Chapter 1: The Medium Earnings Enigma

Writing on Medium for three years has taught me that consistently attracting readers and engagement is quite a challenge, even for experienced authors. Whenever I encounter newcomers who have only recently joined and are making remarkable claims about earning hundreds or even thousands of dollars, as well as rapidly amassing follower counts, I can't help but take notice.

Indeed, there are Medium authors raking in substantial amounts, not necessarily through profound storytelling, but by leveraging a formula that revolves around earnings, subscriber counts, and ways to enhance both. This trend is unmistakable; just a glance through their story catalogs reveals a plethora of posts tagged with Medium. You cannot miss these authors, as they consistently share content that garners thousands of claps and numerous comments.

While they do occasionally produce content outside the realm of Medium, those pieces tend to receive far less attention. For instance, I recently stumbled upon a story where an author claimed that 89% of their March earnings of $629.64 were attributed to writing about Medium. Ironically, by discussing this, I might be giving them even more visibility.

This brings me to a crucial point. Medium has clear guidelines regarding content distribution:

Posts focused on the Partner Program, earning money on Medium, or Boost are categorized as Network Only. This policy aims to prevent an overload of such content in readers' feeds, as audience feedback indicates a disinterest in these topics when they don't follow the writer or publication.

They further clarify that:

Other stories not related to the Partner Program or earnings can occasionally qualify for distribution and Boost, but this is rare.

So, while discussing Medium is certainly allowed, the platform’s rules suggest it shouldn't yield much success. Yet, some authors seem to thrive against these odds.

After considerable reflection, I've formed a hypothesis. This is merely speculation, as I lack insider knowledge of Medium's operations. However, it's evident that Medium has witnessed significant growth in paid readership, surpassing one million members in April 2024.

Following last August, they started expanding the Partner Program internationally, which now requires participants to be paying members. You can see the correlation here: a significant portion of those new members are aspiring writers eager to learn how to succeed on Medium. Consequently, content focused on navigating the platform is likely to attract attention, even without Boost or broader distribution.

I remember when I was new to Medium; I was obsessed with finding ways to increase my views, reads, and followers. Even now, I sometimes fall into that trap. It's simply how it goes. Many of us write not just for passion but to build an audience and generate income.

To clarify, my intention in writing this isn't from a place of envy or malice towards other writers. If you're succeeding financially by writing about Medium, that's commendable. Everyone should have the freedom to write about whatever they choose.

In conclusion, the common advice I've heard from top writers is to write about your passions and hone your skills, which might improve your chances of being featured and attracting readers. While this is sound advice, it doesn't always reflect reality. Success isn't always determined by writing quality or engagement; sometimes it requires tapping into the audience's desire to learn how to earn money.

Much like during the gold rush, the wealthiest individuals weren't the miners but those selling tools. Personally, I prefer to focus on my passions, regardless of whether it leads to significant earnings.

Chapter 2: The Path to Financial Success on Medium

In the video "Get Your Medium Articles BOOSTED and Earn $2000+ | Boost Nominator Walter Rhein," Walter Rhein discusses strategies for maximizing your earnings on Medium through effective article promotion.

In another insightful video, "How to Make $1000 per Month Writing Articles on Medium (as a part-time writer) - YouTube," viewers are guided on how to generate a substantial income from writing on Medium, even as a side gig.