Summary

The article discusses the benefits of writing longer, engaging Medium stories to earn $1 per fan through the platform's Partner Program.

Abstract

The author of the article shares insights on how writing in-depth, long-form content on Medium can lead to higher earnings. Despite having fewer fans for a 17-minute read compared to shorter pieces, the author emphasizes that each new fan for the longer article results in a dollar earned. This strategy contrasts with the common approach of producing shorter articles to maximize readership. The key to success lies in crafting evergreen content that remains relevant over time, encouraging multiple reads and sustained earnings. The article also suggests that building an independent platform, such as an email list, is crucial for long-term financial success as a writer.

Opinions

Longer articles have the potential to earn more money per reader due to the higher engagement and read time.
Evergreen content is particularly lucrative as it continues to attract new fans and generate income long after publication.
Writers should diversify their income streams by encouraging Medium readers to join their independent platforms, like an email list.
The author advocates for a mix of content lengths, with an emphasis on longer guides and reference articles that readers are likely to bookmark and return to.
The article implies that writing longer content increases the likelihood of getting curated by Medium, which can lead to greater visibility and more fans.
The author promotes the idea of owning one's audience, suggesting that relying solely on Medium or other social media platforms is less secure for a writer's long-term income.

How to Earn $1/Fan From Your Medium Stories

Why read-time matters and what you can do to earn more, writing

A few weeks ago I wrote a long-form Medium article about all the elements of creating a great story. The article is 17 minutes long, so I don’t have a many fans as I would from some of my shorter pieces.

But something interesting happened when I checked my stats.

I think I found the perfect argument for sprinkling your writing portfolio with the occasional longer piece.

Each time I get a new fan for the story I earn another dollar. This doesn’t happen with shorter content. The 17-minute, fully-immersed article is enough to keep a certain percentage of readers occupied all the way to the end.

When these folks clap for my story, I earn a buck a person.

Not a buck a clap, but a buck a fan. I know the ratios are never perfect, but this is a great strategy when everyone is busy trying to crank-out three minute articles.

Like any Medium story, you’ve got to write longer content that solve problems readers want to read. You need to engage them all the way through to the end.

Guides and reference articles work well for long content.

These get bookmarked for later use — multiple reads over time. You can earn money from the same readers if they read them over more than one month.

On shorter stories the read time is peanuts.

We get paid for both read time and claps.

When you write much-longer stories, you’ll earn more money from fewer readers. They key is to write longer pieces of evergreen content. You’ll want to promote these bad-boys over time.

Keep it long (unlike this story).

You’ll get a buck a follow.

And you’re much-more likely to get curated, to boot.

Longer content takes a lot longer to write, but these evergreen posts will keep earning for you over a year after you write them.

If you really want to get the most-earnings from your Medium stories, it’s time to build your own platform. You’ve got all these readers on Medium, why not encourage them to join your tribe.

This is where the real money will come from (the quit-your-job money).

The time to build that list, is now. These are your future readers.

This should be a list you own (instead of relying on social media or some other big-business platform). Tap the link below. Enroll in my Tribe 1K indie email masterclass. I’ll show you how to get your first 1,000 subscribers (and your next 1,000) without spending one hot nickel on ads.

We’re waiting for you.

Enroll in my Free Email Masterclass. Get Your First 1,000 Subscribers

August Birch (AKA the Book Mechanic) is both a fiction and non-fiction author from Michigan, USA. As a self-appointed guardian of writers and creators, August teaches indies how to make work that sells and how to sell more of that work once it’s created. When he’s not writing or thinking about writing, August carries a pocket knife and shaves his head with a safety razor.