Three years on Medium — it’s like marriage (good? bad?)

I’m not sure what kind of marriage my relationship with Medium has been. I almost forgot that I’m approaching the third anniversary, but posts on Strava reminded me: the Long Beach Marathon in Southern California took place today, and it was after I ran this race three years ago that I started writing on Medium. My very first story is about that marathon. I keep this story pinned to my profile not just because I love running, but because running has taught me the power of consistency. When I started on Medium, I committed to consistency.

So, how has this journey of writing on Medium been?

Okay!

The start was quiet, but I showed commitment — just like I had planned.
Then things picked up and even exploded in 2022. I never “milked” the topic of Russia’s war in Ukraine, but I had strong feelings and opinions. Being Russian, I was able to share stories that readers found compelling. My audience grew significantly, and I made good money in some months.
I then continued to write on a variety of topics — current affairs, running, family, travel, immigration, and entrepreneurship. I never had a niche. I still don’t. It’s nice to see a story go viral, and it’s nice to receive a payout from Medium at the beginning of the month, big or small. But I don’t write for money, and I don’t try to be interesting for my readers. I write because of my intrinsic commitment to writing.