Is it easy to earn money writing?

The global pandemic has wreaked havoc on the finances of every individual in the world. Unless of course, you are a millionaire. In that case you are profiting from everybody else's misery. But if you are reading this, it is very likely you are an average citizen with talents you want to exploit.

Those of us who like writing realized that, with some talent and dedication, we can earn a side income. These days, writers are revolving about three platforms: Vocal Media, Medium and Simily. If having that extra income as a writer interests you, read on.

In this article, I will show you why you are most likely better off writing at Vocal Media rather than Medium. I will leave the pros and cons of each platform for another article.

Viral content is about misleading the audience and is usually not worth reading.

There are too many articles about gaining followers and making tons of money. The truth is that most of those articles had virality in mind, they would not tell you the truth. I will tell you why Vocal is a better platform if you want that extra.

Will I make tons of money?

Unless you write a viral article, I wouldn't think so. Publish because you like sharing your knowledge. Write about experiences that are useful to others. Write because you like it! Don't write click-bait articles that disguise the truth. It makes no sense to publish a shallow article about how many thousands you made "writing" when the rest won't. That is plain sadistic and vane.

Write because you love it, it is an art, not a fashion trend!

Regardless of that, every single cent you make matters. For that reason your best bet is writing at Vocal. I will assume you have at least some talent for writing. Likewise, I will assume you care about your readers. As such you would have quality in mind, both in content and in grammar.

You should know a little about self-promotion. Readers are an important part of the equation, without them there is no money. Notice I said self-promotion rather than marketing.

What else do I need to receive my earnings?

Both for Medium and Vocal you will need a Stripe account. Both platforms use the same provider to deliver your earnings. For that to happen, you will have to be -and prove- a resident of any of the 46 countries in which they operate. Or at least that you have legal means to attain it.

The sun is not as bright if you live in darker parts of the world. There, making a honest living can be a real struggle.

If you live in darker parts of the world that need would be difficult to fulfill. I say darker because 120 years latter, Theodore Roosevelt's "Big Stick" ideology is still in place. So, if you fall in this category, it will be very difficult to receive any earnings. It is sad because most of the people in those countries want to make a honest living.

The Vocal Media Advantage

At Vocal Media all you need is to be able to link your existing Stripe account, or create a Stripe Express account. The former has more requirements and is good if you have many sources of income. The later works only for one source (Vocal) but is a lot simpler to set up.

For most people I recommend the Express account which is almost hassle free. Only Vocal Media gives you that possibility. On Medium your only option is the Standard account which is a hassle. Why? because it is for experienced freelancers and businesses.

With Vocal Media all you need is:

Talent for writing engaging content,

Readers to read your content,

A Stripe account (Express or Standard),

A bank account on your name in a bright part of the world.

What about Medium?

I will not deny it is also a great platform. It has features that complements those of Vocal Media. But if you need to have a side-income with your writing, your chances at Medium are much reduced.

First but not foremost, you need at least 100 followers on your Medium profile. It is not impossible to achieve but like everything else, you need to work at it. Like Vocal, you will need some self-promotion and the ability to write good content. Viral articles are not great content, but they will do. If that is your thing, go for it. Viral stuff have something in common with Marketing: deceiving your audience.

Many lose their soul in their race to gain the 100 followers. I say so, because they lose focus, and write lousy articles trying to go viral. They also follow many others who are not interested in the art of writing. They only want that extra follower. And in the end, they don't even read the content of those they follow. Why? because they are not being selective.

So, you reached the coveted 100 followers at Medium. Now what? they won't make it any easier, another great hurdle is in place! If you fulfilled all previous requirements, you can apply to their Partner Program.

The sad truth hidden in one of their help articles. Their Partner Program (a must for earning an cent) is available in only 33 countries.

Conclusion

Okay, you have the talent for writing useful articles. You are also lucky enough to live in the developed world without the burdens of global banking. With that done, Vocal Media still wins hands down if earning with your writing matters to you.

If you still want to write at Medium and earn money you should keep in mind the following:

If you don't live in any of the 33 countries in which the Medium Partner Program is available, forget about it. Go Vocal!

You live in one of those 33 of Medium, but not in any of the 46 of Stripe? Then forget about it! Sorry, the world is unfair and the sun is not shining down on you! But at Vocal, you can still accumulate earnings until the day you get a Stripe account.

Got all the above? At Medium you would still have to gain a following of 100 souls, else forget it! Again, Vocal Media wins hands down.

Writing at Vocal can help you focusing on delivering content with a purpose.