2 Weeks into my Medium Experiment

Well, it’s halfway through the month so time for an update.  Let me start with my goals.

When I first decided to give Medium a shot, this is what I wanted to accomplish my first month:

1. Increase followers to 25
2. Earn $5.00 from my stories (enough to cover my membership)
3. Post a minimum of 10 stories
4. Make a list in order of what did better

So far I’m crushing my goals one by one.

1. I’m up to 84 followers
2. My estimated earnings from my first 4 stories after 1 week is $7.89
3. I’ve already posted 10 stories and hope to post at least 8 more
4. List will be done at the end of the month

It looks like I will have some goal adjusting to do but I’m thrilled with my results so far.

What I wasn’t counting on was how much I would enjoy it and the freedom it has given me.

I’m still figuring things out, but what I’ve learned so far is:

1. Thursdays and Sundays are my highest viewing days
2. Wednesdays and Saturdays are the worst
3. Submitting to a publication can be scary but highly rewarding
4. Keeping track of each story and who responded gives you an idea of who your biggest fans are
5.  You’re going to have some duds, but that’s okay.  Keep on going.

I told myself that this wasn’t a race and I was going to keep it up for 6 months.  At this point, I don’t see myself stopping.  Even if things level out and numbers don’t increase, I’m having so much fun writing and reading other stories that it is worth it to me to continue on this journey.

My Medium Stories

As far as my other writing?  Yikes, I do need to focus some of my time on that.  Get some projects finished.

 

Medium has given me my freedom!

I don’t know how else to describe it.  It hasn’t quite been two weeks, but I am so thrilled I chose to take this chance.

Sure, I’d like to make some money from my writing, but more importantly, I faced my largest fear and not only did I survive, but I’m flourishing.  It doesn’t matter how many followers I have at the moment, not to me.  It has given me my voice, an outlet to unleash the characters floating around in my head.

Something else I’ve learned?  It’s okay to share bits and pieces of your own story.  Your heartaches, your joys… the lessons you’ve learned along the way?  They can touch people and move them.  Reading other people’s stories that run parallel to my own make me realize, it is a small world and although I’m a tiny fish swimming in a large pond… I’m not alone.

I’m no longer being held back, chained down by fear.  A beast has unleashed in me and I will never ever let fear take control again.

So far, I haven’t made a penny, but I no longer carry around a weight pushing me down.  I can breathe, and I’m loving it!

I’ll be back in a couple of days to share my numbers.  Until then… with a smile on my face, I’m off to write.

Don’t let fear hold you back.

 

 

Day 7 of my Medium Experiment

So far it’s been a rush.  I’m having a great time seeing what works and what doesn’t.  I’m having fun sharing memories of mine like:

Little Life Memories

What do I think so far?  I’m still figuring things out, but here’s what I’m learning:

1. Medium can be a time suck.  Yes, a time suck.  The key to all of it is networking which means finding writers you like, clapping for them, following them and hope it is reciprocated.

The question is, what is my time worth?  Is it worth the amount I’m spending?  The answer right now is yes.  I get to read some amazing stories, learn different things about life.  Some have made me laugh, made me cry, made me think.  So, yes, right now it is definitely worth it for me.

2.  Followers.  You need to have followers that will see your new posts, read your new            stories.

I aimed low as far as how many followers I wanted to have by the end of the month (I mean really low) and I’ve hit that number by the end of the first week.  But, now I question how to find the right followers.  There’s no point if you have thousands of followers if none of them read your things.  This will give me something to ponder for the next 3 weeks.

3. Genre/Brand

I know you should stick to ‘your brand’ so that people who like one thing will most likely enjoy everything else, but this is my experimental month.  I’m having fun testing new things out, trying to find what works for me, what works for my followers, without losing my voice.

Here’s how I did the first week (not real well, but that’s okay):

102 views

73 reads

28 fans

8 responses

That gives me a goal to shoot for next week.  The question is, what do I need to do in order to increase those numbers?  Guess we will see how I do!

 

Day 4 of my Medium experiment

Happy 4th of July everyone!  This is one of my favorite holidays.  There’s no stress usually involved and most everyone is in a great mood.  It’s a good reminder to celebrate freedom.

I posted my second piece on Medium today: (warning: contains adult content)

Fireworks

It made me ponder where I’m at in my writing journey.  It was scary to get that first piece out, but since then, I’m filled with excitement and freedom.  Getting my words out for the world to see is almost like a burden lifted off my shoulders.  Each day it gives me something to look forward to.  Checking to see if anyone new read my story (so far only 6, but that is 6 more than I had) and to read their responses makes me realize that I am headed in the right direction.

