Section 1.1: The Reality of Earnings on Medium

While your articles may be selected for broader distribution, that doesn't guarantee financial success. Medium serves as a platform for sharing diverse thoughts and ideas, with a vast pool of writers from around the world. Yet, only about 6 to 7 percent of these contributors earn $100 or more monthly.

Medium is open to all—writers, storytellers, and thinkers alike. Its curators sift through submissions to highlight the most compelling stories for various audiences. Although being curated doesn't ensure triumph, it can significantly elevate your writing career, potentially catapulting you to "top writer" status in certain categories overnight.

I, too, find myself among those aspiring writers feeling trapped in curation limbo, uncertain of when or how we can escape. Remarkably, I once achieved the title of top writer in the "writing" category, which led me to believe that curation isn’t the sole pathway to success on Medium. However, if you're looking to break free from this curation limbo, keep the following strategies in mind.

Section 1.2: Start Publishing with Reputable Publications

To increase your chances of escaping curation limbo, consider submitting your pieces to well-known Medium publications like The Writing Cooperative, Better Marketing, Better Humans, Mind Cafe, Publishous, and The Post-Grad Survival Guide. These platforms enjoy high visibility, and their articles often catch the attention of Medium's curators for further distribution.

However, gaining acceptance into these publications can be challenging, as they typically have stringent quality standards.

Subsection 1.2.1: Review Curation Guidelines

Photo by Vitolda Klein on Unsplash

It's crucial to familiarize yourself with Medium's curation guidelines. If you haven't done so already, revisit their rules to understand what content is permissible. Medium curators tend to reject articles that contain incitement, hate speech, harassment, affiliate links, uncredited images, unreferenced facts, or spam. Furthermore, any content that is plagiarized—whether from online or offline sources—will likely struggle to gain traction, as it won’t be distributed.

The key is to steer clear of anything that could tarnish the reputation of individuals or groups. Aim to create friendly, constructive content without engaging in criticism.

Section 1.3: Consistency is Key

Another essential aspect is regularity. Medium curators often monitor the output of specific writers. If you consistently publish high-quality content, they may reconsider your previous works for curation. It's important to recognize that submitting just a couple of articles won't suffice. To make an impression, you must show up consistently, demonstrating your commitment to advancing your writing career.

As your profile becomes more established and you attract a following, you'll likely start seeing financial rewards, and curators may help you escape from limbo.