Dreams to fulfill
“Tell Us a bit about your background.”
I’m Lawson, and I’m a writer on Medium.com. I write for Illumination Integrated Publications, where I’m also an editor. I had always wanted to create. I wanted to be a writer most of all because I decided I would be a lousy actor. It would surprise my family and the people who passed through my life when I was younger.
It’s surprising because when I was young, doctors told my parents I was “brain-damaged.” Adding to that diagnosis was the diagnosis of Dyslexia when I was nine or ten years old.
After many years of special education, I graduated from high school at Yokota Air Force Base in Japan. My dad was in the military for most of his adult life. He spent two years in the Army and over twenty years in the Air Force.
As an adult, I could never keep a job until I started working as a security guard in Florida in my early thirties. I was a guard for almost twenty years until I had a stroke and had no job to come back to.
After twenty years in Florida, I ended up homeless in Minneapolis. It was a terrible experience but it saved my life. I had free health insurance provided by the State.
While I was in Minneapolis, I met a woman on Facebook. We talked online for two years before she flew from South Carolina to meet me in person. Two years later, I escaped Minneapolis and arrived in South Carolina. Our Pastor married us in our church on September 10, 2017.
Soon after I arrived in Columbia, SC, Olivia found out about an online University with a Creative Writing class. She paid for the course and opened a whole new world for me.
I impressed my Instructors with my imagination and talent. My lack of punctuation and Grammar skills drove them nuts. I passed the course and received a nice certificate. The desire to make money as a writer was on fire in my heart.
I knew enough about writing to know that it was what I wanted to do, but I didn’t know what to do next. My wife figured it out for me when she found Medium through a Google search. In 2019, I joined Medium. Soon after I joined Medium, I applied to be a writer for Illumination.
I decided to write for Illumination because of its inclusive philosophy. I knew I would learn to be a better writer there. I had a long way to go to get there. I wish I had a dollar for every private note and rejected story. I made a conscious decision from the start.
“Why do you write on Medium?”
“ This is another school,” I thought as I read the private note left by an editor. I listened to the editors and followed instructions. If the reader started from the first story I wrote for Medium to my later stories, they will see the improvement. The improvement in my writing and my growing self-confidence as a writer make it worth it for me.
I love Illumination. I love the publication so much that when the owner, Dr. Mehmet Yildiz, asked if I would be an editor, I jumped at the chance. I have been an editor for several years, and I don’t plan to quit.
“What are your values as a writer?”
My values as a writer are straightforward. I want to tell a compelling story as clearly as I can. I want the reader to think and feel things. I want a reaction, and I don’t care if it’s positive or negative. I don’t want anyone finishing a story and shrugging with a muttered, “Whatever.”
I connect with my readers by being raw and real. I write without pretense, and people appreciate that, or I make them angry, which is cool. I win either way. My definition of success on Medium has changed over time.
At first, I measured success by claps. I decided that claps don’t mean a whole lot because they are cheap gifts. I decided that earning from the Partner Program is meaningless. I don’t make a lot of money writing here.
“What are the success factors for you as a writer on Medium?”
For me, success is having as many readers outside of Medium read my stories as possible. Medium is a springboard to better things. I use it to grow my online authority. I share my stories and convert them to YouTube stories, where I earn money. I also share my stories in my free Substack newsletter.
I like to Google my name. I do that to see how high my content rates are in the search results. My photo and links to my stories are at the top of the page. My stories are being read, and my YouTube videos are being watched. As of this writing, I have 47,185 subscribers. The algorithm recommends my videos to new viewers because I post so much.
I’m also experimenting with Podcasts on Substack. My subscriber rate on the SubStack newsletter is growing. I have 130 free subscribers so far. I also have a few listeners on my podcast.
I plan to iterate and adapt to grow my newsletter. I’m still learning, and I’m confident my subscribers will increase and people will start paying for subscriptions soon.
“What are the top three books that impacted your life?”
I’m an avid reader. Great books by amazing writers planted the seeds of the writer I want to grow to be. “Lonesome Dove” by Larry McMurtry amazed me, and so did James Clavell’s Shogun. As I read those books, I remember thinking, “ I want to write like this.”
