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Abstract

<div> <div> <h2>You don’t need to have quantity over quality to be successful on Medium:</h2> <div><h3>I just read, (cough) a”success story” written by a fairly new writer who has been blogging for around a month or so</h3></div> <div><p>medium.com</p></div> </div> <div> <div style="background-image: url(https://miro.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:320/0*4-MzMJg3OB4Lzrht)"></div> </div> </div> </a> </div><p id="25fd">This got me thinking, how did I do that? The first could certainly be put down to luck. The second is not so much, and now a third is building toward that magic $100.</p><p id="bbf1">I do have a writing system and a structure for how I create a post. The nine points below are how I’ve summarized them. This process, for me, is more automatic than anything else, but I do think this way.</p><h2 id="28b4">What is the article about?</h2><p id="9871">People want to read something because they have a need. A need to be angry, sad, happy, or a need to learn about something: there are other needs, but these are the ones I am thinking about before I write. What will this article be about? What will the reader think about it? What need is this filling?</p><h2 id="e471">Make it about you</h2><p id="c5d5">But also make it about the reader! In <b>‘Medium Story Clickbait Titles,’ </b>I started the article like this:</p><p id="027e">I know this is going to make some of you angry. But if you are angry that your stories are probably clickbait, then you are the ones I am talking to.</p><p id="2c52">This was deliberate! Who was I talking to? The clickbaiters? No, they weren’t reading my article; they were too busy creating more clickbait. I was talking about the reader’s anger and frustration after reading another empty post.</p><h2 id="cfbb">You want your audience to be on your side</h2><p id="9473">Who is my audience? I am writing on Medium, and the article was about writing issues on Medium, so obviously, my audience mainly are other writers. What concerns do writers have? In this case, junk clickbait titles that they, like me, have to compete with.</p><h2 id="7d48">Niche!</h2><p id="d919">If you love writing in a niche or hate it, you have to admit a niche is very useful. Keeping the stories in the same kind of general area helped me get more reads. Most of the comments on my second successful article were from readers who had commented on previous posts in the same niche!</p # Options ><h2 id="1e30">The hook</h2><p id="63a4">This is the title! Your title needs to grab attention and give a decent enough hint as to what the article is about without giving away the ending, so to speak. Your title should also be SEO-friendly.</p><h2 id="bee1">The dreaded SEO</h2><p id="481e">And talking of SEO or discoverability! It needs to be in there! I am sure, like me, you are sick of reading those three little letters, but it is MASSIVELY important, and if you want your posts to be read, you need to make sure they are discoverable.</p><h2 id="4458">Tags</h2><p id="a77b">Medium uses tags to put your stories into categories. There are five tag spots available, and use all FIVE! Also, make sure all of your stories have related tags. I always use at least two of the same tags in related stories!</p><p id="9b7a">I also mix my tags between big tags such as<b> ‘Writing’ </b>and small groups of words like <b>‘Making Money on Medium.’ </b>This gives me the best chance overall to be found.</p><h2 id="87b2">Publications</h2><p id="ace8">Where am I going to publish this? In general, I publish in Illumination Publications. I also submit to smaller Pubs because I like to support them, and many of the smaller Publications are run by people that I follow and who follow me.</p><p id="e969">My first successful post I had was in <a href="https://medium.com/my-unpopular-opinion">Unpopular Opinions</a>, which is a mid-sized Publication. So do not discount the smaller Publications because your topic, title, and writing are far more important than who publishes it.</p><p id="2c93">My only advice for more general blog posts I’d go with the bigger Pubs, but for something a little more niche, it’s probably worth finding a niche Publication.</p><h2 id="357e">Make sure your posts are easy to read</h2><p id="e1bb">I can not stress the importance of proper spacing and text blocks, along with correct grammar, punctuation, and the basics of spelling! Try as hard as you can to make your writing clear and concise!</p><p id="2dd5">If there are huge blocks of text and the whole thing is badly formatted, readers will click off.</p><p id="9305">No, your post does not have to be perfect, and the odd mistake is forgivable, but if it’s riddled with errors, you will lose readers. Some people are extremely picky about things like tense, grammar, and poor spelling. Don’t lose a read over something so easily fixable.</p><p id="3574">Thanks for reading!</p><p id="758a">Don’t forget to clap, follow and leave a comment.</p><p id="5adb">Paul</p></article></body>

