1000+ Medium Followers, Now What?
This paywalled article is for Medium members only to reduce its searchability and visibility. It contains no technical content, so you should save your quota for something else if you’re not a Medium member.
Since joining Medium in November 2022, I’ve been on quite a journey. My first public article was published on 18 February 2023, and since then, my most viewed piece has reached 22K views and 8.3K reads. Now, I’ve hit 1,000 followers.
Normally, this would be a time for celebration — and I am celebrating! However, given my current life situation, pausing and reflecting feels just as critical. I’m questioning whether this journey leads me where I intend to go.
Before Medium
Like many, I started by reading Medium articles without an account, trying to maximise my access without hitting the paywall. Meanwhile, I kept my technical notes in Google Keep and the MacOS Notes app, and nowadays, I use Notion.
When I moved to the UK a few years ago, I set up a personal blog to showcase my industry knowledge, which helped me land my first full-time job here. However, the blog’s low daily visits made it more of a personal portal than a public platform. I was OK with that until I discovered that some colleagues were monitoring my content, sometimes using it to their advantage or criticising me in meetings.
This situation made me question why I was paying for web hosting and managing a site that increased my vulnerability rather than benefit me. Consequently, I shut down my blogs, reverting to private notes.
Why Medium?
Eventually, tired of working around paywalls, I became a paying member of Medium and started migrating my articles here as my web hosting contract expired. Some articles gained much more traction on Medium than they ever did on my personal blog, which encouraged me to share more.
Medium as a Source of Truth at Work
Interestingly, Medium articles were often cited as the ultimate authority in some of my previous workplaces. While I sometimes disagree with the conclusions drawn from these articles, I saw an opportunity. If people treated Medium content like gospel, why not share my perspectives here?
This led to some of my most popular articles being accessed from workplace domains worldwide.
Key Articles
One of my representative articles that really stirred the pot in the community was about Data Binding. It was widely circulated, discussed, and even translated by people who requested to publish it in their own countries. This article gained enough attention that I was explicitly asked about my views on Data Binding during subsequent job interviews.
My Kotlin Multiplatform (KMP) articles and OctoMeter KMP project attracted attention. I also noticed I inspired people to make content based on my code and sharings that never gave me back credits.
Paywalled Articles
I pay for my Medium subscription, and I feel it’s fair to put some of my articles behind the paywall to contribute back to the platform. Editing these pieces takes time — 4–6 hours per article as English is not my first language — and I don’t think it’s unreasonable to ask for some compensation for my efforts — considering that I work as a Senior Developer in the UK, and editing a technical article costs me more than a half-day workload.
While my Medium earnings are modest, barely covering my subscription costs and occasional sandwiches, they represent a small reward for my time and effort. I appreciate those who support my work, but I also feel the need to protect my time and dignity.
What’s Next?
Nothing is permanent
Medium could suspend or close my account anytime, and followers can come and go. I cherish each of you who has read, clapped, and supported my articles, especially those who clap for my stories or support my paywalled content. While the earnings aren’t significant, they offer some validation for my work.
In a world where generative AI can quickly produce content, I’m questioning whether I need to keep blogging or ask ChatGPT for answers when I need them.
Tall Poppy Syndrome
Tall Poppy Syndrome is a social phenomenon where individuals who succeed or stand out are resented or criticised by others, often leading to attempts to cut them down to size. This behaviour stems from a desire to maintain equality or uniformity, where anyone who rises above the rest is viewed with suspicion or hostility. In the UK, this syndrome is subtly embedded in cultural norms that value modesty and humility, discouraging overt displays of success or ambition. It’s a concept that resonates deeply within British society, where standing out too much can attract negative attention.
A notable example of this is Morrissey’s song “We Hate It When Our Friends Become Successful,” which captures the essence of Tall Poppy Syndrome. The song reflects the envy and resentment that can arise when someone close to us achieves success, highlighting how these feelings are not only familiar but also culturally acknowledged. The fact that Morrissey, a British artist, wrote a song about this phenomenon underscores its relevance in the UK.
