I Made $0.80 on Medium and I’m Ecstatic

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hare my thoughts with the worlds greatest thinkers, intellects and people in general. Writing on medium is more than just writing for a paycheck, it’s a platform that allows me to play a part in shaping the discourse around important societal matters such as gender equality, race and culture. And even when I’m writing about seemingly unimportant issues like what I cook during quarantine, somebody out there cares about my thoughts and invariably gains from them. The power of my words translates far beyond the paycheck I get at the end of the month and that for me is a reason to keep writing.</p><h1 id="7573">Success doesn’t happen overnight</h1><p id="4714">Although I made less than a dollar in my first month on medium, the fact that I actually did make some money gives me hope that Medium can turn into a viable side hustle for me. I have written blog pieces, articles for an online newspaper and a few academic papers in the past but none of that writing ever got me paid, not even a few cents. The $0.80 dollars I’ve made on Medium is proof that I can get paid for my writing, a realization that not only excites me but encourages me to keep going. With a little more consistency and energy I know that I can achieve writing success. Instead of looking at my small Medium payout as a reason to stop writing I look at it as the beginning of greater things to come. Many writers get so caught up in the numbers and lose the joy that they had for writing. This will obviously translate in

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the content they produce which ultimately leads to less readers and lower paychecks. If you’re like myself, just starting off on Medium my advice to you is to forget about the story stats for the next six months, just write like no one is reading, express yourself and put your soul into every story you publish and eventually you will see the fruits of your hard work.</p><h1 id="03ed">Writing is good for me and good for you</h1><p id="366a">Finally, writing has been shown to increase happiness and reduce stress so if you aren’t earning money from your writing, write for all the other vast benefits that are associated with writing. I personally find that every time I write it feels as though a weight has been lifted off my shoulders. The “intellectual dump” that takes place when I put my thoughts to paper seems to always improve my mood and my ability to think clearly. I’m even more overjoyed when I publish my writing, a sense of accomplishment sets over me and sets the tone for the rest of the day. Writing is a form a self care so write more, not for the money but because you care for yourself.</p><p id="3440">So before you quit writing on Medium, take a deep breath and think about why you started writing in the first place, connect with the passion you have for writing and let that be the your driving force rather than the paycheck at the end of the month. I hope that like me you will be motivated to continue writing despite the value of your paycheck.</p></article></body>

Why I’m motivated to keep writing and why you should too

I recently joined Medium because I wanted an outlet to let my creative juices flow and share my most random thoughts with the world. The prospect of a novice writer like myself actually making money from my writing was exciting. But if I’m honest I really wasn’t expecting to make any money. I was over the moon when I received an email from Medium stating that my two stories had earned me $0.80. Although this is a negligible amount and probably a reason to quit writing for many, I detail the reasons why I choose to continue writing and why you should too.

Money aside, Medium is a great platform to share my ideas

I get to write and share my thoughts on the same platform Barack Obama uses to share his thoughts (yes, I’m showing off just a little bit).

I write because I have something to say, thoughts and ideas I want to share with the world. Medium is a platform that has allowed me, a young black girl from Zimbabwe to share my thoughts with the worlds greatest thinkers, intellects and people in general. Writing on medium is more than just writing for a paycheck, it’s a platform that allows me to play a part in shaping the discourse around important societal matters such as gender equality, race and culture. And even when I’m writing about seemingly unimportant issues like what I cook during quarantine, somebody out there cares about my thoughts and invariably gains from them. The power of my words translates far beyond the paycheck I get at the end of the month and that for me is a reason to keep writing.

Success doesn’t happen overnight

Although I made less than a dollar in my first month on medium, the fact that I actually did make some money gives me hope that Medium can turn into a viable side hustle for me. I have written blog pieces, articles for an online newspaper and a few academic papers in the past but none of that writing ever got me paid, not even a few cents. The $0.80 dollars I’ve made on Medium is proof that I can get paid for my writing, a realization that not only excites me but encourages me to keep going. With a little more consistency and energy I know that I can achieve writing success. Instead of looking at my small Medium payout as a reason to stop writing I look at it as the beginning of greater things to come. Many writers get so caught up in the numbers and lose the joy that they had for writing. This will obviously translate in the content they produce which ultimately leads to less readers and lower paychecks. If you’re like myself, just starting off on Medium my advice to you is to forget about the story stats for the next six months, just write like no one is reading, express yourself and put your soul into every story you publish and eventually you will see the fruits of your hard work.

Writing is good for me and good for you

Finally, writing has been shown to increase happiness and reduce stress so if you aren’t earning money from your writing, write for all the other vast benefits that are associated with writing. I personally find that every time I write it feels as though a weight has been lifted off my shoulders. The “intellectual dump” that takes place when I put my thoughts to paper seems to always improve my mood and my ability to think clearly. I’m even more overjoyed when I publish my writing, a sense of accomplishment sets over me and sets the tone for the rest of the day. Writing is a form a self care so write more, not for the money but because you care for yourself.

So before you quit writing on Medium, take a deep breath and think about why you started writing in the first place, connect with the passion you have for writing and let that be the your driving force rather than the paycheck at the end of the month. I hope that like me you will be motivated to continue writing despite the value of your paycheck.