Want fans? You better understand these 2 things.

A simple understanding you need to have if you want true fans

What is the point of writing if no one likes it?

Do (number of) views matter?

Not at all. Fans matter. Fans are a little above followers (in Medium).

I learned two things in Medium, that will help you to build your fan base in the long run for a long game.

Your writing should reflect these two things.

Take a damn side.

Pick a side.

Don’t try to be a neutral person. You’re not a journalist. You’re not a scientist or a Judge.

You’re a damn human who happened to be a writer.

Everyone has opinions. Everyone is entitled to them.

As a writer, you are supposed to make a paradigm shift in your perspective rather than making your case well.

This or that. You can’t be both. If you’re too cowardly to tell what you think, you should not be writing in public.

It's not this side or that side.

You should be going further on one side, maybe to the extreme. You respect the other side, but you take a side that you have passion for.

If you don’t have that passion on that side, you can’t make your readers passionate about it and your writing.

Some people love you for it. Some hate you for it.

But the good news is — they love you.

You can’t have fans if you’re in the middle and being a friend to everybody. Then you’re friend to nobody. (cliche)

Attract fans. Build your community. You can’t build one if you’re not in it. Pick the damn side.

That takes us to the next lesson.

Don’t write for everyone

Writing to everyone = writing for no one. (in the long run)

You can’t please them all. You can never please them all. Even your fans — sometimes.

Imagine your ideal reader. Imagine his profile. Imagine his interests. You know these details because they are your fans.

Not all the fans will fit this profile. It is okay. Give a persona for your ideal reader. Accept that not everyone will fall into this frame.

Now write for that one guy (or gal). Stick to the borders of writing to these fans.

Whether they are in small numbers or in big, it doesn’t matter.

You need true fans, not just followers. (remember followers can unfollow you).

Note: Medium distribution algorithm favors this concept. In the first cycle of distribution, if a certain amount of your fans liked the articles, the algorithm will push the story to an extended circle. If they too like it, then it will push further.

All you need is true 100 fans rather than 1000 followers.

If you do this, your readers will remember your name.

Even the people who hate you (for your writing or for the side you took) will remember your name.

Best wishes to your process of making your personal brand in writing.