Robin, thank you so much for sharing all of this with me. I'm so sorry you're having painful health issues (yes, fibromyalgia really does stink!).

How lovely that your daughter can help you with tech stuff! Yay!

If I can help you with "learning the ropes" on Medium, please let me know. It's kind of a beast, there's a lot to know but we've all had to start somewhere. I'm sure you'll find that most of the time, we're a supportive community that'll help you figure it out.

Here's one of the most important bits, Robin. You don't have to write unless you feel like it. You don't have to contribute to pubs at any particular time (well, I suppose there are some that expect that. I've never come across one and mine sure isn't like that!).

You can show up on Medium and write when you want and read/comment when you want. There are no expectations.

And that's certainly the case for my pub. If you think that at some point you'd like to contribute, I'd love to see your submissions. I can add you (only if you want me to) and if you don't submit for months on end, I'm not going to be offended. It'll just be an option that's waiting for you.

I haven't ever contributed to several of the pubs where I'm technically a writer! Just haven't got there yet.

Anyway - I'm not here to push you or make you feel like you have to say yes. It's just an offer but I wouldn't want to add you if it's going to create any sort of pressure for you.

It's up to you, okay? You can quietly sit there in my list of writers and wait till you feel like you have something to add. Or you can request to join somewhere down the road if that feels right to you.

Whatever is best for you. Just know that I value you and your work and whether you ever become a part of my pub, I'll be happy to read more of your beautiful words! 💜