I think you must value yourself as being enough.
Even on Medium, being validated (especially in publications and groups) can take a toll. Also, I've seen popular writers writing trashy horrible articles, and then boasting how much they've earned on Medium. Some of their articles were devaluing other people. One recent one had the name of a so-called 'spammer' thrown around, and it seemed so revengeful and retaliative. Trashing others to make yourself feel better is not a healthy mindset. Then I've seen other stories exploiting writer's fears and insecurities on Medium - stating you will be revoked if you do x, y, z. Who cares!
These people are getting tons of reads and making money from trashing other writers and scaremongering. It's disgusting. So it's important to value yourself. I've blocked this writer and will never read another story from them. People think bullying doesn't happen on Medium - it certainly does! Because of the herd mentality this writer was believed, everyone looking up to him to solve their problems and didn't think critically of the harm he's doing calling out another writer by name - not just in one story but at least two (maybe more).
Someone who I thought was a 'friend' and who gave me her email address (even though I never asked for it or wanted it), I also had a falling out with, as she was believing everything this writer was saying. For example, two people recently had their accounts revoked in this particular group, without knowing the reason. So 'tagging' was made to be the reason, even though one revoked writer didn't tag anyone and I see lots of people tagging many others daily and they aren't revoked. I disputed with this 'friend' about the unethical behaviour of the writer who called out someone's name in their stories. Not only did she not respond but later sent out a 'warning' to everyone in the group (of which I'm no longer belong to) that they should stop tagging and blaming that for the revocations. But nobody knows why those two people in the group were revoked. The only way to protect yourself is being authentic.
I am shocked how many people automatically believe everything they read on Medium and how some writers abuse their power and popularity to trash other writers. It's so toxic! The irony is that this writer was trashing another for breaching medium rules, and doing so himself by calling out the writer by name, multiple times.
One of the people revoked in the group, nobody even knew about it, until I mentioned it to this 'friend' who I was emailing. And guess who ended up being perceived negatively over this - me! The mass hysteria about tagging prevailed, on foot of the sensationalist stories of the writer who trashes other writers, and he comes up with all sorts of weird and totally unsubstantiated claims. This time he pretended he 'knew' why they were revoked (ie) by tagging. I was then getting comments to stop tagging some people, in a tone that was accusatory. So I've totally left this group and blocked that writer who bullies other writers by calling them out and naming them, and making questionable assertions with no evidence.
If you don't recognise your worth as a writer, or in any other area of life, you will be prey to bullies and fake people - and there are some right here on Medium sadly. Not going along with 'herd' mentality carries a cost, but I am not a fake.
