Shannon,

I have many thoughts on Medium and few are positive. I've been ambivalent for the past year or so regarding Medium and the direction it's devolved into, but I was somewhat motivated by Jessica's pieces, which stirred up a deep and abiding anger.

Let's first talk about "expertise." First, the positive. I loved working with the editors of Human Parts and a few other narrative non-fiction publications because they had real editors who brought my work to the next level in terms of craft and story. Some of the editors are absolutely on par with ones I've worked with in book publishing. They cared about the work.

I'll say the same across the board for the publications and the editorial prowess although I do understand the frustration with gate-keeping.

Now, for the rage blackout. Let's take Better Marketing for example. I've never spoken out publicly about the publication and I'm not about to make a blanket statement because I've read some good work in the publication, but as an EXPERT, an actual practitioner who's lead teams, built brands, I was appalled by some of the content and writers in the publication. From basic terms (so many people couldn't define the term brand accurately, I wrote a 8-part BOOK basically on Medium on how to build a brand I was so pissed) to the lack of experienced practitioners writing from their own work rather than quoting case studies, I found the lack of experts (or tenured experts) grating. And this isn’t about people writing about marketing their writing on the internet--these are people writing marketing articles as if they're practitioners.

I pulled the one story I published in Better Marketing as a result. When I brought up the errors with one of the publication editors way back when (along with links to specific articles) no one bothered to respond. So, if you're going to have gatekeepers, at least make sure they can challenge the work, fact check the articles, and ask for real experiences, case studies, and owned data as opposed to quoting from other articles or known case studies on the internet.

And I'm not the only one who felt this way. Many of my peers felt this way about the publication and most of the marketing content written on Medium.

Of course, when I trot out my experience I'm told I'm bragging or gauche (not that I haven't worked my ass off for two decades proving my worth), but the vitriol I'd get on MARKETING and business articles where I'd use my client examples, data from studies I'd co-authored or conducted, some bro would trot into the comments to be contrarian and leave a link to another bro who was allegedly smarter, a bro whose experience amounted to typing shit on the internet. I've even removed my email because I got tired of the rape threats and hate mail from writing...you guessed it, marketing articles.

I get challenged by my peers all the time. I'm good because I adapt and get feedback from my peers. But I'm not about to listen to some random bro on the internet who can type in short, simple sentences.

I'm sorry, I'm writing the longest comment ever but I'm really angry.

When it comes to essays, narrative non-fiction and other quote unquote non-expert writing, I find women get kicked down as well. If we're strong, opinionated and confident, we're condescended to and "put in our place." When it comes to writing and publishing, I have more experience than the fuckwits who pretend to be editors leaving me insipid comments.

Younger writers are condescended to by seasoned (I don't want to say old) folks in a tone so patronizing I get why younger generations piss all over older ones.

And often, we're judged not for the work but for the person writing the work, which is not the mark of an intelligent reader much less a seasoned writer.

Consider why so many smart women or those from marginalized communities left the platform. Jessica Valenti, Thunderpuff, Jude Doyle, etc.

I don't agree with some of Jessica's essays or your own, but that's not the point. I admire the style, tone, confidence and care in the writing and the ability to engage in meaningful dialogue when people have feedback. But a lot of people don't want to be decent as of late. They come in the comments with artillery, ready for battle. Content to smack down that pushy woman, that opinionated black woman, etc., etc., until we step aside and let the big boys assume their rightful place on the throne.

I miss a time when humans curated our work (though I understand that can't scale), but the way Medium has been managed and positioned--from a writer and a marketing executive POV--is chilling.

In one of his comments, Tony mentioned he didn't have a marketing department and I wanted to respond with--I can tell.

Because Medium has a real identity problem (what it is and what they want it to be, hence positioning it remains problematic) and a problem giving weight to a vast array of voices--even if those voices don't agree with our own or look like our own.

I've stopped publishing my best work here (and for sure my marketing/business content) because what's the point? The majority of my readers can't find it and complain to me directly about it and then I have to deal with asshole bros in the comments and then see work featured by faux experts.

I've brought a handful of my peers (women in business, c-suite, etc.) to publish here and every single one of them have echoed my sentiment. Why bother?

OMG, I'm so sorry this is so long.