A Comprehensive List of Medium Publications for Writing About Writing

Wondering where to submit your posts about writing? Check this out

If you’re like me, you have a handful of go-to publications that you submit your posts to. And if a couple of those fails, you give up, publish the piece yourself, and hope a curator stumbles on it and likes it enough to distribute.

There are some obvious solutions to this, but they don’t always help. For example, say I’ve written a post about writing (like this one), and I want to find a publication for it. Here’s the first handful of results I get when I search “writing” on Medium and click Publications.

Not bad.

The Writing Cooperative is up there at the top, as it should be. And there are some other decent publications for writers.

This is exactly how I found Curiosity Never Killed the Writer, a fantastic publication dedicated to all things writing with 49k followers.

So, a simple little search can work. But it’ll also turn up plenty that you aren’t interested in or even qualified to submit to.

I don’t write poetry, I write way more than 100 words per post, and I’m not M.G. Siegler.

A search like this also misses a lot of good options. The Partnered Pen publishes at least as many stories about writing as The Writing Cooperative but doesn’t show up in the top 150 if you try the simple search above (I actually never found it in the list, I just stopped counting after 150).

I decided to go deeper

I scrubbed the data and found every article published in a Medium publication in December 2019, tagged with “writing.” Note that I’m not claiming to have found every article about writing; if it wasn’t tagged “writing,” I missed it.

In that one month alone, there were 2,583 articles tagged “writing” published in Medium publications. A total of 573 publications published those stories.

Forty-four of these publications published ten or more stories tagged “writing,” while 310 of them published one.

Here are the top places to submit your writing about writing, along with some data and information about each. I really don’t like the claps per post metric, but it’s the only thing I could capture that gets at circulation/visibility.

These are sorted in order of the number of posts tagged “writing” they published in December 2019. I removed any publications that only have one or two writers, as well as those that appear to have gone dormant.

The Top 20

1. The Startup

The Startup lays claim to being Medium’s largest active publication and is a publishing powerhouse, typically pushing out over 20 stories per day. Topics vary much more widely these days than they used to. January 23, 2020’s headlines include everything from “Create Animated Images Using Python” to “3 Mistakes Leaders Make When Trying to Relate to Their Team” to “Great Poetry Happens in the Editing, Not Just the Writing.”

Upside — very new-writer-friendly.

Downside — you might get lost in their sea of content.

Bottom line — great backup option for writing about writing, if one of the more writing-centric publications turns you down. Followers = 566k December 2019 writing posts = 256 December 2019 claps per writing post = 326 How to submit.

2. The Partnered Pen

Not dedicated entirely to writing about writing, but about half of its dozen-or-so published pieces per day are on the topic. Other banner topics are relationships, psychology, poetry, life lessons, fiction, and self.

This is a “decentralized” publication, meaning that once you’re a contributor, you can publish your work there yourself. As such, becoming a contributor is a bit trickier (see below).

Upside — contributors can publish at will.

Downside — becoming a contributor seems tricky.

Bottom line — give it a shot. Looks like the active followership would make it worth the effort. Followers = 8.9k December 2019 writing posts = 150 December 2019 claps per writing post = 584 How to submit — once you’re a contributor, easy. How to become a contributor isn’t as clear — try sending a draft link via email to [email protected] or via tweet to @ThePartneredPen.

3. The Writing Cooperative

The name says it all, TWC is all about writing, and all about helping writers be better writers. Not quite as new-writer-friendly as they were in the early days, but this should still be your number one option for writing about writing.

Even if you don’t publish there, follow them and engage with the posts. TWC is building a community that we can all be a part of. Still my go-to for my posts about writing, even though my last couple (three if this doesn’t make it) have been turned down.

Upside — very supportive community trying to help all writers get better.

Downside — tougher and tougher to get published.

Bottom line — still the go-to for writing about writing. Followers = 185k December 2019 writing posts = 130 December 2019 claps per writing post = 313 How to submit.

4. Better Marketing

From the same team that brought us Better Humans — the 7th largest publication on Medium by following — comes Better Marketing, with a mix of posts about more traditional (“The Ultimate Guide to Niches”) and not-so-traditional-but-more-writing-related (“How to Craft Compelling Stories Even if You Suck at Storytelling”) marketing topics.

