This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Sinem Günel, a Medium writer based in Vienna, Austria. Insider has verified her income with documentation. The following has been edited for ...

Whether you’ve only been a writer for a few months or several years, you’ve probably heard of Medium. You might even already have an account on the site, but are you using it to its fullest potential?

Look away for a moment and something changes at Medium, Ev Williams’ hot writing and reading startup platform. This week, Medium rolled out a new look and a new way to pay writers, two long-time wants ...