Happy Friday, I’ve always treated Medium a bit like a sandbox. A place to go play when I need a break from work. You know why, right? Because it’s not reliable as far as income goes. Never has been. Never can be. This month is a perfect example. I’ve only written 3 posts on Medium in May. For perspective, I wrote 10 in March, and 10 in April. But my pay for May is higher than March or April and pretty close to both of those months combined.
I’ve hit a wall with Medium. I’m not sure what to do about it. My output is way down. So much of what I read makes me angry and I’m tired of being angry.
I can relate. I have muted so many people for that very reason. Just can't with some of that stuff. My last post was 15 days ago. That's the longest I've not written for a long time. Trying to figure out how to make it work for me again.
May 27, 2022·edited May 27, 2022Liked by Linda Caroll
Medium tried to be an A-list publication with high profile personalities, but it’s never going to happen. Medium writers are the people who write week enough to get published in the newspaper. Now we can make money at it. If we stay long enough we find our niche, improve, build a writing routine, and get readers. I follow, clap, highlight, and post comments with newcomers. It’s a great community. I’m finally making $5 a month. My goal is $25 and that only happens if I add new information.
You are so right on the A-list thing. That bombed badly. lol. Do you find there are topics that pay better than others? I have found that for sure. I should write about it. :)
I read people who give me new knowledge and cite their sources. Poetry gets read tons and that appears to be my niche, as well as nature writing. The Book Cafe has
Given me new readers. I really enjoyed Zoe’s but it imploded. The sweet spot is 400-1000 words. And backing off me-me-me posts. I want to know what people learned
I haven't really gotten to the disenchanted stage in my relationship with Medium yet- at least not in terms of writing. I can see clearly what I can possibly accomplish looking at what other people are writing there. And there are still a ton of people worth reading there if you can find them.
But, as per money, Kurt Vonnegut put it best: "And so it goes..."
It is an interesting problem from economics. Person 1 (the writer) has a product. Person 2 (the reader) generally wants to consume the product, but is fickle and sometimes doesn't consume what has been written. Company (Medium) is the broker between, providing Person 2 with access to the products. In traditional publishing, the company (broker) took the risk to curate and market the product for Person 1 and took the losses when Person 2 (the reader) didn't buy the particular article/book/blog etc. Medium figured out how to push the risk of loss to Person 1 while still collecting their part of the payments from Person 2.
The problem that Medium now faces is keeping enough Person 1's optimistic enough to keep writing to keep Person 2's still paying.
Their options appear to be 1) keep attracting Person 1's to create product for Person 2's or 2) Up the ante to encourage Person 1's to take on more of the marketing in return for more of the reward (i.e. the ability to get half the subscription fee when you get new people to join Medium)
I think their referral program has made it worse for writers. Because honestly, referring someone for $2.50 doesn't pay squat unless the writer brings a ton of people over. 100 referrals is $250, which doesn't pay anything but the water bill. lol. But in the long run, it results in half the revenue to pay writers from.
I joined Medium two years ago, and through it found several writers that I like and read regularly. This month I opted not to renew, as the content seems in rapid decline. Those writers that I care about have migrated to Substack, TalkYard, or Patreon. I'm spending more per month via direct subscriptions, partly because of the content, and partly because I think writers should be paid. Those writers that started on Medium, and only recently set up alternate venues, are suffering badly with the drop in Medium payments. I think Seth Godin nailed it with the concept of a "minimum viable audience", but building that audience is tough at a time when money gets ever tighter. Living on writing income alone is not possible for many. I've given it a great deal of thought, but as yet no solution has come to mind.
You are the rare person who is willing to support writers directly. Most people seem okay with paying a few bucks for a place like Medium, but if I asked them how many they support via paid subscriptions like Patreon, or even paid Substack accounts, it's a pretty small number. I don't know a solution, either. I don't know a solution, either. I wish I did.
Hi Linda, I enjoyed your article. I think I have it worse since I have not written for Medium for well over two years. I was so busy with my infant that since she is now a toddler, I feel that I have time once again to give it another whirl. However, from what I read in your story, I cannot get my hopes up of ever making a dime on Medium. Jammed between rocks, COVID is still a danger to my toddler, and no one can offer me a very flexible job. It feels that Medium is the only apple in the hot sun.
I can sure relate. I didn't write when my kiddo was a baby, either. Long, dry spell. Honestly, I think your best shot is to experiment with different topics and watch to see which pay best. Then go deep with those. And thanks for the kind words! :)
Mine is lumpy and bumpy, full of monkeypox. I had originally joined Medium more than two years ago, but gave up as I wasn't achieving a myriad of readers. In January, I attempted to write again for Medium (and I so appreciate your kind advice!) and have continued. I am not someone who can write for Medium on a daily basis, as much of what I do entails research. I only wish my words were being perused by as many internal readers as they are by external. My number of followers is growing, but my clappers are rare.