A very active publication that seems focused on growth, and publishing some very big names (Tim Denning, Nicolas Cole) that will attract new readers.

Upside — very active and growing, likely means new-writer-friendly.

Downside —posts need to have a bit of a marketing slant to them.

Bottom line — check out the writing posts they’re publishing before determining if you’re a fit, then go for it. Followers = 34k December 2019 writing posts = 72 December 2019 claps per writing post = 1,535 How to submit.

5. Publishous

A relatively new publication focused on growth and a wide range of topics. Very active, and continuously “looking for professional quality pieces to help others improve their lives and to help writers, creatives, and artists get noticed” (from their About page). A self-described family-friendly publication looking to publish topics like Christianity, better living, and writing.

Upside — active and new-writer-friendly, a wide variety of topics, despite the limited areas they say they’re interested in on their About page.

Downside — not for edgier writers who are digging into more controversial topics.

Bottom line — another great backup option if your first choice publication for “writing about writing” turns you down, and could even be your first choice. Followers = 25k December 2019 writing posts = 70 December 2019 claps per writing post = 252 How to submit.

6. Med Daily

Another “decentralized” publication, so once you’re a contributor you can publish your posts yourself. Writing isn’t the only topic, but is a consistent favorite — writing on Medium is a popular topic here. Other tags include poetry, marketing, relationships, self, and tech.

Upside — decentralized, so you can publish what you want when you want.

Downside — smaller than the biggest decentralized publication on the list (The Partnered Pen).

Bottom line — small but growing, perfect for writers new to Medium and wanting to start getting work in front of others. Followers = 1.1k December 2019 writing posts = 62 December 2019 claps per writing post = 436 How to submit.

7. a Few Words

Very active publication (12–20 posts per day) with a very simple motto: “Write a few words on what matters to you. A few words can change lives.” And they mean it, they only accept work that’s less than 500 words.

This might sound appealing, but go ahead and see if you can say something meaningful and convincing that others want to read without going over that limit. As Mark Twain said, “I apologize for such a long letter, I didn’t have time to write a shorter one.”

Topics in addition to writing include life lessons, mental health, motivation, productivity, relationships, self-awareness, and self-improvement.

Upside — they accept all new writers who apply. It’s part of their mission.

Downside — you might get lost in their sea of content.

Bottom line — go for it, if for no other reason than the challenge of writing a good 500-word post. Followers = 2.3k December 2019 writing posts = 45 December 2019 claps per writing post = 176 How to submit.

8. Literally Literary

Say that five times fast. You won’t find any “how I got my first 1,000 followers” or “how I made my first $10 on Medium” articles here, although you will find the occasional piece about writing. Mostly, this publication is for writers to write, and features main sections dedicated to poetry, fiction, and non-fiction.

Upside — takes itself a little more seriously and seems to go for quality over quantity.

Downside — takes itself a little more seriously.

Bottom line — if you want to spread your wings a bit and try a fiction piece, or a bit of poetry, or an interesting non-writing-related piece of non-fiction, try it here. I’d feel very good about my writing if they published me. Followers = 28k December 2019 writing posts = 39 December 2019 claps per writing post = 278 How to submit.

9. The Book Mechanic

I love this publication. Straightforward, no-nonsense writing advice delivered in a straightforward, no-nonsense style. Reading this publication for its writing advice feels like watching Pawn Stars for its history lessons, and I mean that in the most positive way possible. As I said, I love this publication.

Editor August Birch describes it thus, “Down-and-dirty strategies for successful commercial writing (both fiction and non-fiction), with a blue-collar work ethic and a no-nonsense voice.” Amen, brother.

Upside — all about writing, writing, and more writing. And how to make money doing it.

Downside — recent articles are from a relatively small handful of writers.

Bottom line — if your voice fits, go for it. It seems like a very cool community to be part of. Followers = 3.8k December 2019 writing posts = 38 December 2019 claps per writing post = 409 How to submit.

10. MuddyUm

Their motto is MALA — Make America Laugh Again, so you probably get the idea of what this publication is all about. There’s a wide range of topics on here, basically anything that might get you to giggle, but they do publish the occasional (humorous) piece about writing.

