I think you’d be surprised. There are soooo many websites, literary journals, consumer magazines, and trade magazines that accept submissions and will pay for writing. (Not saying they pay a ton, but they pay.) One of my personal essays was accepted by Boston Globe Magazine, and I know WaPo, NY Times, and other newspapers accept personal essay submissions. Sites like Buzzfeed, Bustle, and Vox accept submissions, and there are thousands of literary journals that publish essays (as opposed to just fiction). It’s just a matter of researching and finding publications that align with your interests/style. I just bought a book called The Byline Bible that’s supposed to be enormously helpful; I’ve heard great things, though I haven’t started reading it yet.

Anyway, point is…Medium is great, but don’t feel it’s your only option. :)

Thanks for reading!