Hey there fellow Medium-ites. I need your HELP!

I’ve got 10 burning questions about Medium.

Image by Sasin Tipchai from Pixabay

Thank you, Medium-ites for writing about what you’ve learned here on Medium, and in writing generally. You are all so generous about sharing what’s worked and what hasn’t.

I’ve been writing on Medium for just under three months now, and there’s so much to learn! I’ve read article after article about writing tips, money-earning tips, finding my followers tips, networking tips, and Medium-specific tips. There’s just one problem:

There’s a lot of tips out there!

As a newbie, it can be a little overwhelming! Information overload is a real thing people. I give myself a headache almost every day, consuming what I can with regards to writing and the Medium platform specifically. Afterwards, I feel pulled in a million directions, but with no ability to prioritize.

Where do I even begin, especially if the answers simply drum up more questions?

If you’re reading this, I need your help!

I’m open to all sage (and silly) advice you’re willing to offer. If you have a response to any of the below questions, or have a general piece of advice that might help, I’m all ears! Add your thoughts in the comments section, or share a PM. But can you first tell me how to send a PM?!

Thank you so much for your candid insights.

Be well,
Anon

Things I’ve Been Wondering About Medium (and writing in general):

1. Is it worth joining the partner program if my monthly views are under 500, and my reads are substantially lower than that?
2. Do I need to stick to the topics that are trending in order to see an increase in readership or is there value in sharing stories? (As an aside, should I even pay attention to metrics?)
3. Where can I find an editor who will review my work before I submit or post?
4. This is a general writing question: Any recommendations about workshops or conferences, books or online courses that would help me improve my writing?
5. There’s lots of philosophies about how often & when to post. What are your thoughts about the value-to-effort ratio in the argument for or against posting daily, weekly, or bi-weekly?
6. I’ve been posting to two publications. Both have published every piece I’ve offered, yet I’ve never heard from an editor. Is this because I’m not part of the partner program? Is this a bad sign?
7. Which is better? A stand alone blog or publishing to Medium? If I have both, should I emphasize one over the other?
8. How do I send a private message?!
9. I’ve read posts with images do better than posts without. Sometimes I have to really search to find one that fits and sometimes I have to settle for an image that only kinda fits. Is there ever a time when an image isn’t necessary to get noticed?
10. This is a general writing question: I’ve got 2 hours/6 days a week kid-free. Considering this time frame, and a very powerful inner critic, what would your recommendations be for my focus? Quality articles that can take 2–3 sessions to write, or quantity of articles that can take 1–2 sessions to write?