It’s quite a bit of work so far, but I think as I continue, some of that will decrease.  Focusing on networking to gain followers is time consuming, yet at the same time, I’m reading some wonderful stories so I can’t complain.

Hope you all have a wonderful and safe holiday.  What ‘freedom’ are you celebrating today?

View at Medium.com

I Did It!

So, last month I gave myself a goal of taking the first step on getting my writing out there.  Yesterday I bit the bullet and did it.  I posted my first piece on Medium.

My Medium Post

The frustrations keep coming, but I’m not willing to give up and I learn something new every day.  Such as, how to add a link and change the name!  I’m moving up in the tech world! (Don’t shake your head at me!  I’m slowly getting the hang of things.)

As far as Medium goes, this is my goal.  In the month of July, post a new story every three days. I don’t have many followers yet, but I’m working on that.  One step at a time, right?  Hopefully, by the end of the month I will have earned at least enough to pay for August’s Medium member fee.

I’m finding that it is pushing me to focus on my writing and getting back into the habit of writing every day.  Worst case scenario?  At the end of six months, I’ll have a bunch of completed short stories/flash pieces completed.  It’s a win-win!

My writing journey is moving forward for the first time in a while.  I’m glad I’m no longer stalled out!

View at Medium.com

View at Medium.com

View at Medium.com

Writing Stresses

Writing is so much more than writing.

Getting words onto paper can mean so much, depending on what your current mood for is.  It is a feeling of freedom, a way of unburdening yourself; getting your angst out.  Words convey so much, it’s scary.  They have the power to hurt, to make someone cry.  They can brighten someone’s day and make them smile.  Words are power.

So why am I in turmoil now?

I love to write, and I want to get my words out there for the world to see, but at the same time, get paid to do so.  So now, not only am I worried about the words I use, but also, how do I get them out there?  How do I lure unexpected people to read them; enjoy them?

I’d love nothing more than to quit my horrible day job in retail.  That is an ultimate dream for me, but I know it’s not a realistic one.  At least at this time.

So now I have to find balance.

I’m going to treat the business of writing as a recipe.  The words of course are the main ingredient, but add in the marketing and editing, and you have your basic recipe.  It’ll be a journey to find what works and what doesn’t, but that is a little exciting to me.

While I work on longer pieces, I’ve also decided to try out writing stories on Medium.  Never hurts to give things a shot, right?  And that’s something that is new to me.

I’m done being afraid; wondering should I?  Will I succeed?

I will never succeed until I jump in and starting on July 1st that is my plan.  I guess I will see how it goes.  10 stories a month on Medium for 6 months.  Lofty goal for me.  Will I succeed?  Only time will tell.  At least my words will be out there.  Maybe I can put a smile on someone’s face.

I’ll check back and let you know!

A Tinge of Loneliness

 

Since my youngest son was seven years old, he has talked about going to the University of Nevada, Reno.  We all just smiled anytime he mentioned it.  After all, how many children at that age will stick to their decisions, right?  Wrong.  Now he is going to be a sophomore in high school.

A recent opportunity has risen up for him to move back across the country to live with his grandparents to go to high school in Reno.  Why?  So that he can get in-state tuition at UNR when he graduates.  That’s all he talks about.

Do you know how hard it is as a parent to weigh and balance the pros and cons of letting your child go before they graduate?  It tore me up in two, but in the end, I couldn’t take that away from him.  So here I am, missing him like crazy, wishing I could wrap my arms around him.  My throat clogs with emotion every time I even think of him.

To get through my days, I think about how determined he is and has been when it comes to reaching his goals.  I’m so proud of him and know that it won’t be an easy journey, but I pray that he sticks with it and finds success at the end.

It is because of his determination and drive that I too am going to fill my days moving forward, and reaching for my goals.  I’ve slacked in all things writing and that ends today.  I’d stalled out for months now, but with only my husband and I at home, there is no time like the present to grab life by the horns and see what I can do.

Cheers, to all the parents in the middle of making tough decisions in regards to your children.  In between those decisions, don’t forget to cherish that time and make the most out of it.  Don’t let life determine your memories.  Create those memories for yourselves because that will be what your children hold onto the most.

A Fresh Start

Every day, I have a list of goals I want to accomplish.  Sometimes it’s something simple like, wash the dishes.  Other times, it’s jam-packed such as write two chapters, edit two chapters, and do a critique.  That’s great and all… but then real life intervenes.

