It's Not 'Medium', It's You!

Stop Blaming Medium for Your Failed Writing Career.

Image created by the author using Substack AI

Hey everyone,

I've been watching something interesting unfold lately – a mass exodus of writers from Medium to Substack, often accompanied by dramatic farewell posts and complaints about Medium's monetization system.

You know the ones I'm talking about: "Why I'm Leaving Medium" or "Medium Doesn't Value Writers Anymore."

Here's the thing: I get it. I do. We all want to profit from our writing; some incredibly talented writers have switched.

But what's been bothering me is the narrative that platform-hopping will magically solve everything.

I recently wrote a detailed piece about this on Medium, but I wanted to share additional thoughts with my Substack community.

Let's be honest for a minute. When I see writers who spent years pumping out "How to Make $10,000 on Medium" articles now writing "How to Make $10,000 on Substack," I wonder if we are missing the point entirely.

The hard truth?

Changing platforms will not fix a problem if your content isn't resonating on Medium. It's like changing restaurants because people aren't buying your microwave dinners at a fine dining establishment.

What I'm seeing is a pattern:

• Writer creates formulaic content

• Writer complains about low earnings

• Writer blames platform

• Writer moves to the new platform

• Rinse and repeat

Here's what nobody wants to say out loud: Medium and Substack serve different purposes.

Medium is a home for storytelling, personal essays, and thoughtful long-form content.

Substack excels at newsletter-style content and building direct relationships with subscribers.

No judgment if you're here to sell courses, promote affiliate links, or push products! Substack might be a better fit for you.

That's perfectly fine.

But please stop blaming Medium for not being something it was never meant to be.

To those who recently made the switch and are actively trash-talking Medium – I invite you to consider that maybe, just maybe, the platform wasn't the problem.

Quality writing finds its audience regardless of the platform.

Period.

I'm staying on Medium because it aligns with my goals of sharing meaningful stories, connecting through genuine experiences, and contributing to meaningful conversations.

However, I'm also here on Substack because I value what this platform offers.

The bottom line?

Write what matters, and write it well. The platform is just a vehicle—the driver determines the destination.

And if you're only focused on maximizing revenue through quick-hit content and AI-generated articles, Medium's commitment to quality may never work for you.

And that's okay! But let's be honest about it.

I'd love to hear your thoughts on this, especially from those who've made the switch.

What's your real motivation for changing platforms? Is it about the money, or is there something deeper?

Drop your thoughts in the comments – let's have an honest conversation about this.

Until next time,

Anshul Kumar

P.S. Yes, I realize the irony of writing about Medium on Substack. Sometimes, the truth needs multiple platforms to be heard. 😉

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The Bitter Truth About Some Substack "Influencers"

Let me end with something that might make some people uncomfortable – but hey, truth often does.

You know what I find fascinating? How some of these ex-Medium writers who've moved to Substack have suddenly become "gurus" overnight.

Their newsletters are just recycled versions of their Medium posts about making money, but with a Substack flavor: the same content, different platform, and a higher price tag.

Here's a little experiment I recently tried: I contacted several of these "influencers" who constantly preach about "community building" and "helping others succeed."

Want to guess how many responded?

Look, I get it. Everyone needs to make money.

But let's call this what it is: It's not about helping the community anymore. It's about squeezing every possible dollar out of their audience while repackaging the same advice in slightly different wrapping paper.

The irony is that these are the same people who wrote passionate posts about Medium "not valuing writers" and "not supporting the community."

To those writers: At least be honest about your intentions. If you're here to build a business, great! But stop pretending it's all about "serving the community" when you won't spend 30 minutes helping someone unless they're paying your premium rates.

For transparency, I've offered free 1:1 calls to help writers who are genuinely struggling. There are no upsells, no hidden agenda, just genuine help because guess what? That's what actual community building looks like.

Want to prove me wrong?

My DMs are open. Please show me how you're helping writers beyond your paywalled content. I'll happily edit this post to highlight those doing it right.

Until then, let's stop pretending that hopping platforms suddenly turned you into a writing messiah. Regardless of where you publish, quality content, genuine community support, and authentic engagement matter.

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P.S. Yes, this post might cost me some "influencer" friendships. But maybe it's time we had this conversation.

P.P.S. To the few who genuinely help others without constantly monetizing every interaction, you know who you are, and you're appreciated. Keep being the exception to this rule.

How's that for a spicy ending? 🌶️