Writing about writing on Medium, as long as it’s funny, also fits. Recent examples include “Writers Panic as Amazon Buys Medium” and “So You Have a New Medium Publication.”

Upside — lots and lots of topics, just make sure to approach them lightly.

Downside — not everyone should try to be funny. Some of us just aren’t, dammit.

Bottom line — if you tend to take things, including your writing, less seriously, and one of your top writing goals is to make people chuckle a little, give it a shot. Followers = 1.6k December 2019 writing posts = 37 December 2019 claps per writing post = 356 How to submit.

11. The Ascent

Publishing 20+ posts per day, The Ascent is one of Medium’s most active publications. Self-described as “a community of storytellers documenting the journey to happiness & fulfillment,” this is a feel-good publication for writers who want to tell positive, uplifting stories, and for readers who want to read them.

While the publication’s tags are self improvement, personal development, life lessons, personal growth, and self, you can also find plenty of posts here about writing.

Upside — very new-writer-friendly, a wide variety of topics.

Downside — it can be hard to get noticed with so many other posts per day.

Bottom line — if a more writing-focused publication turns you down, give them a shot. Followers = 80k December 2019 writing posts = 31 December 2019 claps per writing post = 196 How to submit.

12. P.S. I Love You

All things love-related, some of Medium’s biggest names publish here — John Gorman, Kris Gage, and Jessica Wildfire have their own banner headings, for crying out loud. One of the most popular publications on Medium, P.S. I Love You has had to limit new writer applications due to overwhelming demand. As of this writing, they only accept new writers during the first week of the month.

Publishing non-fiction, fiction, and poetry, this publication isn’t a fit for writing purely about writing, but if your post seeks “to articulate not just what it’s like to be in love… but what it’s like to be alive,” it might work well here.

Upside — big audience that may not have a lot of overlap with your “writing” post audience.

Downside — writing about writing that’s somehow related to love is a fairly narrow niche.

Bottom line — if you have a piece that fits, go for it. The upside is huge. Followers = 168k December 2019 writing posts = 30 December 2019 claps per writing post = 564 How to submit.

13. The Brave Writer

A relatively new, relatively small publication dedicated to writing about writing. Oozing ambition and heart, this publication is all about helping writers get better. Absolutely worth following, even if you decide to wait until it’s a bit bigger to become a contributor.

From their submission page:

“The goal for this publication is to inspire and motivate writers to keep writing, take care of themselves, and become brave writers. The writing process is hard — and I’m not even talking about the actual writing — so if you have something that can help other writers become braver and tougher, I look forward to what you have to say.”

How can you not love that?

Upside — fantastic mission that’d be fun to be a part of.

Downside — small followership, but only publishing 2–3 posts per day so you’ll be visible.

Bottom line — yes, write something specifically for this publication and submit it. Let’s help them grow.

Note — I have no affiliation with this publication, I really do just like it that much. Followers = 559 December 2019 writing posts = 29 December 2019 claps per writing post = 281 How to submit.

14. House of Haiku

I struggled with whether or not to include this one on the list, but they publish a lot of posts tagged writing, so here it is. Not to mention, there’s a lot of haiku being published on Medium.

From HoH’s About page:

“Haiku is a form of poetry usually inspired by nature, which embraces simplicity. We invite all poetry lovers to have a go at composing Haiku. Be warned. You could become addicted.”

I don’t doubt it, I got a little addicted to reading haiku as I was putting this together, and discovered that reading really good haiku is kind of like meditating.

Upside — a new form of writing you might want to check out.

Downside — not for writing about writing, and publishing nothing but haiku.

Bottom line — move on if you’re only interested in publishing writing about writing. But why not stretch yourself and try haiku? Followers = 4.3k December 2019 writing posts = 29 December 2019 claps per writing post = 228 How to submit.

15. Scribe

Take three deep, cleansing breaths, then navigate on over to Scribe.

From their ‘About’ page:

“Far from the tumult of today’s society, Scribe invites you to take time, and just enjoy a moment of reading and writing. We’re here to bring to light stories that come from the heart and express a personal point of view.”

Part P.S. I Love You, part The Writing Cooperative, part Literally Literary, with no parts The Startup, The Ascent, or Better Marketing, Scribe is an escape from the “how to’s” and personal development fluff that’s all over Medium. They do have a tab dedicated to writing, so if your post has some depth to it, or explores the emotional side of writing, it might be a good fit. This is one of those publications I’d be proud as a true writer to publish in.

