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jdmaccombs

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Hi everyone,

I was curious--does anyone on here actively read posts on Medium? It's a tech startup from one of the cofounders of Twitter, based in San Francisco.

It's in beta currently and focuses more on personal essays, but the writing on there is generally good. You just need your Twitter account to sign up.

If anyone's interested in connecting and collaborating with me, I'm here.

Are there any other similar sites you actively post on?
 

jdmaccombs

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Well, the short answer would be that I love writing, and therefore I appreciate the concept of sharing what I write without a need for compensation.

While I understand it may seem like a waste, I'm not spending weeks or months to write something there. Essentially, Medium doubles as another platform with my blog, where I will place duplicate posts with separate venues. I suppose the idea is that the more places you share your writing, the more likely you are to have others read it. But I certainly see plenty of reason to write on a platform I support and network with others whom I follow.

Not everyone can have the immediate expectation of compensation; in fact, I would say that's a huge mistake beginning writers make.
 

veinglory

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If the goal is being paid, seeking out paying markets could hardly be counted as a "mistake"--beginning writer or not.

In any case, it looks kind of like any Microblogging site. In which case I think Tumblr would probably be a better choice as it has a greater following?

But hey, another blogging site. It is what it is.
 
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jdmaccombs

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Forgive me, but I'm a little confused as to how my original post was misinterpreted. I never once claimed Medium to be a paying site, nor did I mention being paid as my intention. And there's nothing wrong with seeking out paying markets, but if one's expectation is that the minute they put pencil to paper, they will be adequately rewarded for their work, then they may be misunderstanding the purpose, as well as the nature of writing itself.

Medium offers a certain environment that other blogs do not--its commenting system is rather unique, allowing line-by-line communication between readers and authors, and its size maintains a sort of consistency with its values--just as Absolute Write offers a certain environment that other writers' help forums do not.

With that said, I think this could spark an interesting discussion. Do you see many forms of social media as irrelevant, or do you think utilizing several can extend a writer's reach? I certainly am not saying one way or the other; I was simply sharing a site which I personally like, and was curious whether others have frequented it.
 

veinglory

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In terms of promoting myself as a writer I tend to focus on popular platforms frequented by readers of my genre. So currently: Facebook, twitter, Pinterest.

There are so many new platforms popping up all the time that unless I am personally a fan, I tend to just ignore them until they show signs of reaching critical mass with a readership demographic.
 

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Well, the short answer would be that I love writing, and therefore I appreciate the concept of sharing what I write without a need for compensation.

I completely understand that, but you're giving Medium rights to your content in perpetuity to do with as they see fit.

Not everyone can have the immediate expectation of compensation; in fact, I would say that's a huge mistake beginning writers make.

I'd say you're looking at it backwards. Yes, I write things without pay, but it's very rare that I'll do that outside of scholarly writing (where writing without pay is common) or on my own platforms where I control the content.

The idea of writing for exposure is fraught with problems.
 

Deleted member 42

Not according to their terms of service.

Read again:

Medium said:
By furnishing your User Content to Medium, you give Medium a broad license to use your User Content as it operates and evolves its business. That license has a number of different features: it is a perpetual, non-exclusive, worldwide, royalty-free, sublicensable, transferable license to utilize all copyright rights now in existence or that may arise in the future with respect to your User Content, in any medium that now exists or may arise in the future, as well as to do anything else that is reasonably appropriate to our Service and its use of your User Content (including, but not limited to, use of your name in association with your User Content to identify you as the contributor). The license has no restriction as to the medium, dissemination method, type of Service we may offer, or the type of systems or products that may be used in conjunction with your User Content. The reason for this broad license is that no one can fully imagine and plan for how a service like the Medium Service may evolve. We need this protection so that we don’t find someday that our evolution and expansion have roadblocks because of any restrictions on the User Content on which we have come to rely.

A reminder: This license is perpetual, which means that it continues even if you stop using Medium Services. We need this primarily because of the shared, social nature of Content on Medium. For example, when you post something publicly, others may choose to comment on it, embedding your Content in a social dialogue that cannot later be erased without retroactively censoring the speech of others.

You represent that you have all of the necessary rights to grant this license to Medium for all User Content you submit.

Medium grants you a worldwide, non-exclusive, non-sublicensable, and non-transferable license to download, store, view, display, perform, redistribute, and create derivative works of Content solely in connection with your use of, and in accordance with the Terms of, Medium Services.

It isn't an exclusive license, but they retain rights even if you leave the service.

Notice especially this part:

Medium TOS said:
it is a perpetual, non-exclusive, worldwide, royalty-free, sublicensable, transferable license to utilize all copyright rights now in existence or that may arise in the future with respect to your User Content, in any medium that now exists or may arise in the future

I completely understand the need for broad rights on an online service; the sublicense part is what I am particularly concerned about.
 
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jdmaccombs

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I completely understand that, but you're giving Medium rights to your content in perpetuity to do with as they see fit.p

Rather than arguing the semantics of a Terms of Service agreement, what, specifically, are your concerns about publishing personal essays on a site like Medium when my intent is to share and connect with others? What are examples of issues you think I would come across with Medium, say if I deleted my account and never return?


I'd say you're looking at it backwards. Yes, I write things without pay, but it's very rare that I'll do that outside of scholarly writing (where writing without pay is common) or on my own platforms where I control the content.

Scholarly writing is writing without pay in the very basic sense, but having a Ph.D, you know an expectation of any scholar is to keep in touch with current research, both in producing and consuming. That's not entirely different from what we say to writers: keep consuming good literature and producing your own work.

I understand the creative control angle you're going for, but I disagree that every word should be written with regard to parameters I set. I write everyday, either as a warm-up, a mind-clearer, or stories that I intend selling one day. But we aren't discussing the latter on Medium.

The idea of writing for exposure is fraught with problems.

Writing for exposure is a pretty large leap from what I've said my intentions are, and also carries a certain negative connotation.

With all that said, in the next few months I plan on creating a website of my own for the very reasons you've mentioned.
 
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