Success stories on ILLUMINATION
Can You Make $10,000 on Medium in a Month?
Yes, it is possible, but you must have a clear strategy, persistence, and effort.
“One of the greatest skills of leadership is being unflappable. Anytime you do anything in the world; there’s going to be criticism.” -Arianna Huffington
2023 Update
Introduction and Context
The short answer to the question in my title is yes because I met a few writers contributing to my publications on Medium and earned more than $10K a month, but not me, by the way.
I am inspired to write this story after reading an insightful story by Sinem Günel, who is one of the top writers of Medium and also contributes to ILLUMINATION and many other publications generously.
I first introduce a role model writer for earning a high income on Medium.
If you want to learn more about key factors in earning money on Medium, you might check this story titled How To Earn Good Money On Medium: Answering a frequently asked question by new writers.
Clarification of my personal view on money
For many writers, earning money on Medium can be the main goal for writing. I understand, respect, and support the goals of writers. My situation is different. I use Medium mainly for my intellectual pursuits.
From a financial aspect, earning money on Medium is not the primary motivational factor for me. I have a full-time job and investment assets as my income source. My royalty from my content (articles, papers, books, patents, designs, and other intellectual contributions) goes to my charity fund.
However, from a psychological aspect, earning money can motivate me because there is a tangible reward for my contribution. Besides, the more I earn, the more my altruistic goals can be supported. I learned the fact that entrepreneurs must have charitable and philanthropic purposes to support the needs of society. A giveback is a noble act in all cultures.
Admittedly, my modest earnings are a tiny portion compared to some of our writers, who earn 100 times more than I earn. Good on them! I am truly proud of their success. Their success motivates and inspires me. They make an effort and deserve compensation.
Sinem Günel is one of these successful writers for whom I have great respect and admiration, even though she is younger than half of my age. I have the fantasy of being like Sinem when I grow up one day!
My takeaways from Sinem’s article
I want to present my key points under five categories that we can learn from Sinem.
1. Clear goals
I read many articles from Sinem on ILLUMINATION and many other publications. She has clear goals in each story. When I see her title and subtitle and read the first paragraph of her stories, I have a clear understanding of her discussion points and the journey she takes her readers.
2. Passion, confidence, and optimism
Every story I read from Sinem depicts passion, confidence, and optimism for her work. Without passion, confidence, and optimism, we cannot make a real difference in our entrepreneurial and leadership pursuits.
3. Hard work, resilience, and being unflappable
Sinem puts a lot of effort into developing her content. The structure is clear and solid. The content is well-researched and engaging. The purpose and value of propositions are clearly defined.
I am sure some envy her success and try to criticize her, but I never experienced Sinem complaining about her critics. She depicts a calm and composed attitude in her online presence at all times.
Whenever we do something new and useful, we can face adversity and criticism. Therefore, we need to be resilient by developing our adversity quotient and learning to stay unflappable. We must rise above mediocrity to accomplish our goals. I shared my views related to the capabilities of distinguished leaders in this story. Sinem depicts these traits.
4. Self-awareness and gratitude
The thought patterns, views, and opinions are not random. Sinem is self-aware of her messages and capabilities. She shows gratitude for her readers. She has empathy and compassion for her readers. For example, she replies to 90% of the comments left on her articles.
Her empathic conclusion in this story was remarkable “Last but not least; Be aware that if a 23-year-old, non-native with zero professional writing experience created these results, you too should aim high.”
5. Generosity and engagement
Sinem is generous to other writers and her readers. She actively engages with them. I provided a sample of her generosity in the section below under Engagement and Giveback.
Now let’s look at the flip side of the coin to contrast and compare the case. I want to share my observation on those who struggle to be even in the $100 category.
Who can’t earn 10,000 on Medium?
Let me share a brief story based on my experience while dealing with some aspiring writers in my publication.
Annie (not her real name) sent me an email saying that she posted five articles to ILLUMINATION, and she earned only 80 cents in a month. She was upset and cursed Medium for being unfair and the readers for ignoring her content. She was claiming that she had 30 years of writing experience before joining Medium.
Wearing my editorial and scientific hats, I checked Annie’s profile. Only ten people follow her. She did not leave a single comment on any article. She did not clap a single article. In short, she never engaged in the content of other writers.
When I asked Annie whether she used some of the tools that I developed to create visibility for our writers, such as writer bios, distribution lists, my daily bulletins, writing prompts, etc., she was not aware of any of these tools. She said no one had told me about those tools before. I asked her whether she wanted to join our Slack channel to collaborate with other writers. She refused by pointing out that she was too busy to involve in chat programs.
To cut a long story short, earning 80 cents with ten followers, no engagement and no visibility can be a great return on investment. Medium is still generous to pay at least 80 cents for dumping her stories and waiting for a return.
Yes, publications can amplify our messages and help us connect with other writers and readers, but unless we make a concerted effort, it is not possible to earn substantial money on Medium. This is a harsh reality that we must recognize and accept.
More about this writer
Since she is a role model writer, I looked at Sinem’s profile to find a few interesting facts to support my assertions. This is not a sentimental testimony, but it serves to show the reality of the widely discussed case. There is substantial misinformation; hence I want to back up my views with facts.