Upside — above the fray, an escape from the daily insanity on Medium.

Downside — won’t be a fit for “how to” or “7 ways to make money” posts.

Bottom line — read their submission page linked below. If you’re a fit, go for it. Followers = 7.2k December 2019 writing posts = 24 December 2019 claps per writing post = 603 How to submit.

16. The Bad Influence

A “feel-good” publication with an edge. The self-described mission is to “give as many professional, amateur, and hobbyist writers a place to be seen, to learn, and to collaborate.” TBI strives to break away from the smarminess of social media and establish a place where writers can express themselves authentically.

A wide range of topics, from sex to politics to writing. Recent headlines include everything from “I’m a Writer. Why Do I Need to Be Something Else?” to “Why You Should Get Yourself Off in the Morning.” Here again, you find a lot of hardcore writing about writing, or tips for writing on Medium, etc. But you’ll find a lot of genuine writing in general.

Upside — another cool mission that’d be fun to be part of.

Downside — small followership.

Bottom line — all of us should pick a newish, off-the-beaten-path publication to get in on the ground floor. This one might be for you. Followers = 699 December 2019 writing posts = 23 December 2019 claps per writing post = 316 How to submit.

17. Curiosity Never Killed the Writer

Writing about writing, plus a whole lot more useful stuff for writers. Posts listing writing agents who are seeking writers, calls for submissions in paying publications, writing contests and conferences, etc. If you’re a budding pro or just looking to make some more hobby income, definitely give this one a follow. And with 50k followers, it’s worth pitching to as well.

Upside — big following of serious writers.

Downside — doesn’t look like it publishes very frequently. The latest article I can find is January 22, but maybe they’re on a Ross & Rachel break. Also, the lowest claps per post yet is a bit concerning. Maybe serious writers don’t clap much.

Bottom line — looks like a good way to get your work in front of writers who are out to make some money. Followers = 50k December 2019 writing posts = 18 December 2019 claps per writing post = 95 How to submit.

18. Writers’ Blokke

Power to the people. Another decentralized Medium publication, so you’ll automatically be added as an editor rather than a contributor.

This has positives and negatives. As an editor, you’ll be able to publish your own work whenever you’d like. No submitting and then waiting to see if you’ve been accepted. Just publish.

However, you’ll also get an email notification anytime anyone submits for publication. Why anyone would submit for publication when everyone is an editor and they can just publish themselves is beyond me, but there you go.

Upside — publish when you want.

Downside — low followership, and there is an ‘anything goes’ feel to the topics published.

Bottom line — being part of a decentralized publication seems like a good thing, and while followership is low this one seems to have some ambition. Go ahead and get into this one, The Partnered Pen, and Med Daily so you have options. Followers = 263 December 2019 writing posts = 16 December 2019 claps per writing post = 249 How to submit.

19. Live Your Life On Purpose

Cut from the same cloth as The Ascent, LYLOP publishes on health & fitness, life & learning, personal finance, productivity & purpose, and individual success. Very active and growing, looks very new-writer-friendly. If your writing about writing pertains to any of the topics above, this looks like a good option.

Upside — active and growing, publishing several posts per day from a wide variety of writers.

Downside — stay positive, friends. Not for those of you with a bit of edge to your writing.

Bottom line — if you’re tired of the 40 views your posts are getting in The Ascent, give LYLOP a shot. Followers = 8.2k December 2019 writing posts = 16 December 2019 claps per writing post = 149 How to submit.

20. Top 3

A Medium publication dedicated to what’s best about Medium, writers supporting and showcasing other writers, building a community, and engaging with one another. There’s a way to build a following on Medium without writing an article, read and leave thoughtful comments on other writers’ posts. Writing for Top 3 might be even more effective. And even if it isn’t, it’s a great concept, highlighting other writers and drawing attention to their work.

Upside — the best about Medium.

Downside — not really writing about writing.

Bottom line — Great concept, support other writers by posting here a couple/few times per year. Followers = 315 December 2019 writing posts = 14 December 2019 claps per writing post = 278 How to submit.

