How Can New Writers Join the Medium Partner Program
For writers looking to make some money, Medium could be a great option.
There’ve been a lot of questions about how a writer can become a member of the Medium Partner Program and start earning.
Many misconceptions and rumours are going around. Today, I decided to write a detailed article about —
- How you can join the Medium Partner Program,
- How to start earning from it, and
- What are the necessary terms and conditions to make money.
Before we proceed, if you’d like to watch a more candid version of this in video format, here’s a link —
Step one: Become a member
The biggest question many writers from India have is-
Do I need to create a PayPal or Stripe account?
The answer is No. You don’t need to create a PayPal or Stripe account.
All you need to do is go to the top right of your screen where you see your profile picture. Then, click on have to click on ‘Become a member’.
Once you do that, you’ll be asked to pay a subscription fee of $5.
But if you live in India there’s a special parity pricing for Indians, which comes to INR 199 every month.
How to avail the parity pricing for Indians to become Medium members?
You have to download the Medium app on an android device.
Then you have to login.
You can click on ‘Become a member’ and you’ll see the parity pricing which is about Rs. 1900/- per year.
Step two: Publish your first story
You can publish anything, be it a poem or an old article you’ve published elsewhere (as long as you own the rights to republish). It can even be a 100 word post copied from LinkedIn.
Once your first post is published, the next steps are:
Click on the top right of your profile, then go to “Apply to the Partner Program.”
From here, follow these steps:
- Add your name
- Select your country of origin
- Add your bank details
Medium will automatically create a Stripe account for you. You don’t have to go to stripe.com and create an account separately. All you need to do is follow the steps on the dashboard and you’re good to go.
Step three: Fill taxpayer information
Fill your details in the taxpayer information form. For non-US individuals, the form you pick is W8-BEN form.
One important point here is that you need to click on “Claim treaty benefits.” India has an arrangement with the United States where Indian writers only have to pay 15% tax, not 30%.
Remember to click on the ‘Claim treaty benefits’ button. Then, you select all the points that come up accordingly, and you’ll be eligible for a tax withholding of only 15%.
It’s as simple as that.
Now, let’s deal with some FAQ regarding the Medium Partner Program.
FAQs about the Medium Partner Program
1. Do I need to have 100 followers to start earning?
No. There’s no minimum requirement for followers to start earning from the Medium Partner Program.
2. Do I need to publishing for six months to start earning from the Medium Partner Program?
No. You need one published story in the last six months to start earning from the Medium Partner Program.
3. Do I need to be a paying member to start earning from the Medium Partner Program?
Yes, you need to pay the $5 monthly subscription fee to start earning from the Medium Partner Program.
If you’re Indian, you get a parity pricing of INR 199 per month. You can avail this by downloading the Medium app on an Android device.
4. How can I withdraw my money from the Medium Partner Program dashboard?
You don’t have to withdraw money from the Medium Partner Program dashboard. If you make more than $10 that month, your money will automatically be credited to the Stripe account you connected. From Stripe, it takes another 2–3 days for the money to reflect in your bank account.
5. When can I expect the payment from the Medium Partner Program?
Medium sends the payment to Stripe on the 10th of the next month. Stripe takes another 2–3 days to send it to your bank. In my experience, the process usually takes 15 or so days.
So, if you made some money in January, you can expect the money to automatically credited to your bank account on the 15th of February.
6. What’s the minimum payment threshold for the Medium Partner Program?
The minimum payment threshold for the Medium Partner Program is $10.
If you make less than $10 in a month, that amount will roll over to the next month, and will get added to whatever money you make in that month. This will keep on repeating until you hit the $10 threshold, after which, the money will be sent to your bank account.
7. As an Indian writer, what tax form should I fill?
Indian individuals should fill the W8-BEN form. If you have a registered company in India, you can fill the W8-BEN-E form.
8. Do I need to create a Stripe account to earn from the Medium Partner Program?
No, you do not need to create a Stripe account to earn from the Medium Partner Program. All you need to do is follow the steps in the “Apply to the Partner Program” button, and Medium will create a Stripe account for you.
9. How do I claim the 15% treaty benefits for Indian writers for the Medium Partner Program?
While filling out your taxpayer information, click on the ‘Claim treaty benefits’ button. Next, select all the points that come up accordingly, and you’ll be eligible for a tax withholding of only 15%.
You can check the detailed process here —
Need help on your Medium journey?
If you need help on your Medium journey and want to connect with a bunch of talented writers working hard on their dreams, join my 100-day writing challenge community.
You make a pledge that you’ll write N articles in 100 days. You have a community of writers from all over India who’ll help you along the way. You can ask your writing questions, Medium-related queries, and ask for feedback on unpublished drafts.
You’ll get personalized tips and detailed feedback from me that will help you stay consistent on Medium.
Looking to get started on Medium? Learn how to make your first $100 here.
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