Free AI web copilot to create summaries, insights and extended knowledge, download it at here

Abstract

riters. Every time I read a writer I like, I’d give them 4 times what I am giving them right now.</p><p id="409c">That sounds good. These people are dedicating their time and souls to creating content. And I’ve always thought content creators should be compensated for the entertainment they provide.</p><p id="83d0">If paid yearly, it would cost me a bit over twice what I was paying at the moment.</p><p id="6b06">As a newbie, last month I made approximately what I needed to pay for the basic membership. I guess I could afford to pay some extra. I’m quite frugal otherwise.</p><p id="ab6f">So two days ago, when my membership had to be renewed, I decided to join Friends of Medium. Then I read and comment on a couple of stories, like I always do, and headed to bed.</p><p id="8de5">When I woke up in the morning, I was in shock.</p><p id="9290">My views had almost doubled overnight. Also, I had twice as many new Followers and comments on my posts than any other day before.</p><p id="7592">My Partner Program earnings can now more than pay for my “Friends of Medium Membership” this month. My earnings have x4 overnight…</p><p id="9be0">So I did some digging and I found <a href="https://readmedium.com/mediums-new-friends-program-favours-the-privileged-d013481209bc">this article</a> by <a href="undefined">Jillian Enright</a>, who predicted that, whether we like it or not, trying to join the program to help other people, was going to help us too, favoring those who can afford it. But what if you can’t afford it?</p><h2 id="ee9f">What do I think it's happening?</h2><p id="8bee">I hardly believe in coincidences, although I understand that correlation doesn’t always imply causation.</p><p id="c694">I guess I’m not the worst writer out there, but my writing hasn’t improved overnight, that's for sure. I will always be the lady with the idioms.</p><p id="9bb4">Then what?<

Options

/p><p id="64c8">I simply think that when another writer in the Partner Program sees my shiny heart over my avatar, they get incentivized to interact with me.</p><p id="942c">If they get my attention and I read their posts, they get 4 times what they are getting.</p><p id="f4a0">And if putting food on the table depended on how many people read my articles, I would too be following this strategy.</p><p id="0472">I have mixed feelings about this though. But since I joined Friends of Medium to help others, I’ll be checking these people’s articles. Maybe I won’t make a huge difference, but we are all a team, right?</p><p id="1981">Now, this is not my final thought on the program, just processing all the data. So please, let me know what your thoughts, good or bad, are on the topic.</p><p id="a186">Help me understand myself better!</p><p id="fb3e"><i>Did you enjoy my story? Follow me and consider subscribing to my publications so you don’t miss any of my quirks!</i></p><p id="87e6"><i>I’m always happy if you<b> <a href="https://bmc.link/silviapineg">want to cover my next Fair Trade Match Latte</a></b>.</i></p><p id="58c8"><i>I’ll use a reusable cup, I promise!</i></p><div id="399c" class="link-block"> <a href="https://www.buymeacoffee.com/silviapineg"> <div> <div> <h2>Sílvia P-M, PhD 🍂 Mulier peregrinus is Mental health Resources for Self Improvement in Medium and…</h2> <div><h3>Mental health and Career development. Expat European mother living in the US after years in Australia…</h3></div> <div><p>www.buymeacoffee.com</p></div> </div> <div> <div style="background-image: url(https://miro.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:320/0*lejgcbAZH0jgyIl-)"></div> </div> </div> </a> </div></article></body>

Are Friends Of Medium A Double Edge Sword?

Trying to understand

By all means, I’m very new to Medium. As I have mentioned before, I joined back in the summer, tested the waters, and took a few months off to start my new job (which I love).

But things calmed down, and I’ve always liked writing. So I gave it another try.

Although I live in the United States, English is not my first language, so I still consider myself an apprentice. Yet, I give it my best every day. I want to keep improving.

Even if I never become the best writer out there. I don’t need to, I just want to do what I enjoy most.

A couple of weeks back, I saw an invitation to join the “Friends of Medium.” Friends of what, I thought?

I was probably in the middle of bedtime with my littles, so I didn’t have a chance to check it out.

But over the coming days, I could see that my favorite writers started replacing the shiny stars in their avatars with shiny hearts. It said that they were “Friends of Medium.”

So I checked the whole program a bit closely. It said that you could better support other writers. Every time I read a writer I like, I’d give them 4 times what I am giving them right now.

That sounds good. These people are dedicating their time and souls to creating content. And I’ve always thought content creators should be compensated for the entertainment they provide.

If paid yearly, it would cost me a bit over twice what I was paying at the moment.

As a newbie, last month I made approximately what I needed to pay for the basic membership. I guess I could afford to pay some extra. I’m quite frugal otherwise.

So two days ago, when my membership had to be renewed, I decided to join Friends of Medium. Then I read and comment on a couple of stories, like I always do, and headed to bed.

When I woke up in the morning, I was in shock.

My views had almost doubled overnight. Also, I had twice as many new Followers and comments on my posts than any other day before.

My Partner Program earnings can now more than pay for my “Friends of Medium Membership” this month. My earnings have x4 overnight…

So I did some digging and I found this article by Jillian Enright, who predicted that, whether we like it or not, trying to join the program to help other people, was going to help us too, favoring those who can afford it. But what if you can’t afford it?

What do I think it's happening?

I hardly believe in coincidences, although I understand that correlation doesn’t always imply causation.

I guess I’m not the worst writer out there, but my writing hasn’t improved overnight, that's for sure. I will always be the lady with the idioms.

Then what?

I simply think that when another writer in the Partner Program sees my shiny heart over my avatar, they get incentivized to interact with me.

If they get my attention and I read their posts, they get 4 times what they are getting.

And if putting food on the table depended on how many people read my articles, I would too be following this strategy.

I have mixed feelings about this though. But since I joined Friends of Medium to help others, I’ll be checking these people’s articles. Maybe I won’t make a huge difference, but we are all a team, right?

Now, this is not my final thought on the program, just processing all the data. So please, let me know what your thoughts, good or bad, are on the topic.

Help me understand myself better!

Did you enjoy my story? Follow me and consider subscribing to my publications so you don’t miss any of my quirks!

I’m always happy if you want to cover my next Fair Trade Match Latte.

I’ll use a reusable cup, I promise!