Ev Williams, We Need To Hear From You

Summary

Content creators on Medium express frustration over platform changes, including the closure of funded publications, limited access to the Creator Fellowship Program, and restrictions on joining the Partner Program, leading to a sense of inequality and uncertainty about the future.

Abstract

The article addresses Ev Williams, co-founder of Medium, and conveys the growing dissatisfaction among freelance writers on the platform. Despite Medium's efforts to eliminate fraudulent accounts and introduce a referral program, writers are concerned about the lack of support and opportunities for growth. The author highlights two main issues: the exclusion of newcomers from the Medium Partner Program despite meeting requirements, and the negative impact of algorithm changes on established writers, as evidenced by the departure of top writer Matt Lillywhite. The writers are seeking clarity and reassurance from Medium's leadership about the future direction of the platform, as many rely on Medium as their primary source of income.

Opinions

The author feels that the changes made by Medium, such as shutting down funded publications and introducing a limited Creator Fellowship Program, have not adequately valued independent writers.
There is a perception of discrimination among content creators due to unequal treatment and limited opportunities for newcomers.
The termination of bogus accounts is seen as a positive step by the author.
Newcomers are frustrated by being barred from the Partner Program despite fulfilling all the necessary criteria.
Experienced writers are upset about recent algorithm changes, which have led to at least one prominent writer leaving the platform.
The author and fellow writers are grateful for the opportunity to earn through writing on Medium but are increasingly hopeless about the situation and seek answers from Medium's leadership.
The author represents the segment of writers who depend on Medium as their main income source and emphasizes the need for a response from Ev Williams regarding potential future changes.

Your freelance writers are frustrated

I am not sure whether you will read this story or not, but I’d like to say it aloud: your content creators are frustrated. We want to hear from you. We want you to note our problems and help us solve them all so that we can continue giving our best to this platform.

Some time ago, you and your team changed most of the rules. For example, several big publications were shut down because you stopped funding them. This made independent writers feel that they would now be given utmost value but it didn’t happen. You then launched a Creator Fellowship Program, which was limited to a couple of writers. The rest of the content creators got a little upset due to this discrimination. I am sorry to use the word ‘discrimination’ here but I definitely feel that everyone should be treated equally and newcomers must be given a chance to grow on Medium irrespective of the type of articles they publish.

Moving on, you terminated many bogus accounts, which I think is a very good step. You introduced a referral program and refused to let everyone join the Partner Program.

We Have So Many Complaints

I am working on Medium for over a year, and thankfully, I don’t have any major problems. However, my fellow writers, both seniors and juniors, are having a couple of problems. I want to draw your attention to the two main problems and request you to solve them as early as possible.

Newcomers are not being allowed to join the Partner Program despite the fact that they have fulfilled all the requirements. This is not the story of a single writer, but every second content creator is talking about the same. For instance, I read the post of Aamer Kahawish who says that he has been kept from joining the MPP.

On the other hand, pros are frustrated about algorithm changes. Most recently, a top Medium writer named Matt Lillywhite has quit and may not publish fresh stories anytime in the future. I have covered complete details in this post.

We Are Thankful But We Want Answers

I and my fellow writers are thankful to you for creating such a wonderful site and for providing us with the chance to earn money by writing what we love. We want to stick with Medium for many more years, and at this point, we want you to address our issues. I have no idea of what is going on in the backend, but we are a little hopeless. I humbly request you to clarify will things change in the future. If it is not possible, I am afraid many of us will leave Medium.

I am not talking about the writers who have other sources of income too or who have already earned a lot. I am representing the writer community who has made Medium their primary source of income.

Thank you for reading!