Summary

An aspiring writer recounts their journey of discovering Medium, starting with casual browsing to becoming a paid writer and publishing their first book, emphasizing the transformative impact of the platform on their writing career.

Abstract

The author shares a personal narrative about their initial encounter with Medium, which began as a source of information on various topics, including college success, side hustles, and motivation. Intrigued by the possibility of earning money through writing on the platform, they joined Medium's Partnership Program and began to explore different writing niches. Despite initial disappointment with earnings, the author persisted, engaging with the community and refining their craft. The first month's modest earnings of $3.08 were a significant milestone, symbolizing the author's transition to a paid writer and the beginning of a new career path. The article concludes with the author reflecting on the growth of their earnings, the successful self-publication of a book, and the realization that writing, when combined with dedication and consistency, can indeed be a lucrative endeavor.

Opinions

The author believes that Medium is a versatile platform offering opportunities for writers to earn money and build a career.
They express that perseverance, engagement with readers, and continuous improvement are key to success on Medium.
The author values the symbolic significance of their first earnings from writing, viewing it as a validation of their work and a stepping stone to future success.
They hold the opinion that writing, when pursued with passion and hard work, can transition from a hobby into a paid profession.
The author quotes James Patterson to reinforce the idea that finding joy in one's work and being paid for it is a fortunate combination.

I Still Remember My First Paid Month On Medium

It feels just like yesterday.

A little over two months ago, I found myself trapped in the endless portal that is the internet. But it was all for good reason.

I kept searching many topics like:

How to do better at college
How to start a side hustle
How to save more money
Have to stay motivated

Almost every search led me to a site called Medium.com. No matter what, there was a blog post on this website (or several) about every topic I was searching for.

That had to be a sign right? But then I stumbled across a miracle.

I forget how it happened now, but I discovered a Medium article telling me I could make money on the platform. It said countless writers around the globe do so, some even make it to be their careers or a great side hustle.

The more I researched, the more fascinated I became. I slowly immersed myself into the world of Medium, diving into its waters not knowing much but hoping it would change soon.

In the middle of Feb. 2021, I finally signed up for Medium, including the Partnership Program, and off I went.

I Tested Out the Waters

In the first few days and weeks on Medium, I didn’t really have a writing niche.

I enjoyed writing about many topics, so I did just that. While I did so, I began gaining a few followers here and there, which was great! I was also fortunate enough to write on publications like Writer’s Blokke and ILLUMINATION. But there was something missing.

Oh yeah! The money.

Each day, a rookie mistake mind, I keep looking at my earnings to find a whopping zero for the seven or eight articles I had written.

What? I thought I was supposed to get paid?

Until one day, I earned $0.02 on a story. A whole two cents!

I learned two things from this.

It is possible to earn money on Medium.
There has to be a way to make more money.

The answer to the last thought was easy: just keep writing, engaging with readers, and working on your craft every day.

So that’s what I did.

My First Month Was Successful

Due to 30-some of stories, the last two weeks of February earned me $3.08!

I couldn’t believe it! The amount made me come to two conclusions.

I can make money on the platform.
But there has to be a way to make more money.

Before any of this, I had been a writer for seven years for school publications and others, but I was never a paid writer.

Because of Medium, I could now add that title to myself. But I also did something that shocked me.

At the end of the month, before it was even deposited in my bank account, I took out $3.08 from my wallet and held it up to see. To anyone else, it looked like ordinary money.

To me, the money felt different, almost magical. Why?

This was the first amount of money I had been paid as a writer. EVER. This brought me to two conclusions.

My writing matters enough for monetary return.
This is the start of a new business venture, or in other words, the start of a paid writing career.

It all still feels like yesterday.

Closing Thoughts

Since my first month on Medium, my earnings have only increased. Not enough to quit my job and become a full-time writer, but enough to let me know that with hard work, dedication and consistency, I can have a paid writing career.

I’ve earned far more than I did my first month on Medium. Heck, because of the platform, I was able to self-publish my first book on Kindle Direct Publishing titled “Life: A Collection of Short Stories” in March to great success.

And it all started with that first month. It was the start of something new, a truly life-changing event.

Famous author James Patterson once said:

“You’re lucky if you find something you love to do. It’s even better if someone will pay you to do it.”

I love writing. I always have. Now that I know I can make money successfully doing it, then it’s all uphill from here.

I just have to keep writing.