Why Am I Still Receiving Money for Deleted Articles?

I am not complaining but payment for buried posts is a mystery to me

Photo by 𝓴𝓘𝓡𝓚 𝕝𝔸𝕀 on Unsplash

Don’t get me wrong. I am definitely not complaining. Money is money.

I love checking my stats.

And, my earnings from the Medium Partner Program.

I am a relatively new writer here; under six months. I have earned a tiny amount. I certainly won’t be requiring a bigger piggy bank any time soon.

I am often surprised. My posts that I thought were mediocre at best garnish attention. My masterpieces fly under the radar. Really low. You just never know.

But, what I thought I knew for certain, was that once I deleted a post, the words where gone, assumed lost, buried, and dead. Dead to Medium, publications, and the world beyond. Specifically, the World Wide Web.

This may not be the case. I deleted three of my posts over 6 weeks ago. I have since been advised never to delete work unless it is really awful. These post were not horrible. I just didn’t vibe with their vibe.

Photo by ben o'bro on Unsplash

The first story described where I live. My city, and some of the most popular attractions. After being posted for a couple of weeks; I began to think this article was not appropriate. Was I getting too personal? I located the delete button and it was gone. So easy. So I assumed.

The second post discussed alternative writing platforms. Again, after a few weeks I got nervous. I convinced myself that I didn’t know enough about this subject. Delete.

Then there was my journal rant. Four hundred words about why I sucked at writing. I originally thought this piece was quite compelling. I was feeling down and discouraged. I compared the great writers to trapeze artists who effortlessly soar through the air. I personified the tight rope walker, terrified to make a move. I deleted with conviction. Insecurity was not attractive.

To my surprise, these phantom posts appear on my Medium Partner Program earnings. And, it seems, I am still earning a few coffers. They are simply titled “Deleted.”

Is this even possible? Am I missing something? How could a deleted article still be earning money? Should I be scouring the back pages of Time Magazine or The Financial Post to see if these little gems are still rearing their ugly heads?

Can someone or something not let go?

It is interesting. I will be searching the Medium Guidelines for clues.

Again, I am not complaining. Money is money.

This money is a bit of a mystery.