I've noticed the same, Elizabeth. The number of people who respond in any way (clap, comment, share) has gone down. I think a lot of people who write daily are struggling even more. I've heard a lot say the more often they write, the less reads they get overall. (and you're welcome!)
It's been a bit rough. I like to think of it as a place to attract readers to my newsletter and that makes me less stressed about the numbers. Although, I admit my newsletter is in a state of flux, at least in my mind. Not sure my current focus is where I want to stay, which makes it hard to be clear about the value of my newsletter and what I offer. Hmmm.....Always something to think about, isn't there?
Hi Linda -I still feel like a newcomer having joined Medium last August, and I can't figure out how it works or if there's any logic to having a piece "curated," what makes one a "top writer," the correlation between # of "reads" and money. For example, I wrote a piece entitled "My Aging Body" which showed 1.5K "reads" and earned me $175.70 to date. Another piece, "The Wedding Shower, got 1.2 "reads" and earned me the grand sum of $0.29 (which is more usual amount I get for most pieces I write). A couple of things I've written that I think are superior have shown far fewer "reads" although superlative "comments" from those that have read these pieces. Go figure. However I agree with you . . . I've joined a wonderful community of writers (you're included!) and even met Helen Cassidy Page in person for brunch once and we've become friends. This benefit alone is worth far more than my $5 a month. I write more than I read, unfortunately, because I have a day job, but I guess I should say "fortunately" about my day job because I don't have to rely on Medium for food and shelter. Love your writing. Glad you're not leaving.
How amazing that you got to meet Helen. I have a day job, too. Sure couldn't live on what Medium pays. Fyi, when you look in your stats, it's not the number of reads that affect your pay but the total reading minutes. But there's other factors on top of total reading time -- for example, it's a portion of the monthly fee based on how many other pieces the readers have read. For example, if I read 5 articles (yours being one of them) and some other reader has read 50 articles including yours, you get a bigger share of pay from my read than theirs. It's pretty convoluted.
I'm writing less as well - but it's due to life, not disappointment per se with Medium.
Loved these lines, Linda; agree totally, totally, totally, absolutely. "That’s not an option for me. I love the community, but I’d sure love to make it feel like a better use of time."
“It doesn’t help that when writers are frustrated, they tend to read less. I suspect happy writers are the most active readers.”
Above is a great statement and I think very accurate. I agree with all your points, Linda, especially the benefits and enjoyment associated with this wonderful community on Medium. Viewing Medium in context of a bigger picture is also something I have been rolling over in my mind the last 6+ months.
Thanks always, friend, for all the good stuff in your articles and newsletter.
Thanks, Suz. I love writing so much -- just sucks that it doesn't really pay well and if I want to eat, writing can't really be more than a side hobby. I get so weary of people who write to funnel people into a sales chain, but I sure understand why they do.
Yes, you are absolutely right about treating Medium like a Sandbox.
As writers we go there to Create High Quality Creative Works and meet and support other Writers. If we're not enjoying ourselves then let's do a course correction.
Anytime, Linda. I hear you about earning more for doing what we love. Easier said than done. Kind of like finding a Willy Wonka Golden Ticket on the sidewalk and then spotting Bigfoot all on the same day.
At Medium, I'm a reader first, I just happen to write things there too sometimes.
Since I last complained about Medium here, the articles it recommends me seem to have gotten slightly better (as in, better tailored for me).
As a writer, I've had my best month ever. I've also published more than ever before. I thought it was just because of my (temporarily) high publishing frequency, but based on what you say, I wonder if I lucked on a month when people are reading more in general.
Congratulations on your best month ever. For 3 years I have found March and April to have lowest reads, but that's just me. Others don't experience the same. It's super interesting to watch the patterns. I suspect it will be different for everyone because we don't all have the same readers. Hope you keep growing as quickly. :)
So funny, Holly. I have written for several sites before Medium, but none of the ones you mention. lol. Honestly, I blame Medium for the meta posts. lol. They accept them. If I submitted an article to Forbes called how to succeed on Forbes, they would not only reject it, they'd probably put me on some kind of ignore list. lol.
And yes, I agree that Ev "should" know better. But at the same time, if they had a "juried" requirement, then they'd need to be way better at detecting plagiarism. I had no idea how bad a problem plagiarism was until I was an editor for the pub that shall remain unnamed. Wow, it was truly horrific.
I think if they banned meta posts and stopped trying to control what becomes popular, the site would shift in a positive direction really quickly. Can't see them doing either of those, though.
I’ve hit a wall with Medium. I’m not sure what to do about it. My output is way down. So much of what I read makes me angry and I’m tired of being angry.
