Announcement of New Writers for ILLUMINATION #32
Welcome and a quick acknowledgment of your acceptance to ILLUMINATION Integrated Publications on Medium
New writer applications to Illumination via our registration portal. Please review our checklist and the onboarding pack before submitting your stories to our publications.
Dear New Writers, this is a quick notice to onboard you. Thank you for being part of ILLUMINATION Integrated Publications on Medium.com, which supports 26,000+ writers. Our diverse, inclusive, supportive, and collaborative community gives voice to every ethical writer who wants to delight their readers. We share our progress monthly through newsletters on Medium and Substack.
It is a pleasure to have you onboard. We look forward to reviewing, publishing, reading, and promoting your stories. We sent our monthly newsletter to inform you of our achievements in 2023 and our plans for 2024.
As our administrators were not available during Christmas and New Year times, our chief editor took the responsibility and onboarded new writers. You may also connect with the writers who joined us during that period from the attached stories.
A Special Welcome to New Writers on New Year’s Day from the Chief Editor
A Special Welcome to New Writers on Christmas Day from the Chief Editor
Adding over 100 new writers each time, onboarding them frequently, and managing the workload of our publications is a tedious task. Dr Yildiz recently wrote a personal piece about it to give writers an idea of the challenges of publications on Medium. Our publications don’t generate income and are only run by around 148 volunteer editors, administrators, curators, and moderators.
Dr Yildiz also set the strategy of our pubs to align with Medium’s new direction for the new year. Strategic Changes on Medium in 2023: How I Adapted to the New Strategy.
Please review the onboarding pack before submitting your stories.
Medium recently made changes that impacted the Partner Program, writers, readers, editors, publishers, and publications. The critical point is having more focus on quality than quantity. This means that we only accept one high-quality story a day from contributors. You may check our monthly updates for the recent changes on Medium. We also started a new curation service for well-written stories, as explained in the first volume.
Collaboration and Promotion
As our publications are based on collaboration, we initially introduce you to our readers and other writers via our curated collections when writers join because it is an excellent opportunity to meet some of our writers, and you may collaborate with the ones who resonate with you.
Apart from ILLUMINATION editors, other editors like Mike Broadly, DHSc, Aiden (Illumination Gaming), and Elin Melaas prepare curated collections for our readers. We link their latest one so you may get an idea.
Here are the latest samples from our editors to help you understand how we promote our writers’ stories. We believe you will find some interesting and relevant stories for your enjoyment.
New Curation Service by ILLUMINATION — Volume 51
Look What Aiden Found Today — Episode #51
Mike’s Favorite Stories on ILLUMINATION Publications — #39
Elin’s Chosen ILLUMINATION Stories — #2
ILLUMINATION-Curators Reading Club #8
New Friends of Medium Subscription for Readers
Our chief editor Dr Mehmet Yildiz, upgraded our publication accounts ILLUMINATION and ILLUMINATION-Curators, as well as his tech account Dr Mehmet Yildiz (Tech), making them Friends of Medium. Reading from these accounts will allow writers to earn four times more. While curating stories, we read many stories from these accounts, so it will be great for writers. Most of our publications, including Illumination, support non-members, but we encourage all writers who can afford the cost to be a member to consider Medium Friendship subscriptions. Writers need to read to to perform better. You may check out the details in his story by Dr Mehmet Yildiz (Tech)
We interviewed him on how Friends of Medium (FoMs) can share stories to create more visibility and increase reading times, even from non-members. The good news is when non-members read the links from FoMs, they generate income for writers.
Dr Yildiz also upgraded his own accounts to support writers and inspired our readers to upgrade if they can afford it so that our writers can earn more income and write better stories.
Why Do Editors Return Some Stories?
The leading causes might be that your story doesn’t match the new submission rules, has too many language errors, forgets to caption your images, or uses a copyrighted image. For instance, we don’t publish stories about Medium anymore. We don’t accept any AI-written content except for the Lampshade of ILLUMINATION.
Our editors leave a private message explaining why they’re sending it back. You can read it by clicking on the * (star) sign, usually on the top right side of your story.
Nevertheless, please don’t get upset when your story is returned. It doesn’t mean your story is rejected or not worthy of publishing on Medium. We value and don’t turn away stories from ethical writers. We respect everyone as long as they adhere to platform rules. Editors might ask you to make some changes and submit it again or suggest sending it to our other publications that might be a better fit and find more relevant readers.
