Inspiration for New Writers
Medium Isn’t a Money-Making Machine, It Offers Better Benefits for Writers
It is a platform to find your voice, create serendipity, and reap intangible benefits strategically for long-term goals.
The True Gems of Medium: More Than Just Money
This post might not paint a rosy picture, but dwelling in the reality zone is vital for our creativity, productivity, and well-being.
Embracing honesty and integrity are the best policies for surviving and thriving in this world. The key point of this story is money is not everything.
Please remember that Medium is NOT a magical cash dispenser but a treasure trove for writers seeking something more profound.
Medium is a unique space to discover your voice, find serendipity, and cultivate intangible benefits that align with your long-term goals.
You might have stumbled upon stories of writers claiming to rake in thousands of dollars on Medium. While that might have been a reality years ago, it’s not the golden ticket it once was.
In this short bulletin, our editorial team unveils the reality in this honest and neutral discussion, steering away from the hype with due respect.
Medium has a grander purpose for writers, transcending the allure of quick bucks. We’re here to spotlight its intangible values, backed by examples from our own stats using editorial team profiles.
This insight stems from a surge in concerns about earnings from countless writers flooding our inboxes. Therefore, it’s essential to paint an accurate picture.
It’s worth noting that our publications don’t make a penny for those who don’t know the ILLUMINATION network. Run by 140 volunteer editors dedicating their time to assist 23,000+ writers, we operate on goodwill.
For example, our volunteer editors reviewed, edited, published, and promoted over a million stories without earning any income from their efforts. But the writers of those stories made significant money as some went viral in our publications.
For example, a single story by one of our great writers S M Mamunur Rahman earned $20K in 2021. The publication has become a driving force, turning novice writers into accomplished wordsmiths.
Now, Medium superstars like Tim Denning, David Gerken, Ayodeji Awosika, Dr. Deborah M. Vereen, Sinem Günel, Anastasia Frugaard, and many more are contributing to our publications.
Our complementary resources, like Slack workspace hosting 17K members and social media platforms, are gifts to the community, devoid of any income. Dr. Yildiz, our chief editor, has been personally funding these since March 19, 2020, as a heartfelt contribution to the writing and reading community.
Earnings Concerns: Let’s Separate Fact from Fiction
In late September, a wave of reports flooded in from our writers expressing a significant dip in earnings despite stable stats. Some believe it is a glitch in the system, and some think Medium runs out of money. We have no idea yet.
However, some attributed it to our publications underperforming, which concerned us. Nevertheless, a quick check revealed that our publication stats remained consistently steady in September 2023, not going below the typical 40K, as detailed in our new newsletter, to be released shortly.
Here is a sneak preview of our reading times for this month, equating to over 1.8 million minutes of reading time.
There’s a misconception that our editors are swimming in earnings.
Let’s set the record straight with a few transparent examples.
For example, take a look at our recent mini-onboarding pack, a task involving acceptance notifications and guidance. The total earnings from these two hours of a senior editor’s effort were a mere 44 cents.
Yes, you read that right, 44 cents.
Two hours invested by our dedicated editor shared on an account with 10K+ followers and in a publication with 72K followers garnered just 44 views, earning 44 cents. This reality check extends to platforms like Slack workspace, boasting 17K members consisting of all Medium writers.
Our editors aren’t in it for the money. Investing two hours for a mere 44 cents is hardly lucrative, and no one would do this for money.
Beyond Monetary Motivations
Let’s take a glimpse into the dedication of our other editors.
Our Chief Editor, Dr Mehmet Yildiz never shares his stats as his principal as he believes it is inappropriate. But today, upon our firm request to inform our writers and to emphasize this point, he has graciously shared a candid example as an exception.
Dr. Yildiz, undeterred by platform quirks and glitches that hinder his many subscribers from seeing his stories, continues to write with unwavering cheerfulness.
For example, despite having 63K followers, publications with over 100K subscribers on Medium and Substack, and a substantial reader base on other platforms as a content strategist, his meticulously crafted story endorsed by senior editors and curators received just 133 views.
Notably, out of the 500+ new writers he mentors on Slack, only 55 readers engaged with his story — a likely glitch considering Slack’s vast community of around 17,000 members, all Medium writers and readers.
Here is the link to his memorable story, which can inspire writers.
Part two of this story, which is another outstanding piece from the reader's perspective, also gained minimal visibility
These remarkable and well-crafted stories reflect his five decades of experience illuminating writers and readers.
