I love reading articles on <a href="https://medium.com/">Medium</a>, they provides me with useful information. On a deeper level, they (good writers) also show how a (good) long-copy format is still as consumable as a few seconds video format.Here are <a href="https://medium.com/free-code-camp/how-to-write-medium-stories-people-will-actually-read-92e58a27c8d8">some tips</a> for new writers on Medium who are trying to build an audience base. (Yes, that includes me)

Medium is the message, pun intended.

You can write a great title with a powerful clickbait, but if your content is not as good as your title, you'll have to face angry comments from readers who just lost 5 minutes of their precious times.Like a great advertisement with disappointing product performance. You can write great content; a compelling story with a unique point of view that gives meaningful information to your audience. But if your title is too weak to drive click, then your great content will be sink in the sea of cruel algorithm.Like a great products with low awareness.

The importance of Title and Content; each has their own roles. Just like Product and Marketing.

Learn from <a href="https://deepstash.com/article/144276/quantifying-the-clickbait-and-linkbait-in-buzzfeed-article-titles">how BuzzFeed creates compelling headlines.</a>Inject hyperbole and fear-of-missing-out.Here are some types of headlines that work well on Medium:<ul><li>grand pronouncements like “X is over”, “X is broken”, or “X is bull****”</li><li>Headlines that use negative words like “stop”, “never”, and “don’t ever ____ again”</li><li>The “I _____ and it was _____” pattern (for example: “I ate pizza for breakfast and it was glorious”)</li></ul>

Killer Headline

HubSpot <a href="http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/seo-social-media-study#sm.00000z83pnwr7kdwxvrrsinzxyr7l">analyzed</a> 6,000 blog posts and found that stories with 8 to 14-word headlines get more social media shares.

Your headline should have the right length

The more emotional (positive or negative) a headline is, the more likely people will click it.The <a href="https://coschedule.com/headline-analyzer">headline analyzer</a> provides a tool to help you balance the length and sentiment of your headlines.

Evoke the right emotion with your headline

Your opening image on Medium will serve as your story’s ambassador everywhere: social media news feeds, Reddit, Google News — even RSS readers.The opening image in <a href="https://medium.com/free-code-camp/how-to-write-medium-stories-people-will-actually-read-92e58a27c8d8">this article</a> the writer chose an image of Emma Stone portraying an aspiring journalist at her typewriter in the 1960s. It’s from the popular 2011 period movie “The Help.”A stock photo of someone sitting at their laptop would have looked too generic. Our news feeds are already filled with these pictures.The images are there to visually reinforce each story’s message, while lending them flavor.

Arresting opening images

Once your reader clicks through to your story, the trial begins. Keep in mind that your readers are looking for any excuse to jump back to their news feed. Reading requires a lot more effort than scrolling through cat photos.Don’t waste time with intros or updates — start making points and telling your story immediately.

Start your content with a strong lead

Figure out a way to establish your credibility within the first few paragraphs. If you are a top expert in your field, say so. Don’t assume that people are going to take the time to google you.Are you writing about health as a non-physician? Are you writing about personal finance as a non-millionaire? You’ll need to overcome any skepticism readers may have about your credibility.Reinforce your credibility throughout your story. Support your arguments with data. Use inline links to (non-paywalled) research.This isn’t the New England Journal of Medicine. This is Medium. So don’t use footnotes.

Establish Credibility

Good writing is hard. Like any skill, it takes practice. There are no shortcuts to becoming a strong writer.Do yourself a favor: write what you know.Have you ever heard the term “writers block?” Writer’s block happens when you don’t know enough about a topic to write about it. The antidote is research. Learning. Going out into the field.Good Medium stories don’t come naturally. For every minute of story length, expect to spend at least an hour writing, re-writing, and editing your story.

Write smart. Write what you know.

Medium’s data scientists found that 7 minutes is the optimal length for a Medium story.In practice, a story should be as long as it needs to be, and no longer.If you can’t come up with at least 5 minutes worth of thoughts, rethink the premise of your story.

Medium readers prefer longer stories.

