Here's How I Turned Medium into a Side Hustle Earning Over $675 Monthly in Just Five Months
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Chapter 1: My Journey to Earning on Medium
I still vividly remember the sting of disbelief. While enjoying a glass of wine, a friend chuckled when I shared my recent achievement: a remarkable 200% increase in earnings, jumping from $15 to $32 between December and January. I expressed my excitement about the potential of writing on Medium, but he simply dismissed it, saying, "That's impressive, but it won’t lead to much."
How wrong he was! Over the past six months, I’ve successfully turned Medium into a lucrative side hustle, accumulating over $1250 in earnings since joining in late 2023. If I can do it, so can you.
Keep Fighting the Most Significant Battle
As a writer, you're constantly engaged in a struggle—not just against societal pressures or external expectations, but often against your own doubts. Steven Pressfield encapsulated this in his book "The War of Art," where he said, "The most important thing about art is to work. Nothing else matters except sitting down every day and trying."
Regardless of how my previous articles performed or whether I felt motivated, I refused to make excuses. Surprisingly, this discipline didn’t lead to burnout; instead, it sparked my creativity. Writing is akin to exercising—the more you practice, the stronger you become. Although it doesn't make the task easier, persistence will gradually simplify the process.
Make Your Writing Agile Like an Eagle
The era of legacy writing is behind us, a lesson I learned from Nicolas Cole. You can no longer retreat to a cabin and hope to return as a celebrated author. In today's digital age, we need continuous feedback to grow. This creates a quick-learning environment where we write, publish, receive critiques, and adapt our future works based on those insights.
This approach, known as agile writing, doesn't imply that you must constantly alter your beliefs or lose your unique voice. Instead, it encourages you to refine what resonates with your audience and discard what doesn’t. Repeat this cycle to enhance your craft.
Craft Your Personal Narrative
Readers are drawn to stories, and that's why they engage with your work. While they appreciate the lessons you offer, they crave the personal journey you share. I made the mistake of generalizing too often and relying on clichéd phrases, which led to disengagement from my audience.
As writers, we shouldn’t aim for perfection; rather, we should be open and authentic. Readers want to see the real you—your struggles, triumphs, and unique perspective. It took a humbling experience involving a rejection over french fries to remind me that authenticity, with all its imperfections, is what truly resonates with people.
Medium can become your side hustle and a fulfilling venture if you:
- Keep overcoming your internal battles and continue writing.
- Embrace all feedback to elevate your work.
- Understand that people are eager to connect with you personally.
Thank you for joining me on this journey. What strategies have you employed to make Medium your side hustle? Feel free to share in the comments.
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