In my first two months in the Medium Partner Program, I made a total of $2.53. I write approximately once per week, and I don’t write about anything I’m not actually interested in writing about.
As far as I can tell, those who are making hundreds or thousands of dollars per month here are doing it on residuals, based on years of writing multiple stories per week and building up dedicated audiences.
And they are also talented writers who enjoy writing about the types of things that people are here for, namely:
- how to make a hillion jillion dollars on Medium,
- failing that, how to make a hillion jillion dollars elsewhere online,
- talking about their Medium stats,
- last but certainly least, good stories about anything else
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I can’t lie, I’d love to make decent money writing here, but here’s the thing: I’m just not that dedicated.
I have a regular job, and I have at least half a dozen other interests that I also like to devote time to. I have a partner, and friends, and family.
Don’t Fall for the Get Rich Quick Scams
I absolutely will not debase myself or insult your intelligence by tossing out some half-baked “follow your dreams” nonsense about success on Medium — even if that’s where the cash money for reads is around here.
Ninety-nine percent of the “making money online” advice here and elsewhere is selling a pipe dream. Medium only makes a living wage for a vanishingly tiny percentage of its writers, so they have to make money writing elsewhere, taking on a job, or working freelance. Or they make money selling writing courses about how to have success on Medium.
You can find no shortage of people promising you that they have the secret recipe for success on Medium (mostly while sharing their monthly stat posts about how they made $7.86).
I do not trust any of these people. It is selling a story, not a reality. Success in writing is not a formula.
Honestly, it makes me a bit sad to see people pouring so many hours into writing here, posting about it like it’s the next multi-level marketing scheme. You just have to believe and hustle and then you’ll find success. And if you don’t, it’s cause you didn’t pour your literal entire life into it.
Don’t pour your entire life into writing here. If you’re hoping for good residual income in the future, then maybe writing here will work. But Medium can change its formula at any time.
There’s probably something else you can do that has a better return on your time, especially if you are financially struggling and able to do anything else. Because here’s my truth right now, and I know it’s the case even for a lot of people who write about getting successful on Medium.
Everything I Do Other Than Medium Makes Me More Money
And given what I’ve read about how few people even make more than $100 monthly on Medium, this is probably going to be true for you too.
For example, I’m getting $25 to write a short essay about Star Trek this month, mostly for fun. Even that’s more than I can reasonably expect to make from any piece I write on this website.
My hourly wage at work also well exceeds any navel-gazing post of mine, or even any post of mine with actual useful content.
For me, this website has been motivation to write about things that interest me, without the pressure of pitching articles, adhering to deadlines, and writing things that fit a publisher’s strict formula.
And if I get paid a few bucks for it, and get to know exactly how many people are reading what I’m writing so I can be sure I’m not just shouting into the void, that’s cool too.
It’s important to believe in yourself, but it’s also important to have realistic expectations. Medium is not a big money-maker for writers unless you:
- write about things that attract a lot of readers,
- are very talented at writing,
- have a lot of time to give to writing and can wait months or years for results,
- excel at self-promotion, and, maybe most importantly,
- are extremely lucky.
At best, I’ve got two of those things!