From Hobby to Hustle: How I Earned $500 in One Month as a Medium Writer
As a freelance writer, I’m always looking for ways to add new streams of income. That’s why, when a fellow writer recommended Medium to me, I decided to give it a shot. What started as a hobby quickly turned into a hustle when I earned $500 in one month from my articles.
Here’s how I did it:
Finding My Niche
The first thing I did was to identify my area of expertise. I had noticed that Medium had a lot of content on business and productivity, so I wrote articles in that niche for the initial few weeks.
Creating Great Content
To succeed on Medium or any platform, the content has to be great. I read a lot of articles on Medium to get an idea of the type of content that is popular, and I made sure to format my articles correctly, add images, and use catchy headlines.
Engaging with Readers
The beauty of Medium is that readers can clap, respond or highlight parts of an article. I took those interactions seriously, and I responded to every one of them. I also started joining Medium groups and commenting on other writers’ articles in the same niche as mine. By doing this, I got exposure to a wider audience, and it helped me grow my following.
Utilizing Medium’s Partner Program
Medium has a Partner Program that rewards writers for their quality content. The program is based on engagement and quality, so the more claps, highlights, and responses an article receives, the more money a writer gets. I was accepted into the program after my fifth published article, and that’s when I saw an increase in my earnings. You can join by clicking here!
Utilizing Alternative Audiences
Medium is obviously great for garnering the attention of readers and other writers, but there are dozens of other platforms out there. If you’re a fiction writer, Wattpad and Fanfiction.com are both great resources to get your work out there and get initial audiences interested in and critiquing your work.
Regardless of what kind of writing you publish, another great site I’ve found is In Writing. They’re an upcoming platform that’s taking advantage of digital assets (e.g. NFTs — I know, I know, but keep reading) to bring more ownership to the writers that post on their platform. I’ve found that publishing on In Writing consistently brings me new readers — whether that’s in the form of Medium followers, or emails from readers with support/critiques. I think it’s likely because there’s a lot of hype surrounding digital assets and cryptocurrency speculation right now, which leads to a lot of reading enthusiasts perusing sites like In Writing and coincidentally finding (and supporting!) my work.
Posting on sites like Fanfiction.com and In Writing are free (even though “minting NFTs” costs money, In Writing has some sort of promotion where your first publish is free and their writer Discord is frequently giving out money to help people publish.
Consistency is key
Lastly, I committed to publishing at least three articles a week to keep up with the engagement levels, and that helped keep a steady stream of income coming in.
As you post more, people will become more familiar with your name, your writing, and your specific nuances, and will ultimately form your audience! If you’re looking to be a professional writer — or a professional anything — consistency and practice are going to be the #1 most important thing.
Concluding Thoughts
In conclusion, Medium offers writers a unique platform to showcase their writing skills and get rewarded for it. With a little bit of dedication and hard work, earning $500 in one month is achievable.
As a member of the target audience for this article, this information has been incredibly useful to me. I’ve always considered writing as a potential source of income, but I wasn’t sure where to start. After reading this article, I now have a better understanding of how I can turn my writing hobby into a hustle on Medium. I learned about the importance of finding a niche, creating great content, engaging with readers, utilizing the Medium Partner Program, and being consistent in my writing. The step-by-step approach provided in this article really helped me to see how I can start earning money on Medium while doing something I love. I’m excited to start implementing these strategies and seeing the results for myself.
In conclusion, turning your writing hobby into a hustle on Medium is definitely achievable if you are willing to put in the work. By finding your niche, creating quality content, engaging with readers, utilizing Medium’s Partner Program, and maintaining consistency, you can earn a steady stream of income while doing something you love. Remember, the content you create is the foundation of your success on Medium, so make sure to put effort into every article you publish. With dedication and persistence, you can become a successful writer on Medium and earn a substantial income from your passion. Good luck!
