Summary

The article advises against writing on Medium with the primary goal of making money, emphasizing that focusing on passion and value creation is more sustainable and fulfilling.

Abstract

The author of the article, "Don’t Write for Money on Medium," argues that writers should not be motivated by financial gain when contributing to the platform. The piece suggests that a money-driven approach undermines the art of writing and can lead to quick disillusionment, as Medium's economics often do not favor writers financially compared to other professions or activities. Instead, the author encourages finding intrinsic motivation and meaning in writing, such as exploring ideas, sharing personal stories, improving writing skills, expressing creativity, building community, or providing value to readers. The article posits that writers who are passionate and focused on adding value through their work are more likely to succeed on Medium and enjoy the process, potentially leading to financial rewards as a byproduct of their efforts.

Opinions

Chasing money on Medium can lead to early burnout and a devaluation of writing as a craft.
The financial return on writing for Medium is often not comparable to other forms of work or income generation.
Successful writers on Medium are those who write about subjects they are passionate about and who consistently provide value to their readers.
Writing for reasons other than money, such as personal growth or community building, fosters a more sustainable and enjoyable writing practice.
Financial success on Medium is more likely to occur for those who prioritize meaning and passion in their writing over monetary gain.

Don’t Write for Money on Medium

Why going after earnings will make you quit writing altogether

Stop writing on Medium for the money. Stop making it about dollars and cents.

It’s not that I’m against money or making money on Medium. It’s just when you focus on making money, you cheapen the craft of writing and lose focus on the art of writing.

The more you chase making money on Medium, the sooner you are to quit. If you can find any other motivation than making money on Medium, choose that. A money-focused approach will make you least inspired and wanting to quit.

Medium economics work against you

When you lose focus on writing and start focusing on the money, here’s what you’re going to find out very quickly. There are plenty of other ways to make money in life.

I would have had to practice one hour as a lawyer in America to make what I’m going to earn for an entire year on Medium. If you look at your day job now too, if you put in a few hours at that day job, you would earn 10x more than your current monthly Medium earnings.

If you do the economics, the math doesn’t add up. Doing hundreds of hours of writing on Medium will net much less than doing just about anything else.

You could babysit and make more. You can drive Uber and make more. You can collect aluminum cans and sell them and make more.

But so and so, makes $25,000 a month on Medium. This one writer makes $300 per day blah blah blah. Even if true, a small reminder and public service announcement below.

The well-paid writers are NOT excelling at Medium because they mastered making money on Medium. They are crushing it on Medium because they found a subject they are passionate writing about and sharing value with people for long periods of time. They are also good, much-improved writers.

If you start doing Medium for the money, you’ll figure out Medium isn’t worth the money or it’s going to take you a long time to make money here.

Find meaning in your Medium journey

If you don’t do it with the intention of making money, then what do you Medium for? You write on Medium for all the things that are important to you. You find any other reason other than money to get you motivated and give you meaning.

This is going to take some inquiry on your part. What benefit do you get out of this experience?

Common reasons that people write on Medium include:

To explore and idea and to flesh out a topic. To go deep on a subject and share knowledge with people who are also interested in that topic
To share your personal stories to help people improve or change their lives
To master the craft of writing and get better as a writer
To do something that you are passionate about allows you to cultivate your creativity
A little woo here but to give words to your soul
To build community with other writers and build up a tribe of supporters and readers
To create value for people reading. Using Medium as a teaching platform, entertainment platform, or informative platform to help others on the same journey that you’re on.

Don’t be a former Medium-writer

Write for the money and you’ll be one of those former Medium-writers who are going to be complaining about the Medium algorithm and how difficult it is to make money writing.

If you do it for just about any other reason that is compelling to you, you’ll fall in love with writing, have meaning for your writing practice and keep going. You’ll be able to prioritize writing and showing up for the Medium community.

If you are going to get to the top, let’s set aside the money in this equation. Find meaning in your writing journey and the money will come. Cultivate your passion and creativity.

Focus on getting better at writing articles that help people and add value to their lives. Help, entertain, change, or improve their lives in some way.

Focus exclusively on the money, and your passion and interest will go. Don’t make money the sole purpose of your writing. Let it be a byproduct of your work and efforts.

Are you with me? Or is money your primary motivation? Share your thoughts below or write your own post and leave it in the comments :)

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