I Wish I Knew This When I Started Writing

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I wish I knew this when I started writing on Medium. But I learned it the hard way.

I hope this story makes someone else’s journey a little easier.

Because, here’s the hard truth: Within the first 6–12 months, nearly 90% of new writers give up.†

And, I could have been one of them.

I had spent weeks writing my first story, carefully crafting the title, flow, and images.
The story was a reflection on my 20+ years as a software engineer.

Then… silence. No claps. No comments.

Today, that story has:

• 21 claps — all from a single kind reader (thank you!)

• 0 comments

• $0.03 in lifetime earnings

It was disheartening. But it turned out to be a blessing in disguise.

That silence forced me to reflect.
I kept writing, but now carrying a question with me: What’s missing?

That journey led me to many insights — I’ve listed them at the end.
But one realization that changed everything for me was:

Not to plant the flag before I’ve found the land.

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When I joined Medium, I asked myself, “What should I write about?”
I reflected on my life and chose what I knew: tech careers and financial progress.

I made that decision before I started writing.
I planted the flag before I’d found the land.

And when those stories didn’t get any love, I started doubting myself.
Maybe I’m not cut out to be a writer?

The problem wasn’t my writing.
The problem was the box I put myself in — a self-imposed limit on what I should write about.

Once I saw it, I decided to get out of that box — and write freely.

I gave myself permission to explore.

I started writing stories across genres, topics and themes: Fiction, non-fiction, crime, love, drama, personalities, personal growth—I even tried humor.

I paid attention. To what resonated with readers — and what felt fulfilling to me while writing.

Before long, that overlap revealed itself: short stories.

Now, I focus on short stories — not bound to any specific genre and still open to exploring beyond them.

What Happened Next?

• One story featured as a Top Story on a popular Medium publication.

• Others received hundreds of reads and claps, and comments.

• Within weeks, I crossed 100+ engaged followers, without any gimmicks.

If short stories are your kind of thing too, join me on Substack at Short Escapes
And get the short stories delivered straight to your inbox.

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Five More Lessons I Learned So Far

• Avoid the trap of clap-for-clap and follow-for-follow.
  What sticks is real engagement.

• Read widely and intentionally — both popular and new writers, across genres.
  That’s where learning happens.

• Engage with fellow writers. Clap, comment, and follow what resonates with you.
  What goes around, comes around.

• Find publications that make you feel at home: publish stories there, join writing challenges.
  It’s the most natural way to reach your readers.

• Revisit your own writing. Read it days later — as a reader, not a writer.
  That’s when the growth happens.

I wish you the best — my fellow writers! Let’s keep learning, growing, and writing — together.

†Medium does not publish official statistics on writer attrition. Available data is anecdotal: source