mind healed. In that time off I was never stressed about work, deliverables, and what people would think about me. I never felt so calm in my life (even though countless nights of no sleep and baby-related anxiety). My brain even started to remember old moments or places in life that I can swear went blank for years.

Getting back to work was different this time. I dropped so many old habits that didn’t serve me anymore, and one of them was to block all that great content that I struggled with for so long.

I have recently restarted my Medium subscription, and gradually digesting content that I find interest in. (not just Ux related).

So Why I struggle with Medium

When looking at the Medium home page (desktop/mobile), I can’t decide what to read, and I can’t understand why those articles are suggested in that order.

The Medium home page displays content by recency and by interest. All the articles are were published a few minutes ago, and only contain content that I mentioned an interest in.

It looks like recency has more value for the user than the quality of the article. If Mark Twain was a Medium writer, I had little to no chance stumbling upon his great content. I would rather spend my coffee morning on a story worth the time.

I wonder If Medium’s decision to democratizing the stories by recency values the writer more than the reader?

What do you think?
Modern Reading Etiquette Question: If You Comment Should You Clap?
By: Tee, Weoc - Writer, Editor Of Color
Tags: Readership, Illumination, Claps On Medium, Ｍedium, Writing

Modern Reading Etiquette Question: If You Comment Should You Clap?

Photo by Siora Photography on Unsplash

I love writing- it’s now one of the first things I do when I wake up and sometimes before I go to bed.

I’m also adding reading to my daily routine. I wish I had more time, but between work and life, I don’t have that much time to read books — but I try to read at least 3 Medium pieces to learn and support my fellow writers.

My question is simple: What is the proper reading etiquette? If we comment, should we clap or vice versa? Are they both an expectation?

I can’t speak for anyone else, but I like and try to do both.

If you like an article, is it an expectation to give more than 1 clap?

I can’t lie, when I see one clap, especially on a deep, heartfelt piece I feel a little confused.

What does the 1 clap mean? Does it mean:

I read it, it didn’t move me either way.

I read it, it was, meh.

I read it, I liked it, but I didn’t know I could go beyond 1 clap.

On Medium you can clap up to 50 times — but it’s not common knowledge and I don’t think there’s a limit to how many people you can give 50 claps and I don’t think it impacts your partner payout.

When I started writing on Medium, I didn’t know you could give multiple claps — so I apologize if I 1-clapped anyone. I tried to go back and correct some, but I’m sure I missed some…

All I know is, I want to be the best reader and writer and treat my fellow writers with the respect they deserve.

However, if a piece rubs you the wrong way or you’d like to leave some less than flattering feedback — I suggest you use Medium’s private note function. It looks like a padlock when you highlight a word. That way, you can share your thoughts without embarrassing the writer.

For example, I read a great piece that had some typos. I left a private note and they made the edits. I welcome any and all respectful feedback because I know editing my own work is challenging for me.

However, understand writing is deeply personal for most people, so choose your words carefully. I saw someone put writing notes/suggestions on a social media post — I don’t think that’s a good practice. Send me a private note or DM if the writer is on social media.

Take-aways

If you read a great piece, I suggest you comment and clap. Writing can be lonely and it feels awesome to see someone take the time to give a little praise You can clap more than once on Medium. The max is 50 and there aren’t any limits to how many people you can give the maximum claps. A low number of claps are confusing without comments or a message Please send a private note or DM if you’d like to leave respectful, constructive feedback

What do you think?

Thank you for reading!
How Medium Calculates Read Time
By: Danita Hall
Tags: Writing Tips, Medium Advice, Ｍedium, Writing, Reading

How Medium Calculates Read Time

Photo by Callum Shaw on Unsplash

One of the most daunting columns on the Stats page is where you find the number of people that viewed your article and the number of people that actually read your article and your dreaded read ratio.

Looking at the read ratio can sometimes be a bit depressing because you are unsure if it’s your content that stops readers from finishing the articles, or is it your grammar that halts the reading of the articles or are you just not as interesting as you thought.

For this reason I thought I would do a study on how read time is calculated because for me the longer the article, the less likely I am to finish it or I do a sort of skim-read-skim-read tactic.

Medium calculates reading time by taking the average adult reading speed which is 265 wpm and they also take into account the photos in your story and adjust accordingly.

https://help.medium.com/hc/en-us/articles/214991667-Read-time

After seeing this, I began to wonder if the read time was accurate or could it be a bit deceptive. Perhaps readers will click on a story that says 4 minutes read time but because they read at a rate slower than 265 wpm they began to get bored and never finish the article.

