Thanks for this valuable update, Mike. Your observations align with mine. I hope your voice is heard and the problems are acknowledged and we can collaboratively produce solutions.
Many thanks for sharing, Mike. Just a guess here, but I think Medium is going down the same path as YouTube and other social platforms: if a post doesn't fit a certain narrative, i.e., if it's not "woke" or "correct," it's going to be suppressed or censored. It's certainly not going to be boosted. I have no proof, just a hunch based on what seems to be a pattern.
Clear and transparent communication from both sides is the only way these issues can be addressed, and the sooner it happens the better. Thank you for all you do on behalf of writers on both Medium and Substack Mike.
I wish I’d known this before Curated published my first piece in forever (and the resignation from Boost which I found out about by email 10 mins AFTER my piece was published). The thought of all that time writing for no real views is very disheartening indeed.
Dearest Mike - thank you for letting us be flies on the wall as you transparently call for action from Medium. If you don't get transparent results, I'll be hopping over onto substack with you. Blows my mind to see people somewhat intentionally f-ing things up.
Medium is like an iceberg - in that 90% of what is actually happening inside the platform is hidden. The stats, those shown here and those owned by thousands of writers, show drops in views and reads and the explanations given by Medium is that nothing has changed. Writing higher quality stories will generate better stats. Only the STATs don't support this. What it means is that in that 90% of the iceberg hidden below cool waters, changes ARE being made - just not reported on. When stories entering the platform hit 6 figures regularly and boosting affects maybe 1% of these, then 99% of those stories are on their own - there's little to no supporting distribution. The stats support this hypothesis. I wish it didn't. I've had great success with Boosted stories then absolute crickets. I know I didn't suddenly become a crap writer (though it's the first thing I start to believe) then reason enters and I can see trends in stats. Changes are made regularly to improve Medium's bottom line. But they're messy changes, disappointing changes (to writers), ones that make us a little depressed and want to stop writing - which Medium does not want to see happen. But it is happening. Sad really. Medium is like a lush, well-maintained park filled with rides and attractions. Sadly most of them have signs on them that read - out of service. But they still charge the same admission fee.
I don't like it's stand on not promoting affiliate links or our own products. If we can't then at least our articles should have a better chance of being shared and read. So, how can you make money then? And the 'friends of Medium' was a waste of money. I saw no increase. And I don't like that we can't use AI at all. Just have it clearly marked or disclosed. I personally don't mind reading articles if AI helped...as long as it gave me value. If the article is trash people won't reach or comment or engage anyway. It seems like Medium is just a mess.
Sad but not surprising at this point. I also commented on your Medium article to say that I hope the many talented writers there move to Substack or publish on both platforms. Otherwise I’ll probably never see their stories.
Dark clouds gather above the Medium platform. They are heavy, pendulous with angst, and swollen by fear. Anger growls like epiglottal thunder from within as the writers, the core essence of Medium, shift and shudder, sometimes with jabbing elbows, always with an apology, awkwardly all, seeking once and for all, a truth, politely, tentatively, firmly but gently seeking answers for truth, of all things, from a Management that, unbeknownst to them, is born of the Nosferatu.
Literary vampires of the modern age reaping the words and harvesting the creativity to pawn, haggle, and make hay, yet with minds of gone times made up, never crossed, always alert and salient with the wit of the most intelligent. They are bestowed with the secrets of the Master, for it must be obeyed, or else the blood of the workforce will be sprayed.
Here, all of them, at the very top of their game, are handpicked by the Master to keep safe all that is within it—at any cost and at any indiscretion. They are sworn each to vouch for it, answer any searching questions on its behalf, nurture it, and protect it with their own lives if need be.
And the day will soon be upon us; the anger of all of us. 'Medium Day' will quickly be simmering upon us, heavy upon us, from us.
Dawning with the wrath of a scorned climate change. This day of reckoning approaches and mothers of children will shield their young faces and cross themselves from the caustic evil purveyed by the Nosferatu amongst us. The vampires that suck from us, the incubus that feeds from the gut of us, and take the piss from the trust in us, writers, all of us, must be answered.
Increasing urgency for the truth bears down around Medium like a rabid dog salivating as hunger for transparency grows in its gut. Trying quietly, barely able to contain its bark as it growls with its intent seething, a bitterness looming now with suspicions of internal censorship spattering precious lifeblood across the bow of this whiter-than-white ship.
Is the courtship between management and it, doomed? For there, it is, casting a long- time-coming shadow of doubt over that bain in our lives, the simple yet all powerful enigma known as the Algorithm. Master to its friends, no secret from its wannabe enemies.
And outside, on Medium Street, an unseasonal chill bites into the nape of a summer breeze, wishing it well. In the black treacle shadows, a harsh wind pregnant with rumour and suspicion gestates to full term, whistling and screaming for the truth be out, amongst the dark eaves and cracks of this sturdy yet boastful enterprise.
Your bulletin is very clear and insightful, Mike. Thank you. I hope Medium shows some transparency. Something is not right.
Thank you for sharing my post in your library. It is an honor for me. As a founding member I feel great. my voice is heard.
Thanks for this valuable update, Mike. Your observations align with mine. I hope your voice is heard and the problems are acknowledged and we can collaboratively produce solutions.
