Ultimately, I think we writers all have to ask ourselves the question (and not in a half-hearted way): “why do I write?” Though let’s not be naive — compromise is often a necessary component for ’success’. That goes without saying. To what degree one compromises their creative integrity is ultimately what determines how fulfilling they find their ostensible achievements — those sought after destinations might end up being more constricting than previously thought.

I often wonder if writers like Joyce or Beckett wrote strictly on Medium (and refused to network etc.), would they achieve the recognition they deserve? Perhaps. Perhaps there are thousands of unknown writers of genius who don’t fit a particular mould, or lack the tools to effectively navigate digital space. Regardless, to write for writing’s sake (followers and claps be damned) is certainly admirable, but stubbornly cleaving to such an ethos will make it hard to quit one’s day job!