There have been moments when blogging has helped me professionally — like when it played a part in landing me a job — but these instances have been few and far between. As a Far East Asian who moved to the UK, I’ve had to navigate cultural differences that I wasn’t fully aware of at first. In my previous culture, openness and sharing knowledge publicly were often seen as positive and collaborative acts. However, in the UK, I’ve learned that standing out too much or being too open can sometimes make one more vulnerable, leading to unnecessary complications in professional life.
Because of this, I’m seriously considering stepping back from public blogging in my next full-time role to protect myself and make my life a bit easier. While I still want to share my technical knowledge, I might opt to keep more of it private moving forward. I haven’t made any final decisions yet, but I’m seriously contemplating this.
Facing Jealousy and Protecting What I’ve Built
As F. Scott Fitzgerald once said,
“Never underestimate the power of jealousy and the power of envy to destroy.”
Reflecting on this, I am aware that some may view my follower count and think I arrived here effortlessly, perhaps not recognising the additional time and energy I’ve invested in transforming my personal technical notes into content suitable for public consumption. While I don’t know whether these individuals feel envy or frustration, I do know that my journey has been anything but easy.
I’m not naive to the fact that success often attracts negativity. Throughout my life, I’ve encountered people who sought to undermine or criticise me simply because I achieved something they couldn’t. I’ve seen it before, and I’m sure I’ll see it again. But let me be clear: if I ever decide to stop sharing my writing, it won’t be because of those who act out of jealousy or resentment. I’ve fought many battles to protect my work and my integrity, and I’m prepared to fight more, even through legal channels, if necessary. Protecting what I’ve built is not a choice but a necessity.
Reflecting on the Journey: Weighing the Value of Content Creation
At the time of writing, it has been nearly a year since I have worked full-time. Part of this was by choice, as I took considerable time (and risk) to ramp up my Kotlin Multiplatform skills and release OctoMeter for nothing, and I didn’t apply for jobs during that period. However, when I started looking again, I found that blogging, or being a Content Creator, while personally fulfilling, hasn’t translated into tangible advantages in the current UK job market, particularly regarding securing job interviews.
This has made me wonder if I might have been better off focusing more on sharpening my interview skills rather than spending so much time polishing articles. It’s a question of balance — whether the time and effort I’ve invested in creating content could have been directed in ways that might have strengthened my position today.
At the same time, I’ve started questioning whether my content enables others to profit more than myself. It’s frustrating to see others benefit from my work when the returns for me have been less direct. This isn’t to say that I don’t value the experience and connections I’ve gained, but it raises questions about how to use my time and skills best moving forward.
You Won’t See Me Speaking at Conferences, But How About a Book?
I have been invited multiple times, but I’m not particularly drawn to conference talks, as I prefer the more personal interactions within smaller groups. While publishing has always been my preferred medium, I’m not sure I have the time, dedication, or expertise to write a book, even though I’ve considered it.
That said, I contributed to writing a section of a computer literacy textbook during my undergraduate years as part of a summer job, which gave me some insight into the process, though on a much smaller scale.
Conclusion
Reflecting on what I’ve built over the past two years, I’ve understood that this journey has been about more than immediate results. It’s been about growth, learning, and our connections. While I acknowledge that my path hasn’t always led to the outcomes I expected, it has laid the groundwork for what comes next.
“Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.”
So, as I figure out where I want to go next, I’m committed to making the necessary changes to continue growing — personally and professionally. This may mean exploring new ways to share my knowledge or even stepping into uncharted territories. But one thing remains certain: the support and encouragement I’ve received from you, my readers, has been invaluable, and I’m excited to see where our journey takes us next.
Although there might be changes in the future, I am not going away. Instead, I’m evolving. And I hope you’ll stay with me as we continue to explore, learn, and grow together.
Thank you for being a part of this journey. I’m grateful to have you by my side and look forward to future possibilities.