Each publication has a different audience, especially specialized ones like Synergy, Gaming, Nutrition, Videos/Podcasts, Technology Hits, and Book Chapters. Each publication also has its rules. So, please find links to all submission publication guidelines in this story. You may bookmark it in case you want to join more of our pubs in the future.
As the quality of content is our priority now, we updated our submission guidelines as listed below. The changes are reflected in our new submission guidelines linked below. Please review the submission guidelines for the publications you contribute to.
ILLUMINATION Videos and Podcasts: Submission Guidelines 2023
Publishing and Conduct Guidelines for the Lampshade of ILLUMINATION
Critical Policy Documents for Our Writers
Every writer contributing to our publications must review these guiding policies before submitting their stories. We are tolerant, but these are non-negotiable rules.
Helpful Guidance for Beginners in 4 Steps
The following are the most frequently asked by beginners. If you are on Medium for a long time, you may skip some points in the following sections.
1 — How to submit your stories to publications
Now that you have joined Medium and written your first story, Please follow these simple instructions. Once you do it a few times, it will be second nature. Not knowing this feature caused many new writers to wait for days.
When you draft your story, please click on the … (3 dots) on the top right side of your screen. Click on the add to publication, choose Illumination or other relevant pubs, and submit your story. When the story arrives in the publication queue, editors will review and publish it if your story qualifies. If not, they will leave a private message and return your story to fix, resubmit, or transfer to one of our other publications if it does not suit ILLUMINATION.
We no longer publish certain types of stories on ILLUMINATION and ILLUMINATION-Curated, so please review the new submission guidelines.
2 — Use Copyright-Free Images and Caption Them
A crucial issue is some new writers forget to add captions to photos and use copyrighted images. Violating copyright rules can lead to substantial penalties imposed by legal institutions.
Several writers got hefty fines; our editors don’t want this to happen to you. Therefore, our editors are diligently working to safeguard our writers. We kindly ask that you honor their requests, as they have your best interests at heart. You cannot use every image on stories behind the paywall.
If you are a new writer on Medium, please review the Photo Handling Policy before starting, as it is the most time-consuming issue for our editors and causes delays in publishing. Writers failing to meet our photo handling policy will be removed from publications.
3 — What is Slack, and why should our writer join this group?
Slack is a collaboration and communication tool. Unlike social media platforms such as Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn, Slack is a private tool. Therefore, it is not just another social media platform. We use Slack because Medium lacks a chat tool, making it challenging to communicate with writers, editors, and publication owners to address issues.
For instance, when your stories encounter problems, or you have questions for our team, you can easily access our editors and moderators, who can help resolve your concerns. Our Slack is free and moderated, with over 18,000 members.
Additionally, you can share your story links and garner more views. Joining our group can provide numerous benefits. It is a valuable tool to build your audience easily. Furthermore, it is configurable; for example, you can turn notifications off if you prefer not to receive notifications. You can learn more about Slack from this story.
We also have a Discord network owned by Aiden (Illumination Gaming). You may contact him on Slack to get access to Discord. He made a YouTube video about it.
4 — We don’t accept AI-generated content per Medium’s new strategy except for one dedicated publication [The Lampshade of ILLUMINATION]
Our publications do not accept content written by artificial intelligence tools, but we have a viable solution to make writers and readers happy.
Those writers who use generative AI tools like Jasper or ChatGPT can send their stories to our new publication, the Lampshade of ILLUMINATION. Details are attached.
AI-Generated Content Policy for ILLUMINATION Integrated Publications
ILLUMINATION-Curated and ILLUMINATION-Gaming as Boost Nominating Publications
Medium recognized our special publication, ILLUMINATION-Curated, serving experienced and advanced writers as a formal boost-nominating publication. This gives us an opportunity to nominate stories meeting boost guidelines.
Joining ILLUMINATION-Curated requires proof of your experience in submitting high-quality stories. If you believe your stories meet our requirements in the submission guidelines, please contact our chief editor Dr Mehmet Yildiz, who can review your stories and invite you to this publication with the blessings of other editors.
