I’m In A Toxic Relationship With My Favourite Writing Platform
Medium is becoming another MLM scheme and I’m over it
Starting over (yet again)
I’ve been writing on Medium for about 2 1/4 years. At the beginning of last year, I wrote a piece calling on Medium to pay its writers more than the paltry pennies we get per day. At that time, I was earning about $7/day from publishing on their platform.
In 2022 my earnings averaged approximately $11/day. In the first half of 2023, I edged closer to $12/day.
Big money, I know, but when I started receiving additional funds for referred members, I was earning enough to cover my car payment, and that was a good start for me.
Then Medium changed its algorithm (again).
This month my earnings tanked from $12/day down to less than $2/day.
Over the past two years, I’ve tried a number of different writing platforms, and Medium has been my favourite. I earned more over at NewsBreak for a while, but the comments were vile and there was no support for writers there.
Medium has a bit of a community, and while I get the odd rude comment, it’s mostly been a very supportive place to share my work.
Until now.
I worked for over two years to gain over 27 thousand followers, and I’ve brought over a half-million views to this site.
Yes, I do hear myself
Ugh.
Honestly, I used to roll my eyes at these self-pitying stories when I was new to Medium and hadn’t figured out how this all works, but I kinda get it now.
“Adapt or be left behind” I thought. “Change happens, learn to live with it,” I thought. Am I the asshole? Now I think maybe yes.
When you’ve worked your ass off for two years to finally reach a whole $12/day, and even that is pulled out from under you with the click of a mouse, it’s pretty disheartening.
I’ve worked hard to diversify my revenue sources, so this isn’t my main source of income by any stretch, but it still stings.
Do you think Medium cares that it hurt my feelings?
(That’s a rhetorical question).
However, if you have tips for increasing earnings under this new system, please feel free to share.
© Jillian Enright, Neurodiversity MB
Related Articles
Medium Needs To Pay Its Writers More
What I’ve Learned In Two Years Writing Full Time
Support my writing
If you wish to support my writing, I’m not sure how you go about that anymore, since the referrals program has ended.
I hated the idea of referrals when it was first suggested (as that’s the most MLM part of Medium), but it actually brought in a decent amount for me each month.
Sigh.
If you’d like to give a one-time tip, you can support my writing on Ko-Fi — also, it’s free to follow me on Facebook and LinkedIn!