Black Bear Is Now Part of the Boost Nomination Program
Looking for high-quality personal stories about mental health, addiction, and sobriety
As of today, February 1st, Black Bear is now part of the Boost Nomination Program. I am sure most of you have heard about the program that was initiated in early 2023 but if not, you can read the announcement from Medium.
We are thrilled as editors here because light will be shed on the important topics that we cover.
- Addiction (to anything — it could be drugs, alcohol, shopping, gambling, food, or exercise, just to name a few)
- Sobriety
- Alcoholism (a deeper dive into addiction to alcohol) and this could include how you are dealing with a friend or family member who is struggling
- Mental Health
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Mental Health Disorders (for example: bipolar disorder, OCD, borderline personality disorder, and schizophrenia to name a few)
- Trauma
Many components go into selecting a story for a boost.
- Is the reader’s life enriched by reading the story?
- Is it original, human-created content?
- Does the author speak from relevant knowledge and experience?
- Is the story well-crafted?
- Is the story authentic?
You can find a deeper understanding of the Boost Nomination Pilot Program here:
Ariel Meadow Stallings also spells it out very clearly as to what the curation team at Medium is looking for.
We are looking for HUMAN stories with real-life experiences related to the topics listed above. We accept informational articles but I will be thoroughly checking for AI-generated content, even though it is pretty easy to spot now as an editor.
If you are submitting informational stories, it is always best to tie them into your own experiences.
I want to feel something when I read a story. I want to get tears in my eyes, feel your pain and then your triumphs, understand more about your addiction or your mental health journey, get goosebumps when reading about how you or a family member finally got sober, and most of all, I want to keep thinking about your story after I’ve read it.
That is what makes a good story to me. One that leaves a lasting impression.
How to submit
First, follow the publication.
If you are not yet a writer for Black Bear, please use this link to submit a request to be added.
Please note that we are being more selective and will be looking at your profile stories before accepting. If we find that your profile doesn’t coincide with what we are looking for, you will not be added. If your profile contains articles that look like they are AI-generated, you will not be accepted.
Use a catchy title and subtitle but not clickbait. Your story should have both a title, subtitle, and feature image underneath the subtitle.
Use a good, relative image — one that is not overused. Lately, I have been trying to use more of my own images. If you don’t have one, I think it’s best to use Unsplash or Pexels.
Don’t send in stories that are not properly checked for grammar and are full of bad formatting issues. Know when to use a block and pull quote and don’t use them extensively for styling.
Send your story in DRAFT format.
Please use relevant topics when you submit your story. Addiction, Sobriety, Recovery, Mental Health, Alcoholism, Depression, and Anxiety are good choices. Choosing the right topic matters.
Refrain from using too many links, photos, or CTAs. Medium frowns upon more than 1–2 links or self-promotion.
To reiterate our guidelines
- Please don’t submit pieces that are out for review with another publication.
- We No Longer published previously self-published work. Unpublished drafts only.
- Bullying, hate speech, or anything of the sort will be immediately dismissed from our community per Medium rules.
- We want writers who are Medium subscribers.
- Please do not submit more than one piece a day.
- The average length of our pieces is 3–7 minutes. Stories over 7 minutes will be considered by our editorial team on a case-by-case basis.
- We can’t guarantee we will publish every story you submit. This could be for a variety of reasons that have nothing to do with your writing or how well the piece is written.
- Please adhere to Medium standards.
- Credit all photos, even your own.
Not every story gets nominated or picked for a boost, so don’t fret, just keep writing and submitting. We will not be divulging if a story is nominated but you will receive an email if your story was boosted.
Just one more resource for you writers looking to increase your knowledge about the program…
We look forward to this new and exciting time for Black Bear and all of its fabulous writers. We will smash the stigma one story at a time.
Your stories matter and I can’t wait to read new submissions!
xoxo, Michele
