Two years ago, I quit my job as an attorney to become a full-time writer and blogger. And even though I now make a living by writing words, for some reason, I’ve never really felt like a writer. I think it’s because blogging feels a bit different. It’s writing – but it’s a different type of writing.
I recently decided to try a new experiment with my writing. So, over the past month, I’ve been writing on Medium. This was mainly due to curiosity – I wanted to see what Medium was like and how it worked. I also wanted to see if Medium was really a viable way to generate some extra income.
Over the past month, I’ve been able to do just that. I’ve made a little bit of money writing. And importantly, for the first time, I’ve really begun to identify myself as a writer, rather than “just a blogger.”
What Is Medium?
I like to think of Medium as a sort of YouTube for writing. Writers can create written content on Medium and put it out into the world for anyone to find.
Like YouTube, Medium also has a curation role where it will promote content that it thinks is worth promoting. They do this through a combination of algorithms and human curators that read through posts published on Medium. You also can publish your work to Medium publications, which you can think of as online magazines or blogs within Medium. People can also follow you on Medium, much in the same manner as someone would subscribe to your YouTube channel.
I find Medium to be a place with interesting and thoughtful content. I’m not even sure how I first discovered Medium, but I did notice that I was reading a lot of stuff on it. It got to the point where I decided to spring for the $5 per month membership, which is what you have to pay if you want to read as many articles as you like. I don’t even pay for the New York Times or Washington Post, so paying my own money to read anything is a pretty big deal to me.
The writing on Medium feels different compared to what you often see in your typical blogs. Medium doesn’t have ads and writers earn money directly from the $5 per month fee that users pay. It’s also not a place to promote affiliate links or online courses (or at least it seems to be frowned upon). As a result, I find that a lot of the writing on Medium feels pure – more writing for the sake of writing and to share ideas, rather than writing to push affiliate links or optimizing for SEO.
I think it was this type of writing that made Medium so intriguing to me. You’ll notice that on this blog, I have a mix of posts. Some are posts that really are me writing for the sake of writing – I’ve thought of something and I want to share my idea. That’s what you do when you’re a writer – you observe things and try to write about them.
But I’ve noticed that to keep my blog sustainable with enough new traffic from Google, I also have to mix in posts that are designed primarily for SEO purposes. I don’t think these are bad posts – I’m happy with the quality of them and I do go in-depth in any SEO-type post that I write, but they don’t feel like the same type of writing to me.
One Month With Medium – What Did I Make?
So I’ve been writing on Medium for a month now. I’m finding it fun. And interestingly, I have made a little bit of money too. So what have I made so far?
The short answer is – not a lot. But I did make something! I wrote my first post on January 12th and ended up writing 12 total posts on Medium in January. That brought in $19.43. It’s not a lot of money by any means, but it is more than I expected someone could make as a brand new writer on Medium. And I have to say, there’s something really satisfying about getting paid purely from the words I write on a page.
Things are looking even better for February. I’ve already made more than I made in January and should be on pace to at least double my earnings from my first month, assuming I can keep a consistent writing pace. Medium isn’t making me rich or anything. It’s probably not the best use of my time either. But I’m finding it interesting and I think it does prove that you can make a little bit of extra money doing something you like.
I do have to note that I have some slight advantages that made it easier for me to earn a little bit of money in my first month. None of these have to do with any sort of built-in audience – I’m completely unknown on Medium, so I’m working from the same level as anyone else starting. But I have been writing for a long time. So no matter how you slice it, I have gotten better at writing simply because I’ve written more than most people have (this blog literally has hundreds of thousands of words and thousands of hours of writing on it).
The fact that I wrote some interesting articles also meant that Medium selected a few of my posts for further distribution. This means Medium curated my posts so that some readers would see them in their feeds when they logged into Medium. This definitely has helped me to generate some extra views that someone just starting with their writing career might not get.
How I’m Writing For Medium
I have a busy life, so to save time, I started with the strategy of reusing old posts I’ve written on this blog. I have a huge catalog of posts that I’ve written over the past 5 years, many of which never got many views since I wrote them when this blog was still very small. These posts also don’t get much Google search traffic since I never wrote them with SEO potential in mind. A few tweaks and some additional edits made many of these old posts perfect for putting up on Medium. In a way, I’m giving them a second life on there.