We recently interviewed Dr Yildiz to understand the boost program process and the chance of increasing boost nomination. This interview can be helpful for you to understand the process. Here is the link to the interview How ILLUMINATION Publications Support the BOOST Program.
As of 1st December, ILLUMINATION Gaming is also accepted as a boost nominating publication. Its owner Aiden (Illumination Gaming) will inform readers shortly. You can contact Aiden on Slack or Discord.
Aiden started an education series to increase the chance of boosting for our writers. Here are his firs two stories sin this series.
Lessons Learned from Boosted Stories — Episode #1
Lessons Learned from Boosted Stories — Episode #2
Sample Boosted Stories to Understand the Criteria
You may find sample boosted stories from the collection recently posted by ILLUMINATION-Curators
Collection of Boosted Stories from ILLUMINATION-Curated
Collection of Boosted Stories from ILLUMINATION Publications — V2
Collection of Boosted Stories from ILLUMINATION Publications — V3
More information about our boosting services is in the attached story.
You can use a comprehensive checklist about boosting increasing the chance of boosting in the attached story.
Recent Safety and Security Issues on Medium that You Need to Watch Out
It came to our attention that some serious issues happened on Medium, affecting the earnings of writers in the last week of September. Our editor Mike Broadly provided a comprehensive update.
Significant cloning of accounts also happens. Mike wrote three important stories about it as hackers cloned his account and tried to deceive his readers FOUR times. When you see such activities, please report them to Medium.
Now, Time to Meet New Writers Joining Today
Let’s welcome writers who joined our publications today. This is an excellent opportunity to explore the stories of these writers and follow them if their content resonates with you.
Raihan, orestisJP, Hugo Demenez, GizemG, Nonso Emetoh, Bogdan Sasu, Judith Gridl, Ellie Fogleman, UIUX Maverick, Alice K. Black, William Digaudio, A is Typing…., Kevin Hamill, Curiosity, C. Circe Reid, Msfireballsmom (please follow), Ken Van Camp, Fisk Harrison, Cyb3r Philosoph3r 🌐, Melissa Herzog Writer of Travel, Cooking and Food, Sean Todd M.Ed, Anna Salazar MS, RD, LD, Foteini Ntelopoulou, Danny Ross, Ali Writes, Colin Douglas, GeekySama, Gurmohit Randhawa, Cam Roze, Ally Evergreen, Amanda Garland, Ngozi Anna Akunne, Salman Khan, Doug Utberg, Justin Boyette, The Lion the Bunny and the Bear, QuantumJourney, Manj Bahra, AJ Davies, Iris Yarwood, Cyber Life Stylist, Chris Suazo, Dyego Gaspar, Nigel Alexander Item, K.D. Lewis, She Side Hustle, Cyber Life Stylist, Sandra Afonso, Nina Velić, Beth J, Ilika, JasonTheWriter, Abi Adegboye, Cocktailgalaxy, Laiba Sattar, Martina Wiltschko, Juliet Waters, Top Technology Trends in 2024, Bianca Bazin, Edwin Bowles, The Afronomist, Basic MBTI, The Kayro 👑, Frost, William Nuttle, Daksh Parmar, Tripping Up Stairs, Tyler Hughes, Nathan Powell, Kimberly Iacoponi, Learner by Writing, Bruce Madden, Daniel Foster, M.Sc., Tyler Hughes, Corey Richards, Relon Mfunda, Khansa Baloch, Tara Kimes, Romaric Jannel, KEN BANK, Pala Najana, J. Raveling, andrea.iam, Sumir Ramesh, Amirali Banani, Jasmine S., Wesley Scott, Ms. Twenty Something, Romanitaaelita, Buse Ceren Demir — Jay, Vaishnav Khati, Darshil Bhatt, Joanne John, Cristi, Darshil Bhatt, Thahaseen I, Mudith K, Cristi, Radita Dwi Putera, Vladislav Hryniv, Vinod, Marina Gomes, Lasta App, Ahmed Almakaidy, Seasonal Blogs, ILÈMRÉ, Loik Cyr, Tusk, Jinnah Executive Services Academy, MariaAndMore, Olamide Lukman, Oumar Ja, Bella Victoire, Ilka Y., tomaot, Mir, Orca 🐳, B., Sidra Khan, Aurelie B., Jabid Hasan,
Please remember to submit only one story daily, preferably as a draft. We don’t accept multiple stories as our focus is on quality to increase your chance of being boosted by Medium.
