My Favorite Writers on Medium, Vol. 4

The annual list (belatedly) returns: Here are 10 great writers to read in (what’s left of) 2021.

Photo by John Jennings on Unsplash

Great writers — I mean, the ones who really stand out —are conduits through which you unearth a greater understanding of the world, of your line of work, and also of yourself. They’re as rare as they’re also necessary.

Not all good writers are great writers. I’ve read whole J-Schools full who are solid, convincing, technically proficient, and utterly forgettable. Most freelance columnists at mainstream media publications fall into this bucket.

And, not all great writing is even good writing. I love the shit out of Cormac McCarthy—he’s probably read in more high school English classes than his works, if written as term papers, would’ve allowed him to pass.

Then, there are your favorite writers. They’re the ones you know by the name, the ones you keep coming back for, the ones you send to your friends and you say, “ayo, this shit is fucking amazing.”

Not everyone can be a favorite … favorites are even rarer — and more necessary — than greats: they become a part of you.

Medium’s kinda like that. There are good writers (pretty much the whole recurring casts of Elemental, Forge, GEN, and HP); there…