Summary

The author took a 4-month break from Medium, returning to significantly increase their income through consistent and enjoyable content creation, aiming for a $1,000 monthly goal.

Abstract

The author, a content writer, took a 4-month hiatus from Medium, during which they focused little on the platform, both as a reader and a writer. Prior to the break, they occasionally published original stories and republished blog posts from their personal blog, "Millennial Next Door," to boost traffic and brand awareness. Upon returning to Medium in September 2021, the author began publishing content prolifically, motivated by the changes at NewsBreak, where they also wrote. They were inspired by the platform's quality content and the ability to write on topics of their choice, leading to a more fulfilling experience. In September, the author published 14 stories and earned $431, which was more than 10 times their previous highest-earning month. Encouraged by this success, they set a goal to make$ 1,000 in October, having already earned $660 by mid-month with 21 stories published. The author plans to share their success in reaching this goal in a follow-up article. They emphasize the enjoyment of writing about desired topics and the potential for increased income through writing more, while acknowledging that earnings on Medium can depend on various factors such as story popularity and curation.

Opinions

The author values the freedom to write about topics they are passionate about on Medium.
They believe that writing more content can lead to higher income, although it's not guaranteed.
The author enjoys the curation of content on Medium, which aligns with their interests.
They are optimistic about the potential to earn a full-time income from writing on Medium.
The author encourages readers to support writers by becoming Medium members, highlighting the value of the platform's content.

I Took a 4 Month Break from Medium

And 10X’d My Medium Income Upon My Return

I took a 4-month break from Medium. From March 2021 until July 2021, I was on Medium very little, including consuming content as a reader.

Prior to that hiatus, I was republishing my blog posts from my personal blog, Millennial Nextdoor to Medium as a traffic boost and to improve my brand’s awareness.

Every now and then I’d write an original story and get curated but when that happened, the results were really nothing spectacular.

Until this happened…

My Rebound

In the second month back on Medium in September, I decided to publish content like crazy.

Why not, right?

The publisher I was writing for, NewsBreak, was going through some changes. A lot of my fellow writers were leaving that network and coming back to Medium.

While I didn’t depart from News Break, I decided to put more time into Medium.

Can you make a living on News Break?

The answer might shock you

medium.com

I was seeing writers make a nice side income of a few hundred to a few thousand dollars on the platform and I really enjoyed Medium.

The content was great. I really liked how my feed was curated to my tastes and I wanted to share my knowledge and experience with an audience that was eager to listen, so, I started writing more.

September 2021

In September I published 14 stories!

A whopping 14!

I usually would write 25–30 articles per month on News Break, so 14 wasn’t a big number for me. Also, it was 14 stories where I wrote about what I wanted.

They were quick to write and I enjoyed every minute of the process.

September earnings were $431.

My highest earning month ever on Medium!

Prior to that, my biggest month was around $30 so I made more than 10X last month!

October 2021 month to date

In October I’m hoping to make it my first $1,000-month.

So far I’m at $660 and I’ve written 21 stories.

The September goal was $400 and I met that.

October goal is $1,000 and I’m inching closer and closer.

I’ll write a follow-up next month to share if I succeeded or not.

Either way, I’m really enjoying the experience more than ever on Medium. In all my content writing jobs and gigs, I rarely get to write about the precise niche or topic I want to.

It’s so refreshing to get that control back.

So, banging out 30 or 50 stories in a month on Medium sounds like a lot (because it is) but, because I’m writing about what I want, it really doesn’t feel like work.

I guess the saying is true…

“Choose a job you love and you’ll never have to work a day in your life”

-Confucius

Does more writing mean more money?

Maybe but, not always.

Prior to my big 14-story month in September, I had written 120 stories on Medium in total!

In those months leading up to last month, combined I didn’t make even close to September earnings.

But, I think writing more, can definitely help as an income booster.

How much you make on Medium can be based on so many things like the popularity and virality of your stories, getting curated, and other factors.

While a break away from a platform can sometimes result to coming back to a slow start, I experienced the opposite.

What has your experience been? And, do you think it’s possible to earn a full-time income from Medium?

I hope you enjoyed reading this. If you’d like to support me as a writer, consider signing up to become a Medium member. It’s just $5 a month and you get unlimited access to Medium.