If Medium Went Away Tomorrow, Would You Still Write?

This Question Popped Into My Mind This Morning, And It Won’t Let Me Go

“On A Church Wall” — Photo by Author

In an oblique sort of way this photo reminds me of Medium. I don’t need to go home, because I Am home.

Early this morning I was writing in my journal when from out of nowhere, this question popped into my consciousness. It was one of those WTF moments, like where did this come from?

I just looked back through my journal to remind myself how this question might have been sparked.

I was writing about how much my friends on this platform mean to me. Then wondered about Ev Williams stepping down, and how this platform might change as a result. I knew it could go either direction, better or worse.

After walking three miles and stopping for a latte along the way, I walked back in my door. This question about, would I still write, had not gone away. In fact if anything, it had become more persistent. I knew I needed to ask it here.

I discovered Medium in early 2016. I was excited that I had found a great place to both read, and possibly write. I also knew I had the opportunity to learn from others writing on a broad range of topics. My interest has continued to this day.

I wrote my first story here on April 28, 2016. I wrote one more in April and one in May of that year. I also read a minimum of six stories every day. The experience brought me a lot of learning, and pleasure.

When Medium introduced the Partner Program in 2018, I signed up a month later. The limit of reading five free stories each month would not last me one day! In terms of return on investment, it is the best five bucks I spend every month. And today it is worth far more than that.

Over forty years ago, I received a letter from a friend, in response to one I had sent him several months earlier. His first sentence was this question . . . “How long can one put off writing, and still write?”

This question has stayed with me ever since. It has in fact become a touchstone for me. One I turned over and over in mind so many times during the ensuing years. I always knew I wanted to write, but never found an easy entry point. Medium changed that by offering me a way to step into the…