FAQs and guidelines

Can I use AI?

Don’t submit a mostly AI-written story meant to earn. Saying you used AI does not make that okay. Medium can unlock the story and remove you from the Partner Program, often with no appeal. We won’t accept it for TDE either. If you hide that a story was AI-written, it only reaches your own followers. Outlines, spelling, and grammar help are fine. If AI helped write the words, say so in the first couple of paragraphs. Mark AI images in the caption. Don’t use AI to spam, rewrite someone else’s work, or chase SEO with thin copy. Your voice should be obvious on the page.

How do I make money?

Join the Partner Program and paywall strong stories for members. You earn when paying members stick around (about 30 seconds or more), clap, highlight, reply, or follow you. Boosted stories and stories people actually keep reading tend to earn more. If the title overpromises, earnings can go down. Pay varies. There is no set amount. You cannot earn on mostly AI-written stories, or on stories mainly about Medium, the Partner Program, or “how to make money on Medium.” Read the Partner Program and how earnings work.

What should I write?

Base the story on work you’ve done, bugs you’ve fixed, or a take only you could make. Data engineering, cloud, AI systems, and MLOps all fit. We review English stories only for now; Medium also Boosts English stories only at this time. Write less, but make it better. The reader should learn something useful, or see why you wrote it. Put the work where those readers already are. Real comments and follows beat tricks. Don’t buy claps, farm fake engagement, or spam tags and mentions.

How should the story read?

The title, subtitle, and cover should tell the reader what they’ll get. No clickbait. If the title overpromises, people bounce, and Medium can lower what you earn. Use a clear structure, short paragraphs, and plain language. Back up claims when you can. Credit images, and don’t use others’ work without permission. Add images only when they help. It’s the kind of piece Medium likes to Boost, but Boost is rare and picked by humans.

What doesn’t belong?

Sales pitches, signup funnels, and click farms. Paywalled posts mainly about Medium, the Partner Program, Boost, or how to earn on Medium (you can still write those for free; for TDE, stay on the topics above). Plagiarism or close copies. Soft ads, spam, scams, or hate. Undisclosed AI and bought engagement. Breaking Medium’s rules can mean unlocked stories, lost Partner Program access, or account action.

What about AI when I review?

Turn down stories that look mostly written by AI, especially if they are meant to earn. Writers can lose Partner Program access for that. If AI helped, they should say so in the first couple of paragraphs. AI pictures need a note in the caption. If disclosure is missing and the draft looks assisted, send it back.

What should I accept?

Real experience, a useful takeaway, respect for the reader’s time, a fresh angle, and clean writing. Ask: would a paying member feel glad they opened this? Accept stories you’d be glad to see in that feed. Boost is rare and human-reviewed. If you wouldn’t share the piece yourself, it probably isn’t ready.

What should I turn down?

Mostly AI-written drafts. Thin filler and rehashes. Soft ads or signup funnels. Plagiarism or close rewrites. Clickbait titles. Posts mainly about Medium or “how to earn on Medium.” Spammy tags or shout-outs. Anything you’d be embarrassed to put in a member’s feed.

What should I send back?

Misleading titles or covers. Missing AI disclosure when the draft looks assisted. Stories that still need the writer’s own experience. Ask them to tighten, clarify, or rewrite before you accept.