You’re Not Entitled to their Applause

A timely reminder for Medium Writers

It’s frustrating. I get it. I’ve been there before.

You’ve poured some amount of time into writing a post. Whether it’s a long, well-researched informative piece, or a 45-minute rant that you’ve written with your usual finesse sophistiquée.

Your poured your heart out onto this blank, digital page. You invested time and energy and thought. You’ve made a real damn sacrifice, and you’ve written something good. You know it. It’s damn good.

And then somebody comes along and leaves a single clap. It feels like a golf clap. It feels like a slap across your face.

If you’re already having a bad day, it might trigger you into a King Lear-like rage, bellowing and raging at the readers who have betrayed your love, affection and hard work:

Here I disclaim all my paternal care,
Propinquity, and property of blood,
And as a stranger to my heart and me
Hold thee from this for ever. (King Lear I.i)

If you’re a little less touchy (or, perhaps, have a Snickers bar on hand), this might manifest as mere frustration, instead.

I get it, I honestly do.

A good chunk of my monthly income comes from Medium. That means I need all of my posts…