Thank you, Mike and Illumination for your dedication to the writers. It is sad the direction Medium seems to be taking.
Many thanks for sharing, Mike. Just a guess here, but I think Medium is going down the same path as YouTube and other social platforms: if a post doesn't fit a certain narrative, i.e., if it's not "woke" or "correct," it's going to be suppressed or censored. It's certainly not going to be boosted. I have no proof, just a hunch based on what seems to be a pattern.
Oh it’s been woke for a long time.
Clear and transparent communication from both sides is the only way these issues can be addressed, and the sooner it happens the better. Thank you for all you do on behalf of writers on both Medium and Substack Mike.
Yes Mike, things certainly have soured very quickly. It reminds me of the calm before the storm, so it's time to move forward.
Thanks for the update, Mike. Greetings team!
I wish I’d known this before Curated published my first piece in forever (and the resignation from Boost which I found out about by email 10 mins AFTER my piece was published). The thought of all that time writing for no real views is very disheartening indeed.
Dearest Mike - thank you for letting us be flies on the wall as you transparently call for action from Medium. If you don't get transparent results, I'll be hopping over onto substack with you. Blows my mind to see people somewhat intentionally f-ing things up.
Thank you for this update.
Medium is like an iceberg - in that 90% of what is actually happening inside the platform is hidden. The stats, those shown here and those owned by thousands of writers, show drops in views and reads and the explanations given by Medium is that nothing has changed. Writing higher quality stories will generate better stats. Only the STATs don't support this. What it means is that in that 90% of the iceberg hidden below cool waters, changes ARE being made - just not reported on. When stories entering the platform hit 6 figures regularly and boosting affects maybe 1% of these, then 99% of those stories are on their own - there's little to no supporting distribution. The stats support this hypothesis. I wish it didn't. I've had great success with Boosted stories then absolute crickets. I know I didn't suddenly become a crap writer (though it's the first thing I start to believe) then reason enters and I can see trends in stats. Changes are made regularly to improve Medium's bottom line. But they're messy changes, disappointing changes (to writers), ones that make us a little depressed and want to stop writing - which Medium does not want to see happen. But it is happening. Sad really. Medium is like a lush, well-maintained park filled with rides and attractions. Sadly most of them have signs on them that read - out of service. But they still charge the same admission fee.
I don't like it's stand on not promoting affiliate links or our own products. If we can't then at least our articles should have a better chance of being shared and read. So, how can you make money then? And the 'friends of Medium' was a waste of money. I saw no increase. And I don't like that we can't use AI at all. Just have it clearly marked or disclosed. I personally don't mind reading articles if AI helped...as long as it gave me value. If the article is trash people won't reach or comment or engage anyway. It seems like Medium is just a mess.
Sad but not surprising at this point. I also commented on your Medium article to say that I hope the many talented writers there move to Substack or publish on both platforms. Otherwise I’ll probably never see their stories.
Dark clouds gather above the Medium platform. They are heavy, pendulous with angst, and swollen by fear. Anger growls like epiglottal thunder from within as the writers, the core essence of Medium, shift and shudder, sometimes with jabbing elbows, always with an apology, awkwardly all, seeking once and for all, a truth, politely, tentatively, firmly but gently seeking answers for truth, of all things, from a Management that, unbeknownst to them, is born of the Nosferatu.
Literary vampires of the modern age reaping the words and harvesting the creativity to pawn, haggle, and make hay, yet with minds of gone times made up, never crossed, always alert and salient with the wit of the most intelligent. They are bestowed with the secrets of the Master, for it must be obeyed, or else the blood of the workforce will be sprayed.
Here, all of them, at the very top of their game, are handpicked by the Master to keep safe all that is within it—at any cost and at any indiscretion. They are sworn each to vouch for it, answer any searching questions on its behalf, nurture it, and protect it with their own lives if need be.
And the day will soon be upon us; the anger of all of us. 'Medium Day' will quickly be simmering upon us, heavy upon us, from us.
Dawning with the wrath of a scorned climate change. This day of reckoning approaches and mothers of children will shield their young faces and cross themselves from the caustic evil purveyed by the Nosferatu amongst us. The vampires that suck from us, the incubus that feeds from the gut of us, and take the piss from the trust in us, writers, all of us, must be answered.
Increasing urgency for the truth bears down around Medium like a rabid dog salivating as hunger for transparency grows in its gut. Trying quietly, barely able to contain its bark as it growls with its intent seething, a bitterness looming now with suspicions of internal censorship spattering precious lifeblood across the bow of this whiter-than-white ship.
Is the courtship between management and it, doomed? For there, it is, casting a long- time-coming shadow of doubt over that bain in our lives, the simple yet all powerful enigma known as the Algorithm. Master to its friends, no secret from its wannabe enemies.
And outside, on Medium Street, an unseasonal chill bites into the nape of a summer breeze, wishing it well. In the black treacle shadows, a harsh wind pregnant with rumour and suspicion gestates to full term, whistling and screaming for the truth be out, amongst the dark eaves and cracks of this sturdy yet boastful enterprise.
Ian Francis August 24
Love this 🥰🥰🥰
I know it hurts and you’re hoping there is resolution but I think at this point they have shown their true colors. I say pull the plug!