Member-only story
FU*K MAKING IT/SHERRY MCGUINN
Let’s Flip the Narrative on Our Self-Esteem
Why can’t we be successful at flopping?
Medium is abundant with writers who are making not just decent money on this platform, but a living. They’re able to pay their bills and even, take the occasional vacation, after which, they feel the need to share their pics, here. Sucking down Pina Coladas. On a pristine beach, or in a luxury condo with an ocean view. In a place the rest of us will most likely never experience.
And that’s what this story is about. The rest of us. Those writers who have been toiling away for a couple of years or more on Medium and eking out pennies in our futile search for validation. For proof that we have heft; that we’re not merely content-churners, like some of the course-peddlers here. The ones pulling in thousands of dollars a month, who miraculously, are never short of advice or “tips” for becoming a Medium Mega Star.
I often refer to myself as a “flop,” but that’s not as self-deprecating as it sounds because, in a sense, it’s true. I’ve been writing here for over three and a half years and am lucky if I earn enough for a decent grocery haul. And, as hard as I’ve tried, I can’t figure out where I’m lacking. Why none of my stories has gone viral or gotten through-the-roof stats.