I can relate. I have muted so many people for that very reason. Just can't with some of that stuff. My last post was 15 days ago. That's the longest I've not written for a long time. Trying to figure out how to make it work for me again.
Medium tried to be an A-list publication with high profile personalities, but it’s never going to happen. Medium writers are the people who write week enough to get published in the newspaper. Now we can make money at it. If we stay long enough we find our niche, improve, build a writing routine, and get readers. I follow, clap, highlight, and post comments with newcomers. It’s a great community. I’m finally making $5 a month. My goal is $25 and that only happens if I add new information.
You are so right on the A-list thing. That bombed badly. lol. Do you find there are topics that pay better than others? I have found that for sure. I should write about it. :)
I read people who give me new knowledge and cite their sources. Poetry gets read tons and that appears to be my niche, as well as nature writing. The Book Cafe has
Given me new readers. I really enjoyed Zoe’s but it imploded. The sweet spot is 400-1000 words. And backing off me-me-me posts. I want to know what people learned
"Zora"
I haven't really gotten to the disenchanted stage in my relationship with Medium yet- at least not in terms of writing. I can see clearly what I can possibly accomplish looking at what other people are writing there. And there are still a ton of people worth reading there if you can find them.
But, as per money, Kurt Vonnegut put it best: "And so it goes..."
Lol on Vonnegut. Right? And so it goes. There are people worth reading, for sure. Finding them isn't easy.
It is an interesting problem from economics. Person 1 (the writer) has a product. Person 2 (the reader) generally wants to consume the product, but is fickle and sometimes doesn't consume what has been written. Company (Medium) is the broker between, providing Person 2 with access to the products. In traditional publishing, the company (broker) took the risk to curate and market the product for Person 1 and took the losses when Person 2 (the reader) didn't buy the particular article/book/blog etc. Medium figured out how to push the risk of loss to Person 1 while still collecting their part of the payments from Person 2.
The problem that Medium now faces is keeping enough Person 1's optimistic enough to keep writing to keep Person 2's still paying.
Their options appear to be 1) keep attracting Person 1's to create product for Person 2's or 2) Up the ante to encourage Person 1's to take on more of the marketing in return for more of the reward (i.e. the ability to get half the subscription fee when you get new people to join Medium)
I think their referral program has made it worse for writers. Because honestly, referring someone for $2.50 doesn't pay squat unless the writer brings a ton of people over. 100 referrals is $250, which doesn't pay anything but the water bill. lol. But in the long run, it results in half the revenue to pay writers from.
I joined Medium two years ago, and through it found several writers that I like and read regularly. This month I opted not to renew, as the content seems in rapid decline. Those writers that I care about have migrated to Substack, TalkYard, or Patreon. I'm spending more per month via direct subscriptions, partly because of the content, and partly because I think writers should be paid. Those writers that started on Medium, and only recently set up alternate venues, are suffering badly with the drop in Medium payments. I think Seth Godin nailed it with the concept of a "minimum viable audience", but building that audience is tough at a time when money gets ever tighter. Living on writing income alone is not possible for many. I've given it a great deal of thought, but as yet no solution has come to mind.
You are the rare person who is willing to support writers directly. Most people seem okay with paying a few bucks for a place like Medium, but if I asked them how many they support via paid subscriptions like Patreon, or even paid Substack accounts, it's a pretty small number. I don't know a solution, either. I don't know a solution, either. I wish I did.
Hi Linda, I enjoyed your article. I think I have it worse since I have not written for Medium for well over two years. I was so busy with my infant that since she is now a toddler, I feel that I have time once again to give it another whirl. However, from what I read in your story, I cannot get my hopes up of ever making a dime on Medium. Jammed between rocks, COVID is still a danger to my toddler, and no one can offer me a very flexible job. It feels that Medium is the only apple in the hot sun.
Thanks again. I enjoy your articles.
Julio
I can sure relate. I didn't write when my kiddo was a baby, either. Long, dry spell. Honestly, I think your best shot is to experiment with different topics and watch to see which pay best. Then go deep with those. And thanks for the kind words! :)
Mine is lumpy and bumpy, full of monkeypox. I had originally joined Medium more than two years ago, but gave up as I wasn't achieving a myriad of readers. In January, I attempted to write again for Medium (and I so appreciate your kind advice!) and have continued. I am not someone who can write for Medium on a daily basis, as much of what I do entails research. I only wish my words were being perused by as many internal readers as they are by external. My number of followers is growing, but my clappers are rare.
I've noticed the same, Elizabeth. The number of people who respond in any way (clap, comment, share) has gone down. I think a lot of people who write daily are struggling even more. I've heard a lot say the more often they write, the less reads they get overall. (and you're welcome!)