First of all, she is followed by 15.800 people. Her followers are five times more than my followers. I am making this comparison to acknowledge her efforts and why she is getting so much visibility and reading time. I admire her entrepreneurial and interpersonal skills in connecting with many followers. If you don’t believe me check her profile and my profile.
Secondly, she is a top writer in 17 categories. I copied these tags from her profile to give you an idea. #Reading, #Education, #Ideas, #Business, #Mental Health, #Health, #Self Improvement, #Psychology, #Advice, #Life, #Life Lessons, #Inspiration, #Productivity, #Creativity, #Entrepreneurship, #Social Media, #Writing.
Do you know what it means to be a top writer in 17 categories? I know because I gained the status and interacted with many who gained it. We must submit hundreds of articles and they need to be trending on those specific topics. In other words, I believe that they need to make some impact on the ecosystem to trigger the algorithm. Unless we are prolific writers with useful content, we cannot be top writers on Medium.
You can check other top writers writing for ILLUMINATION.
Curation
While browsing Medium topics, I noticed that Sinem has many curated articles on multiple topics. Some of her stories on ILLUMINATION were curated too. You can check our curated stories from this link.
Engagement and giveback
As soon as I set up ILLUMINATION, Sinem approached me requesting access to our Slack channel. She generously shared her free course for Medium writers on the promotions channel of our Slack group. If you want to promote your materials on the ILLUMINATION Slack channel, please see the invitation on this link.
Conclusions
Money is not my primary motivator for me, but I know it is for some writers. I respect and support this goal for our writers by giving them a resourceful and interactive platform.
If you want to earn substantial money on Medium, you must invest your time and engage with Medium writers and readers consistently. Making an effort is an essential requirement. You also need to be a prolific writer, producing quality content appealing to your audience.
In this story, I used Sinem as a role model content developer for writers who want to learn and emulate the strategies used by this accomplished writer. You can follow her path by learning from her insights. I provided you with adequate information and relevant links to connect with this role model writer.
Here is a story providing useful tips on how to earn good money on Medium.
Here are some additional stories with valuable tips for new writers trying to improve their skills and increase their income.
7 Tips for Freelance Writers Dealing with Chronic Stress Effectively
Science-Based Therapeutic Value of Expressive Writing for Mental Health
Subscribers Can Produce 50 Times Better Results Than Followers for
The Joy of Selling 1,000+ Books In A Month With Minimal Investment
Thank you for reading my perspectives. I wish you a healthy and happy life.
As a new reader, please check my holistic health and well-being stories reflecting my reviews, observations, and decades of experiments optimizing my hormones and neurotransmitters. I write about health as it matters. I believe health is all about homeostasis.
ALS, Metabolic Syndrome, Type II Diabetes, Fatty Liver Disease, Heart Disease, Strokes, Obesity, Liver Cancer, Autoimmune Disorders, Homocysteine, Lungs Health, Pancreas Health, Kidneys Health, NCDs, Infectious Diseases, Brain Health, Dementia, Depression, Brain Atrophy, Neonatal Disorders, Skin Health, Dental Health, Bone Health, Leaky Gut, Leaky Brain, Brain Fog, Chronic Inflammation, Insulin Resistance, Elevated Cortisol, Leptin Resistance, Anabolic Resistance, Cholesterol, High Triglycerides, Metabolic Disorders, Gastrointestinal Disorders, Thyroid Disorders, Anemia, Dysautonomia, cardiac output, and urinary track disorders.
I also wrote about valuable nutrients. Here are the links for easy access:
Lutein/Zeaxanthin, Phosphatidylserine, Boron, Urolithin, taurine, citrulline malate, biotin, lithium orotate, alpha-lipoic acid, n-acetyl-cysteine, acetyl-l-carnitine, CoQ10, PQQ, NADH, TMG, creatine, choline, digestive enzymes, magnesium, zinc, hydrolyzed collagen, nootropics, pure nicotine, activated charcoal, Vitamin B12, Vitamin B1, Vitamin D, Vitamin K2, Omega-3 Fatty Acids, N-Acetyl L-Tyrosine, and other nutrients.
Disclaimer: My posts do not include professional or health advice. I only document my reviews, observations, experience, and perspectives to provide information and create awareness.
As part of my creative non-fiction writing goals, I’d like to share a few stories that might warm our hearts with a bit of humor into weighty topics.
Sample Humorous Stories
Finally, After Burning Her House, Georgia Found Enlightenment
Hilarious Tips to Prevent Brain Atrophy and Keep the Gray Matter Giggling
8 Psychological Points I Had to Unlearn and Relearn the Opposite
Based on my writing experience and observations, I documented findings and strategies that might help you amplify your voice, engage your audience, and achieve your desired outcomes in your writing journey.
I publish my lifestyle, health, and well-being stories on EUPHORIA. My focus is on cellular, mitochondrial, metabolic, and mental health. Here is my collection of Insightful Life Lessons from Personal Stories.
You might join my six publications on Medium as a writer by sending a request via this link. 22K writers contribute to my publications. You might find more information about my professional background.