I also enjoy writing what I like to call “thinking man’s” posts, which are posts where I have an idea or something to talk about, but that doesn’t really lend itself well to Google search traffic. These types of posts, however, seem perfect for Medium. If you write good content on your blog, it won’t always get out there, especially if you don’t have a huge audience and if there isn’t an easy way to find it on Google. But on Medium, the curation system means that anyone can get their posts out to people, even if the post doesn’t lend itself to easy SEO opportunities.
The final thing I’m doing with Medium is getting my work into publications. These are essentially online magazines that have a built-in subscriber base. Whenever you write an article, you can submit it to these publications and if it works for them they’ll publish it.
There are a few publications that I’ve been following and that mesh well with my topics. One publication called Making of a Millionaire (edited by Ben Le Fort) has worked out well for me. The Post-Grad Survival Guide is another publication that fits into the topics I like to cover. Finally, Data Driven Investor is another good publication that fits well for my investing articles.
Getting into a publication – even a large one – doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll get a ton of views. But it does help you get more views than just publishing into the void. And I feel like it makes my writing seem more legitimate when it’s getting published by a publication with a decent number of followers.
Final Thoughts
There are a lot of things I like about Medium and I especially admire the people that have built a large following on Medium. One thing I really like about Medium is how it rewards consistency. I’ve noticed that the writers with really large followings (at least the ones that I’ve followed), all seem to post new content almost every day. It’s a baffling amount of content that I find really motivating for myself. There’s no doubt in my mind that I don’t write enough – so seeing these writers with large followings still publishing new content almost every day really is motivating me to get myself typing.
Beyond just writing, there’s also something about Medium that really makes me feel like a writer. Since there aren’t any ads on Medium and affiliate links are frowned upon, it means that any money I make on Medium is a direct result of my writing. It’s not much money – at least not yet (and maybe not ever) – but it’s really rewarding that someone was essentially willing to pay me just for the words I wrote.
The publications system is also weirdly appealing to me. One of my favorite writers, Seth Godin, always says to pick yourself. That is, there aren’t gatekeepers that control whether your writing can find an audience or not. These days, anyway can start their own blog and start writing.
I definitely agree that you should pick yourself – that’s what I did. But I also have to admit that getting picked is oddly satisfying too. Weirdly, it makes me feel more legitimate somehow, even though I have my own blog that gets plenty of readers on its own.
I started this blog in 2016 – which is a million years ago in internet years. If I were starting today, I’m not sure whether I’d opt to start a blog or opt to write on Medium instead. Based on what I’ve read, it does seem like it is possible to make a full-time living on Medium as a writer so long as you stay very consistent. That means writing almost every single day and constantly putting out new content.
From what I can tell though, the earning potential on a blog is much higher than what even the highest earners can make on Medium. The difference is that with a blog, it often feels like you’re doing more than writing – you have to market, you have to think about what you can sell or offer to your readers, and you have to think about how people can find your work. Medium seems much more of a place for writers that want to make money solely with their craft.
I’m still working on my Medium profile and will continue to report back sporadically about what’s happening there. This blog is still where most of my income comes from. A decent amount of it also comes from my side hustles. It’s possible that with a little work, Medium might become another consistent income stream. We’ll see.
If you want to check out my Medium profile, feel free to check it out here.
More Recommended Ebike/Scooters
Check out these other ebikes/scooters I've had the chance to do a review for:
- GEN3 Outcross Bike – The GEN3 Outcross is a solid, affordable fat tire ebike that does a good job of doing what I need it to do. It works great for city riding, giving me a smooth ride in all conditions. It’s works really well as a winter ebike since the fat tires give it good traction over snow and ice. Check out my GEN3 Outcross Review.
- Himiway Escape Bike – The Himiway Escape is an interesting bike for anyone looking for a moped-style ebike. If you’re a gig economy worker, the Himiway Escape is particularly interesting and it’s possible to think of it as an investment, especially if you can opt to do deliveries with the Himiway versus using a car. It’s not cheap, but you can definitely make your money back when you compare the mileage you’ll put on your car versus using an ebike. Check out my Himiway Escape Bike Review.
- Espin Sport Bike – The Espin Sport is a good ebike for someone who is looking for an ebike that feels and rides more like a regular bike. There are many ebikes that are really only bikes in name. In reality, they’re basically electric mopeds. The Espin Sport, by contrast, is a bike you could probably ride without the battery and you’d feel like you’re just riding a regular bike. Check out my Espin Sport Review.
- Varla Eagle One Scooter – The Varla Eagle One is an excellent scooter that can make sense for a lot of people. It can work as a primary mode of transportation. You can use it to work on gig economy apps like DoorDash, Uber Eats, and Grubhub. And it can also be a recreational vehicle if you’d prefer to use it for that. Check out my Varla Eagle One Review.