Earning Sample of ILLUMINATION Amplifiers
Our Amplifiers account (ILLUMINATION Amplifiers), which amplifies thousands of stories like this collection with 4K followers, earned only $13 this month and $4 last month.
Earning Sample of ILLUMINATION Curators
Our curators (ILLUMINATION-Curators) manage the ILLUMINATION-Curated publication, curating thousands of stories earned under $30 in September and only $12.98 in August. This account has 4.6K followers.
Our other editors, like Mike Broadly and Aiden (Illumination Gaming), also shared some humorous insights on the unusual figures surprising writers in the last week of September. We link their funny yet insightful stories for your information.
Both Mike and Aiden do not use Medium for earning money but for intangible benefits, which we will articulate in the next section.
You may also enjoy this perspective from our senior editor Joanie Adams, who supports our new writers dearly.
Our publications feature stories from thousands of non-member writers who may not contribute to other writers’ earnings. We maintain a non-discriminatory stance, welcoming all writers — paying or non-paying to Medium — as long as they adhere to ethical conduct and platform rules.
Some Wish All Writers as Paying Members
Some writers believe it would be beneficial if all writers become paying members, potentially improving Medium’s financial status, especially considering that non-paying members still earn income from Medium.
After this background, we want to provide some ideas on how to use Medium more creatively and productively.
Intangible Benefits of Medium for Writers
In this final section, we want to briefly touch on Medium’s unseen treasures for writers.
The true wealth of Medium lies in connecting with a vast audience through impactful storytelling. This proves especially valuable for writers aspiring to become authors, freelancers, or content entrepreneurs.
Rather than fixating on modest earnings, envision Medium as a launchpad for significant long-term goals.
In essence, Medium is a powerful tool for audience cultivation, emphasizing a strategic focus on broader objectives.
It’s not a get-rich-quick scheme, contrary to some misconceptions
In 2022 Dr Mehmet Yildiz shared an inspiring story titled Here’s an Example of What a Good Story on Medium Can Do for Writers. In the opening paragraph, he said:
“It’s possible to create serendipity by pouring our hearts and souls into our stories. This is a real-life account to give writers a new perspective on how intangible gains can turn into tangible ones. Please share this empowering story with budding writers.”
He concluded by saying, “Life is full of pleasant surprises if we open our minds, hearts, and souls generously, unconditionally, and without expectations.
I wanted to document and share this experience as a valuable life lesson for writers who pour their hearts and souls into their beautiful stories.
The key takeaway of this story for writers is to write our stories always keeping our readers in mind.
One of the great tools to achieve this goal is the innovative use of Design Thinking principles, which I documented in an article. I hope this approach helps you to create more compelling content for your readers and grow your audience with ease.”
Advising writers to re-purpose their content to generate a passive income stream, he said:
“Generating passive income from writing might look simple, but it is not as easy as perceived. Yet, it is possible with the right mindset.
If you are willing to work hard and smartly with an open mind and optimistic approach, you can create a successful passive income stream from your content.”
Medium’s New Chapter: Quality Over Quantity
As of August 2023, Medium has shifted its strategy, prioritizing quality over quantity. Boosted stories now enjoy heightened visibility, enabling writers to expand their audience more rapidly.
To support this shift, Dr. Yildiz has penned a guiding story for new writers, offering insights to elevate your writing journey on Medium or other platforms.
In light of these changes, our dedicated editors have updated the submission guidelines, placing a premium on quality. Take a moment to review and refine your stories accordingly.
Recently Updated Submission Guidelines
Publishing and Conduct Guidelines for the Lampshade of ILLUMINATION
In essence, view Medium as a serendipity machine rather than a money-making machine.
Practical Guidance for Absolute Beginners
1 — How to submit your stories to publications
Now that you joined Medium and wrote your first story. Please follow these simple instructions. Once you do it a few times, it will be second nature. Not knowing this feature caused many new writers to wait for days.
When you draft your story, please click on the … (3 dots) on the top right side of your screen. Click on the add to publication, choose Illumination or other relevant pubs, and submit your story. When the story arrives in the publication queue, editors will review and publish it if your story qualifies. If not, they will leave a private message and return your story to fix, resubmit, or transfer to one of our other publications if it does not suit ILLUMINATION.
We no longer publish certain types of stories on ILLUMINATION and ILLUMINATION-Curated, so please review the new submission guidelines.
2 — Use Copyright-Free Images and Remember to Caption Them
A crucial issue is some new writers forget to add captions to photos and use copyrighted images. Violating copyright rules can lead to substantial penalties imposed by legal institutions.