OK, so that’s the Top 20. But because I have the data, and I hate to see data get wasted, here’s a bunch more. Data only, though. No write-up on each, I’m tired. :)

21. Mind Cafe Followers = 16k December 2019 writing posts = 13 December 2019 claps per writing post = 859 How to submit.

22. The Creative Cafe Followers = 74k December 2019 writing posts = 12 December 2019 claps per writing post = 153 How to submit.

23. Invisible Illness Followers = 38k December 2019 writing posts = 12 December 2019 claps per writing post = 148 How to submit.

24. Fifty Claps Followers = 33 December 2019 writing posts = 12 December 2019 claps per writing post = 490 How to submit — not obvious. Try emailing [email protected].

25. The Haven Followers = 5.7k December 2019 writing posts = 12 December 2019 claps per writing post = 268 How to submit.

26. The Friday Fix Followers = 216 December 2019 writing posts = 12 December 2019 claps per writing post = 272 How to submit.

27. Authority Magazine Followers = 2.8k December 2019 writing posts = 12 December 2019 claps per writing post = 0 How to submit.

28. Storymaker Followers = 578 December 2019 writing posts = 11 December 2019 claps per writing post = 334 How to submit.

29. The Junction Followers = 12.7k December 2019 writing posts = 11 December 2019 claps per writing post = 332 How to submit.

30. The Narrative Followers = 576 December 2019 writing posts = 11 December 2019 claps per writing post = 504 How to submit.

31. Data Driven Investor Followers = 24k December 2019 writing posts = 10 December 2019 claps per writing post = 214 How to submit.

32. Poetry Palace Followers = 185 December 2019 writing posts = 9 December 2019 claps per writing post = 404 How to submit.

33. Creative Humans Followers = 789 December 2019 writing posts = 9 December 2019 claps per writing post = 440 How to submit.

34. Journal of Journeys Followers = 1.2k December 2019 writing posts = 8 December 2019 claps per writing post = 388 How to submit — unclear. Try emailing at [email protected]

35. Fearless She Wrote Followers = 3.5k December 2019 writing posts = 8 December 2019 claps per writing post = 840 How to submit.

36. The Post-Grad Survival Guide Followers = 21k December 2019 writing posts = 8 December 2019 claps per writing post = 1387 How to submit.

37. Great Writing Tips Followers = 515 December 2019 writing posts = 7 December 2019 claps per writing post = 171 How to submit — email [email protected].

38. Lit Up Followers = 9.3k December 2019 writing posts = 7 December 2019 claps per writing post = 315 How to submit.

39. Writers Guild Followers = 3.6k December 2019 writing posts = 7 December 2019 claps per writing post = 118 How to submit.

40. Sexography Followers = 8.7k December 2019 writing posts = 6 December 2019 claps per writing post = 330 How to submit.

41. The Cotton Thread Followers = 299 December 2019 writing posts = 6 December 2019 claps per writing post = 389 How to submit.

42. The Dream Verse Followers = 67 December 2019 writing posts = 6 December 2019 claps per writing post = 315 How to submit — unclear. Try emailing editor Oren Cohen at [email protected].

43. Romance Monsters Followers = 166 December 2019 writing posts = 6 December 2019 claps per writing post = 433 How to submit.

44. Assemblage Followers = 318 December 2019 writing posts = 6 December 2019 claps per writing post = 376 How to submit.

45. Bulletproof Writers Followers = 540 December 2019 writing posts = 5 December 2019 claps per writing post = 358 How to submit.

46. Writing Heals Followers = 543 December 2019 writing posts = 5 December 2019 claps per writing post = 360 How to submit — email [email protected].

47. Middle-Pause Followers = 93 December 2019 writing posts = 5 December 2019 claps per writing post = 346 How to submit.

48. A Cornered Gurl Followers = 1.1k December 2019 writing posts = 5 December 2019 claps per writing post = 312 How to submit.

49. Mindful Muse Followers = 675 December 2019 writing posts = 5 December 2019 claps per writing post = 79 How to submit.

50. Contemplate Followers = 52 December 2019 writing posts = 4 December 2019 claps per writing post = 289 How to submit.

Would you like a similar analysis for another Medium tag? Let me know in the comments, I’d like to do another of these analyses.