Stop Trying to Hack Medium and Start Actually Writing

I’m writing this poolside, trying to get some deep work done before the pool cleaner showed up and killed my flow. But maybe that interruption was perfect timing because what I’m about to say might interrupt your flow too.

And honestly?

You might need the interruption.

The Get-Rich-Quick Writing Delusion

Let’s talk about the writing world. It’s wild how many people think they can hack their way to success like there’s some cheat code to becoming a paid writer overnight.

You’ve seen the headlines:

• “How I Made $10,000 from a Single Article”

• “This Website Pays $500 for 300 Words!”

• “How I Used AI to Make Passive Income Writing Online”

• “From $0 to $100,000 in 6 Months Just Writing!”

These kinds of headlines are designed to do one thing: get your attention.

And what’s behind them? Half the time, its shallow content made with AI or recycled templates. No soul. No depth. Just clickbait.

And here’s the plot twist: those writers aren’t making money from writing.

They’re making money from you through affiliate links, courses, and platforms they push in the article.

They’ve realized desperate writers are easy to monetize.

The Trap of Chasing Income Before Impact

Here’s what I’ve learned:

The more you chase something, the more it runs.

Money’s like a cat. You try to grab it, it bolts. But sit still, focus on what matters and it might just curl up beside you.

I know the struggle. You’re in debt. You’re tired. You want to make money doing something you love. That urgency is real and valid.

But the brutal truth?

You can't game your way to meaningful success.

Writing platforms are full of people searching for shortcuts instead of substance. And too many so-called “experts” will tell you to “just find what people are googling and write that.”

Smh.

What Real Writers Actually Do

You want to know the truth?

Real writers write.

• Nobody might be reading your work, but you write anyway

• Nobody's commenting, but you write anyway

• Nobody's clapping, but you write anyway

Because the real win is not viral reach it’s inner clarity.

That moment when you open your laptop or pick up your pen and your mind quiets?

That’s the moment you become who you really are.

While some people are out there trying to manipulate platforms, real writers are creating real resonance. They’re sharing from the gut. They’re bleeding truth onto the page. They’re practicing their craft like it matters because it does.

Play the Long Game

You were born with a gift. Stop filtering it. Stop strategizing it to death. Just share it.

Trust me it will take you places you never imagined.

Instead of chasing pennies and platforms, focus on playing the long game. Make impact the goal. The money, the invitations, the community they come later. And when they do, they’ll be rooted in truth, not tactics.

Here’s what happens when you stop hacking and start writing with intention:

Before: You’re stressing over cents for your content

After: You’re getting invited to speak at real events

Before: You’re searching for paying platforms

After: People ask you to coach or consult because you write with heart

Before: You’re addicted to metrics

After: Readers wait for your next drop like a lifeline

That’s the shift.

That’s real impact.

And it can’t be bought or faked.

The Only “Hack” That Works

Look I’m not saying you shouldn’t want to grow or earn.

But I am saying that the only real hack is depth.

Don’t overthink. Don’t second-guess.

Just write.

Write from your truth.

Write from your wounds.

Write from your joy, your grit, your anger, your love.

Write like your life depends on it because in a way, it does.

That’s your real life showing up on the page.

And when your words finally align with your truth?

The rest follows.

The readers. The income. The opportunities.

But none of that happens if you’re busy chasing gimmicks instead of mastering your voice.

Here’s Your Choice

You can keep scrolling through clickbait headlines.

You can keep hunting for the next magical platform that pays $500 for five minutes of effort.

You can keep trying to “optimize” your way into a shortcut.

Or…

You can sit down, open a blank page, and write something that actually matters.

The pool cleaner is gone now.

The water is still.

And I’m about to close this laptop and pick up my pen.

Because real writers write.

What are you going to do?