Interesting to read your comparative perspective on the two platforms, Eirik, from a similar position on each in terms of time spent building a presence.
Medium users tend, when moaning about any of the platform's multiple faults, to end by saying 'I'd leave if it weren't for the wonderful community here'.
I really question that perspective, certainly now, after the mass MPP roll-out last year. As you say, responses to articles are swamped under vacuous attempts to attract attention and lure/scam you into clicking on that user's slop.
As you say, the distribution and earnings system here - especially for someone writing high-quality, authoritative, and hence boostable, pieces - gets you out of the gate far faster.
But there is, I have found, no sense of gradual progression, quite aside from the fact that both distribution and earnings are now badly broken.
Follower numbers ratchet up here - I'm at 4,000 after 18 months - but they are utterly meaningless. Each new article starts from scratch, and if it isn't boosted, can get as low a readership as a piece posted in Week #1 with a follower count of zero (though I suspect the algorithm applies a little starter boost to help new members find their feet).
With Substack, I think there is more user stickiness, and genuine commitment and engagement. It seems a more serious writers' platform, as reflected in the fact that there are practically no major journalistic or literary voices on Medium, but huge numbers of big name, award-winning novelists and columnists on Substack.
This is just a fun sideline for me - I don't ever expect to be making real money from writing my occasional articles and short stories, much less winning awards and rubbing shoulders with the feted literati.
But I now feel more comfortable as a nobody on Substack, than a relatively successful contributor (60 boosts, 1 staff pick, boost nominator) on Medium.
It's a shame, and starting from scratch on Substack is a pain, in one way. But also an enlightening and rewarding experience.
See you there!
