Applauding for Stories You Enjoy: What Makes You Want to Clap More than Once?
Dear faithful readers and followers, this story is specifically for you.
I was just about to get started on my morning writing session, with no less than 18 great topics to write about (well pretty good topics anyway).
With more than 160 stories published since May 2021, it’s fair to say I’m a pretty productive writer.
Just like many days when I sit down to the computer to write, I already had some ideas on what I wanted to work on.
But once again, that stubborn and opinionated other writer who lives inside my head had other plans for us.
My Writing is Sincere
Allow me to reveal some things to you. Did you know that I have obsessive compulsive tendencies, and right now, my obsession is Medium?
I want readers to really understand the context of why I’m writing, so let me tell you a few things about me.
I’m not one of those clueless writers who doesn’t try to cater to what their readers want and need. That’s why I don’t just stop at trying to offer useful writing advice.
The advice and opinion stories I write, are all geared to sincerely help readers avoid my same pitfalls, and improve in areas I myself am still working on improving as well. This is true, regardless of what I write about.
I’m more than happy to share personal experiences, describing my own doubts and fears about failure, or worse yet, my fear of change.
I love talking about the up and down roller coaster ride I’ve had over the past twenty years, trying to earn money writing online.
I honest and truly love what I do, and every day, I’m grateful and thankful for the freedom to, to be able to wake up and talk to all of you; the people who have become my other family, and my reason for being.
I know that might sound lame to some of you who have real lives. Lives that are rich and full of family and friends who do things together and actually even get along with one another. I don’t have that.
For people who have people, it’s hard to imagine what writers like me go through; those of us, whose greatest purpose is to wake up and connect to our more vibrant life online.
So what makes me suddenly feel like pouring my pitiful heart out to you like this, and let you discover even more of my vulnerabilities?
Well like I said, it’s that other stubborn woman inside me, who suddenly had a question she’s just burning to know the answer to.
When it comes to applauding for stories you read, just what is it that gets people to react? What makes someone want to applaud more than once, and give a story the full 50 claps that every story is eligible for?
How Many Readers Know?
When I think about it, I wonder just how many readers even know they’re allowed to applaud for a story up to 50 times at once. Yep.
All you do is hit the applause button and keep depressing it as the number continues to rise. The button will stop counting at 50, and that’s it!
Now, I’m going to assume that for some readers who just read what I said, this information is actually news to them.
Maybe they thought they read or heard something about that being the case, but they ignored it, or maybe like I said, some of you never heard about this at all. I hadn’t.
And even when I did read a story mentioning the number of applauds you can give, I didn’t react right away. No wait, I actually did. I tried it once, just to see, but after I confirmed that it worked, I just went right back to my usual behavior of giving the one clap.
Why? I don’t really know. I think it’s just because of habit. It’s not like I make a conscious thought of NOT giving the 50 claps to a story.
Nor do I have any particular criteria for bestowing what I consider to be the well deserved amount of claps.
Quite frankly, I don’t have a good answer for this, except to repeat the only thing I can determine the truth to be. HABIT.
I’ve developed a certain habit, simply because I didn’t know any better, and I honestly want to start trying to break it, but I’m not sure how.
What type of barometer do I create, to help me show true appreciation for the stories I read and the efforts the writers put into them?
So I wrote this thought provoking story for two purposes. Hopefully:
- To inform new and existing Medium writers and readers about Medium legally allowing 50 claps.
- To try and understand why the majority of readers only give one clap.
- To get the advice and opinions of other writers and readers, about how they determine which stories get what amount of applause.
- To get suggestions on how I can set my own guidelines for giving the appropriate applause, based on each story’s performance.
- To understand how to create stories that obtain me the maximum claps from each reader who responds.
Final Thoughts
You may have noticed that I addressed this story to faithful readers and followers, because I realize not everyone will respond, or even make it to the end, like some of you did.
But I also know that some readers will be willing to share their views on this important, but rarely talked about topic (as far as I know).
I’m just trying to understand, so I can improve on my efforts to make the kind of stories that readers believe warrant both the maximum amount of applauds, AND the appreciation that is shown when you comment.
Much thanks to everyone who is willing to help me in this endeavor.
Would you like to read more informative, valuable, and entertaining Justiss Goode stories? Just click this Directory link: choose from my OVER 160 titles (by category).
Or visit any of my Medium publications:
Black Like Me | Just Like New | Hard Knock | Short Story TIPSTER
Thank you for your: FOLLOWS | APPLAUDS | RESPONSES
