20 Things You Need to Know if You Want to Succeed on Medium
These tips have worked for me
I’m lucky enough to be one of those who are making more than a thousand dollars a month on Medium.
I started writing regularly during the pandemic (two years ago) without guessing that writing on the platform would become a great source of income.
I write about 4 to 10 articles a month on the topics I’m passionate about — sex, love, relationships, and mental health. Sometimes my articles get very personal. Other times, they are purely informative.
As of today, I’m far from having the number of followers of my favorite writers Jessica Wildfire and Yael Wolfe, but I have a faithful 8.8K followers.
Recently, I have several friends who started writing on the platform. They are great writers with great ideas, and I’m eager to read more of their writing. Since they had many questions on how to make it on the platform, I decided to write an article summarizing my writing process.
Another article about Medium, you might be thinking? Well, it is an exception to my work as I want to help my friends. And I actually do have valuable things to share.
So, if you’re new to the platform and want to learn from someone who has converted writing on Medium into a full-time job, read through and learn from me.
Tip #1: Follow Medium’s rules
First thing said, abide by the rules!
People who don’t make it on the platform ignore the rules. They haven’t taken the time to read Medium’s writing guidelines and just throw themselves on the platform.
If you don’t know how to swim, will you jump in the water? No, because you risk drowning. It is the same here.
So first thing, read the rules!
Capitalize your title correctly, use a subtitle, and credit your image. If you already have a blog, check the rules about reposting on Medium.
Tip #2: Write for the reader, not for you
Novice writers write for themselves. Professional writers write for others.
So focus on the readers. Put yourself in their shoes and make it easy for them to follow your train of thought.
Imagine you are telling a story to a friend. If you go into a monologue and only speak about yourself, without engaging with them, they will be very bored at some point. Maybe they will fall asleep, and later, they will call you ‘egoistic’ and avoid you.
Do you want the same from your readers? No.
So write for the readers and engage with them. Offer great readability, too. We have learned from school or books to divide our ideas by blocks of paragraphs. But when you write on the Internet, it is different.
Readers have a short attention span, and they tend to skip things that are heavy for their eyes. So press the return button between each idea, even if it seems unnatural.
In addition, use what I call a “stupid-simple” language. It is the one strategy that Trump used to gain voters and the one you want to use here, too. Use short sentences.
And for those who are Native English speakers, please choose a simpler alternative to a word. Remember, there are many non-native speakers reading your stories.
Tip #3: Have something interesting to share
Writing is not a profession — it is a skill added to a profession. First, you need something interesting to share in your stories.
I’m not a writer. I’m a tantra teacher and a sex, love, and relationship coach.
I share exciting things about my profession on the platform. Writing is a tool I use to share my knowledge, such as coaching or workshops.
So first thing, ask yourself, what do you want to write about? If you don’t know, you can’t expect to find inspiration on those days when creativity is lacking.
Offer new perspectives. Why would someone read you rather than another article? General articles don’t do well on Medium. However, if you add a unique perspective in a story, people will want to read it.
Teach a lesson or have some sort of conclusion that people can take and apply. Be unique, authentic and honest, and people will read you. You must start thinking outside the box.
Tip #4: Do your research
Readers will remember you either because of their feeling of frustration or satiation.
They will either think:
- “I’ve lost my time reading this stupid story,” or,
- “I learned a great deal from this story. I’m smarter than I was 5 minutes ago.”
So, do your research and bring value to your reader!
I have a subscription to Scribd. It is an online library with tons of books. I use it to do research on one topic.
I also use Youtube, which is a free resource, and I find a great deal of information.
Support your readers to feel more empowered and smarter by doing your research and sharing it with them.
Tip #5: Make it personal, be vulnerable
Some people are afraid to be vulnerable on the platform. But trust me, this is how you can gain sympathy and followers.
Readers want to connect with you. They want to know about your personal experiences and how you have overcome them.
They want to know your struggles and relate to you.
So give them an opportunity to do so. Show them that you’re a humble human, accessible. You’d be surprised how rewarding it is.
I usually start my stories with a personal example in the introduction that the reader can relate to. Sometimes, I blush about what I have shared in my story. But, I know it serves its purpose, and I’m helping people feeling more connected and less lonely in their experience.
I’m at the service of others.
