Hi Dawn! I thought this article was an incredible self-examination of “the game” on Medium and your wrestling with it. I’ve seen your private notes about teaching in a couple of my recent articles and I just want to tell you how much I appreciate them. They’ve held my head up in a couple trying days (that have fortunately been broken up by PD).

Medium has been a constant for me. I find the same stat-obsession at times every time I open my phone or refresh the stats page, and the unspoken transactional nature of the platform is challenging to navigate at times, too. I really appreciate the people who have taken the time to read, highlight, and comment on my work. I’m beyond grateful that it touches people, so I do want to give back as much to the community of writers here as possible without it being an “I’ll clap your article if you clap mine” sentiment.

I think you’ve shown me here that it’s all about intentionality. It matters whether a relationship with a writer, much like a relationship with a student, is at the core or whether you’re in it for the money or the stats. We’re on here as much as readers to engage in other people’s work as much as we are writers, and too often I find myself forgetting that.

Thank you, Dawn!