An Open Letter to People Who Write About How Much Money They Make on Medium

3 questions to ask yourself before you hit publish on an article about increasing income on Medium

When the student is ready, the teacher appears. That’s what they say, right? Here at Medium, there are a lot of teachers showing up.

But there’s another applicable cliché. Beware the wolf in sheep’s clothing.

I know you don’t mean to be a wolf in sheep’s clothing…

At least I hope you don’t. A wolf in sheep’s clothing is someone playing a role contrary to their real motivation.

Here’s what a “wolf in sheep’s clothing” looks like on Medium. It’s when your title promises something that your article doesn’t really deliver on. I mean, kind of… you know? But not really.

Here’s the thing. Over half of the writers here are making “some” money. But only 7% are making over $100 bucks a month. Or something like that. Don’t quote me on the numbers.

God knows, nothing gets clicks like “how to make money” when half the developed world lives 2 paychecks from broke and 90% of writers aren’t making more than a couple of bucks per article here.

On Medium, Meta Makes Money

You know what “meta” is, of course. It’s getting on Medium to write about Medium. If you’ve been around a while, you’ve seen a lot of it.

Often, under the guise of “I love this place so much, I want to help…”

Which would be lovely, if they really were helping. A few are. Most aren’t. Too many are just doing it for the clicks.

I’m not saying you shouldn’t write about how much you make on Medium.

There are enough waggy finger folks telling everyone what they should and shouldn’t write about. (and how often). That’s not me.

In a world full of fake teachers and internet marketers whose advice lines no pockets but their own, there’s a real need for honest and helpful guidance.

Helpful is the key. Maybe you are one of those sincere leaders who really helps. Maybe you just think you are. I don’t know, but it’s worth pondering.

Bad advice is more common than good advice.

For example, write more (more, moar!) helps no one.

I belong to a Medium Facebook group. I read a post by some woman who said she’s writing every day and still hasn’t broken 50 bucks a month. Clearly, she’s missing a piece of the puzzle. Are you bringing that piece?

3 questions to ask yourself before you hit publish on an article about increasing income on Medium.

They’re simple questions, but worth pondering before you publish. Because if you’re giving unhelpful advice, that’s not helping anyone in the long run. Including you. If you disappoint people one time too many, they stop reading.

1. Is your advice current?

Giving outdated advice is classic. Like telling people to get curated. Curation doesn’t mean much anymore. We’ve all had pieces that got curated and still fell flat. Curated articles aren’t getting as much exposure as they used to.

2. Is your advice actionable?

If someone actually applies your advice, will they see results? That’s a tough one. Because once you have a big audience, it gets hard to know whether your “tips” are why you get results, or whether it’s just the size of your audience.

3. Would you give this advice to someone you love?

If your brother, sister, child or Mom came to you and said they lost their job and want to supplement their income on Medium, is the advice you’re posting the advice you’d give them? Because if you wouldn’t give this advice to someone you love, don’t give it to the writers here.

Can we talk? There’s so much bad advice for writers on the internet it makes me a little sick. Get help with writing, marketing and join at team of writers helping each other grow at https://lindac.substack.com/