Today I listened an amazing episode of the Writing Remix Podcast today entitled “110. Embracing Authentic Writing w/ Medium’s CEO Tony Stubblebine.” During this episode, the Medium CEO Tony Stubblebine talked about the site’s focus on genuine and honest writing. The episode was hosted by Dan Dissinger , writing instructor at the University of Southern California. The episode touched on why writing from the heart matters, how Medium stands out from other websites, and how writers can connect with readers.
The Magic of Writing✨
My favorite part of the podcast was the time Stubblebine talked about the “magic” of writing. Although he started life as a software engineer and didn’t think of himself as a writer, he realized that writing is a skill that one gets better with time. At the beginning, he used to write simple nonfiction, but then discovered how writing could move people emotionally, create new ideas, and even write fictional stories. Writing to Stubblebine is an ongoing process to learn and grow. He believes that there is always something new to be learned about writing, and this makes writing so exciting.
Stubblebine’s journey is a reminder that writing is neither something one possesses nor lacks. Writing is a craft that one can learn through training and develop through repetition like any other.
Medium’s Focus on Authenticity💯
The conversation also revolved around the fact that the internet is full of shallow or artificial content. Stubblebine made it clear that on most websites, the aim is to hook people with interesting headlines and click through to artificial or sensationalized stories. Medium is not like that. Instead of using advertising and clickbait to earn money, Medium uses a subscription model where readers pay for the stories that interest them. This makes the writers want to provide valuable, meaningful stories that resonate with readers. As Stubblebine puts it, writing is about communicating real thoughts instead of trying to produce something viral.
Writers on Medium don’t have to compete to be clicked. They can write about what matters to them and hope that the work will find an audience that values authenticity.
Writing from Personal Experience🌱
Stubblebine also talked about the authority that one has through using one’s own life stories. He used an example from his life: a blog posting about cleaning horse stall mats that went viral. It was a simple posting about an unpleasant chore that hit a chord with readers who’d gone through the same. Stubblebine emphasized that writing about one’s own life, be it professional life or life in general, is what readers relate to. He encouraged writers to write about one’s own life stories rather than writing to some hypothetical readers.
This is especially helpful to new writers or students who are not sure if what they are writing is worthwhile. Stubblebine reminded us that every one of us is an expert in our own lives, and to convey that expertise through writing can be highly valuable.
Building a Supportive Writing Community👫
Another important observation that Stubblebine made was about how the site provides a space where writers can relate to each other. Compared to other social networking sites where there is a lot of argumentation and negativity, Medium makes a genuine attempt to create a positive environment. No website is ideal, but Medium does try to suppress abusive writing and enable writers to write without the possibility of retaliation. Stubblebine believes that by focusing on the creation of a positive space, Medium gives writers the freedom to just write and connect with readers that understand what they are doing.
This community is vital because it makes writers safe to express themselves and be themselves, despite feeling anxious to start off. Medium provides writers with a space where they can be heard, regardless of the size of the readers.
Writing Without the Pressure of Perfection✨
Stubblebine wrapped up the session by talking about the pressure that most writers put on themselves to be perfect. He said that writing is not easy because people expect perfection from the start. Nevertheless, he encouraged writers to write for the love of writing without having to be perfect. Writing is about conveying yourself and communicating with other individuals, not writing the “perfect” writing.
Stubblebine also spoke about the emergence of AI-written content and how it’s becoming increasingly normal to read pieces written by machines. But he feels that AI can never substitute the genuine human connection that comes through writing that is done by a human. AI can write content but cannot capture the experience and feelings that give writing its substance. This is the reason that writing done by humans will always be worthwhile.
Conclusion🌟
Listening to this episode of the Writing Remix Podcast was a strong reminder about the necessity for authenticity within writing. Tony Stubblebine words about Medium, writing, and connecting with readers held a great deal of valuable advice for new writers and old writers alike. The take away from this interview is that writing is about being yourself and writing about what matters to you. Writing does not need to be perfect it simply needs to be real.
So if you are a writer, don’t be afraid to let yourself be heard. Your voice is important, and there are individuals out there eager to hear what you are saying. Writing is about communicating to other individuals, and these days that is something that each one of us requires more.
A Note From the Author📝
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Made with 💙 by Gajanan Rajput💚
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