Hello and welcome to Murphy’s Law bi-decadal financial report when I take a moment to try and figure out what to do with all my money. If you are here hoping for a bitch fest, I’m sorry to disappoint. This piece will actually be pretty positive about Medium.
Where are my favs?
When Medium first launched the FOM tier for the saucy price of $15 a month, I needed to consider a few things such as whether I could afford it, what it meant, and what was in it for me.
After some light reading, it became clear that the extra money I spent would mean more money in the pot for other writers, and my reading time on other articles would be worth more. Maybe I was wrong but that’s what I read. It also seemed that I'd earn more if other people were FOM and read my stuff. So, last year I signed up.
$15 is a lot of money when you compare it to other subscription services but I didn’t really feel that much of a pinch until recently — although it was not a financial pinch rather it was a principal pinch.
As the months rolled on, I began to notice that I was paying a premium price to be shown authors I wasn’t that much interested in. Even after I changed my interest tags I was still being shown pieces that I didn’t jive with. This was true for my following page, too.
Don’t get me wrong, there are great writers on here but where were the 20 to 30 writers I read religiously? They were still active and writing great material but I found myself having to go directly to their pages if I wanted to read their work.
CX
John Pearce 🌻 does more to find interesting articles than the actual algorithm. Maybe I should pick his brain about how he finds them? Regardless, I feel for the price of $15 a month, Medium should at least do a better job at giving me my favorite writers and topics that truly interest me. We are living in a CX (customer experience) driven world and my experience is becoming less satisfying.
The decision to become a cheap friend
Yesterday as I waited for my lessons to begin, I asked myself, “If I wasn’t a writer, would I pay $15 to use Medium, now?” The answer was no. Yes, a few months ago, it seemed to be worth it as an experience but not now.
While Medium has been good to me and continues to be, I have to ask myself “What can I do to support my favorite writers?” John has his lists highlighting interesting articles but for me, throwing $15 into a void in the hope that my favorite writers get some dosh doesn’t feel satisfying.
So, I have decided to drop down a tier and become an Acquaintance of Medium (TM Peter William Murphy 2024).
I Love Medium
“But Murphy’s Law, you lying blaggard, you said this wasn’t a bitch fest,” says the person in the comments who thinks every critique is an attack.
No, my friend, it’s possible to love something and still be able to critique it. The only thing I love that I will never critique is my wife and her orange cat, Joeseph.
I fucking love Medium and will continue to read and post on here. It has swelled my wallet — modestly — and allowed me to become a better writer (I hope). But I need to use my money in a way to help my favorite writers directly.
“So, what are you going to do, Murph?”
I hear you ask. Thank you for asking, by the way.
I am going to use that money to subscribe to three of my favorite writers on Substack. Not because Substack is better than Medium but because I feel it gives me a direct link to my favorite creators (Notice how I said creators and not writers).
Par example (That’s French), I recently paid $5 a month to subscribe to Josh Porter on Substack.
Here’s why:
Amazing stories (well written)
Audio option (sexy voice)
Video option (sexy English head)
I like him (Platonically, don’t be weird)
Also, he is young and starting a journey that could see him become a very important voice in travel, adventure, and most importantly conservation. I want him to do well. I want to give money directly to him. I don’t want him to stop and get a job doing whatever pays the bills. His is a voice that deserves to grow and reach wider audiences.
So I paid the five bucks.
“But Peter, you dirty pretender, that’s only five. Who’s next?”
My schizophrenia asks as my wife calls the nurse. Well, have you heard of Robin Wilding? Me neither. Never mind. NEXT!
Just kidding. Robin is Canadian which means she's super chill but also super duper super nice and helpful. Robin is a writer true and true and is a medium stalwart and should be protected like the Mona Lisa. She is living art who should be supported by those she helped even in a small way.
So, I will be paying $5 to Robin on Substack monthly. Her shit is funny, she’s cool, she helps everyone and although she doesn’t need my help, I still want to show my appreciation in a small way.
“That’s ten bucks, dickhead. Who’s next?”
I hear my granny shout from the other room. Well, I think it’s gotta be The Sturg (Gerald Sturgill). He gave me a voice, a platform, and a way of meeting editors who have changed my life for the better (by the way, a big reason why I love Medium is the community).
What about Medium?
I love Medium and one day, maybe I will reactivate my FOM subscription but for now, I want to try being a $5 member and spend $15 on three of my favorite writers. So, that’s $20, so don’t call me cheap. Medium will always be my home and I will continue to write, read, and interact here.
What can Medium do to make me satisfied?
I was hooked on Medium well before I started writing and it was the writing stalwarts on the platform that hooked me. It wasn’t some newbie (although newbies often write great stuff too), but established Medium Writers. So, look after them, I guess.
Also, if one is to pay a premium, maybe offer them a way to create their own wall. Mesala (That’s Turkish for for example), allow premium members to click on their favorite writers and add them to a separate wall where only they appear. I know we can get emailed directly if we opt for that but from my experience, I rarely receive emails from those I have subscribed to. I think creating a wall for select writers we like would be cool. We could add and subtract as we please. We could curate!
UX is important and stuff so, I don’t know, do it?
P.S. That idea is mine so if you do it you better give me some cheese. I’m a poetic soul but a capitalist rat and want my piece.
“Is that it?”
Asked my prom date back in 06. “No, there’s more. It’s just a bit chilly,” I said, but never mind.
Next month, I will be ending my subscription to Audible and will use that money to subscribe to another writer on Substack. I only use Audible for two books, “How to Stop Smoking” and it doesn’t work, plus I’ve memorized it so it’s all good, and Jim Mercurio’s book which I highly recommend.
So Murphy’s Law will stay the same?
I ask myself because I know no one is asking.
Yes and no. I will continue to publish on Medium but from now on, a decent portion of any new work will go onto Substack. This is because I enjoy making audio and visual work to accompany my writing and can scratch that itch on Substack.
So there will be less on Medium, but still enough to be considered quite active on the platform. — No one reads poetry or my dark shit so best put it somewhere else and expand.
“Jesus Murph, that’s $25 a month. How can you afford that on your teacher’s wages?”
Asks my accountant.
I can’t so fucking read my shit 😂 Just kidding I’m fine. I’ve just realized that I’m subscribed to some useless stuff already such as Disney + so after I do more housecleaning regarding my subscriptions, I won’t feel the pinch. Maybe I’ll even be able to subscribe to more.
In Conclusion
Still love Medium
I will still write here
I will still pay $5 a month for Medium
I will use the money to subscribe to some of my favorite writers directly.
I will get better at lists
I’ll stop smoking
I’ll do pelvic floor exercises
I will always be active on Medium
Unless the staff picks keep giving me tech-related stuff. I mean, yucky! Not interesting. I want fucked up stories about life and darkly comedic lighthearted laughs.
Slainte!
Final note
Last year, I needed to go to Amsterdam from Istanbul for a job interview. It was tough. I was ill, broke, and risking it all. Amsterdam did not work out and the company that had booked my hotel booked the wrong one leaving me stranded. I had no money to pay for another place and as the trip was spur of the moment, I had not prepared backup funds.
In the lashing Dutch rain, I pondered what to do when suddenly I got a notification from BMC stating that Normal Earthling had donated a significant amount of money with this note, “Love your work, keep at it,”
Her money helped me in that difficult time and I vowed to pay it forward one day. So, this is kinda me paying it forward.
Why I’m No Longer a Friend of Medium