Paste your story into the <a href="https://hemingwayapp.com/">Hemingway Editor.</a> This will highlight dense sentences, adverbs, passive voice, and other style issues. It will also assign a grade level to your overall writing.Despite what you may have learned in English composition class, people prefer short paragraphs to “walls of text.”There’s nothing wrong with single-sentence paragraphs.

Tighten up your prose. Keep it simple.

It gives tangible tips on how to write Medium stories that people will actually read.

More than 30 million people use Medium each month. They come here in search of something worth reading. Something substantial. And you can give it to them. Medium’s algorithms put you on a level…

How to write Medium stories people will actually read

Journaling is the most simplistic form of writing. You can call it a method to convert your thoughts into writing.Actually, you will be writing down your thoughts, problems, goals, or plans in a paper/digital notebook.

What is Journaling?

6 Methods of Journaling:There are many methods of journaling depending upon their purpose. In this article, I am going to list 6 of those methods which I currently use, or have used previously.If you already got a notebook or a note-taking app that you use for your regular journaling, you can apply the following methods in that. You don’t need a separate notebook for this purpose.Following are the six journaling methods:

6 Methods of Journaling:

Every day, we read an article or watch a video from which we learn something. And we want to remember it so we can apply it in our life. But nine out of ten, we forget about it in just a few days.Writing down what you learned that day saves your learning in the long-term memory of your journal, and ultimately in your mind.I adopted this method a month ago, and since then, I have been continuously writing my learnings, two or three times per week.Simply, give a heading ‘What I learned Today’ and underneath that, write the thing you learned that day.

1. What-I-learned-Today Journal:

Morning Pages are three paragraphs of writing ideally done first thing in the morning.This means, start your day by writing three paragraphs of stream-of-consciousness writing, without worrying about any grammar rules.This method of journaling was given by Julia Cameron in his book The Artist’s Way.Now, every entry of my journal starts with Morning Pages. I write what’s on my mind that morning. Now, I don’t stare at a blank page anymore.Writing a full article is hard. But writing just three paraphs is not hard, especially when it isn’t about something specific.

2. Morning Pages

As the name suggests, a dream journal is used to record your dreams.Every time you wake up from a dream, write down what you saw. Be sure to write as early as possible because we tend to forget most of the details of our dream within a few hours from waking up.I know it feels weird writing your dreams, especially the creepy ones that you don’t want to remember. But I have observed that by writing down my dreams, I can see a pattern in my thinking. Because dreams are said to be the result of what’s going on in your subconscious mind.

3. Dream Journal

If you are worried about a certain thing, a mind dump journal is best for putting your chaotic mind in order.Not just for worries, you can also use this method for dumping your overwhelming thoughts and your craziest ideas.A mind dump journal helps you clear your mind by letting out your thoughts and ideas. It’s like decluttering your mind.Just get a pen and a paper, or open your note-taking app and start writing your ideas, thoughts, or any worries right now. Set a timer of 10 to 20 minutes and start writing.

4. Mind Dump Journal

A bullet journal is very famous these days. It planning tool which combines your calendar with your to-do list and your long and short-term goals.<ol><li>A future log to write your future goals and plans</li><li>A monthly log to track your monthly goals</li><li>A daily log for keeping track of your daily tasks. It’s basically your to-do list.</li></ol>A bullet journal has many benefits. On one hand, it helps you visualize your daily and monthly goals. On the other hand, it gives you a sense of accomplishment when you complete your tasks.

5. Bullet Journal

Whenever you feel discontent with life, writing down the three things you are grateful for can help you realize “you are blessed with so many things that you take for granted”.\When writing a gratitude journal, don’t just list the names of things. Instead write down the reasons why you are grateful, for that specific thing.Like just writing ‘I am grateful for my laptop’ is not going to make you grateful for your laptop. It’s better to write ‘I am grateful for my laptop which has helped me write articles, which other people read and learn from them’.

6. Gratitude Journal

There are many methods of journaling depending upon their purpose. In this article, I am going to list 6 of those methods which I currently use, or have used previously.