- Fucare H3 Scooter – The Fucare H3 is a fun scooter and I’ve enjoyed testing it out. For a daily commuter or quick trips or errands, the Fucare H3 is probably the scooter I’ll use. It’s portable and easy to maneuver, so it’s just easier to take on the road when I need it. Check out my Fucare H3 Scooter Review.
More Recommended Investing App Bonuses
For additional investing app bonuses, be sure to check out the ones below:
- M1 Finance ($10) – This is a great robo-advisor that has no fees and allows you to create a customized portfolio based on your risk tolerance. You also get $10 for opening an account. Check out my M1 Finance Referral Bonus – Step-By-Step Guide.
- SoFi Invest ($25) – SoFi Invest is an easy brokerage account bonus that you can earn with just a few minutes of work. Use my SoFi Invest referral link, fund your SoFi Invest brokerage account with $100 and you’ll get $25 of free stock. I also have a step-by-step guide for the SoFi Invest referral bonus.
- Moomoo (5 free stocks) – Moomoo is a free investing app currently offering 5 free stocks (usually worth around $75-$100) if you open an account using a referral link and deposit $2,000. Read my Moomoo referral bonus guide for more information.
- Webull (5 free stocks) – Webull also gives you 5 free stock valued between $3-$3,000 each if you open an account using my referral link. Here’s a guide I wrote about how to earn your free stocks using Webull.
- Robinhood (1 free stock) – Robinhood gives you a free stock valued between $2.50-$225 if you open an account using my referral link.
- Public (1 free stock) - Public gives you a free stock valued between $3-$70 if you open an account using my referral link.
More Recommended Bank Account Bonuses
If you’re looking for more easy bank bonuses, check out the below options. These bonuses are all easy to earn and have no fees or minimum balance requirements to worry about.
- Chime ($100) - Chime is a free bank account that offers a referral bonus if you use a referral link and complete a direct deposit of $200 or more. In practice, any ACH transfer into this account triggers the bonus. This bonus is easy to earn and posts instantly, so you’ll know if you met the requirements as soon as you move money into the account. I wrote a step-by-step guide on how to earn your Chime referral bonus that I recommend you check out.
- Upgrade ($100) – Upgrade is a free checking account that’s currently offering a $100 referral bonus if you open an account and complete three debit card transactions. These bonus terms are easy to meet, so it’s well worth doing this bonus as soon as you can. Importantly, this bonus says that it’s now scheduled to end on October 31, 2022. As long as you get your account opened before October 31st, you should be eligible. Here’s a post I wrote with more details: Upgrade $100 Referral Bonus – Step By Step Directions.
- SoFi Money ($350) – SoFi Money is a free checking account from SoFi. They’re currently offering a $25 referral bonus if you open a SoFi account with a referral link and deposit $10. You can also make an additional $300 as well if you complete a direct deposit. This is a good bank that is also 100% free, so you won’t have to worry about managing this account. Here’s a post I wrote with instructions on how to earn your SoFi Money bonus: SoFi Money Referral Bonus: Step By Step Guide.
- Fifth Third Bank ($250) – This offer is limited to customers in the following states: Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, North Carolina, Ohio, Tennessee, West Virginia, and South Carolina. If you don’t live in one of those states, you won’t be able to open an account online but you can still open an account in-branch if you happen to be visiting a city that has a branch. This is a fairly easy bank bonus to earn, especially since there are plenty of data points showing what will trigger the direct deposit requirement. In addition, you can open the Fifth Third Momentum Checking bank account, which comes with no monthly fees or minimum balance requirements. Read my guide on this bonus here.
- Current ($50) – Current is a free fintech bank that’s offering new users a $50 referral bonus after signing up for an account using a referral link.Current is an easy bonus to earn and also gives you access to three savings accounts that pay you 4% interest on up to $2,000. That means you can put away up to $6,000 earning 4% interest. That’s very good and makes Current an account I recommend to everyone. Check out my step-by-step guide on how to earn your Current Bank bonus.
- OnJuno ($100) – OnJuno is a fintech/neobank that is currently offering a $100 referral bonus if you open an account using a referral link and complete a direct deposit of $250 or more. The account has no fees or minimum balance requirements. Even better, the bonus posts immediately after you meet the requirements. If you can meet the direct deposit requirements, OnJuno is an easy bank bonus that’s worth snagging. Check out my OnJuno referral bonus guide here.
