Not making any money on Medium?
By: Nuno Fabiao
Tags: Hope, Personal Development, Writing, Language, Writing Tips

Us writers on Medium need to get used to a small but steady flow of income — but let’s not feel sorry for ourselves; this is a learning experience.

I might be money poor (in terms of my Medium earnings), but I consider myself life and writing rich. Proud, too.

Why proud?

I’m Portuguese.

My native language is not English, and it has been at least 15 years without writing a single word in a language other than my own.

Secondly, this platform has a unique way of rewarding those who write under a very specific structure. It’s not just about being a good writer, as all of you have already noticed: it’s what you have to say to the readers.

The articles that do best are the ones full of useful information that fill in the reader’s knowledge gaps and make them have a stronger connection with you the writer.

Success is not to be persued, it is to be attracted by the person you become — Jim Rohn

On Medium, you’ve got to be an attractive person (I don’t just mean looks-wise), or you’ll fail.

Whatever you think you have to do with your words, it doesn’t work if you are just a producer of content.

You have to write with all your soul and heart.

You have to be better every day.

Not just a better writer, but also a better person. You must read, investigate, share, reflect, rethink, and change. Ask yourself a million times if you are good enough to keep giving to your followers what they deserve.

Photo by Ales Me on Unsplash

Generosity is the magic potion to an easier time

I was thrilled to find out that I share hundreds of experiences with my tiny audience, and I have many adventures still to share.

So many pains, frustrations, disappointments that passed through my skin.

And they were lessons, huge lessons that made me stronger. Some of them made me powerful, almost indestructible.

Why shouldn’t I share it with you? You know, we have to care and respect the past, because it is gone. It’s there, in the depths of our memories. Many of my past memories are resolved. I am at peace with them.

So why can’t I share them with you?

Give and you shall receive, much more that you ever though possible. Give and give again. People who give will never be poor — Anne Frank

Image from nuno fabiao

In my first month, I earned just $0.08.

I gave my absolute best to this fabulous article that I was sure would change the history of Medium. Everybody would be on their knees by the artistic and unique skill of a moribund writer.

In my naivete, I thought I had what it takes to succeed in this platform.

I didn’t read anything about Medium.

Didn’t learn about the Curation Guidelines, Medium’s distribution system, how to edit, nothing.

And here I was, thinking in my ignorance, that I was different.

Soon I realized I was working on a bigger project than my own existence.

Arrogance is a bitch, right?

My first lesson had begun, and I immediately changed my arrogance for generosity.

I really felt like an ass hole.

Who was I to think that I could join something like this, starting writing like Hemingway and in the first article everybody would recognize how wonderful I am?

What a jerk.

Photo by Tim Mossholder on Unsplash

You will never stop learning because life never stops teaching

My first lesson was the best one.

One big pop in the face that left me seeing stars.

However, if you can see the stars clearly, it is a sign that you will never lose the north again.

I haven’t.

I found out that there are fabulous writers here.

Fantastic human beings who, like me, share their thoughts and their frustrations. People that have been on Medium for a long time. They have the experience, the success, the strength, and that is just what you and I need as inspiration and knowledge.

I read thousands of words from people like Tim Denning, Ayodeji Awosika, Sinem Günel, and Niklas Göke. I wanted to know everything about them.

How they made it.

Realizing that I am miles away from the best, made me think that the journey will be long and laborious.

Image from nuno fabiao

That’s the way I like it, though.

If you always had an easy life, you don’t know how powerful it is to be with nothing in your pocket and to depend only on yourself to survive.

In May I earned $1.27.

From $0.08 to $1.27 is a huge increase. If you know a little about compounding, you would be excited about your second month.

In May I started an online course with Arlie Peyton.

It has helped me a lot, especially by understanding Medium’s structure, and how to structure articles. In this course, we realize Medium is a big challenge: it’s much more than just writing.

You have to follow certain rules and especially engage with your audience, however small it may be.

If you are doing a good job, creating good content, being careful about all the details, followers will start to appear.

Photo by Nick Morrison on Unsplash

Taking a step back is often the quickest way forward

In May I was consuming so much information about Medium that I had less availability to concentrate on my ideas.

I knew I had to do it.

I needed to learn with people better than me.

In June I earned $0.42.

I was very confident, though; this step back didn’t disturb me in the least. I knew there was a way to go.

Yesterday I watched a Youtube video with an interview with Zulie Rane and Sinem Gunel. Zulie said that, after more than 2 years on Medium, after more than 500 articles and $30,000 earned, sometimes her articles are still not curated.

Some articles are not even published in publications where Zulie is one of the most successful writers.

Sinem explained that this is one of the most extraordinary things about Medium. You can be one of the best writers on this platform, but you will always be rejected if you don’t follow the rules.

In this case, Zulie wrote an article that neither concluded nor showed evidence on the argument she set out to explain in the title.

‘Obsessed’ is a word the lazy use to describe the dedicated

I have a 9–5 job, so I have to wake up at 6:45 AM every day and write my ass before 9:00 AM.

Sometimes it’s hard, but if you have in your head all the dreams and ideas, you will always find the energy to write one more piece of content for your followers.

This is my fourth month on Medium and I just surpassed the 100 followers milestone, so I have 100 people waiting for my next work, for my next article.

I have that responsibility, but also a challenge.

I love challenges, especially hard ones.

I think that’s why I made $3.95 in July; because I am stubborn.

I don’t quit easily.

Someday I will have 1,000 followers and on that day, I will write my strategy to reach 10,000 followers.

From May to June, I wrote 5 articles each month. In July I did 8 articles.

I know there are writers on Medium that write one article a day, and that’s ok.

Let me tell you that it is not my purpose.

I think that if I can write 3–5 articles a week, that will be a good pace for engaging more followers and have a comfortable community to share my thoughts, my knowledge, and my experience.

Photo by Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash

If you don’t build your dreams someone will hire you to build theirs

After you have your own rhythm, you can structurize your own business.

With a good email list, you can make a list of products to sell, especially if that’s something that will help your followers.

If you think you can help them on Medium, you can build an online course and offer your services to your followers.

Every one of us, Medium writers, have other things we are very good at. For example, in my case, I was a personal trainer. I worked for 20 years in the fitness industry and have a degree in physical education. Now I am an ultra-runner.

Maybe I can teach some of my followers how to be prepared for a marathon or a 10k race, or even an ultra-marathon in the Alps.

A good teacher can inspire hope, ignite the imagination, and instill a love of learning — Brad Henry

What about you? Do you have any experience that can be useful to your followers?