Chapter 1: My Journey to 1,000 Reads

In my initial month of writing on Medium, I managed to garner 20 reads. Fast forward six months later, and I've successfully reached over 1,000 reads. Below, I’ll outline the changes I made during the sixth month that contributed to this significant growth.

Reflecting on my experience, my Master's dissertation took two years to complete and left me feeling disillusioned every time I heard the term 'publication.' Fortunately, publishing on Medium is far more straightforward, playing a crucial role in expanding your audience. It also allows you to tap into the publication's existing follower base and niche.

In the early stages, you should write about topics that ignite your passion rather than confining yourself to a specific niche. Utilize your statistics page (though not obsessively) to identify which stories resonate with your audience. I can assure you that the pieces you initially believed would be popular may not be the ones that truly connect.

At the beginning, your Medium profile might not attract enough traffic for you to make definitive choices. Therefore, your primary aim should be to expose your articles to as many readers as possible, and contributing to publications is the most effective way to achieve this.

I’ve shared my experiences with ADHD in "Neurodivergent Life," recounted teaching stories in "EduCake," and provided valuable life advice in "Short, Sweet, Valuable." Strive to ensure your articles either educate or entertain your audience, and if possible, find a balance between the two. As William Zinsser wisely noted, “If it amused you while writing it, keep it in; you can always remove it later.”

Chapter 2: Crafting Compelling Headlines

While your headlines may not define your articles, they can certainly make or break them. The views on your articles reflect the 'clickability' of your headlines, which depend on two key elements: indicating who the article is intended for and clearly outlining what the reader can expect in return for their time.

Vague, ambiguous headlines do little to entice potential readers; in fact, they can be quite off-putting. If a headline is so obscure that it leaves readers guessing about the article's content, you've already lost them.

For instance, browsing my Medium homepage, I noticed several headlines that lack clarity:

• Invisible Architects
• Existence
• Trust the Process

These articles are genuinely good, but their lack of descriptive headlines and target audience means many readers may overlook their value.

Conversely, here are some examples of more engaging headlines from my homepage:

• What to say in response to these 9 typical tests women give men?
• I don’t feel like doing anything, but this one simple strategy changed that.

Chapter 3: The Power of Boostable Stories

Recent updates to Medium's algorithm indicate that responses to your articles now contribute more significantly to your revenue than views, reads, or claps. However, the most substantial factor in your success will be the increased reads, responses, and revenue generated by boosted stories.

My first boosted article has more than tripled my total revenue and reads compared to all my non-boosted articles combined. In "Enhancing Student Memory," I shared cognitive science concepts that surprised some readers with their controversy. Regardless of differing opinions, it’s clear that this boosted article outperformed all my previous non-boosted pieces.

Chapter 4: Emphasizing Relatability and Engagement

Relatability refers to whether others have shared the experiences you describe, while 'response-ability' indicates the likelihood of readers responding to your article. A prime illustration of relatable content is "The Embarrassing Moment I Realised I Do Care About My Number of Medium Followers," which has garnered the highest reads and responses among my non-boosted articles.

To maximize response-ability, ensure your topics are accessible to a broader audience. If your subject matter is too niche, only a select few may feel strongly enough to comment or engage with it. Aim to create content that readers can relate to, expressed in a way that’s fresh and engaging.