My New Medium Clapping Strategy

For the month of September (maybe permanently)

dhanelle

I have reevaluated my clapping strategy and decide to become a 50–5 clapper. At least for September.

For the remainder of the month, I will give 50 claps for stories and 5 claps for responses. Why?

The Judging Aspect of Clapping

It is obvious that there varying strategies, methods, and opinions when it comes to clapping for stories on Medium.

For most of my time on Medium, I have treated claps like applause at a concert. It was a spontaneous reaction, not a grade. If I really liked a story, I gave it 50 claps — a standing ovation.

But recently I notice I have been thinking about clapping. I caught myself thinking How many claps is this story worth? Yuck! I realized Medium’s clapping system had turned me into a writing critic. Something I am not qualified to do and have no desire to be.

So I am taking the judging aspect out of clapping by giving every story 50 claps.

Why not one clap? I have read stories on clapping explaining how some writers consider 1 clap an insult. Although it is far more likely that the single clap came from a newbie who doesn’t know they can…