Tips for Getting Started on Medium as a Writer

After getting started on Medium in 2021 and then abandoning the project of writing there after only a few articles, I got back on Medium three weeks ago looking for ways to get more settled on that platform and learn some tips about how to become successful at it.

The problem with my first time on Medium was that I was trying to be a writer there without being much of a reader. I also didn’t try to get my articles into publications, didn’t structure and format them right, and didn’t make the most of reader engagement.

These past three weeks, I read a lot, left many comments if I felt I had something to add to other writers’ pieces, and posted a few new posts “in style” while changing my old posts a little as well.

So far I’m contributing to two Medium publications, and I’m looking forward to being able to publish with other outlets there soon.

But, you may wonder, how much money do writers make on Medium? Well, once upon a time, in September 2020, the top active writer made almost $50K (in a single month!) and a single story made its author more than $16.5K, all while the vast majority of active writers, 93.6%, most likely newer on the site, with less effort invested, and less skill in designing their Medium “stories” and promoting them, made less than $100. I don’t know what the figures are today—I suspect they’re better than during the height of the pandemic, but I can’t really say, as unfortunately Medium doesn’t release earnings data anymore. I only found that in December 2020, the percentage of writers making more than $100 was higher: 8%. Thinking about it, 8% is not too bad. The main idea is that it takes time to gain followers, email subscribers, and traction with bigger publications, but that eventually, from what I’ve read, after a year or two of hard but rewarding work, you may gain a few hundred dollars a month on Medium if you do things right.

If you want to make a quick buck, Medium may not be it. But if you’re looking for an enjoyable writing platform and writers knowledgeable in their fields, I’d say come to Medium. You can read various articles as you get settled (I recommend you follow not only various writers, but also certain topics), and if you feel like getting started writing right away, here’s a piece I posted yesterday about how to easily and efficiently set up your first article on Medium:

What You Need to Know to Set Up Your First Medium Article in Style

To a happier, healthier life,

Mira