Vocal Media Versus This New Medium Platform
Never thought I’d say this
I’ve been a writer on both platforms, Medium and Vocal, for about four years now and I’ve also been an advocate for Medium being the better platform of the two.
But, here I am, shocked to have to admit that I can no longer say this!
With all the changes on Medium over the last six weeks, I feel I’m in a leaking boat and it’s floundering in the water. Slowly, but surely, it’s sinking.
My experience over the last four years has always been that Medium invited community and in fact, I felt like it helped me build my writing family into something I could be proud of.
I have spent these years writing FOR Medium, and only publishing on Vocal because I’d written the stories and poems for Medium, so why not.
It has always been about Medium and I’ve been very vocal in highlighting Medium’s great camaraderie and as a bonus, its ability to allow us all to earn a little pocket money and compensate us for our hard work.
Vocal, on the other hand, was a website that had a lot to live up to when comparing it to Medium. It was harder to build an audience and the earnings……were always a laugh.
And then something changed with Medium in January 2025 and suddenly, it’s turned belly up and discarded its loyalty to its writers and those that pay its membership.
Just the earnings issue alone has seen writers running for the hills!
When it first happened, without a word of the change from the powers that be, we all found that we earned nothing for almost two weeks. Since then, we’ve all earned meagre pennies per day — if anything at all.
Medium hasn’t given us the courtesy of an honest answer and in fact, keep reiterating that the earnings have not changed — or should I say, they keep stating they are paying out the same amount each month — we are just not sure who they are paying our earnings to — because it’s certainly not the writers!
I laugh because I now compare Medium to Vocal and find that Vocal is the front runner of the two sites — and yet Vocal have changed nothing.
That says it all!
Now, I’m writing for Vocal and posting my pieces on Medium because I stupidly paid an annual membership on Medium in December, so I may as well still post on Medium until my membership expires — then I’ll join the rest of the good writers and jump ship.
Therefore, if you’re wondering why you don’t see me clapping your stories, commenting on your articles like I once did, please understand it’s not your writing that has chased me away; no it’s the sad state of affairs that is now Medium.
I don’t have the energy to put all that effort in to simply earn between $0.01 and $0.03 a day.
Medium, you’ve become a bit of a joke, I’m afraid!
To those writers that have already left, or are thinking of leaving, please let me know where I can read your work as I don’t really want to lose the friendships that we made here when Medium was worth the effort.
I wrote a more in-depth review on both platforms back in May 2024, and have included that review below.
In a short eight months, Medium has changed to such an extent, that its made my previous review invalid.
Enjoy the read and let me know your thoughts; do you still recognise the Medium that I describe in my review in May 2024, because I certainly don't.
It's like Vocal and Medium have done an about face and the Top Dog status has changed hands.
It's sad to bear witness too!
About the Creator
Colleen Millsteed
My first love is poetry — it’s like a desperate need to write, to free up space in my mind, to escape the constant noise in my head. Most of the time the poems write themselves — I’m just the conduit holding the metaphorical pen.
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More stories from Colleen Millsteed and writers in Writers and other communities.
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Comments (11)
I consider it the January 6th insurrection. However, what you folks didn't research is that Evan Williams the founder was funding it out of his own pocket for years. Now it's leveled off and it still pays more per read than any other platform. I haven't given up on it, I am building my readership, and Michelle you are one of them. I intend to publish every day, and then we will see how we stand. I already resubscribed for a year as a FOM, so I owe it my best effort. The boost among other things ruined Medium. All platforms have there short comings, even this one.
I jumped ship in August. I began here but crossed over to Medium to broaden my profile. It was fantastic for a while but I started losing my love for the platform as an editor who kept dealing with AI content. Also, I noticed that after getting boosted for poetry a number of times, it seemed like all of a sudden, I was no longer a contender. I wholeheartedly agree with you: Vocal is the better platform. I keep in contact with some Medium pals who are just as frustrated as you are, Colleen. I am happy I decided to leave. There is no turning back for me. Wish you well over there, but am happy you are still here.
Interesting article. I never posted there, so I can't really judge. Glad you're still here though.
It’s been handled in such bizarre fashion! And I’m sorry it has happened to more regular seasoned writers like yourself. I’d never given it a proper go but have read all about it on writers’ stories. This line of yours captured my attention Colleen, “yet Vocal have changed nothing.” Interesting! Maybe things will improve at Medium headquarters. Fingers crossed. Best.
Omgggg, this is so shocking!! I don't understand why Medium changed this way and why they are denying it. I'm so sorry this happened, my friend 🥺
WOW! Thx 4 sharing!
I appreciate your insights, Colleen. I've never produced anything for Medium. I found Vocal roughly five years ago, at the same time I gradually became aware I was epileptic. As my seizures fucked up my ability to think, I took a very long break and didn't write anything here for over a year. I only gradually got my seizures under control but then I learned I'm bipolar and that's taken a huge toll on my relationships. I didn't return to writing here consistently until about September of last year. That was directly influenced by the desire to 'reestablish my identity'. I've always been a writer, since I was a teen, but I lost it for a while. The income here is absolutely a joke. It's basically nonexistent. But since I have no relationships in my 'real life', I value my interaction with people here all the more. I also enjoy the challenges, both official and non-official. Some, I just totally skip because they aren't anything that even remotely interest me. But others get my creative juices flowing. I've been trying to conceive something for the Letters though Time for a while now, and I *think* I'm close to writing one. I've got ideas for the 1920s, the 1950s, and 1964. That causes me to do a bunch of research. I'm watching the original Twilight Zone right now, which came out a couple years before I was born, just for the *language*. I don't want to write a letter just about a relationship or an event. I want to get the *language* right for the time period I pick. Reading other author's work here also inspires new ideas for me. Anyway-- I've never been on Medium. From what you are saying, it doesn't sound like I'm missing much. The pay here at Vocal is absolutely ridiculous, but my meager audience is growing. And by writing a lot of comedy, I find it gratifying when I can make even a few people laugh, especially those people I crack up on a regular basis. Thanks for sharing. ⚡💙⚡
Maybe we're in the same boat, Colleen. I have been writing for almost five years, with 100+ articles on Medium and 60+ on Vocal. Medium was always my primary platform, but earning even a dollar there has become a struggle. I would love to make Vocal my main platform, but there's a payment limitation for people in India. While I have decent earnings on Vocal, I can't withdraw them. That is why I went all in when the Medium Partner Program launched in India, hoping to reap the benefits—but it hasn’t worked out. Hope to keep putting efforts...Let us see what the future holds... My Medium Profile: https://adarshksingh.medium.com/
I have a free account on there but I found it awkward and more about chasing subscribers than writing. Thanks for this
Its definitely gone downhill in the past few weeks, its definitely not looking good!
I'm sorry to hear that? I have an account on Medium but have never been a paying member. Sounds like I probably don't want to start now. Thanks for the review.