- Varo ($50) – Varo is a free fintech banking app similar to Chime or Current. It’s currently offering a $50 bonus to new users that open a new Varo account with a referral link. The bonus for this bank is very easy to meet, all you need to do is spend $20 within 30 days of opening your Varo account. Check out my step-by-step guide to learn how to earn this bonus.
- Fairwinds Credit Union ($100) – Fairwinds Credit Union is offering a referral bonus for users that sign up using a referral link. Fairwinds has no fees or minimum balance, so this is a particularly easy bonus to earn. Since this is a smaller credit union, my gut instinct tells me this offer won’t be around long, so if you’re in a position to meet the bonus requirements, grab this bonus before it’s gone. Here is my step-by-step guide on how to earn your Fairwinds Credit Union bonus.
- Novo Bank ($40) - Novo bank is a free business checking account that’s currently offering a $40 bonus if you open a Novo business checking account using a referral link. In addition to being a good bank bonus, Novo is also a good business checking account. It has no monthly fees or minimum balance requirements and operates a good app and website. Indeed, it’s the business checking account I currently use for this blog. Check out my post on how to easily open a Novo account.
- Spiral ($50) – Spiral is a fintech bank that's currently offering new customers a $50 signup bonus after opening a free checking account with them. The Spiral referral bonus is especially good because it's a free checking account and doesn't require a direct deposit to earn the bonus. Here is my step-by-step guide on how to earn your Spiral Bank bonus.
- One Finance ($50) – One Finance is a fintech bank that’s currently offering a $50 signup bonus if you open an account using a One Finance referral link and have a direct deposit of $250 or more. This is a completely free bank account with no minimum balance requirement, so if you can meet the requirements, it’s worth doing. Check out my One Finance referral bonus guide here.
- Albert ($150) – If you can manage to do a real direct deposit, Albert is an easy account you can use to earn a referral bonus. Here’s a review about Albert I wrote. And here’s a step-by-step guide on how to earn your Albert referral bonus.
- Netspend ($20 + 5% Interest Savings Account) – Netspend is a company that provides 5% interest savings accounts. If you sign up using my referral link, you’ll get a $20 signup bonus once you make your first deposit into your Netspend account of $40 or more. That means you get a 5% interest savings account and a free $20 to start! Make sure to check out my in-depth guide on how to set up these accounts.
Kevin is an attorney and the blogger behind Financial Panther, a blog about personal finance, travel hacking, and side hustling using the gig economy. He paid off $87,000 worth of student loans in just 2.5 years by choosing not to live like a big shot lawyer.
Kevin is passionate about earning money using the gig economy and you can see all the ways he makes extra income every month in his side hustle reports.
Kevin is also big on using the latest fintech apps to improve his finances. Some of Kevin's favorite fintech apps include:
- SoFi Money. A really good checking account with absolutely no fees. You'll get a $25 referral bonus if you open a SoFi Money account with a referral link, and an additional $300 if you complete a direct deposit.
- Upgrade Bank. Upgrade is a free checking account that’s currently offering a $100 referral bonus if you open an account and complete three debit card transactions. These bonus terms are easy to meet, so it’s well worth doing this bonus as soon as you can. Note that it’s now scheduled to end on October 31, 2022.
- Novo Bank. Novo bank is a free business checking account that’s currently offering a $40 bonus if you open a Novo business checking account using a referral link. It’s the business checking account I currently use for this blog.
- M1 Finance. This is a great robo-advisor that has no fees and allows you to create a customized portfolio based on your risk tolerance. You also get $10 for opening an account.
- Personal Capital. One of best free apps you can use to monitor your portfolio and track your net worth. This is one of the apps I use to track my financial accounts.
Feel free to send Kevin a message here.
Thanks for sharing your experience writing for Medium. After reading this you have given me the push to give it a try myself.
Yeah, give it a try if you’re someone that enjoys writing. It’s weirdly satisfying.
I once had an article that appeared in a financial blog and was reposted to Medium. It had over a thousand reads and a number of positive comments. Since I was paid for the original article and signed away my rights I did not receive any $ through Medium but it was good for ego
That is really cool. Fascinating that you were able to make money on your first month.
Keep us updated. I am interested in knowing if this scales exponentially.
Will keep you updated. Like most things – I think it can scale fast before plateauing. But it’s also definitely not passive income. It’s work to write.
We’re also on Medium, publishing articles there first a few days or weeks before cross posting on our blog. Impressed you managed to break $10 in your first month!