Dr. Giles, you are spot on about how Medium makes it relatively easy to earn a few dollars, as even casual readers can stumble upon content. However, having thousands of followers doesn’t necessarily equate to having thousands of readers. I’ve seen many well-crafted pieces from professionals like yourself receive only a handful of views, often earning just cents.
I fully agree that comparing Medium with Substack doesn’t make much sense—they serve very different purposes and don’t replace one another. Instead, they can complement each other to create a synergistic effect.
That said, I have a slightly different view on Substack. Genuine readers on the platform aren’t just chasing celebrity authors; they’re seeking value. Many successful Substack writers—some even best-selling authors—aren’t widely recognized names, but they deliver high-value content that’s hard to find elsewhere. These creators excel by offering unique insights not readily available on the web, social media, or platforms like Medium, NewsBreak, or Vocal Media.
If you explore the Substack directory, you’ll notice many top-performing publications are driven by individuals who weren’t celebrities before they started. Yes, Medium is excellent for beginners to gain skills and grow an audience but based on my expeirience it does not look a sustainable long-term model for those seeking to earn a reliable income from their expertise by writing.
Substack, on the other hand, is more strategic, innovative, and creator-friendly with additional tools with no algorithmic restrictions. Substack site and app brought me over 20K subscribers in the last 8 months but Medium brought only 20. This nuance is very important and must be understood by established writers. It provides a sustainable avenue for those who can deliver value to a dedicated audience who are willing to pay to be informed, to get inspired, to find answers to their questions, or solutions to their problems.
I stopped writing on Medium for other reasons as the platform's new strategy does not align with my values and principles. I will not post until they fix this undesirable issue for authentic writers, as I articulated in my farewell story. Here is my story if you wish to read and share your perspectives which I always value.
I did not leave Medium and never say Substack will replace Medium but I know that there are other options for talented writers who are ready to go out of their comfort zone. Medium can be addictive and unintentionally prevent the growth of writers who aim to make their living from it. Writers in my circles who broke the addiction and tried other options in an integrated way made significant progress. Thank you for writing this valuable piece.