Tip #6: Be consistent in your writing
Writing is not something that you do just once in a while. It is a muscle you have to strengthen.
After making my first two thousand dollars on the platform, I decided to write daily from 9 am to 1 pm.
Every day of the week, I sit at my desk, play nice background music, and do the work. I write consistently, and it has been key to my success.
That doesn’t mean that I publish daily. I also use this time to research, immerse myself in a topic, and read about it too.
With that process, it can take me up to two weeks to write an article. Quality is always better than quantity.
#7: Invest as in a real business
Medium is one of my businesses. I have others, such as being a Tantra facilitator or copywriting for clients.
And I invest in Medium as I would do in any other business.
It means that for each article, I invest in:
- Hiring a proofreader/editor who double-checks my English and my readability (English is not my native language), and
- Purchasing original images on Shutterstock so that my stories stand out.
For each article I write, I’m investing $12.90. But I know with time, people will read my story, and I will have a return on investment.
If you think you don’t have money to invest, you’re not taking your writing on the platform seriously, or you don’t believe in your chances of success.
Tip #8: Have a professional website on the side
I’d recommend any writer to have a professional website on the side, too.
My website is a simple landing page. In the blog section, I share excerpts of my Medium articles. If people want to read the full story, I redirect them to Medium.
Since I don’t make money from my website, it’s wiser to send people to Medium to read the whole story.
If you don’t monetize your website, you’re losing an opportunity to earn money for your work if you publish all of it for free.
Your website will only serve to gain traction via Google search and redirect readers to your Medium account. People who come across your website might then become referred paid members and you can monetize your stories as they read.
With that strategy, I have 25 referred members as of today.
Remember, it is easy to make money on Medium; you just have to be smart.
Tip #9: Reply to other writers’ stories
What I love about Medium is that there are tons of interesting people on the platform. And I want to support them by commenting on their stories.
But there is a strategy behind it.
When you take the time to read comments or ask questions, writers are tempted to click on your profile. Then, if they like your content, they might follow you.
When you are consistent with this strategy, you can gain a lot of followers quickly.
I was intuitively doing it from the beginning, without gaining followers as my motive.
But if you are just starting on Medium and don’t yet have 100 followers, that could be your solution.
Tip #10: Find your niche
As I said, writing is a tool I use to share something I’m either knowledgeable or passionate about.
And lucky me, what I’m knowledgeable about is considered a niche on the platform.
Articles on love, relationships, or productivity usually don’t do well because too many people write on those topics.
However, if you write about spiritual enlightenment, technology, horse riding, or whatever you are passionate about that is not so popular, you have a niche! And this means higher chances to be read.
Tip #11: Use those writing tools!
There are a few tools I use to make my work easy and flowing. I discovered them thanks to my copywriting clients who have paid thousands of dollars on their marketing strategy.
First, I use Trello. It is where I store my ideas for articles.
I have created different cards that help me stay organized:
- Articles ideas
- Research in progress
- Writing in progress
- Proofread in progress
- Ready for publication
- Waiting for publication
- Rejected by publication
- Accepted by publication
- Self-published (if no publications have accepted my work)
As my workflow progresses, I move the cards from one column to another and have a great overview of my work.
Then, I write on Google Docs. This way, I can see my proofreader’s reviews and pre-format the story so that it is ready to be published.
Next, I copy-paste my article on the Hemingway Editor, to ensure there are zero sentences in red, which are “very hard to read.” It is a free web application that anybody can use.
Later, I check my story on Grammarly premium. I rephrase some sentences (but not all) to improve readability.
Just before publishing, I select the right picture on Shutterstock. And then, I go to my draft’s settings on Medium, add the appropriate tags, and update the suggested SEO description. I also customize my story URL and focus on the keywords.
It might seem like a long list of tools, but these tools have ensured that I’m getting the biggest reward for my efforts.
Tip #12: Find affiliate partners
I have a few companies I work with, and they are connected to my niche. They are mainly luxury sex toys.
With products as expensive as sex toys, I can make an extra thousand dollars a month if I use affiliate links. But my focus will always remain the quality of my article.
You can start by joining the Amazon Associate Program and add referral links to the books you’re quoting or referring to. But please, don’t write articles just to place products!
Affiliate links are allowed in posts but you must disclose them! (This article contains affiliate links by the way).