AceReader is an online software that tests your reading speeds and comprehension so I decided to head on over to their website for a free reading speed test.

I liked that AceReader allows you to choose your theme, reading level, and story that you want to read so I decided to take the test 3 times for more accurate results. I chose different themes/stories but I kept the level at 13 which is post high school education.

Screenshot by Author

Screenshot by Author

Screenshot by Author

As you can see from my results I read significantly lower than what is considered an average adult reader.

So is this the same for my readers? Are they expecting an article to be a certain length but because their read time is at a slower rate they spend more time reading and thus don’t finish the articles?

There’s no way to tell because all readers will read at a different rate but for my next few pieces I will time myself reading them aloud and compare them with Medium’s Read Time for accuracy. Did you test your reading speed?

Danita Hall is a human by day and a Humor, Parenting, Lifestyle, Ranting, Poem Writing Blogger by night. Click here to read past blog posts and stay connected on Facebook and Twitter
Words are everything! Fantastic article. J.
By: Jennifer Friebely
Tags: Ｍedium, Writing, Life, Words

These 3 Phrases Make You Sound Less Confident

1K 5
Apple送免費試用Medium一個月
Tags: Subscription, Apple, Ｍedium, 訂閱, 中文

in About Me Stories
Why I Write on Medium
By: Karen Degroot Carter
Tags: Networking, Social Media, Ｍedium, Writing, Reading

Why I Write on Medium

Photo by Daria Nepriakhina on Unsplash

My first year on Medium has been an adventure. None of my Medium posts have gone viral or earned me a lot of money, but I’ve connected with nearly 1,000 other writers, published 60 stories, and had my work featured in 14 different publications. I’ve also become much more active on social media, posting links to my stories on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter every time they’re published and occasionally sharing other writers’ Medium stories that have impressed me.

My increased activity on social media has also led to more followers across the board, a plus as I strive to build my author platform for my books. A couple months ago one of my tweets led the editor of the Women Writers, Women’s Books website to ask me if I’d like to contribute an article. When I asked if she’d be interested in a post about Medium, she responded with an enthusiastic yes. A couple weeks later, my piece, “How Medium.com Has Helped Me Build My Author Platform” was published.

That post covers what I consider to be the pros and cons of Medium and includes links to my author website, karendegrootcarter.com, and cover photos as well as links to both my novel, One Sister’s Song, and my writing ebook, Not Nearly Everything You Need to Know About Writing (Vol.1). (Please note this post includes affiliate links, and I may earn a little money if you click on a link and make a purchase. Thanks!)

It also covers how much I appreciate the access Medium provides me to the work of writers from across the country and around the world, many of whom seem to appreciate reading my work. As I stated in my conclusion to that post, “Since I find such connections so rewarding, I consider the cost of Medium to be minimal compared with the return it brings me.” Though of course it would be nice if my Medium posts someday led to more income as well as more followers! I guess toward that end I’ll follow the advice I often give other writers and just keep writing.
I’m writing on Medium, To avoid the tedium, Of the nine-to-five drive, In a worker bee hive.
By: Wendy Scott
Tags: Humor, Poetry, Self, Ｍedium, Self-awareness

Photo by Clay Banks on Unsplash

I’m writing on Medium

To avoid the tedium

Of the nine-to-five drive

In a worker bee hive

I’m writing on Medium

To give me my freedium

From labor and stress

And corporate dress

I’m writing on Medium

Because I really needium

A break from my role

But not on the dole

I’m writing on Medium

For I am so greedium

For claps and good words

I need to be heard

I’m writing on Medium

I want you to heedium

The lessons I’ve learned

So you don’t get burned

I’m writing on Medium

Quite slow, not at speedium

I’m new at this game

Inexperience I’ll blame
Thanks for yet another story on Writing.
By: Mahesh Shroff
Tags: Writing Life, Writing Challenge, Writing Tips, Ｍedium, Writing

Thanks for yet another story on Writing.

But Mayank, disappointed at not getting some guidance I had sought from you in my earlier comment, even after you posted 2 new stories on same subject thereafter !

I had hoped you would have covered them in your following post(s). I guess other readers who clapped on my comment & follow you, also expect this.

