Reflecting on My Medium Earnings in February 2024
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Chapter 1: My Medium Journey
It's well-known that I aspire to earn income through my writing. Transitioning from WordPress to Medium was a deliberate choice, and I take no issue in admitting this. This marks my 271st piece on the platform, and I am candid about how my earnings have significantly changed. Those who have been around since August and September of 2023 will likely understand the shift I’m referencing.
Reflecting on those optimistic times, lyrics from a beloved childhood song echo in my mind. Even as a young child, I sensed a certain depth to the music. My father’s orange Ford would often play Nana Mouskouri's cassette, and we would sing along without fully grasping the meaning.
"Those were the days, my friend,
We thought they'd never end,
We'd sing and dance forever and a day."
While I acknowledge that my earnings may have peaked earlier, I only joined the Medium Partner Program in May 2023. As a newcomer of about ten months, I’ve seen many writers depart due to declining earnings. Initially, the prospect of earning a living solely from Medium was appealing, but that reality has changed.
Yet, I remain undeterred. The supportive community here compensates for the fluctuations in earnings, and this intangible value solidifies my commitment to the platform.
Let’s delve into the numbers.
The month of February has been particularly challenging for me, marking one of my lowest earnings periods since October. My top-performing article earned a mere 20 cents per read. During the first half of the month, I traveled to Tasmania, and my engagement suffered since I could only connect at night when I had access to Wi-Fi in the hotel. It’s no surprise that my best-performing article was published a week after my return, coinciding with my renewed engagement.
I was delighted to see a piece from my new publication perform well, and I genuinely hope that others who submit their work to me experience similar success. This is a shared aspiration among all editors.
Second Best Performer (20 cents per read)
Published towards the end of February, I was excited to see a self-published article thrive. This was a personal experiment to test whether self-published stories could resonate, contrary to the belief that they need to be affiliated with a publication.
Third Best Earner (28 cents per read)
I took great pride in this article, as I invested considerable effort into the photography and ventured out specifically for this story, despite my usual aversion to exercise.
Fourth Best Earner (18 cents per read)
This piece was created on the very day I returned from Australia. I missed the interactions on Medium and the community I’ve come to value, which has become an integral part of my daily routine.
Fifth Best Earner (17 cents per read)
It’s no surprise that a narrative centered on anxiety and mental health performed well, particularly as it was featured in "Read or Die," a popular publication. It was also the first time I entrusted an editor who encouraged me to submit.
All images and screenshots were captured from my stats page.
What I Learned
These are my top five earners for February 2024. The insights I gathered include:
- Engagement is Crucial: Building genuine connections with people here is vital, and fostering friendships takes time.
- Writing Frequency Matters: My lack of writing in the first half of the month clearly impacted my performance.
- Choosing Relevant Topics: Writing about subjects I am passionate about, especially those related to mental well-being, tends to resonate with readers.
- Medium-Centric Stories: Articles discussing Medium, particularly earnings, tend to attract attention. This piece serves as another experiment to gauge its impact.
- Wellness-Focused Narratives: Stories that promote well-being appear to resonate more than others. I often read this genre, as excessive Medium meta-narratives can feel disingenuous and clickbait-like. Some claims also seem implausible if not supported by evidence.
- Self-Published Success: My experience shows that even self-published stories can achieve success, prompting me to diversify my content.
- Exploring Various Publications: Trying different publications may help reach a broader audience.
Thoughts on Friends of Medium (FOM)
I hope this provided you with valuable insights. It may be a while before I share another analysis. The advantages of joining FOM have certainly diminished; my earnings are now about half of what they were when FOM launched.
I can’t help but wonder if those not in the FOM tier are faring even worse. That would be unfortunate. Additionally, I suspect that some AI-generated accounts under the guise of FOM, which engage superficially, might be detrimental to our community.
I would love to hear your experiences and thoughts on this. If you’re not focused on earning, that’s perfectly fine. I genuinely appreciate your support.
Receiving an income here alleviates my anxiety. I wish to avoid returning to a toxic office environment that negatively impacts my self-esteem and well-being, especially given the potential for medical expenses to surpass any salary I might earn.
Avoiding Comment Jail
Please forgive me if I don’t respond to all comments on my articles—I often find myself in "comment jail." I love the term coined by Jan Sebastian 🖐R👩R🦰; she’s incredibly motivating.
I prefer to support your stories, and it’s frustrating not being able to comment after reading and highlighting your work. I must exercise restraint when it comes to commenting, even though it’s so enjoyable to engage freely.
P.S. I did not factor in the 30% tax that Medium deducts.
Copyright: All images and screenshots by the author from her stats page.
Check out these other earnings stories from February 2024, including insights from Sophia Tell and her witty approach, and Robin Wilding, who shares her insights. Oliver Lövström discusses the frustrations surrounding non-member reads.
This video explores potential earnings for writers on Medium in 2024, providing valuable insights and tips.
In this video, the discussion revolves around whether writing on Medium is worth it in 2024, offering a realistic view of earnings.