Member-only story
Are You Burnt Out From Writing On Medium? Maybe It’s Time For A Break
I took a 4-month hiatus from the platform and I feel better
It dawned on me last November. My relationship with Medium was toxic. Unlike my friends who stalked Instagram first thing in the morning, I checked Medium. Before rolling out of bed or even saying, “good morning” to my partner, I was staring at my stats.
But I didn’t consider it an unhealthy habit at the time. If I’m being totally honest, part of me felt slightly enlightened. I wasn’t just another slave to the Gram. I was a committed writer. I was chasing my dreams. I was getting paid to write about whatever I wanted, and I was putting my English degree to good use. Finally!
But, no matter what I found on my stats page, no matter how many views or dollars I made, I was always disappointed.
And that’s when I realized, it was an addiction. In the same way that we get addicted to the endless scroll of Instagram or Facebook, I was ultimately searching for the same shallow validation.
But instead of being judged by my looks or the facade of some fantastic lifestyle, I was being judged by my words, my thoughts, and my opinions. And for me, that hits harder.
So, during the months that few people were connecting with my writing, or even reading me at all, I felt frustrated and discouraged. And this early morning dejection seeped into my afternoons and hung around until evening.
It didn’t help that I was comparing myself to the big guns on Medium, as they brashly boasted about their 4-figure monthly income. I had to unsubscribe from multiple email lists for my own peace of mind.
Their success was no longer motivating me; it was pissing me off.
It’s not easy earning money on Medium. Here’s a statistic you’ve probably heard. 90% of writers here make less than $100 per month on this platform. But here’s what they don’t tell you about the 10% that make more than $100. It’s not that much more and it’s never consistent. That was my experience, at least.
