I've been on Medium over three years and have done my own informal survey. I admit, it was partly in response to all the articles I read or almost read about how my writing could be improved, how I could get more reads and so on.

It wasn't so much a knee-jerk reaction to them all as a tick - an involuntary movement of my eyes, ears and nose, in response to advice that was well-written but highly generalized into a one-size-fits-all solution. If you do this, you'll get these results - try it.

I'm a reasonable chap so I tried some things and walked past others and overall I felt assisted. Like a tip to use a whisk instead of a fork may ease the carpal tunnel aches in my wrist but not necessarily improve my quiche.

Back to my survey.

Nearly 70% of all my reads in those three years were DIRECTLY link to how I was feeling that day and specifically that moment when I clicked on Medium. I clicked on an article because it DIRECTLY spoke to the sadness, the need to laugh, the ache in my heart that I was experiencing at that moment.

Was it the perfect title that did it - no. Just one or two words in it told me - this one might help.

The other 30% of my reads are intentional. I went hunting and found my prey.

So, are all these writing articles not helpful? NO, not my point. They are helpful in learning craft. But what is also helpful for a writer is knowing that a well-written article with a good title on the most trafficked day of the week - might still get ignored.

All we can do metaphorically - is go to the ballpark, get tickets to the section where most homeruns are hit. Wear stretchy clothes and good kicks, Bring your best mitt and be prepared to catch one IF someone else hits it there.

That's my point. Good article though.