As much as I’d love to be the one earning $20,000 it ain’t gonna happen. I write short stories, poetry, and non-fiction articles on a variety of topics. I’ve received the biggest clicks on a few intensely personal articles. But I’d like to keep some things private. And on a site where the biggest rewards are for deeply personal and emotional content or S.E.X., if you’re unwilling to participate, you’re left behind.

Too bad for me I guess, but in a world where most people online want blood, tears, and sex drugs and rock-and-roll (the internet), or, to be fair, business and tech which I don’t write about, your income is decided by how far you’re willing to go to get the clicks.

A cap on single article earnings could help level the playing field a bit, but it could also cost Medium its market share if the big influencers move on the greener pastures. And fewer eyes on the platform could impact their bottom line, and so, ours. It’s an attractive option, but… oh well. Stronger hearts than mine will wrestle with that one, I’m sure.