I admit it’s fun to receive likes, claps, and retweets for something you’ve written. It’s a sign your writing is going somewhere.

In my early days in Medium, I would get so excited when I had over five claps for one post.

Soon, I started comparing myself to writers who had thousands of claps (uh oh). My mind wondered: “How the heck did they get so many claps with a two-minute post?”

I started studying my statistics and spending hours reading viral Medium posts. It was time to stop.

Forget About Those Darn Claps

First of all, never compare yourself to other writers. Everyone is on different levels.

Secondly, stop trying to find the secret alchemical formula to viral posts. You may ace what’s popular, but it won’t work 100% every time.

Finally, stop writing for the claps and write for the process.

What happens if a post doesn’t get any claps?

Stop writing altogether and join the circus? Start a Mongolian throat-singing heavy metal band? Become a koala whisperer?

Writing is a process, a never-ending journey.

If you want to see results beyond digital claps, you have to stick to the routine for a long time.

Ten years from now, if you keep it up, you’ll be wondering why the heck you were making such a fuss over some clicks anyway.

The greatest reward is watching your writing voice transform your reality before your very eyes.

Need more writing posts in your life?