A Beginner’s Guide to Blogging on Medium
Improve your writing skills and potentially boost your income by simply sharing your ideas and expertise.
What is Medium and how does it work?
Medium is a blogging platform where writers can explore and discuss ideas and topics that interest them. As of September 2021, over 161 million people have visited the platform and, in 2020, writers earned around $11 million.
You can sign up for Medium and write for free. Under their free plan, you can write as much as you want but you’re limited to three articles (per month) that are behind a paywall. Members can read as many articles as they like. If you’re interested in becoming a member, consider using my referral link when you sign up. Medium charges $4.99 per month for a monthly subscription, or $50 if you pay for the entire year at once.
To begin earning money for you’re writing, you must publish at least one story and have 100 or more followers to become eligible for their Partnership Program. You do not have to be a paying subscriber to apply for the Partnership Program. You can apply here once you’re eligible. Note that to remain in the Partnership Program, you must publish a story at least once every six months. The Partnership Program is currently limited to the following countries:
Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom, United States
Please note: Outlying territories of supported countries are not supported at this time.
You only earn from stories that are placed behind a metered paywall are eligible for payment (assuming you’ve connected your Stripe account). Learn how to meter your stories here. This article explains how Medium calculates your earnings. Your Partner Program dashboard will also show your estimated earnings.
Learn more about Medium and review their Partner Program Terms before you sign up.
How to Sign Up for Medium
Signing up to become a writer or reader on Medium is simple. Like any other website, you simply provide your email address and create a password. You are not required to create a profile to read articles. Check out this link for a detailed walk-through of the process for signing up — including video!
Once you’ve signed up, you can customize your recommendations. You can adjust your settings at any time. Before you start writing on Medium, don’t forget to review their Rules, Ad-Free Policy, and Content Guidelines.
Writing on Medium
The process for publishing a blog is simple. From your homepage on Medium, you simply click the “Write” button on the upper right-hand corner of the browser.
If you’re reading a story and feel inspired to write, you can go back to your homepage on Medium to find the “Write” button (like in the image above) by clicking the Medium logo on the upper left-hand side of the browser. You can also start writing by clicking the circle with your profile image in the upper right-hand side of the browser and then clicking on “Write a story.”
This should take you to a blank story where you can create a title and begin writing. Once you’re ready to publish, click the green “Publish” button in the upper right-hand corner. This will take you to a screen where you can preview and edit the title and subtitle of your story. You can also add tags to help others find your story and check the option to meter your story. Then click the green button to “Publish now” or click the link right next to the button to “Schedule for later.”
Check out the Help Center to learn more about how to get started with writing and to troubleshoot any problems. Medium also shared a detailed walk-through of writing and publishing a story here.
Curation and Distribution
Medium will recommend your stories on their website, app, and newsletters if you meet their Curation Guidelines. They evaluate your story based on the criteria such as grammar, spelling, and appropriate citations. Medium prioritizes stories that provide a compelling narrative, unique perspective, or meaningful advice. In other words, spell check and proof read your work before you publish. Add value to the site and provide value for readers by sharing original and thoughtful work, rather than regurgitating information that someone can easily find through Google.
All writers should aim for curation because it’s a surefire way to grow your audience. Also, learning to apply these basic tenets will help you improve your writing and communication skills. Both are essential to succeeding in all domains of life.
