Chapter 1: Discovering Passive Income on Medium

When I started my writing journey on Medium in 2019, I had no idea that I could monetize my articles. Initially, my motivation was simply to enjoy the process of writing and to develop my individual voice. My prior writing experiences were limited to personal projects like diaries and blogs that no one ever read.

Today, there's an added motivation for being a writer on Medium, and interestingly, it doesn't always require frequent writing.

For those of us with young children, finding the time to write and publish regularly can feel nearly impossible. It's challenging enough to get a moment of peace to gather your thoughts, let alone dedicate hours to crafting, revising, and polishing a story. And sometimes, after all that effort, you might earn a mere 0.07 cents per article. It can be disheartening, leading you to question whether the hard work is truly worth it. You may even wonder if top Medium earners are privy to some hidden knowledge that you aren't.

Fortunately, it’s not a secret that Medium allows you to earn without needing to publish every day. Thankfully, the process is simpler than it seems.

Firstly, if you’re enrolled in Medium’s Partner Program, you automatically gain access to a referral landing page created just for you. That’s a win!

If you need guidance on how to join the Medium Partner Program, here’s a quick tutorial. Additionally, here’s a look at what my membership referral landing page looks like:

To locate and modify your membership referral page, follow these steps:

1. Click your profile image (located in the top right corner).
2. Select 'Settings.'
3. Go to 'Audience Development' on the left side of the page.
4. Click the 'Promote Memberships' button.
5. You can edit your referral message by selecting the 'Edit this message' link at the bottom or leave it as is and see what unfolds!

Another way to leverage Medium’s referral system is to encourage readers to subscribe to your email updates. This way, they’ll receive notifications whenever you publish a new story.

You don’t need to set up an email subscription manually! Just like your membership referral page, the email subscription box automatically appears at the end of your published articles. To ensure it displays properly:

1. Click your profile image (in the top right corner).
2. Select 'Settings.'
3. Navigate to 'Audience Development' on the left side.
4. Click on the 'Promote Subscriptions' button.
5. Ensure that the option 'Display a promotion after the second story on your profile, and at the bottom of every story page' is checked.

Now you can relax and watch your earnings grow without needing to write continuously… well, not entirely.

To generate referrals through your membership page or email subscriptions, you will still need to publish articles.

So, what are you waiting for? Start writing, refining your work, and publishing to gain those referrals. While I may not be the most consistent writer on Medium, I’ve learned that the more you write, the higher your chances of getting curated, which in turn increases your article visibility.

Ultimately, the purpose of Medium is to share your thoughts with a wider audience. Enjoy the process, and you might find yourself earning a steady income! Or, like me, you can find ways to make money without the need for constant writing.

In this video, "How to Make Money as an UNPUBLISHED Writer | Side Hustle Ideas," you’ll learn different strategies to generate income without consistently publishing articles.

Chapter 2: Monetizing Your Medium Presence

The video titled "How To Make Money As A Writer On Medium in 2023: My Top 3 Highest-$$$ Articles Analyzed" provides insights into the most profitable articles and how to maximize your earnings on the platform.