Thank you Linda. I find that the "daily" writers I follow tend to produce rather uneven quality in their pieces.
It's been a bit rough. I like to think of it as a place to attract readers to my newsletter and that makes me less stressed about the numbers. Although, I admit my newsletter is in a state of flux, at least in my mind. Not sure my current focus is where I want to stay, which makes it hard to be clear about the value of my newsletter and what I offer. Hmmm.....Always something to think about, isn't there?
lol. You just described my exact situation. lol
At least we are both in good company! 😀
You are most welcome- always look forward to reading your thoughts on the writing life or history or women or whatever
Hi Linda -I still feel like a newcomer having joined Medium last August, and I can't figure out how it works or if there's any logic to having a piece "curated," what makes one a "top writer," the correlation between # of "reads" and money. For example, I wrote a piece entitled "My Aging Body" which showed 1.5K "reads" and earned me $175.70 to date. Another piece, "The Wedding Shower, got 1.2 "reads" and earned me the grand sum of $0.29 (which is more usual amount I get for most pieces I write). A couple of things I've written that I think are superior have shown far fewer "reads" although superlative "comments" from those that have read these pieces. Go figure. However I agree with you . . . I've joined a wonderful community of writers (you're included!) and even met Helen Cassidy Page in person for brunch once and we've become friends. This benefit alone is worth far more than my $5 a month. I write more than I read, unfortunately, because I have a day job, but I guess I should say "fortunately" about my day job because I don't have to rely on Medium for food and shelter. Love your writing. Glad you're not leaving.
How amazing that you got to meet Helen. I have a day job, too. Sure couldn't live on what Medium pays. Fyi, when you look in your stats, it's not the number of reads that affect your pay but the total reading minutes. But there's other factors on top of total reading time -- for example, it's a portion of the monthly fee based on how many other pieces the readers have read. For example, if I read 5 articles (yours being one of them) and some other reader has read 50 articles including yours, you get a bigger share of pay from my read than theirs. It's pretty convoluted.
I'm writing less as well - but it's due to life, not disappointment per se with Medium.
Loved these lines, Linda; agree totally, totally, totally, absolutely. "That’s not an option for me. I love the community, but I’d sure love to make it feel like a better use of time."
Right? I suspect there's quite a few who feel that way. Thanks, Jen.
“It doesn’t help that when writers are frustrated, they tend to read less. I suspect happy writers are the most active readers.”
Above is a great statement and I think very accurate. I agree with all your points, Linda, especially the benefits and enjoyment associated with this wonderful community on Medium. Viewing Medium in context of a bigger picture is also something I have been rolling over in my mind the last 6+ months.
Thanks always, friend, for all the good stuff in your articles and newsletter.
Thanks, Suz. I love writing so much -- just sucks that it doesn't really pay well and if I want to eat, writing can't really be more than a side hobby. I get so weary of people who write to funnel people into a sales chain, but I sure understand why they do.
Hello, Linda!
Yes, you are absolutely right about treating Medium like a Sandbox.
As writers we go there to Create High Quality Creative Works and meet and support other Writers. If we're not enjoying ourselves then let's do a course correction.
Thanks Again, Linda. I enjoy your writing a lot!
TC
Thanks, Trafton. I wish course correction included earning more for doing what we love. Not sure how to get there though. lol
Anytime, Linda. I hear you about earning more for doing what we love. Easier said than done. Kind of like finding a Willy Wonka Golden Ticket on the sidewalk and then spotting Bigfoot all on the same day.
At Medium, I'm a reader first, I just happen to write things there too sometimes.
Since I last complained about Medium here, the articles it recommends me seem to have gotten slightly better (as in, better tailored for me).
As a writer, I've had my best month ever. I've also published more than ever before. I thought it was just because of my (temporarily) high publishing frequency, but based on what you say, I wonder if I lucked on a month when people are reading more in general.
Congratulations on your best month ever. For 3 years I have found March and April to have lowest reads, but that's just me. Others don't experience the same. It's super interesting to watch the patterns. I suspect it will be different for everyone because we don't all have the same readers. Hope you keep growing as quickly. :)
So funny, Holly. I have written for several sites before Medium, but none of the ones you mention. lol. Honestly, I blame Medium for the meta posts. lol. They accept them. If I submitted an article to Forbes called how to succeed on Forbes, they would not only reject it, they'd probably put me on some kind of ignore list. lol.
And yes, I agree that Ev "should" know better. But at the same time, if they had a "juried" requirement, then they'd need to be way better at detecting plagiarism. I had no idea how bad a problem plagiarism was until I was an editor for the pub that shall remain unnamed. Wow, it was truly horrific.
I think if they banned meta posts and stopped trying to control what becomes popular, the site would shift in a positive direction really quickly. Can't see them doing either of those, though.