Why You Won’t Get Rich Writing on Medium But You Should Keep Writing Here Anyway

Money can’t be the only reason you’re here

There are loads of articles that tell you how you’ll start making money if you’re just consistent. If you just keep writing, people will come.

It’s that old idea of “If you build it, they will come,” that Joe Jackson said in the movie, Field of Dreams. If you write it, they will read — right?

This is an idealistic hope for most Medium writers. Some will think they have discovered the formula and write about it until we are sick of hearing the same old stuff. But most of us? We will keep writing and hoping.

The truth is, no one really knows why some people make so much money on Medium. I don’t doubt that these people work very hard at what they do. Many of them write great articles. They usually have some pretty awesome titles that draw people in. Medium writers that make a lot of money are often very personable.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: what works for one person won’t necessarily work for you. So, just do you.

So, if you’re only here for the money, I’m betting you’ll be gone within a year.

Why you should keep writing on Medium anyway

#1 Because you love writing

You have to really love writing to keep at in for the long haul. I’ve been doing it for around twenty years. I’d love to find the right audience and start making loads of money, but if I don’t, I’m still going to be expressing myself somewhere. In a blog, on Medium, in forums, on social media — I can’t help myself.

I also keep a journal. But sometimes, I just want to be heard. And I feel heard when I write and send it out into the world.

So, that’s the first reason to keep writing on Medium

#2 Because you want to improve on your skills

If you do something often enough, you want to feel like you are getting better at it. As a writer, you want to get better at spelling, grammar, sentence structure, engaging your audience, and so on. You can do that here on Medium. You can learn from other writers and you can hone your skills.

#3 Because you like the community

The people on Medium are my absolute favorite part of the platform. The writers, the readers, the people with ADHD who get me, the 50+ writers who remind me every day that 50 is not old at all, and everyone else that just make me feel seen.

We all want to belong. And if you feel that you belong here, that’s as good of a reason to write here as money. Maybe better.

#4 To build your side hustle circle

I’ve talked about this in the past. If you’re into the side hustle economy, it’s a great way to build up your circle. Medium articles can direct people to your other income sources — ebooks, courses, affiliate marketing, and so on. You can leave a link to another place people can find you. You can generate interest.

You can read more about side hustle circles here:

#5 For SEO

A lot of people don’t realize it but Medium articles show up in search engines all the time. Even if they are behind the paywall.

A good keyword phrase or two and a title that is SEO optimized can go a long way.

If you have a business or if you hope to get more referrals, there’s no better way to do it than to have your Medium articles show up in the search engines.

Want to know more about SEO on Medium? Zulie Rane just published an article that says it better than I ever could:

Why do you write on Medium? Choose some goals that have nothing to do with money and you may find your time here more enjoyable.

If you like what I write here on Medium and you’re reading without a membership, you might notice that you can only read three stories per month. If you create an account, you can read five stories per month for free. But if you become a member (only $5/month or $50/year) you can read as many stories and article as you want, with no ads. You can become a paying member here (and if you use my link, I’ll retain a portion of your membership fee each month). You can also learn to write and earn money on Medium!

You can also show your support for my work by buying me a cup of coffee.