Tipping Now Offered, Yeah!

Medium now has a new tipping feature. That is wonderful! It looks like another way to help Medium writers garner a little extra green. And it is indeed “extra.” Just like the “buy me a coffee” feature, the tip has to be sent to a payment account like Kofi or Paypal.

How wonderful! I will be honest and say I may not tip very much as I read through pieces. My hope is that my $5 per month subscription is being fairly distributed to the numerous articles I read. It seems that even with all of the changes, writers can still do very well with the green here. If I have a little extra spending money, I may throw in a little extra tip after a good read. But if not, I still hope to offer other types of “tips.”

I would still strongly advocate for the priceless value of non-monetary tips(whether or Medium or elsewhere). For Medium, these include active engagement and honest, positive, or constructive feedback in comments. Full and undivided attention to the article while reading, including active highlights and reactions, can bring multiple forms of immeasurable value. For one, the writer has the satisfaction of realizing their work has made an impact on another reader. For another, you as the reader are forever enriched and changed by anything you read. This is especially the case if the article offers penetrating points or insights that stick with you. Another form of immeasurable value is in the relationship you can form with other Medium readers and writers. If you follow someone and regularly engage with their writing, and they offer the same back to you, then this can be an ongoing, evolving bond that helps you both to grow as writers and people. And in this age of spammers and social media bots, isn’t any new bond with a real breathing and genuine person(even if only online) an infintely wonderful thing?

So, kudos to Medium for adding another amazing feature. Monetary tips are wonderful, and have a priceless component to them as well. But let us remember and celebrate the non-monetary “tips” that also still hold immeasurable value, both here on Medium and so many other domains.