avatarDavid Majister

Summary

The article contrasts the earnings of Medium writers with those of musicians like Gary Numan, highlighting the relatively favorable financial returns for writers on Medium compared to music streaming royalties.

Abstract

The author of the article expresses surprise at the stark difference in earnings between Medium writers and musicians, despite the latter often having more public recognition. Gary Numan, a well-known musician, earned only $51 from one million music streams, which the author compares to their own earnings on Medium, where they made significantly more from a fraction of the views. The piece underscores the challenges artists face across different mediums, emphasizing that even famous artists may struggle financially. It also points out that writing on Medium can be more lucrative than other artistic endeavors, with the platform offering writers a chance to earn a living, access to an audience, and valuable feedback to improve their craft. The author encourages writers to appreciate Medium as a unique opportunity and to work hard to succeed in the competitive field of writing.

Opinions

  • Writing on Medium is portrayed as a more sustainable way to earn money as an artist compared to music streaming services.
  • The author believes that Medium provides writers with a good income relative to the effort and exposure they receive.
  • There is a common misconception that qualifications or fame directly translate to financial success in artistic fields, which the author disputes.
  • The article suggests that artists, including writers, should not feel entitled to earnings and should be prepared to hustle to succeed.
  • The author is grateful for the Medium platform, viewing it as an exceptional place for writers to live out their dreams and connect with a global community of writers.
  • The author emphasizes the importance of hard work and persistence for artists to achieve their goals, regardless of their field.

This is Shocking! One Million Music Streams = $51

1 million Medium views = $20,000. Medium writers, we’ve got it good. Real good.

Photo by Sofia Báthory from Pexels

It’s easy to whine about the hard life of a Medium writer. I see so many people assuming that if you write here for a couple of months, you’ll have money pouring into your bank account.

That’s not how it works, folks.

Writing isn’t a get-rich-quick scheme. It’s about chasing rainbows, following your heart, and enjoying the rollercoaster. It’s about living the dream of being a storyteller, getting easy access to an audience, and getting paid for the privilege.

Before I joined Medium, I’d never earned a single cent for my poetry. With the magic of Medium, even the most difficult genre in which to earn money is bringing home real cash.

As artists, we Medium writers have it much better than we realize.

Gary Numan Earned $51 for a Million Streams of His Music

This discovery shook me up.

The British singer-songwriter Gary Numan revealed to NME he’d had one million downloads of his music on streaming services. And from that, he’d earned £37 ($51).

This is an artist who’s had not one or two, but three of his albums go to the top of the charts. And his income from a million downloads wouldn’t even cover one week of groceries for the average person in Britain.

I’m not a famous artist. I’ve never hit the number one spot in any charts. I’m a little-known blogger with a handful of loyal readers, and the occasional break-out article. I’ve never had a viral hit. My top performing article has under 10,000 views.

Yet in four months on Medium, I’ve earned over 10 times what Gary Numan earned for a million downloads.

It’s easy to assume celebrities are drowning in money, but that’s not always the case. There are some at the top for whom life is a feast. But for many artists — actors, writers, poets, painters, musicians, dreamers and film-makers — art is a calling, not the main way to earn their bread. That includes household names.

One Million Medium Views Would be $20,000

This year on Medium, I’ve had under 10,000 views on my articles each month. And each month, I’ve earned more than $200.

By my calculation, one million views on Medium from paying readers would mean around $20,000 in income. That’s 400 times what Gary Numan earned streaming his music.

And I’ve already revealed that each Medium read is worth around three times a view on YouTube.

It’s estimated that only 1,000 fiction writers in America earn a full-time living from their writing. To put it another way, there are more city mayors in the US than full-time novelists.

Medium writers, we’ve got it good.

Writers, It’s Time You Stopped Feeling So Entitled

I’ve got a close friend, Tim, whose parents are both engineers. They both studied engineering, they met at university. When they finished their course, it was easy for them to find work. They’re both well-paid.

From their experience, they learned a lesson: if you gain a qualification, a good job is waiting for you.

They like their jobs, but it’s not their passion to be engineers. Their passion is visual arts.

So they pushed Tim to study fine art at college.

They told him: If you do a degree, there’s a job waiting for you at the end.

This, sadly, is a huge myth.

Tim now works in a call center for a bank. He hates art, because he was pushed to study it, and he was sold a lie. He wishes he’d chosen a degree with a profession at the end of it.

Some fields of study almost guarantee a job in a related field. Medicine, engineering, and many science-based subjects.

But that’s not true for most degrees — including vocational courses. There are no automatic jobs for the majority of graduates. Everyone who wants a good job has to hustle.

Take law, for example. This isn’t art history, religious studies, or psychology. It’s a qualification with a job at the end, right?

Wrong.

For every 28 law graduates, only one ends up working in the legal sector. That means 96% of law graduates have to pivot into a new career.

The truth is, as artists, we’ve chosen an extremely competitive niche. To get ahead, you have to grind hard.

Medium Lets Me Live My Dream — and Pays Me For Doing So

Here’s how I see it:

  • I’m following my dream to be a writer
  • I’m getting paid
  • I’m meeting amazing writers from all around the world.
  • I get real, in-depth data on how much readers like my writing.
  • I’m improving my craft with each article I write.

I don’t know of any other platform, or any other hobby, that delivers all those benefits.

I wish writers wouldn’t feel so entitled. Medium is an amazing gift! Let’s celebrate it.

Now, I’m off to write my next article.

This article is part of my 30 Day Medium Challenge:

Writing
Creativity
Freelancing
Art
Ｍedium
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