The kids wake up cranky and I spend thirty minutes arguing with them, trying to get them out the door in time.  After that, there is no creativity in me.  Today, I had a plan.  That plan was blown to pieces when I ended up at the pediatrician with a child sick with pneumonia.  Really?  Pneumonia?  Sure, the flu was bad enough when it hit him two weeks ago, surely this has to be a joke!

Well, the joke’s on me!  Antibiotics, steroids, inhalers, and you get one exhausted mommy!  So, once again, my goals go out the window, but not all is lost.

When you think you’re getting nowhere, remember, it’s not just you.  Real life happens.  It gets the best of us some days, but there’s good news.  Tomorrow is a fresh start.  A new beginning to look at what you want to accomplish and think, even for a nanosecond, I can do this!

It also reminds me that things can ALWAYS be worse.  Yes, I screamed that at you.  When I’m walking to work in the freezing cold, pissed off because my car is still not fixed, I remind myself that I have a roof over my head.  I don’t have to worry about bundling up, trying to stay warm while I sleep.

At the end of the day when my feet are throbbing and my back is stiff from work, instead of moaning about it, I remind myself that I am one of the lucky ones.  I can walk, I can bend over, I can step into the shower and stand under the hot water staring down at my feet.  I’m one of the lucky ones.

So, if you had a crappy day, or maybe just did not accomplish what you set out to do, remember, there’s always tomorrow.  Wake up and smile.  Be thankful for everything you have and that every day that you open your eyes is indeed a fresh start.

Hope everyone has a wonderful healthy week.  This tired momma is going to bed!

His hurt breaks my heart

For those of you who follow my blog, you’ve heard me talk about the love and worry I have for my children.  Last night, my son was at a New Year’s party.  With the craziness in the world right now, thinking of what could happen, what decisions he would make, etc. had me on edge.  I knew that as soon as he got home, I could once again relax, knowing he is safe.

Wrong.

Tears streaming down his face, my son shared the news.  One of his childhood friends from back home committed suicide.  Now, my son is normally the strong one, the one that keeps things inside, and it’s rare for him to show emotions when he’s upset.  As his mother, I know when he is, but I’m usually the only one.  The fact that he was openly crying?  I knew it was bad.

It’s hard enough losing someone you love.  When that someone is a close friend of your child, it hits close to home.  I found out that this boy was being bullied so ruthlessly that he just couldn’t take it anymore.

He was someone’s child, someone’s cousin, someone’s brother, my son’s friend.  I grieve now for his family, and for my son.

There’s nothing worse then seeing your child’s heart shatter, knowing that you can’t take the pain away.  I hugged him and rocked him (even at seventeen years old) and listened.  My heart physically hurts for him.

In the past year, he’s lost three friends, and had two friends lose one of their parents.  He needs a break, I think we all do.

Please, take the time to love.  Hug your family a little longer, a little harder.  Say kind words to a stranger.  Take the extra step and smile at those around you.  My heart hurts today, and I hope that this new year will be better.

Parent of a Teen, UGH

When your child is born, there’s an instant love that fills every part of your being.  This itty-bitty being that you cradled in your arms depends on you for everything.  You promise to be the best parent you can, give them everything they need.  You dream big for them, hope that you do all the right things to make sure they grow up successful.

Sure, throughout their first decade they will test you, push you to the limits you think you have, but that’s nothing.

It’s the teenage years that really test you.  The limits you have?  Ha!  The limits are raised, and reached, and crossed.

I want to put my kids in a plastic bubble.  I want to install a button that makes them always do the right thing, but now they are teenagers.  They think they are ready to conquer the world, without you there to interfere.

My parents always told me, just wait until you have kids.  Then you’ll understand.  Oh boy, do I understand now!  I try to remember what it felt like as a teenager, how lame parents seemed with their never-ending rules, their “mom looks”.

Now I understand what it’s like.  Your child is out at a party.  You sit at home, hoping and praying that the lessons you taught them are so ingrained into them that they will make the right choices.  A siren pierces the night and you cringe, hoping that nothing has happened to your child as they ride their skateboard home.

Tonight, my seventeen year old son will be out at a party.  Have I done everything I can to protect them without keeping them chained up at home? Will the people he is with make smart decisions?  Will he be safe?  The questions are unending and now, as I sit here, worried sick about him going to a party that hasn’t even started, I am filled with gratitude for everything I put my parents through.

Tomorrow, a new year starts.  Tonight, I hope and pray that everyone stays safe and is happy.  Give your loved ones an extra hug, an extra kiss.  Give your teenagers that one last “mom look” and hope that it stays with them while they are making decisions.

And to those of you who have children that are still infants, toddlers, school-age, and preteens… enjoy these moments.  Cherish each little giggle, each little hug.  It will be those memories that get you through the tough times.