“Why do you write on Medium?” This question appeared in a comment this morning and I realized the answer was a little complex. It’s certainly not for the money, which fluctuates wildly and unpredictably. I view it as a bonus, not a part of my income.

I have written professionally for almost forty years. By professionally I mean getting paid decent money by publishers, clients, and for the occasional ghostwriting project, usually an ego trip. The problem with that kind of writing is that it is directed by others to fulfill their own goals.

Medium breaks that pattern for non-fiction (I don’t write or read fiction here nor do I…