Time you begin, Sir, going into specifics and nitty-gritty of the topics & ideas you deal in your stories, to better help admirers

Like mountaineering students dreaming to climb the Everest, need first to reach the base camp -no less tricky block. Wish you become that Sherpa :)
The Blessings
By: Simran Kankas
Tags: Spiritual Tree Prompt, Blessings, Spirituality, Poetry, Ｍedium

The Blessings

Photo by Illiya Vjestica on Unsplash

You have blessed me with

The insight to know your ways better

The understanding to communicate with you

There were times when

I hated my own reflection

Now I look in the mirror and see you

I had got lost along the way

My mind had been clogged with doubts

The stars guided me and walked me through

I look back and see myself

Sitting alone and looking up in the sky

You tell me every day now

I am here for you

When the world broke my heart

The mountains turned into wise souls

They taught me to be brave

They told me every day is new

You have blessed me with

The heart that feels your soul

The belief that dreams do come true

You have blessed me with

daily encounters with you

that shape my days and nights

to appreciate everything I do

You are the universe

You are within me everywhere I go

I am surrounded with you
Words…
By: Shyam Wuppuluri Frsa
Tags: Love, Compassion

In those days when we used to send SMS on black/yellow screen phones, each word we write costs us! We used to be so mindful of what we say in order to save money. With unlimited messaging services, this habit is lost!

We all should therefore be mindful of what we say. Each word is a breeze that might either push someone towards the truth or away from it forever. Irreversibly. Though we aren’t influencers or celebrities, each gesture of us, from our walking style to talking style, from our smile to pout, is constantly sending out a regularity into the cosmic narrative that stays on forever, subconsciously influencing other people around us. We are embedded in a rich sea of non-verbal and verbal check-points that quickly orient us towards it.

Words in this sense are no different from worlds!

#Reflection

My art work, on Japanese Kozo Paper.
I Was Crying in My Office Washroom
By: Dipanshu Rawal
Tags: Compassion, Self, Creativity, Self Love, Jobs

I Was Crying in My Office Washroom

I met Shikha via common friends, a few days before the incident. She’s an amazing singer and guitarist.

I was scrolling through Instagram and I saw her videos singing and playing guitar. She’s so good… really good.

I immediately shared those in DMs with a few close friends saying “how cool is she, right?”

At that moment it hit me — “Is there anyone who might be sharing my writings with this kind of excitement?” I doubted that.

I felt nauseated.

I went to the office washroom and vomited. And I cried. Maybe I had an anxiety attack. Too many things happened at once, so I don’t know.

I felt I had spent so many years and hours writing and yet I am not good enough.

I felt the pain of judgment in my body.

I consulted a therapist, and she diagnosed how I needed a lot of self-compassion at that moment. That’s when I started intentionally working on self-compassion.

I was always hard on myself, but this incident made me realize it’s not the right way to live.

We all have a choice to measure our progress with either judgment or compassion. It’s an either/or situation.

Compassion is the only antidote to judgment.

That’s why my mantra for 2021 is — “less judgment, more compassion”.
Mindful sip of tea
By: Shyam Wuppuluri Frsa
Tags: Love, Universal Compassion, Compassion

During our unmindful moments, sometimes we do take a quick sip of a bubbling hot tea and immediately realise how hot it is. In order to quickly save our mouth from burning, we – pass the buck and – quickly gulp the tea thereby burning our throat and oesophagus and we suffer equally. When we are engrossed in our “mouth” mode we often forget that we are very much our “throat” and “oesophagus” too!

Similarly due to our unmindfulness, we do transfer our immense suffering (manifested as hatred, anger and so on) onto others thinking that we have saved ourselves (or that we have vented it out/unloaded our burden). But when we realise how interconnected we all are, and it is because of you, I exist, and because of me, them, we realise the suffering still exists. We suffer from hurting others though we thought we have passed the buck. That is because we are engrossed in the “me, my, I” mode without realising that we are equally composed of “them” as well!

#Reflection
The sublime art of gifting
By: Rajesh P I
Tags: Compassion, Learning, Joy, Life Lessons, Gifting

Pic: Amina Filkins, Pexels

Sometime in October, dear friend Honey, asked me if I would be interested in experiencing a workshop on using tech tools to bolster my own workshops, online. Only a few days earlier, her boss had shared her idea of offering this workshop as a gift to a teacher, in the year of the pandemic. Having never received a gift like this, I was wary at first. What is the catch, I wondered? What do you need from me? I am very grateful for this opportunity, but there is nothing like a free lunch. Or is there?

Honey reassured me that there were no expectations. Not that I minded. I would have readily done whatever was required, because I was desperate to learn how to use online tech tools. This was the first time I was getting a gift from a stranger! But I had nothing to fear. Through the seven sessions of the workshop on ‘Accelerated Learning’, I experienced a sense of joy and freedom that is hard to explain.