Not Sure What to Write in Your Journal? Start Here

Coined by Austrian psychiatrist, Dr. Edmund Bergler in 1947, Writer’s Block is a condition in which a writer is unable to think of what to write or how to proceed with his/her writing.

What Is Writer’s Block?

<ul><li>Idea crunch</li><li>Overwhelmingness</li><li>Exhaustion</li><li>Anxiety</li><li>Perfectionism</li></ul>

What Are the Causes of Writer’s Block?

Dealing with writer's block isn't rocket science. All you need is self-awareness - know the root causes and act upon them accordingly.

How to Deal with Writer’s Block?

It is always easier to stop something from happening in the first place than to repair the damage afterward.Best ways to prevent writer’s block:<ul><li>Productive self-talk or pretend you’re talking to your partner</li><li>Forming a writing habit</li></ul>

1. Stop before it starts

If you don’t have enough information about the topic, then you might google about it after every 2-3 sentences. And that, my friend, will eventually put you in writer’s block.

2. Spend a good amount of time on research

Outlining helps in constructing and organizing ideas in a manner that promotes thoughtful flow.Not to mention, even if your outline is rough, it’s always good to know the path you’re going to walk.

3. Create an outline

Writing requires a free, fresh, and open mind. If you’ve hit writer’s block or if you’re simply exhausted, please TAKE A BREAK.

4. Take a break or do something else

For instance, you’re writing a blog on “how crypto can make you go bankrupt” but there’s this section where you just can’t think of anything to write. You’re confused, overwhelmed, anxious, and whatnot. What do you do in that case?Skip this section for now and move ahead. And when you’re done with all the other parts, come back to this and complete it.

5. Stuck? Skip it (for now)

Let’s not say deadline; rather, go with the word “goal”.The basic idea behind setting a goal is to identify what you want to write and create a plan to achieve it, and this ultimately helps you stay on track or stay focused.

6. Give yourself a deadline

When you start writing, go for 25 minutes straight and then take a five-minute break. Repeat it for as long as needed. However, for every fourth round, take a longer break – half an hour is ideal.

7. Follow the Pomodoro technique

Don't try to fix everything in the first draft. Rather, once you complete it, give it thorough proofreading or ask a friend to do that. Ask her to leave comments and mark mistakes in the draft so that you can fix them accordingly.

8. Don’t chase perfection

You want to write, but you can’t seem to get those words flowing. Your brain is too cluttered to create new content. It is a terrible feeling and can hold a person back from finishing their work. And that's what we call "Writer's Block". While many associate writer’s blocks with procrastination, many believe it to be common among writers (even professional writers with years and years of experience). But irrespective of anything that people believe, the problem is real.

Struggling to find the inspiration to write? Have writer's block? Read on to learn what is writer's block, its causes, and ways to beat it.

What Is Writer's Block? A Simple Guide To Overcoming Creative Lapses

Journaling is the most simplistic form of writing. You can call it a method to convert your thoughts into writing.Basically, you will be writing down your thoughts, problems, goals, or plans on a paper/digital notebook.

What is Journaling;

<ol><li>Journaling has been proved to improve your mental health</li><li>Writing about yourself can give your more self-awareness</li><li>Journaling helps you organize your life (by writing goals and plans)</li><li>Journaling can preserve your memories. You can literally travel back in time by just reading any old entry.</li><li>Journaling improves your writing</li></ol>

Benefits of Journaling

There are two methods of journaling:<ol><li>Paper</li></ol>Nothing beats writing on paper. If you like going old-schools, get a pen and a notebook.Try writing with your favorite pen. Moreover, there are many journal-specific notebooks available that you can buy online.2. DigitalIf you are good with typing, then the digital method is best for you. Moreover, a digital notebook is a safer option because it is difficult to hide a physical notebook from your family or roommates.There are many note-taking apps that can be used for digital journaling.My personal favorites are:<ol><li>Zoho Notebook</li></ol>2. Standard Notes:

Methods of Journaling

It depends upon what’s your purpose of writing. Are you writing for improving your mental health, for planning your future goals, for documenting your life, or for creating a writing routine?Basically, you can write anything you want. There are no hard and fast rules.But… I get it. For most people, journaling is not easy. Every time you sit down to write, you keep staring at an empty page or blank screen. Basically, you don’t know what to write in your journal.This is where journaling prompts come into play.

