Navigating the Challenges of Medium Earnings: A Personal Reflection
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Understanding the Decline in My Medium Earnings
If you’ve been following my journey as a writer, you know how much I cherish the process—especially when it comes to earning on Medium! Writing has been an integral part of my life since 2020, and I intend to keep at it for as long as possible. However, I’ve recently observed a significant decrease in my earnings.
In August 2020, I earned $157, but as we approach the midpoint of September, I’ve only managed to make $27. This stark contrast is far from what I aspire to, signaling a much-needed wake-up call. I’ve identified three primary reasons behind the decline in my member read time over the past five months.
The three main factors contributing to my earnings drop are: over-focusing on my own publication, insufficient reading of others’ works, and a lack of variety in my writing topics.
Quick Earnings Overview
This isn’t the trajectory I envision for my writing! Here’s a breakdown of the three critical reasons why my Medium earnings are decreasing, along with my strategies to address these issues.
The chart illustrates a steady increase since March, followed by a notable decline in September.
1. Overemphasis on My Own Publication
While there's nothing inherently wrong with focusing on your own publication, expecting growth solely from it can be unrealistic unless it’s gaining traction. My publication, “Long-Term Perspective,” which I launched in April 2020, has garnered 128 followers—a commendable feat. However, my personal following has stagnated.
I yearn to reach my first 1,000 followers, but my impatience for other publications to approve my pieces leads me to post solely in my own, where I enjoy instant approval as the editor-in-chief.
Actionable Idea: Contribute to two or three other publications with larger audiences to attract new readers, while continuing to post on Long-Term Perspective, ILLUMINATION, and Runner’s Life.
2. Insufficient Reading of Articles
Engaging with others’ stories can spark inspiration, reveal effective storytelling structures, and generate new ideas. Unfortunately, I’ve been neglecting to read and have become overly fixated on my statistics and the management of my publication—elements that ultimately don’t contribute to growth.
To foster development, it’s essential to immerse oneself in the work of fellow writers, follow their journeys, and constantly read more. Focusing solely on my own writing has resulted in stagnation; I used to read at least ten articles daily, but now I struggle to read even one.
Actionable Idea: Aim to read at least three articles each day across various topics to rekindle inspiration.
3. Sticking to an Uninspiring Niche
Many Medium articles suggest that focusing on a niche helps attract followers who appreciate specific content. Lately, I've confined my writing to topics about writing and my experiences on Medium. While it’s fulfilling to reflect and motivate other writers, I realize there’s a plethora of other subjects I’m passionate about.
I shouldn’t restrict myself to a single niche, and if I lose some followers for diversifying my topics—be it fitness one day and investing the next—that's acceptable. The priority is creating valuable content that can benefit others.
Actionable Idea: Write freely on diverse subjects without the pressure of pleasing everyone. The effort to satisfy all could ultimately hinder my ability to help anyone.
Conclusion: Turning Earnings Challenges into Learning Opportunities
While financial gain isn’t everything, it certainly holds significant value. I appreciate the passive income I earn from writing on Medium and wish to maintain it. Consistently earning over $100 monthly translates to $1,200 annually—funds I can save or invest in my passion, the stock market.
It’s empowering to transform a negative earnings situation into a constructive learning experience. When things are going well, analyze the success and continue those practices. Conversely, when challenges arise, understand the reasons and take corrective action.
Earnings can be motivating, but the essence of writing, gaining new insights, and self-improvement remains paramount. I hope you find the same realization.
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