9 Lessons From My First Two $100+ Articles on Medium

The first five set me up for a great couple of months

In my first few months of writing on Medium, I had two articles over $100! I know some people have done better, but not that many. I believe that I have done well. I have worked hard for this and put in a lot of hours on the keyboard. Not just writing but also learning what works on the platform. I follow over 1000 other writers and read a lot.

My first successful post was in December, just two weeks since I started writing properly on Medium.

Medium Story Click Bait Titles

I know this is going to make some of you angry. But if you are angry that your stories are probably clickbait then you…

medium.com

And the second in January to the beginning of February

How To Detect An AI Written Article

With the emergence of AI comes the rise of the fake writer

medium.com

And yet another one which made $60 but more than worth a mention!

You don’t need to have quantity over quality to be successful on Medium:

I just read, (cough) a”success story” written by a fairly new writer who has been blogging for around a month or so

medium.com

This got me thinking, how did I do that? The first could certainly be put down to luck. The second is not so much, and now a third is building toward that magic $100.

I do have a writing system and a structure for how I create a post. The nine points below are how I’ve summarized them. This process, for me, is more automatic than anything else, but I do think this way.

What is the article about?

People want to read something because they have a need. A need to be angry, sad, happy, or a need to learn about something: there are other needs, but these are the ones I am thinking about before I write. What will this article be about? What will the reader think about it? What need is this filling?

Make it about you

But also make it about the reader! In ‘Medium Story Clickbait Titles,’ I started the article like this:

I know this is going to make some of you angry. But if you are angry that your stories are probably clickbait, then you are the ones I am talking to.

This was deliberate! Who was I talking to? The clickbaiters? No, they weren’t reading my article; they were too busy creating more clickbait. I was talking about the reader’s anger and frustration after reading another empty post.

You want your audience to be on your side

Who is my audience? I am writing on Medium, and the article was about writing issues on Medium, so obviously, my audience mainly are other writers. What concerns do writers have? In this case, junk clickbait titles that they, like me, have to compete with.

Niche!

If you love writing in a niche or hate it, you have to admit a niche is very useful. Keeping the stories in the same kind of general area helped me get more reads. Most of the comments on my second successful article were from readers who had commented on previous posts in the same niche!

The hook

This is the title! Your title needs to grab attention and give a decent enough hint as to what the article is about without giving away the ending, so to speak. Your title should also be SEO-friendly.

The dreaded SEO

And talking of SEO or discoverability! It needs to be in there! I am sure, like me, you are sick of reading those three little letters, but it is MASSIVELY important, and if you want your posts to be read, you need to make sure they are discoverable.

Publications

Where am I going to publish this? In general, I publish in Illumination Publications. I also submit to smaller Pubs because I like to support them, and many of the smaller Publications are run by people that I follow and who follow me.

My first successful post I had was in Unpopular Opinions, which is a mid-sized Publication. So do not discount the smaller Publications because your topic, title, and writing are far more important than who publishes it.

My only advice for more general blog posts I’d go with the bigger Pubs, but for something a little more niche, it’s probably worth finding a niche Publication.

Make sure your posts are easy to read

I can not stress the importance of proper spacing and text blocks, along with correct grammar, punctuation, and the basics of spelling! Try as hard as you can to make your writing clear and concise!

If there are huge blocks of text and the whole thing is badly formatted, readers will click off.

No, your post does not have to be perfect, and the odd mistake is forgivable, but if it’s riddled with errors, you will lose readers. Some people are extremely picky about things like tense, grammar, and poor spelling. Don’t lose a read over something so easily fixable.

Thanks for reading!

Don’t forget to clap, follow and leave a comment.

Paul