Why I No Longer Write on Medium
Or, more positively, why you should join us on Substack
Okay, it’s fair to say I don’t publish here anymore.
At least, I’m not inclined to introduce new work here. And there’s a basic reason: No engagement.
It wasn’t for lack of trying: I experimented, reached out to other publications, editors, writers — all to the sound of chirping crickets.
Then I joined author George Saunders’ Substack and was delighted by what I saw (even plunking down a yearly subscription because, okay, okay, it’s “famous writer George Saunders” — still, inspiring)…Check it out for yourself. How he does it is beyond me (without a staff of George Saunders-like assistant-bots), but that’s the definition of engagement: what’s working for his subscribers is giving back to his work as a writer. It’s nearly a symbiotic relationship.
Which is something I wanted when I tried to introduce my book idea here on Medium. I was hoping to develop the project and get feedback, but it’s actually working better on Substack since I started it there this past January.
And guess what? It’s free! (For now; hoping to introduce paid subscriptions later in the year or early next year — audience willing.)
So.
I hope you’ll at least check it out. We have a current cohort of about 90 subscribers and they seem engaged with the content. Maybe you will, too!
Who are we?
We’re curious, inquisitive, and diverse readers.
We’re playful, inclusive, and unapologetic word nerds. (This falls under my Daytalking rubric — you can get the primer for that both here on Medium and revised on Substack.)
And we acknowledge we’ve still got a lot of work to do in a world that becomes stranger and more worrisome (this belongs to the Nightwalking state of things).
Taken together, it’s an adventure I’m glad I launched this year.
It’s only made better if you join us!
Cheers, Mike
July 2023:
Also, you can read my latest work here:
https://michaelced.substack.com/
Thanks for checking in.
