How Disappointment and Frustration Led to Empowerment and an Emerging Perspective on Writing Success for Aspiring Writers
Inspiration
I know this story’s title might surprise some of my loyal readers. My writing rarely carries such a stark, somber tone. But sometimes, sharing hard truths is the most constructive and caring thing one can do for collective consciousness.
Though it may seem negative at first glance, my aim is to offer clarity and wisdom and perhaps save others from the frustration I have faced. Knowledge, after all, is power, and a reality check is often essential for both growth and happiness.
I started this new journey with a simple experiment, hoping to gain fresh insights into the platform and its promise for aspiring writers. However, I came away disillusioned. My conclusion? I no longer believe a new writer can truly thrive here, and I want to share why.
To be clear: I no longer have any grand expectations for this platform — none at all. For me, it’s little more than a storage service now, as its ability to distribute content has all but vanished. The idea of network distribution? Based on my observations, it’s nothing more than a myth.
But before you despair, understand that the platform isn’t entirely without merit. It boasts a vibrant community, and there are great features new writers can use for growth — but with caution. Set your expectations low, as I have, and you may yet find value in the long term without disappointment or frustration to keep your sanity and productivity.
So, how did I reach this realization?
My background is rooted in science and technology, where experimentation is key. I approach writing with the same mindset — testing boundaries, analyzing outcomes, and learning from each result.
Every experiment sharpens my creativity, boosts productivity, and clarifies my vision. But this latest experiment, I admit, was a tough pill to swallow.
This 12-minute story got only 4 reads in the last 4 days from my direct links. Different version of the same story on my platform and Substack received over 100K reads.
A Distilled Version of Critical Biomarkers Making a Significant Impact on My Health Journey: Using these well-documented biomarkers as a checklist with the support of qualified healthcare professionals helped me…medium.com
Why I Needed to Create a New Account
It is from disappointment and frustration!
In 2024, my main Medium account was cloned countless times, which attributed standing ovations to the support team. It was a nightmare. I found myself caught in a constant cycle of damage control, checking my comments and battling an onslaught of spam and scam messages that tarnished my relationships with new readers.
Some of my loyal followers were deceived by these scams, even giving away their personal information — a heartbreaking outcome that I had tried to prevent. Dr. Ali Hechmi Raddaoui recently documented these events in a comprehensive case study, emphasizing the far-reaching implications.
One recent scam was so widespread it caused panic, with rumors spreading that I was leaving Medium altogether. My inbox flooded with messages of concern, and my publications were thrown into chaos. I wrote extensively about these issues, sharing my thoughts and emotions as the situation unfolded.
As this relentless wave of scams disrupted my content and drained my energy, I made a decision: I would create a new account to protect my stories. The idea was simple — start fresh, away from the shadow of scammers. I was excited by the prospect, but reality hit hard.
Ironically, when my new account was suspended almost instantly, I felt a strange sense of relief. Finally, I thought Medium was doing something to protect my identity, having flagged the account because it bore my same name. I documented my thoughts and sentiments in a story titled Excellent News for Preventing Scammers But Not Sure Whether a Fluke or By Design.
The support team reassured me, and the account was reinstated. I was hopeful again, seeing this as an opportunity to build a new space — focused on health and wellness, separate from my main account, which no longer received organic distribution in those areas.
But that hope quickly dimmed. My new account received zero distribution. I posted a story and watched as it languished, unseen, in the algorithm’s clutches. Not a single reader from the community had the chance to engage with my work.
It was as though the algorithm had placed me in a digital void, overtly censoring the story’s reach. The result was beyond frustrating — it was disheartening. Hours of effort spent crafting something meaningful, only to have it vanish into the ether.
That’s when it hit me: until Medium addresses these distribution issues, this platform is not worth my time. Time is our most valuable resource, and I won’t waste it.
What does this mean for aspiring writers?
The takeaway is simple: Platforms are tools, not arbiters of success.
Writers have their own goals, just as platforms have theirs.
When a tool no longer serves its purpose, it is time to explore other options.
My experiment with this new account may have ended in disappointment and temporary frustration, but I hope my experience can help guide others to prevent such unpleasant emotions.
