Medium Makes You Rich, if you Try These Platforms Alongside

If you’re a writer on Medium you’re likely familiar with the Partner Program which allows writers to earn money from their articles based on engagement and readership. While Medium can be a great platform for exposure and community building it’s no secret that the earnings from the Partner Program may not be enough to sustain a full time writing career. Fortunately there are alternative platforms that offer higher earning potential and greater flexibility for writers. In this article i will explore some of these platforms and how they can help you earn more money from your writing.

1.Substack

Substack is a newsletter platform that allows writers to build their own subscriber base and set their own prices for subscriptions. Substack’s payment model is based on a revenue split with the writer where Substack takes a 10% cut of the subscription fee. This means that writers can potentially earn more money than on Medium’s Partner Program especially if they have a dedicated audience and are able to charge higher subscription fees.

For example writer and publisher Casey Newton left his job at The Verge to start his own publication Platformer on Substack. Within six months he had over 10,000 subscribers paying $100 per year for access to his content. This means he was making at least $1 million per year just from Substack subscriptions. Other writers like Judd Legum Matt Taibbi and Glenn Greenwald have also had success on Substack earning six figure incomes from their newsletters.

According to a report by the New York Times Substack’s top 10 writers collectively earned over $15 million in 2020. This shows that there is a significant earning potential on the platform for writers who are able to build a loyal audience and offer valuable content.

2.Ghost

Ghost is an open source publishing platform that allows writers to monetize their content through memberships subscriptions and one time payments. Ghost’s payment model is based on a revenue split with the writer where Ghost takes a 5% cut of all earnings. This means that writers have the potential to earn more money than on Medium’s Partner Program especially if they are able to build a loyal following and offer premium content.

One writer who has had success on Ghost is David Kadavy author of the book “Design for Hackers.” He created a premium course on Ghost called “Design for Coders” and priced it at $99. Within a few months he had made over $100,000 in sales. This shows that there is a demand for high quality content on Ghost and writers who are able to create valuable courses or other premium content can potentially earn a significant income.

3.Patreon

Patreon is a membership platform that allows creators to earn money from their fans on a recurring basis. Patreon’s payment model is based on a subscription model where fans can pledge to support their favorite creators on a monthly basis. This means that writers can potentially earn more money than on Medium’s Partner Program especially if they are able to build a dedicated fanbase and offer exclusive content to their patrons.

One writer who has had success on Patreon is John Scalzi author of the “Old Man’s War” series. He offers exclusive content to his patrons including behind the scenes looks at his writing process and early access to his new work. As of March 2023 he has over 5,000 patrons who pledge a total of over $20,000 per month. This means he is earning at least $240,000 per year just from Patreon. Other writers like Amanda Palmer Seanan McGuire and N.K. Jemisin have also had success on Patreon earning a significant income from their fanbase.

According to a report by The Hustle the top 1% of creators on Patreon earn an average of $13,000 per month with some earning over $100,000 per month. This shows that there is a significant earning potential on the platform for writers who are able to build a dedicated fanbase and offer valuable content.

4.OnlyFans

OnlyFans is a platform that allows creators to monetize their content through subscriptions and one time payments. While the platform is often associated with adult content there are also writers who have found success on the platform. OnlyFans takes a 20% cut of all earnings which is higher than on other platforms but writers who are able to offer unique and valuable content can potentially earn a significant income.

One writer who has had success on OnlyFans is Sarah Nicole Landry creator of the popular Instagram account @thebirdspapaya. She uses OnlyFans to offer exclusive content to her fans including behind the scenes looks at her life and writing process. As of March 2023 she has over 10,000 subscribers who pay $10 per month for access to her content. This means she is earning at least $100,000 per year just from OnlyFans.

According to a report by CNBC the top earners on OnlyFans earn over $1 million per month. While this may not be achievable for every writer it shows that there is a significant earning potential on the platform for those who are able to offer unique and valuable content to their subscribers.

Conclusion

While Medium can be a great platform for exposure and community building it may not offer enough earning potential for writers who are looking to make a full time income from their writing. However there are alternative platforms like Substack Ghost Patreon and OnlyFans that offer higher earning potential and greater flexibility for writers. By building a loyal audience and offering valuable content writers can potentially earn a significant income on these platforms. So if you’re a writer looking to make more money than on Medium it may be worth considering these alternative platforms.