What Medium Writers Do When They Outgrow $5.00 to $10.00 a Month Payments?
Next-level stuff.
Medium writers who grow beyond $5–$10 per month point, sometimes become complacent at that amount, and continue writing and grumbling about it. Some will start using more focused strategies to scale their earnings upward. Here are some examples of what they tend to do next.
1. Double down on high-performing topics as indicated on their stats page.
How. Look at which articles bring in the most views or reads, and write more in those popular niches. Health, personal growth, productivity, and money-related articles often perform well.
Why. When you build credibility in a particular topic, you can grow a loyal reader base and generate steady earnings.
2. Submit to High-Traffic Publications
How. Submit your work to larger Medium publications, which have established audiences. Examples include Better Marketing for business-related content, Mind Cafe for self-improvement, and Practice in Public for writing-related articles. Be sure to read what they expect, before you submit your piece.
Impact. High-traffic publications expose your work to more readers, giving your stories better chances to get more reads.
It would help me if you stay on the page for at least 30 seconds to help support my work as per Medium’s reading credit policies.
3. Leverage Serial Storytelling or Themes
How. Create a series around a theme or topic that pulls readers back for more. Examples include “10-Day Writing Challenges,” “Monthly Habit Changes,” or “Financial Independence for Strange People.”
Benefits. Series are highly engaging, and when readers are interested in the first story, they’re likely to read the entire series, driving consistent views. Always include links to related stories you have published.
4. Experiment with Lists and Practical Guides
Why They Work. Listicles and actionable guides are digestible, often shared, and can gain traction. Use data-driven titles like “5 Ways to Improve Your Productivity” or “10 Mistakes to Avoid in Freelance Writing.” I have had good luck with odd, one-digit numbers.
Results. These pieces attract a broad audience and are likely to get more reads, engagement and shares.
5. Increase Posting Frequency
Aim. Publish 2–3 quality stories per week if possible. Regular posting increases visibility, builds reader familiarity, and raises the odds of earning more. Write as many as you can until you can’t maintain that number, or until they get to be crappy.
Why It Works. More stories mean more earning opportunities, and increased frequency helps establish a writer’s presence on Medium.
6. Promote on Social Media and Mailing Lists
How. Put a link to your story everywhere you can. Each view counts toward your Partner Program earnings.
7. Build a Community on Medium
How: Consistently engage with your readers through comments, follow other writers, clap for their articles, and respond to highlights.
Outcome. Active engagement promotes relationships that can lead to higher readership and more word-of-mouth sharing of your content.
8. Analyze and Adjust Regularly
Best Practice. Check your Medium stats page weekly to understand what’s working and what isn’t. Track views, reads, and engagement metrics.
Adjustment: Shift focus towards more popular topics or formats that have performed well, while reducing time spent on topics that just don’t cut it.
9. Cross-Publish on Other Platforms
How. Publish similar or modified content on other sites like LinkedIn, NewsBreak, X, FaceBook, or even your personal blog, linking back to your Medium profile.
Effect. Cross-publishing expands your audience reach, bringing new readers and potential followers to your Medium page.
Last Words.
These strategies can help writers increase earnings well beyond $10 by expanding their reach, deepening engagement, and leveraging popular topics and formats.
Make $1000 This Month, Writing
A combination of these gigs will make the $1,000 goal achievable within a month!
Thanks for reading!
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Good Advice Don, I have been somewhat fortunate in finding a niche that somewhat works for me on Medium (Ukraine and Israeli) Wars. I have a nice following on that and at times can make 20-40 per article on that. Though recently that has gone down as I concentrate on looking for employment again. I have also been having issues getting myself writing again, like I mentioned on one of your recent Medium posts.