Hidden Connections Between Medium's Top 12 Authors

Exposing the Power of Influence with a Sankey Graph

Aug 27, 2024

Photo by Priscilla Du Preez 🇨🇦 on Unsplash

Ever feel like there’s a secret society of top authors on Medium?

A hidden network where they exchange tips, tricks, and maybe even a secret handshake or two?

Okay, maybe that’s a bit of a stretch—but the connections between Medium’s most influential voices are undeniable. As a devoted reader and writer, these connections always captivated me.

Who influences whom? Do the top authors share the same readers, just like I do? And what does this overlap say about their influence and appeal?

The Power of Influence

Medium is more than just a platform—it's an ecosystem where top authors have built spheres of influence.

These aren't just numbers; they’re communities of readers who are drawn to unique voices, compelling stories, and, often, overlapping themes.

But just how intertwined are these communities?

My Journey with Data

Data has a way of revealing truths that are otherwise hidden.

So, last night, fueled by curiosity (and maybe too much coffee), I decided to dive deep into the data.

My goal? To map out the hidden connections between the 12 top authors I follow and visualize how their followers overlap.

But before we discuss the specifics, let me introduce a simple concept: follower overlap.

Follower Overlap: The Concept

Imagine two circles—one representing Alice’s followers and the other Bob’s.

Suppose Jim, who follows Bob, stumbles upon Alice’s latest story and decides to follow her. The next day, Ted, who follows Alice, reads Bob’s article and clicks the follow button.

Voila! Jim and Ted now represent shared followers who bridge the gap between Alice and Bob’s spheres of influence.

Sounds simple, right?

But when you scale this up to the level of Medium’s top authors, the picture gets a lot more complex—and a lot more interesting.

Meet the Authors: My Top 12

Here are the 12 authors who form the core of my analysis:

Tim Denning (326k followers): A powerhouse blogger with over 2,877 posts, Tim’s content is a treasure trove for anyone interested in personal development and entrepreneurship.
Eve Arnold (88k followers): A guiding light for part-time writers, Eve’s insights are invaluable for those juggling a 9-to-5 with their writing dreams.
Ayodeji Awosika (122k followers): Ayo not only offers free writing guides but also helps writers build their own success stories, just like he did for me.
Sinem Günel (80k followers): Sinem’s work is all about helping writers grow their audience and income, and her impact on the community is undeniable.
Sean Kernan (99k followers): Sean’s thoughtful and original stories are a breath of fresh air, blending simplicity with depth.
Scott Galloway (291k followers): Known for his no-BS style, Scott’s business predictions are as entertaining as they are insightful.
Walter Rhein (49k followers): A champion of social justice, Walter’s stories have a unique voice that resonates across different publications.
Linda Caroll (42k followers): Linda’s work on writing, literature, and books is a must-read for anyone serious about the craft.
Derek Hughes (14.2k followers): A rising star, Derek has been building a following with clear, actionable advice for new writers.
Jason Provencio (51k followers): Jason’s creative blend of politics, life lessons, and humor makes his stories entertaining and thought-provoking.
Rodrigo S-C (18.6k followers): A true Renaissance man, Rodrigo’s artful stories and paintings add a unique flavor to the Medium community.
Robin Wilding (17.2k followers): With a voice all her own, Robin’s inventive and entertaining stories always leave an impression.

You may have read some stories in my Top Authors Dashboard, where I have shared more insights about these influential authors.

I have pulled the data to analyze what makes these authors attractive, including their data on followers.

Visualizing the Connections

With all this data at my fingertips, I needed a way to make sense of it all.

Enter the Sankey diagram—a graph typically used to visualize the flow of energy, money, or, in this case, followers.

Each author in my top 12 is represented by a color, and the flows between them show how many followers they have.

Sankey diagram of follower overlap between top 12 authors (by author)

The width of each flow is proportional to the number of overlapping followers.

For example, Tim Denning’s bar on the right side dominates the diagram, showing his massive influence across nearly all other authors.

Derek Hughes: A Case Study in Influence

Let’s take a closer look at Derek Hughes.

Derek is a relatively new author on Medium, having published his first story just 20 months ago. Yet, he’s already amassed over 14,216 followers.

Interestingly, nearly 40% (5731) of his followers also follow Eve Arnold.

Coincidence? I think not.

In his story “How Eve Arnold Helped Me Find Writing Success,” Derek explains how Eve’s courses and book have influenced his journey.

The data supports this, showing a significant overlap of his followers with Eve and other top authors, such as Ayodeji Awosika and Sinem Günel.

Why Does This Matter?

These connections aren’t just interesting trivia; they have real implications for writers and readers alike.

Community Building: Readers who follow multiple authors become part of a broader community. I’ve noticed familiar names in the comments across these authors’ stories, creating a sense of shared interest and connection. This is how organic community building happens on Medium.
Content Strategy: Understanding these overlaps can help writers tailor their content. For instance, Derek Hughes has evolved his strategy by increasing his output and contributing to multiple publications. The result? A steady rise in engagement and follower count.

My Own Experience

I’m part of this interconnected web, too.

With 798 followers, I was curious to see how my followers overlap with these top authors. The results were enlightening.

Eve Arnold was one of the first authors I started actively reading, followed by Ayo and his Practice in Public publication.

Then came Sinem Günel, whose story I analyzed in “From Zero to Million Views on Medium.”

Sean Kernan is one of my favorite authors. I wrote Remain a Servant To Your Readers based on the lessons I learned from Sean.

Here are more results of my shared followers with these top authors:

Since I follow these authors, I participate in their spheres of influence.

Finally, Malky McEwan is a mentor and role model for me. He writes great stories and also helps amateurs like myself. We share 336 followers in our respective circles.

Final Thoughts: The Sphere of Influence

So, what’s the takeaway here?

As writers, we are all part of these spheres of influence. The authors we follow shape our thoughts, writing, and, ultimately, our audience.

As we gain more followers, we contribute to this web of influence.

Here is my call to action for writers:

Follower overlap — Explore your followers and think about the communities they are part of. This gives you a better picture of your audience and their origin.
Review your content strategy — authors like Derek Hughes have learned from the top authors and focused on their goals. We can see the shift in the content and the volume from Derek’s example. His use of publications to extend his reach is worth studying.
Sphere of influence — the top authors you follow put you in their sphere of influence. As you read more stories, they may influence your writing. Any comments you add will extend your reach. Gradually, you will gain more followers, and if my theory is correct, these followers will come from these spheres of influence.

What About You?

Are you seeing similar patterns in your own experience?

How do the authors you follow influence your writing and your community?

Let me know in the comments—I’d love to hear your thoughts!