Friend of Medium | Membership

Why I’m Downgrading My Medium Membership: Reflections on Friend of Medium

From viral stories to being suspended by the spam filter, I’ve had quite a journey on Medium, especially during my 4th year here

Things feel a little topsy-turvy around here on Medium sometimes. Author’s photo

A recent article by Jessica Levine asks people if they’ll renew their Friend of Medium membership.

I agree with Jessica’s thoughts, so I’ll try to cover different ground here. (There’s a link to her story at the end.)

I got the free bag

Last December, I upgraded to the Friend of Medium tier soon enough to get one of the 500 limited-edition tote bags, having been a paying member for four years. (My bears liked the bag.)

At the time, I was doing well on Medium. After a few good months in the summer of 2023, a semi-viral story kicked my earnings up another notch in December.

A common misconception about FoM is that it makes you earn more. I knew it would not benefit me directly, but I was earning enough to afford it. A rising tide lifts all boats and all that.

This has been quite a year on Medium. Things started strong, and I had two more boosts, making four in total. However…