The thing is they treated me just as they treated anyone else — paid or not! And in that I learnt a very valuable lesson. The power of gifting lies when there is no hint that it is a gift. It is done very normally and life goes on. There are no expectations. Just the expectation that the course will be of use to me in my work.

Thank you Melanie, Shilpa & Honey of ‘The Learning Gym’ for this incredible gift. Yes, the workshop experience was an amazing gift in itself, but more importantly I learnt from you - the art of gifting.
Heaven sent rain
By: Shyam Wuppuluri Frsa
Tags: Love, Compassion

“

Be a heaven-sent rain when there’s drought, be the person who brings warmth and care in the dead of winter” – Master Sheng Yen.

My artwork done on Japanese Kozo paper, Sumi-e paint brush. With the calligraphy corresponding to Chinese version of the quote above.
A Letter To: Care
By: Sasqia Pristia
Tags: Parenthood, Fatherhood, Letters, Compassion

A Letter To: Care

I remember listening to Billie Eilish’s When I Was Older about last year, and my fingers started to dwell on the keyboard, whether to run my thoughts in a cathartic manner or to think of them on a later day, thinking I’d regret to pursue. Here I am about a year later. It said,

“The open sea was my own blood, where the rogue waves I did not see coming. And when none fought by me, he stayed. I’m here now. I thought I’d tell him all the stories from the seven seas when I was a little older. Unfortunately, so was he.

Time can be a ruthless pirate. I was afraid he would never come by. If he would never witness the day I’ll have outlived all my fears. I was afraid he would not be around because time feasts on the living, and I would have to bury his absence, down beneath the deepest trench where it will be alive and well.

I’m glad time is our ally, for now.”

I’m a tiny bit older now, and I’d like to think we are thick as thieves. Most of the time. Where I’ve lost the sense of care and compassion where I refrain from calling for help, somehow you’ve proven it to be wrong. That there is compassion, and that I was worth the worry. Sickness was human, and care was a warm shelter. The things that make me feel like a person do not feel like a scarcity. Even though you don’t run in my veins, you’ve made me feel like a person.

In a man’s man’s world, you somehow understand my hunger for something great. Something greater than what the world wants me to be. Carefully, you nudge me on the track, the roads of the world that isn’t too kind for someone like me. But you let me lead the way, and I even get your loud cheer from behind for it, as if the sky was the highest place I could place my mark on the world. To, not only understand but also accommodate for the fact I can fix my own things, build my own table, ride my own motorbike, to know my priorities in this place and time, and what I strive for in the world, it all means my existence to me.

I could only hope for time to still be a kind ally because I don’t wish to see you all white-haired soon.

Thank you, Papa.
A New Year, a New You
By: Thinisha Pierron
Tags: New Year, Compassion, Communication, Covid 19, Community

Why I don’t see a point in complaining.

I would never write the title first, of course that would be too obligatory. What I will do is not say what you think you know. Call it satire. My biggest comment on the year that has past is how much we all know it has past. Just as the year before that. It is okay to be upset, we have been upset all year. Though, this seems precisely why one would not be upset. We have all heard the screaming void, our own voice included, now let us be still. Let us practice grace and aptitude. There is nothing more difficult, than difficult times. Period.

At the end of this year, I feel blessed to step forward into a new year. I feel lucky to have given kind words, gestures, or smiles, deserved by those who are here today.

I can not imagine the pain of losing a loved one this year.

I can imagine trying to console the loved ones left behind by. I find being grateful for the life still granted to me a good place to start.

At the end of every year, it seems as though everyone looks back on ordinary dark moments, some good moments, and a few, sprawled, great moments. We celebrate the New Year, loudly, quietly, or not at all. We are excited, ready, and with disgruntled anticipation we look forward. We move forward in our lives, and January 3rd comes and then March.

It would be vain not to do the same this year, given, that we have an opportunity to do so.

Why should we “refresh” the same page? Lives have been lost. We have a choice. With marked compassion, we are the change.
Sonnet №59 — Ne’er see the sun.. Covid_19 Poem 5
Tags: Death And Dying, Compassion, Covid Poems, Sonnet, Pandemic Poetry

Photo John Minchillo

December 21, 2020. 320,000 dead from Covid_19 in the US. 1,700,000 dead across the globe. People, like you and me; mothers and fathers and grandparents and children, all loved by someone, all who loved others. Think of them as you read this sonnet.