What to Write in A Journal?

Journaling prompts are topics or ideas that can serve as a starting point for your journal entry. It can be a word, a statement, a photo, or any general trigger.Journaling Prompts for improving your mental health<ol><li>Write about the problems are you going through in life</li><li>Write the three things that you can do to improve your life</li><li>Write about your past mistakes and what you learned from them</li><li>Write your long-term and short-term goals.</li><li>Write a recap of your day</li><li>Write a letter to your past or future-self</li><li>Write about the things you are grateful for (A Gratitude Journal)</li></ol>

What are Journaling prompts?

If you got a creative kick, take inspiration from these prompts.<ol><li>Write a short story</li><li>Write a poem</li><li>Write a review of your favorite movie or the last movie you saw</li><li>Write about your favorite fictional character</li><li>Write about how the world will look like in the next 50 years</li></ol>

Some creative journal prompts:

Journaling is the most simplistic form of writing. You can call it a method to convert your thoughts into writing. Basically, you will be writing down your thoughts, problems, goals, or plans on a…

A Short and Simple Guide to Journaling in 2022

1. A Movie ReviewWrite a movie review of your favorite movie or the last movie you saw. It doesn’t have to be a professional IMDb/Rotten-Tomatoes kind of a review. Just write why you liked the movie(or why not)?You can also write your favorite quote from the movie, your favorite character or your favorite scene.You can also send this review to your friends when they ask for a movie recommendation.

1. A Movie Review

Just like a movie review, write something about your favorite song or the last song you heard.Write what’s special about that song. What kind of feelings it has invoked in you?

2. A Song Review

3. If You Could Live Inside Your Favorite CharacterAnd what would you change about it?Imagine If you were inside James Bond, what would you do differently? Would you drive an Aston Martin or a Ferrari or any other car?If you were a Terminator, would your a brown leather jacket instead of black?

3. If You Could Live Inside Your Favorite Character

4. Write About Why you want to WriteWhen you are low on motivation for writing, write down the answer to this question.You might already have some answers (e.g. I want to become a famous fiction write), but you will surely come up with some new ones. In this way, this self-reflection exercise will boost your motivation.

4. Write About Why you want to Write

From time to time, we all have had those kind of dreams, that we wish were real.It can be also be one of your day-dreams.Write about living in one of those dreams.

5. A Dream You Want To Live In

6. How The World Will Look Like in 50 YearsOr in 20,30 or even 100 years.Expand your imagination and write something about el futuro (the future).Will there be flying cars in 2070? (Hope not out!)Will there be a colony on Mars by 2050? (All bets on Musk)How fast will internet be by 2040? (Faster than 2022)And last but not the least, will human be able to build a time-machine?(Lets’ hope they build something like DeLorean)

6. How The World Will Look Like in 50 Years

It could be any famous personality or even one of your family members, dead or alive.If you get a chance to meet that personality, what would you say to him? Write questions you would ask in the interview.Imagine interviewing your great-grandfather. How about a session with Tom Cruise. What would you ask? (I will ask Cruise, ‘When you are you getting old?’)

7. The Most Interesting Person You Can Think Of

As a journal writer for the past three years, I can proudly say that the habit journaling has considerably improved my writing, and in fact journaling has become the biggest reason I ventured into creative writing.

As a journal writer for the past three years, I can proudly say that the habit journaling has considerably improved my writing, and in fact journaling has become the biggest reason I ventured into…

How to write Medium stories people will actually read

Not Sure What to Write in Your Journal? Start Here

What Is Writer's Block? A Simple Guide To Overcoming Creative Lapses

A Short and Simple Guide to Journaling in 2022

7 Creative Prompts For Your Journal (That Can Improve Your Writing Too)

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