Frank Herbert’s Dune made an impact on me as well. I want to build worlds that are as rich and detailed as the worlds those writers created. I want to write characters that come alive. It’s a lofty dream, and it’s one I am working hard to make come true.
“Who are your favorite writers on Illumination?”
I admire so many writers for Illumination. I enjoy stories that are informative and well-written. @DrMehmetYildiz writes stories about science and health that are well-written and informative. His stories are a pleasure to read, and the reader will learn something new.
@MikeBroadly is another doctor who writes engaging and informative stories. He’s also a supportive and helpful volunteer editor for Illumination. I enjoy reading his stories, and I also enjoy working with him.
@FloydMori writes clear and clean stories with no fuss or muss, and he’s a pleasure to edit. Because they are almost error-free. I look forward to reading his submissions.
@KristinaGod has the most interesting content. If you’re a writer who wants to grow your online business, you need to read her content. She’s awesome.
@JerryKezka also shares information. Helpful information that will help a writer earn money and grow their business.
@ElizabethEmerald cracks me up. Her stories always bring a smile, and her serious stories always give me a lot to think about.
“What do you recommend for new writers on Illumination?”
For new writers, getting noticed on Medium might seem like a daunting task. I get it. I was there a few years ago. I have recommendations that will help.
The first thing the new writer should do is buy a style guide. Strunk and White’s Elements of Style is the one I have on my desk with a dictionary beside it. I also suggest writers use the free Hemingway Editor. It will force the writer to write clear and concise copy.
It’s also important to listen to the editors. We know the rules, and we want writers to succeed. If we leave a private note, follow our suggestions. If your story’s rejected, it goes to the bottom of the queue when you resubmit it. You don’t want that.
The main thing that holds up publication is photos that are not hyperlinked. I suggest writers study the submission guidelines and follow them to the letter.
“What are your future plans as a writer?”
I love writing for Illumination, and I love Medium. I’m working on extending my reach beyond Medium. I want to earn a living as a writer and Medium and the other platforms are my stage where I audition.
I will keep writing stories and producing videos until I can make a living doing what I love to do. I will keep going until a producer or Booking Agent sees my videos or reads my stories. I want to be a guest on Podcasts and I want my podcast to grow a following.
Final Thought:
I have come a long way from the Air Force Brat who was in Special Ed and Remedial classes. I’m almost where I want to be as a writer and a creator, and I owe it to Medium and Illumination. It can happen to any writer who takes the craft of writing seriously and works hard. Thank you for reading my story.
Five Stories that are close to my heart:
- I loved writing this story. I knew it was special the minute I finished it.
My Unexpected Success on YouTube Has Given Me the Courage to Dream Bigger
Despite my constraints, how I gained over 20K subscribers in a year and coming to a stage near
2. I’m growing increasingly frustrated with Medium, and I’m looking to the future.
5 Years Writing: Fun, Frustrating, Now What? Finding My Next Writing and Speaking Platforms
Greener pastures await, focusing on YouTube and Substack.medium.com
3. The first story I wrote that went viral on Medium. It made a lot of people angry. I thought it was funny that readers projected thoughts on me that were not on my mind when I wrote the story. I got tired of reading and responding to the comments, and I sat back and enjoyed the money I earned. Outrage pays.
She Thought She Was a Sex Goddess, but I thought she was gross
The encounter made me sadmedium.com
4. I read about this online. The story was weird and disgusting; it was right up my alley. Quite a few readers enjoyed it.
Don’t DIY It: Leave the Poop Swapping to the Professionals with Fecal Microbiota Transplantation!
Please don’t do it, because it’s grossmedium.com
5. I was homeless for three years. I have written a lot about that time in my life. This story got a lot of reads. It’s about agency and ownership. I didn’t see a lot of that when I was homeless.
When You’re Homeless, you have Three Choices to Make that will Affect your Future
The third choice is the most important
Thank you for reading my stories. You’re welcome to subscribe to my YouTube Channel.https://youtube.com/@lawsonwallace-m7n?si=pmDVsO-DqJyIaBqO
LAWSON WALLACE YouTuber & Writer – The Digitalmehmet Content Ecosystem
Meet Lawson Wallace, YouTuber and Writer on digitalmehmet and medium with newsletters on Substack. Lawson is also an…digitalmehmet.com
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