Several writers got hefty fines; our editors don’t want this to happen to you. Therefore, our editors are diligently working to safeguard our writers. We kindly ask that you honor their requests, as they have your best interests at heart. You cannot use every image on stories behind the paywall.
If you are a new writer on Medium, please review the Photo Handling Policy before starting, as it is the most time-consuming issue for our editors and causes delays in publishing. Writers failing to meet our photo handling policy will be removed from publications.
3 — We don’t accept AI-generated content per Medium’s new strategy except for one dedicated publication [the Lampshade of ILLUMINATION]
Our publications do not accept content written by artificial intelligence tools, but we have a viable solution to make writers and readers happy.
Those writers who use generative AI tools like Jasper or ChatGPT can send their stories to our new publication, the Lampshade of ILLUMINATION. Details are attached.
Inquiries from Writers Living in India
Some writers from India also sent many inquiries regarding the MPP and payments, but unfortunately, our editorial team has no insights or updates on this. So we kindly suggest you directly contact Medium to learn about the progress.
Now, Time to Meet New Writers Joining Today
Let’s welcome writers who joined our publications today. This is an excellent opportunity to explore the stories of these writers and follow them if their content resonates with you.
Kashi Writes, Valentine Diai, Dean. B, Nomi Diaries, Body Mind and Soul, Guilherme Borges, jack deignan, AI Agenda, Jd Baggans, Wooyoung Yoon, Hajira Shaikh, Vicky Markolefa, Article Sphere, Rene Volpi Jr., Marilie Martel, lorijeancreative, Fowsi Mohamoud Dayib, Aline S., Akumbe, Raja Bhai, Benedict Then, The Urban Tales, Jamie Watts, izzibella Beau, Veronica Percy, Abhiram Nair, Osita Iroegbu, Raja Bhai, Dani Writes, Imran Nazir, Bryan Kent Swepston, Richard Warepam, — Charmi Vyas, Bayzid islam Bony, S. Khan, Nnamdi Samuel, Blogphantom, Arjun Sharda, Hajira Shaikh, Lora J. Satirica, Daniel Barrientos, Kolawole,
Please remember to submit only one story daily, preferably as a draft. We don’t accept multiple stories as our focus is on quality to increase your chance of being boosted by Medium.
Change Your Perceptions
Unlike perceptions, ILLUMINATION editors don’t publish every story. Your stories must be well-crafted and valuable for our readers. Our focus is curate-able and boost-able stories.
Introduce Yourself in a Story
Please consider introducing yourself in a story and post it to ILLUMINATION or our other publications. This might bring you new followers and expose your profile to new readers.
Our editor Aiden (Illumination Gaming) compiles and distributes these bios to our subscribers. You may get bio ideas from the attached collection.
You may also enjoy a recent story from one of our new writers and editors, Mike Broadly — Healthier Lifestyle, who made significant progress in the last two months. You may contact Mike on our Slack workspace, who volunteers to support our new writers.
Meet Our Editors
You may check the following announcement bulletins to meet other recently joined writers, including links to their profiles.
Welcome to our writing and reading community, and we look forward to the meaningful and high-quality stories.
When you have questions, please contact our owner and chief editor, Dr Mehmet Yildiz, on our Slack workspace. He is also happy to speed up publishing your stories if they are delayed 48 hours or more.
Critical Policy Documents for Our Writers
Every writer contributing to our publications must review these guiding policies before submitting their stories. We are tolerant, but these are non-negotiable rules.
Writing Challenges and Prompts for New Writers
Helpful Resources for Beginners
You may find more helpful stories from the content management collection of Dr Mehmet Yildiz typically written to help new writers joining Medium.
Sample Curated Collections for New Readers
We curate and feature stories from multiple editorial accounts.
Here are our latest curated collections by ILLUMINATION, ILLUMINATION Amplifiers, and ILLUMINATION-Curators for your enjoyment.
Invitation to New Writers
To join our vibrant publications, please send a request via this link.
We will help you gain visibility and succeed as a writer on Medium. Please mention the publication name with your Medium account ID in the request.
ILLUMINATION Integrated Publications include:
ILLUMINATION ILLUMINATION-Curated ILLUMINATION’ S MIRROR ILLUMINATION Book Chapters The Lampshade of ILLUMINATION Technology Hits SYNERGY Readers Hope Illumination on YouTube Illumination Gaming ILLUMINATION’s Blog EUPHORIA by Dr Mehmet Yildiz
We look forward to your feedback on this story for a healthy debate.