Don’t be disillusioned by external sources — be empowered by your internal sources.
Don’t let any platform or tool dictate your potential. Instead, use them to your advantage or find other ones that will.
I remain optimistic that one day, Medium will fix its broken distribution system to give a fair chance for meaningful and impactful stories to be distributed to paying members who deserve to find and read them.
And when that day comes, I will be the first to celebrate it. But until then, I’m not wasting my time and focusing on a more productive approach, such as refining my skills to find a broader audience via creative and innovative ways.
But until then, I invite aspiring writers to protect their time, invest in multiple platforms that work for them, and always keep experimenting.
Success isn’t about relying on any one platform. We have many options. It is about cultivating your voice, your vision, and your community wherever you can without being dependent on external sources.
Recently, I wrote a book to inform, educate, and inspire freelance writers to use the Substack network for their growth. I started sharing free chapters for beta readers to increase their quality and refine them before final publishing. If you are interested, you can access chapters through the following links, which also link to free access for non-members.
About the Book for Review and Purchase
As I shared in a previous post, this book has already hit the top 100 bestseller list in multiple categories in various Amazon marketplaces. Thank you, my loyal readers, for making this book a success and a valuable knowledge source for the community.
Many thanks to beta readers who started leaving honest feedback on this evolving book on Goodreads today. If you enjoy and benefit from this book, I’d appreciate leaving honest feedback on Goodreads, as the Amazon version is not ready for review yet.
If you want to purchase the book at a reasonable price or gift it to someone you care about, you may preorder it via various Amazon markets. If the editing process is complete on time, I can get it published faster.
The funds generated from this book will be donated to the management of the Substack Mastery site for the ILLUMINATION community. This education site also amplifies the newsletters of freelance writers.
Substack Mastery: Insider Secrets from a Content Strategist & Seasoned Author: Learn the Basics…
Substack Mastery: Insider Secrets from a Content Strategist & Seasoned Author: Learn the Basics, Stay Motivated, Grow…www.amazon.com
Community Building on Substack Bridging with Other Platforms
Integrating Substack with Medium is a great idea. To this end, as a community builder, I created a philanthropic organization that will empower creators, freelance writers, and content entrepreneurs with a commercial arm. I documented the strategy and high-level plan in a story. Please feel free to ask questions and provide feedback. Refraining from perfection, I choose a progressive path.
Here are our draft service definitions for creators, freelance writers, and content entrepreneurs. We will explain the details in our upcoming newsletter.
If you are a writer on Medium and Substack, we have a new publication called Substack Mastery. You are welcome to join and share your Substack experience with your fellow writers and discerning readers. ILLUMINATION-Curators curate, feature, and promote newsletters of our contributors in collections like this one. Being part of a community can bring many benefits, such as a fast-growing audience.
For advanced writers, we also have a publication called Curated Newsletters, which replaced the former ILLUMINATION-Curated. As I resigned from the boost program, I now allocate more time to support writers in extending their services to Substack or other platforms.
If you are a writer, you are welcome to join my publications by sending a request via this link. I support 31K writers who contribute to my publications on this platform. You can contact me via my website. I also have another profile to write and curate tech stories. Friend Links to My Sample Boosted Stories for Non-Members of Medium.
New Submission Guidelines for ILLUMINATION and Curated Newsletters
You are welcome to join the ILLUMINATION Community on Medium and Substack and our education tool, Substack Mastery, curated by ILLUMINATION-Curators. Here is the Importance and Value of Medium Friendship for Writers and Readers
Join me on Substack, where I offer experience-based content on health, content strategy, and technology topics to inform and inspire my readers.
Get an email whenever Dr Mehmet Yildiz publishes. He is a top writer and editor on Medium. dr-mehmet-yildiz.medium.com
This story was initially published at DigitalMehmet.com. My blogs and website offer free access to inspiring and educational stories for freelancers and content entrepreneurs. Membership Tiers and Benefits of ILLUMINATION Substack Mastery Community. Please use this portal to contact me with inquiries and feedback.
Thank you for reading my perspectives. I wish you a healthy and happy life.
Leave a Reply