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2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fembed%2Fq20R-MAj6-0%3Ffeature%3Doembed&display_name=YouTube&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3Dq20R-MAj6-0&image=https%3A%2F%2Fi.ytimg.com%2Fvi%2Fq20R-MAj6-0%2Fhqdefault.jpg&key=a19fcc184b9711e1b4764040d3dc5c07&type=text%2Fhtml&schema=youtube" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="480" width="854"> </div> </div> </figure></iframe></div></div></figure><h2 id="7125">Once the video starts, tap ‘YouTube’ to view on YouTube >>></h2><figure id="9019"><img src="https://cdn-images-1.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:800/1*XNtlzTgYd0I7_YPmmYdtwQ.png"><figcaption></figcaption></figure><h1 id="ca40">An important question — answered</h1><figure id="761a"><img src="https://cdn-images-1.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:800/1*jTRkxTVvQOaO5-C0ZbGZcw.png"><figcaption>Screenshot by author from the platform’s <a href="https://help.medium.com/hc/en-us/articles/360006543813-About-Friend-Links">help page</a>.</figcaption></figure><h1 id="73f2">Five fun facts about those friendly links</h1><ol><li>Friend links allow writers to give family members, social media audiences, and friends IRL — in real life — free, unlimited access to their work.</li><li>If you publish behind the paywall anyone can read your work without an account. However, when a non-member reaches their allotte

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d number of monthly freebies they won’t be able to access more unless they pay $5/month.</li><li>If you are not an MPP writer and your stories are not metered to earn money, any reader has unlimited access with your standard story URL.</li><li>Friend links are available for all of your stories whether they’re self-published or in a publication. You can share directly via email, messages, or on social media platforms as you would share a standard link.</li><li>Friend links appear on social media with the title, subtitle and featured image displayed the same way standard links appear. I recommend informing your audience in the post.<i> i.e.“Read with this friend link to avoid the paywall.”</i></li></ol><h1 id="6725">More from the MuddyUm editorial team</h1><div id="c95d" class="link-block"> <a href="https://readmedium.com/muddyum-must-read-tutorial-af5ab3020cf4"> <div> <div> <h2>Must-Read MuddyUm How-To-Torial</h2> <div><h3>Improve your submissions and win the hearts of your editors</h3></div> <div><p>medium.com</p></div> </div> <div> <div style="background-image: url(https://miro.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:320/0*9cgLjTYxEv8AEI6V)"></div> </div> </div> </a> </div></article></body>

HOW-TO-TORIAL

Breaking Down the Paywall

Befriending friend links — with a tutorial video

Photo by Obi Onyeador on Unsplash

Tired of banging your head against the paywall?

Get acquainted with friend links. It’s a bit of a misnomer considering you can send them to strangers, frenemies and even the enemies you’d like to see bang into a wall. The important thing is — friend links blast through this platform’s paywall like a rogue writer wielding a lightsaber.

Learn how to copy and share friend links with this step-by-step video and consider why you may want to.

How-To-Torial Video

Best viewed full-screen size on YouTube so the text isn’t as tiny.

Once the video starts, tap ‘YouTube’ to view on YouTube >>>

An important question — answered

Screenshot by author from the platform’s help page.

Five fun facts about those friendly links

  1. Friend links allow writers to give family members, social media audiences, and friends IRL — in real life — free, unlimited access to their work.
  2. If you publish behind the paywall anyone can read your work without an account. However, when a non-member reaches their allotted number of monthly freebies they won’t be able to access more unless they pay $5/month.
  3. If you are not an MPP writer and your stories are not metered to earn money, any reader has unlimited access with your standard story URL.
  4. Friend links are available for all of your stories whether they’re self-published or in a publication. You can share directly via email, messages, or on social media platforms as you would share a standard link.
  5. Friend links appear on social media with the title, subtitle and featured image displayed the same way standard links appear. I recommend informing your audience in the post. i.e.“Read with this friend link to avoid the paywall.”

More from the MuddyUm editorial team

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