Be Careful What You Build: You Just Might Be Successful and

Be Careful of What You Take Down: You Just Might Miss it!

I make no claims to understanding how to manage a large and successful platform, the likes of Medium. The challenges are many: technology, monitoring behaviors, ensuring quality, managing the economics, and the list goes on.

I write this piece, however, in defense of a publication called “Illumination,” which was recently removed from Medium. As I understand it, there was a claim from a disgruntled contributor that its founder, Dr. Mehmet Yildiz, was engaged in spamming people. I have not experienced this behavior and full disclosure, I am listed as an editor for the publication though I have only served to contribute content.

It is important for the Medium community to know what a publication like Illumination brings to its world. While nothing is “all good,” I believe that Dr. Yildiz offers highly significant contributions to the Medium space, which include:

• Giving a voice to the newbie writer: There are many people who have taken their first stab at crafting a piece. Many of these pieces exhibit “first-timeness,” but these same writers are learning to find their voice and improve their writing skills. Has there ever been a more critical time to find one’s voice?
• Giving a platform to more seasoned writers: It is very difficult to get one’s work curated in the competitive world of Medium, and it is very disillusioning to get repeatedly rejected. I know this from personal experience. It is nearly impossible to have one’s piece seen if it is not curated. The content goes into some vast galaxy, and if you are me, you “copy a friend” and send it around. That outcome is at best good, but never great.
• Offering a broad and eclectic view of the world: My favorite part of Illumination is the section where a new contributor introduces themselves. The backgrounds are varied, the stories are honest, and my world as a reader feels a bit richer. In truth, I often love their stories better than their subsequent contributions, but that says more about the depth and complexity of their backgrounds than it does about the quality of their writing.
• Building a community: The writers who gravitate towards Illumination are independent thinkers, iconoclasts, hobbyists, and in many cases working through personal issues that challenge them. I am fairly traditional in background (heteronormative, four kids, MBA, consultant), and in many ways, the Illumination community is not my natural hangout. However, I enjoy dipping my toe in these waters to expand my view, and more than that, I love that relationships are being built, and comfort is being had. For many writers, Illumination has become their new home and a virtual source of support.

Is Illumination perfect? Not by a long shot but what is? It wouldn’t be bad if sometimes the standards for submission were a bit higher. And yes, Dr. Yildiz does spend significant effort trying to promote his contributors, but I want to emphasize, through legitimate channels such as YouTube.

As a person who loves to develop content, the promotion piece is essential and yet, not the part I gravitate naturally to — or even show much interest in. I am comforted that Dr. Yildiz helps writers to stand out in a vast sea that is growing daily.

The bottom line for me: I believe that Medium has erred in shutting down a site that brought value, community, exceptional if not consistent content, and spunk. It has served a purpose to writers, readers, and those considering, “Where do I start?”

It would behoove Medium to reconsider the decision to remove Illumination. I believe that those responsible for charting the Medium path going forward will want to reach out to the segment that feels marginalized or inexperienced and give writers a comfortable landing pad to start venturing. Dr. Yildiz understands that and Illumination was his first step.