Covid_19 Poem 5

Bodies stacked like cordwood to the ceiling.

In ICUs all over, death awaits.

There is but a modicum of healing;

Isolé, the holy dying face their fate.

Wee precious, what can be done to heal them?

Machines to help the breathing, nothing more.

Their lungs, they all a’choke on their own phlegm

Drugged, the stricken accede to what’s in store.

A body’s strong and many will survive.

Yet tens of thousands will ne’er see the sun.

Crushing, to know that even if alive

A life that they once knew is now done.

Agonized, the dead issue their last moans.

I am gutted, for most must die alone.

May, 2020

I’m Bringing Sonnets Back ™

Please help; give us a few claps and a follow?

Thanks.
We’re All Being Judged
By: Terry Mansfield
Tags: Homeless, Compassion, Judgement, Poetry, Poem

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A Gift Overdue?
By: Hafiza Fatima Asad
Tags: Friends, Gifts, Compassion, Family, Love

I sent a greeting card to my librarian, one of my most loyal friends: a mentor.

The next card I sent to my academy teacher Ms. Hira. She always believes in me and motivates me to do well. She is the living example of Principles of Progress.

One should also be thankful to one’s friends. Though we feel that these formalities do not look good in friendship, but believe me, it strengthens your bond and enhances love.

Her response after receiving the card was impressive, and I could sense the spark of joy in it. You may also witness it!

And now comes the Fun Part; you will love the response of my best friend. I was not expecting this. But as you know, best friends are born with surprises. They are a huge big surprise in our dull and boring life.

She responded to me this way:

I am sure you all have cheered up now. The next card which I am going to share with you is for my godmother. We all have a godmother. My godmother is my first cousin. When I sent her the card, her response made me feel like, “You’re great, Fatima!”

Her response made me very emotional and sentimental.

She is the one who always supports my book love. Amma Jaan allowed me to buy my first English novel just because she convinced her.

“The Round Tower”; my first English novel read.

I have you fast in my fortress, And will not let you depart, But put you down into the dungeon In the round-tower of my heart. And there will I keep you forever, Yes, and a day, Till the walls, shall crumble to ruin, And molder in dust away!

I chose those people I never said thank you before, either because I didn’t feel the need or totally neglected the wonders of gratitude. After reading their responses, I felt positive energy, which was basically a trigger not to let go of good deeds and small gestures.

While I was writing this blog, my brother observed the struggle and ordered a pizza for me. Isn’t it lovely? Do order a pizza for your loved ones, or confess that you love them! You may feel relaxed and light without spending thousands in a spa.

“True compassion means not only feeling another’s pain but also being moved to help relieve it.” -Daniel Goleman.

Thank you all for reading this! ♥️🌺
Wow, your an amazing Dr.
By: Susan Christiana
Tags: Emergency Medicine, Doctors, Compassion

Wow, your an amazing Dr.

I was 39 when I had a surprise 12 minute seizure.

The brain surgeon is a man I will never forget. His P.A. too. They had Kindness and compassionate.

He came at 3:00 am to ER. in high boots ,he worked with prize steer and cow. His mentor wouldn’t do my surgery I believe “mortality” issues was mentioned. That man was a bit arrogant. I guess with brains like his , the God complex can be expected.

The “farmer” saved my life, I’m forever grateful , he said a 26 year old with a same large tumor died a week prior. This was in 1991.

Your story touched me, I wonder what your calling in life really is, your excellent at both .
Your Own Pure Heart
By: Ani Vidrine
Tags: Compassion, Advent, Heart, Humility, Love

Your Own Pure Heart

photo by Rustam Mussabekov on Unsplash.com

Love, give us pure vision!

Dear One,

I am writing to remind you of things you already know. There is a place in you and everyone that is inherently innocent. When you judge yourself and others, you are seeing through the eyes of your own feelings of guilt or self-righteousness, and those emotions warp your perspective.

Emotions are just energy flowing through you. To feel deeply is one of the gifts of being human. Strong feelings can motivate you to take action and can facilitate the opening of your heart in empathy and compassion. These same emotions, however, can obscure your vision, causing you to feel shame and to project blame.

Today is the occasion for you to meet yourself as a child, choosing to see all people through the eyes of Love, the eyes that behold you always in your innocence. When you take off the glasses of guilt and blame, you have clarity of vision and can embrace your own pure heart.

Remember, this moment is an opportunity to connect to Love, and therefore, to live into the fullness of who you are.

As always, do what best awakens you to love,

Your Inner Wisdom