About Perceptions and Expectations of Publications
Unlike some perceptions, ILLUMINATION editors don’t publish every story. Your stories must be well-crafted and valuable for our readers. Our focus is “curate-able” and “boost-able” stories, even though every story cannot be boosted by Medium, even if they are written well. Our goal is to delight readers who support the growth of writers. We do our best to create visibility for well-written stories on important topics. We always appreciate personal voice and experience.
Guidance to Increase Earnings from Content Creation
Apart from the boosting opportunity on Medium, which can increase your income, our chief editor, Dr Mehmet Yildiz, recently answered this frequently asked question by many writers on how to increase income from writing engagement.
Many writers desire to make a living from their craft. Using Medium as a single source is not a viable option. There are other opportunities that you need to consider. We believe this story will give you valuable perspectives.
You may also check this new case study posted by Dr Yildiz today, which gives aspiring writers unique perspectives.
And reality check for bloggers…
Collaboration and Promotion
You will receive an invitation to our Slack workspace to collaborate with other writers, share your story links, and contact editors and our chief editor Dr Mehmet Yildiz. It is a free and moderated service.
You may meet some of our editors from the attached collection.
Introduce Yourself in a Story
Please consider introducing yourself in a story and post it to ILLUMINATION or our other publications. This might bring you new followers and expose your profile to new readers. Our editor Aiden (Illumination Gaming) compiles and distributes these bios to our subscribers. You may get bio ideas from the attached collection.
Sample Self-Curated Story Collection
You may self-curate your stories to gain visibility. Aiden provided a sample example, as attached. You may follow a similar format by categorizing your stories based on topics.
You may also enjoy a recent story from one of our new writers and editors, Mike Broadly — Healthier Lifestyle, who made significant progress in the last two months. You may contact Mike on our Slack workspace, who volunteers to support our new writers.
Writer and Editor Introductions
We recently introduced more writers and editors.
Meet Seda Anbarcı, Meet Dr Emmanuel Ogamdi, Meet Jozsef Kovacs, Meet Davor Katusic. Meet Thomas Allen Moon, Meet Sneha Nagre, Meet Zondra Dos Anjos, Meet Ani Vals Meet Ammara Hassan. Meet Sridhar Pai Tonse — Leadgen Coach- Tech Startups Chosen Stories from Omni Essence,
Here are some editor profiles.
You can learn about our other editors’ backgrounds from this collection curated by ILLUMINATION-Curators.
Recent Announcements for Connection
You may check the following two announcements to meet other recently joined writers, including links to their profiles. This is a good opportunity for new writers to build their audience, as writers are great readers. We enjoy enabling collaboration on Medium by encouraging meaningful engagements.
As this list is growing we will add them to a post so that you can easily find them to engage with new writers.
Welcome to our writing and reading community, and we look forward to the meaningful and high-quality stories.
When you have questions, please contact our owner and chief editor, Dr Mehmet Yildiz, on our Slack workspace. He is also happy to speed up publishing your stories if they are delayed 48 hours or more.
Writing Challenges and Prompts for New Writers
Helpful Resources for Beginners
Starter Kit for Writers of ILLUMINATION Integrated Publications
Five Tips to Become a Prolific Writer Despite Full-Time Work
Improving the Quality of Writing Using an Editorial Checklist
You may find more helpful stories from the content management collection of Dr Mehmet Yildiz typically written to help new writers joining Medium.
Sample Curated Collections for New Readers
We curate and feature stories from multiple editorial accounts.
Here are our latest curated collections by ILLUMINATION, ILLUMINATION Amplifiers, and ILLUMINATION-Curators for your enjoyment.
Invitation to New Writers
To join our vibrant publications, please send a request via this link.
We will help you gain visibility and succeed as a writer on Medium. Please mention the publication name with your Medium account ID in the request.
ILLUMINATION Integrated Publications include:
ILLUMINATION ILLUMINATION-Curated ILLUMINATION’ S MIRROR ILLUMINATION Book Chapters The Lampshade of ILLUMINATION Technology Hits SYNERGY Readers Hope Illumination on YouTube Illumination Gaming ILLUMINATION’s Blog EUPHORIA by Dr Mehmet Yildiz