Tip #13: Connect with your followers
The best way to connect with your followers is to:
- Write for them — we have already discussed this point.
- Answer their comments, even if it is simply to reply “thank you.”
Dedicate one day of your working flow to comment back. It will pay off.
Your followers are sometimes other writers. Connect with them on Twitter and start making new friends! You will have inspiring conversations via tweets.
Tip #14: Choose passion over money
I didn’t start writing for money. I started writing because I was bored during the pandemic.
Luckily, I had passionate things to write about. So, in the end it paid off.
If you write for money, it will never work!
I did an experiment to prove it. I wrote an article about the law of attraction. The method I described in my article was legit but I exaggerated it, to see if readers would take the bait.
They didn’t, of course.
Readers are smart. They can sense if you write for money or if you’re passionate about what you write.
Tip #15: Stop writing about Medium
There are tons of articles on how much someone has made on the platform. Those articles don’t share anything valuable.
If you are just starting and don’t make more than $2000 USD a month, please don’t write an article about how much you’re making. Instead, choose passion over money, and it will flow naturally. I promise!
There is no way I would follow or read someone who made $100 on the platform and write about it. I will actually run away from you.
There are many people making thousands of dollars on the platform, and for us, those articles are annoying.
Stop writing about how much money you’ve made, even if it’s a penny, and share valuable information instead. Respect yourself enough to save face.
Tip #16: Consider Medium as a portfolio
My account is a sample of my work.
When I apply on Upwork for copywriting gigs, I send a link to my Medium account. With about 200 articles published, it is a great portfolio that plays in my favor.
Sometimes, clients find me on their own too.
They have read my article after googling keywords and now want to hire me to write for their website.
So use Medium as your online portfolio for attracting writing gigs or promoting your services. And you’ll want many sample writings in your portfolio.
Tip #17: Make sure your English is correct
I’ve mentioned it before, but you must ensure that your English is perfect, even if you’re a native speaker.
I cannot take seriously or read a writer whose story is full of mistakes. I can empathize, being a non-speaker, but I see laziness and lack of respect for me, the reader. This is not worth my time.
So, please do respect your readers enough to ensure your story is in perfect English.
If you want to delegate this work, invest in a proofreader!
Tip #18: Start writing now
There are always excuses to push writing to tomorrow.
I did too, many times.
But if you tell me you are “thinking” of giving it a try, I will reply: “stop thinking, start now.” Open your laptop, go on Google Docs and type those lines.
Here are some writing prompts for anybody who doesn’t know where to start. They are actually on my to-write list, and I have done my research to make sure they have potential for success.
- Are You Having Sex for the Right Reasons (topic: sexuality)
- XX Early Signs of a Toxic Relationship (topic: relationships)
- XX Ways to Stay Grounded When You Fall in Love (topic: love)
- How Plant Medicine Will Change Your Relationship With Time (topic: spirituality)
- I Lost x Pounds in One Week. This is How I Did It. (topic: health)
So when do I read you? Feel free to share the link to your story in answer to these writing prompts in the comments section.
Tip #19: Stop complaining
When I hear people complaining about how impossible it is to make money on Medium, I already know it will be impossible for THEM to do so.
They start with great expectations but little effort. Instead, they are so focused on the negative, which is surely on the path to struggles and failure.
When I started on Medium, I had zero expectations. I was bored during the pandemic and wanted to display some of my writing online.
I would have never guessed that I would make $2000 after three months of writing consistently. Since then, I have always fluctuated between $500 and $2000 USD each month.
So instead of complaining, use this time to be productive and write something interesting. Stop complaining, and bring value to your readers.
#20: Become a medium member
Lastly, I see many new writers wanting to avoid paying for the $5 membership.
Stop being cheap and become a member!
Your membership will go straight into supporting other writers, and in the future it will be you! (You can use my referral link if you wish to support me by the way)
It is well-known that to receive, you have to give first.
I was a Medium member for about two years before I started writing in 2020. I enjoyed reading people’s stories when I was bored at the office.
But I will not read any writer who is not a member. If you can’t invest $5 a month, don’t expect to get more in return from me.
I know I have said not to write about Medium, and now I’m writing about it. But I had to, not to repeat myself when someone tells me “how to make it on the platform.”
Let me know in the comments below how valuable this article was for you! Did you learn something new? Thank you for reading!
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