MEDIUM TUTORIAL
7 Easy Steps to Submitting a Draft to The Shortform
Don’t sweat the small stuff — you can do this!
Starting Point
From your home page, look to the upper right-hand corner of your screen, where you will see 2 icons and your profile image.
1Click on the Write icon that looks like a pen on paper.
This will open a new window:
2 Use the Title area to write your headline. Once you type your headline into place, hit Return, and you will notice your cursor move to the next line. It should look like this:
3Add a Subtitle and Kicker, if you wish. To add a subtitle, type your words in the area “Tell your story…” (shown above in #2). Once you type your subtitle in, highlight one word, and this box will pop up:
Choose the small “T” and it will automatically format your subtitle. Once completed, it should look like this:
Adding a Kicker
Place your cursor above the headline and hit return. You will see this:
Start typing your Kicker or Shoulder (a supplement to your headline) where the icon looks like a circle with a cross in the center. You will then see this:
Don’t panic! Once you have finished typing your kicker, highlight one word or the whole kicker, and you will see this box pop up:
Click on the small T and it will automatically format your kicker. Your headline and subtitle formatting will return.
4 Add an image: Hit return after adding a subtitle. You will see the same icon of the circle with a plus sign in the center, just as you did before:
When you click on that icon, you will see this:
If you click on the first icon (camera in the circle), you are able to add an image from your computer. If you click on the second icon (solid square sitting on top of a block-style U), you will be taken to Unsplash, where you can search for images that will automatically drop into place with proper attribution. The third icon (arrow in a rectangle within the circle), is for adding a video, the fourth icon (arrows pointing in opposite directions) is to add an embed. The fifth icon (the two curly cue parentheses pointed in opposite directions — { }) will allow you to add a code block, and the last icon (two short lines with 3 dots in the circle) is for adding a simple page separation of three dots.
Make sure to have proper image credit. If not, an editor will send you a private note, which will cause delays in publishing. If your image credit is not clear, an editor will also reach out. If you are new to Medium, the partnership between Unsplash and Medium makes adding images super easy.
5 Remember that all The Shortform submissions have a 150-word maximum for body copy ONLY. The best way to check word count is to highlight all of your body copy (including that which might be at the base of your article to advertise) then use the CTRL-A function on your keyboard. Look to your upper left-hand corner, and you will see the word count.
6 Embed Links: You are allowed to add 2 embed links at the end of your story.
7 How to Submit to a Publication: When you’re ready to submit, look to the upper right-hand corner of your computer screen where you will see this:
Click on the three dots, where you will then see this:
Click on “Add to publication,” and you will see a list of publications you are a writer for. It should look something like this:
Scroll down until you see The Shortform. Click on the circle to the left of the name and then scroll down to also click the Select and continue button. This will automatically turn your green Publish button to Submit:
When you click on the green Submit button, it will take you to this page:
Make sure to add all five tags. I’ve added two as suggestions for The Shortform.
Then click the green “Submit to publication” button at the bottom and it will be submitted to the publication. You should see this as a final confirmation:
Have fun. Enjoy yourself and be kind to the editors and your fellow writers.
If you’re not already a writer for The Shortform, follow the link below to read the submission guidelines. Please do not leave a comment asking to be added as a writer. Thanks!
Have a great day!
