Is The Boost a Game-Changer?

The Amazing Results of My First Boost on Medium

I’m Stunned By the Amount My Article Earned

It took almost two months, but I finally received the Boost this week.

I am not a patient person. So this was a welcome sight, seeing that wonderful little email notification that one of my writing pieces had been boosted. I’d heard that a number of my writers at Bouncin’ and Behavin’ Blogs had received it.

Some of them had received it twice or three times already. My Bride publishes maybe two or three pieces a month, and she received it within the first ten days of its launch. I was really happy for her and my writing friends who had received it.

But I couldn’t help thinking, “Where’s mine at?” Especially a month without receiving one turned into a month and a half and then almost two months. I started thinking that Medium was out to get me.

I have my theories about what they do to strong-willed, mouthy writers who talk shit about the platform and question some of the decisions and oddities that seem to surround the website. I’d hate to think some of us get punished for speaking up and being vocal about such things.

I was having a really rough day on Monday. I was questioning if I was doing the right thing by focusing my efforts on being a full-time writer. I was doubting myself and wondered if I’d be better off taking a normal, boring job and just putting my writing on the back burner. I have a family to think of, after all.

I wrote this piece and it was well-received. A lot of you were very encouraging and reassured me that I should keep doing what I do here on Medium and not give up on my Writer’s Journey. I appreciated the kind, encouraging feedback from you all.

And hey, I’ve made $8.41 from this above-average-performing writing piece. Which sort of validates my point that I’m not likely going to make a full-time living writing for Medium any time soon. Note to self: Work more on my website and mailing list.

But then things changed. I woke up to this on Tuesday morning:

Oh, man! It was nice to be recognized for something finally! I was surprised that it was THAT kind of story that finally earned me The Boost. Most people don’t look favorably on writing pieces that doubt the existence of God or any other deity.

I made a mental note to try to find Liz from Medium on LinkedIn and thank/stalk her. I hoped my new BFF would enjoy the two dozen red roses I had delivered to Medium headquarters. Nothing wrong with that, right? I could afford it, now that this piece was sure to deliver hundreds of extra dollars in earnings this month.

I based this on how much my Bride’s Boost brought her when she received it a month prior. Her article had gone from earning nothing for a number of days prior to it being Boosted to earning $75 or so over the next 5 days. I love her mental health blogs, but with less than half of my total followers, I had to think I’d earn more from my Boost.

After the first day, she had amassed 1 hour and 5 minutes of read-time. I had 9 hours and 19 minutes of read-time. I theorized that if mine jumped at the rate hers did over four to five days, I’d likely earn about $650-$700 during the run of the Boost.

And this is what I get for fucking thinking.

The next day, I had almost double the number of total internal, paid views, but mysteriously, less read time than the first day of the Boost. That was a dick-punch I wasn’t expecting. Sigh.

I emailed Medium about this interesting (and by interesting, I mean bullshit) phenomenon, as it had happened on another blog of mine a week before. The Godfather of Medium demands answers. The envelope has been light too many times, lately.

I’m worried that Gmail might be down because I still haven’t received an answer back from them yet. Perhaps they’re busy. “Your email is very important to us, Jason. Please stay on the line and enjoy this jazz flute solo for two, maybe three days.” I’m still holding my breath and turning blue at this point.

Well, perhaps Day 2 was an anomaly. Maybe Day 3 is when it really will kick up. After all, my Bride tripled her read-time on Day 2 and then doubled THAT on Day 3. Surely there would be more love for me on Day 3, right?

Remember that thing I said earlier about thinking? Yeah.

That’s my Boosted piece after Day 3. Fizzling out like a fart in the wind. This shart of a writing piece barely stained this writer’s tighty-whities. For fuck’s sake.

So thank you, Medium. A $35 Boost I guess is better than the couple of bucks this piece likely would have made. I’m not sure why most other writers’ Boosted stories are lasting four to five solid days and I got two great days before the erectile dysfunction occurred.

I don’t think Medium’s algorithm likes me. I’m going to stop short of playing the racism/bigotry card. I’m not sure what this Italian/Irish boy did to y’all, but I’m sorry. Maybe next time.

Oh, and Liz. When those two dozen roses arrive, can you please refuse delivery? I can’t really afford them now, based on certain recent developments. I’m sure you understand.

Ok, I’m headed off to donate plasma and pick up a few aluminum cans during the walk home. Might as well save a few bucks on gas. &:^)