I Think I Know Why My Stories Stopped Getting Distributed!
Could using Canva cause your stories to get passed by?
May 1, 2022 is not only my birthday, but it will mark the one year anniversary of Justiss Goode, as a writer and publisher on Medium.
Oddly enough, all those months ago, all my stories were getting “chosen for further distribution” and whatever I was doing right, I haven’t stopped doing, because I’m still the same writer.
Quite frankly, if I’ve changed as a writer at all, I know it’s for the better. So why did I suddenly stop getting my stories picked up for distribution?
And NO, it’s not because of publications, because I’ve primarily been self publishing my stories ever since I came on board. My stories were typically curated, without the aid of a publication.
So what exactly changed? I have no idea. In fact, the only truly notable thing that I can say I began doing differently, is how at one point, I started using Canva for all my images.
Unlike in the beginning, when I used Unsplash images almost exclusively, I began changing things up. I know that I had several stories “chosen” when I used photos I took myself.
But if I had to attribute any blame at all, I’d say my stories may have stopped getting distributed because of Canva.
Maybe the Medium gods are passing me over because they’re worried about putting images on the front page, simply credited to Canva.
A basic rule of online writing
When it comes to being a writer on Medium and anywhere else online, right away you learn the do’s and don’ts of giving attribution for the images you use.
I learned this early on in my online writing career, well over 3 or 4 decades ago! Yep, it’s been so so many years, I conveniently forget just how long.
I must admit, over the years, I sometimes played kind of fast and loose when using images, depending on where I’m publishing, and what I’m allowed to get away with.
That’s not what I’ve been doing with Canva, at least not knowingly. I pay a fee and they allow me to use whatever images I choose. But if I’m not providing a name, except Canva’s website, is that really acceptable?
For the most part, I’ve learned to appreciate the need and the responsibility to attribute credit for images, or should I say, to properly attribute credit.
It’s really all about the artist, or it should be, regardless of the hosting sites’ rules. But for some reason, sometimes we writers fail to think about that.
Why it it such a big deal? Let’s talk about it, then you tell me…
Why all the fuss over images and how to use them?
Why does everyone make such a big deal about images, particularly whether or not to attribute credit, and how to do so properly?
As far as I’m concerned, there are 2 main reasons, though the most common reason seems to be that the writing and publishing platforms are worried about the legalities.
They don’t want to end up being financially liable, so as always, reason number one comes down to money.
REASON #1 goes like this…
- There are thousands and thousands of images online, and hard to know what’s really what, and whose stuff is really whose. Right?
Yes, and no. Yes, there are lots of images, and speaking from a writer’s point of view, it’s hard trying to be sure you’re doing things legally correct.
At best, you end up doing what’s accepted as standard practice for wherever you happen to be posting the images. Even then, you can only assume and hope you’re getting it right.
Of course, you can still never be sure, as evident in the many recent stories about images, and how problems are starting to crop up on sites that we normally swear by.
The challenge to writers is making sure they use images that are acceptable and legally allowable, and not take it for granted.
Otherwise, the platforms they look to get paid from could end up in a buttload of trouble!
REASON #2 seems to be secondary, if taken into account at all…
Whoever is creatively responsible for the image will continue to get cheated, every time the image is used inappropriately or without permission.
Personally, I think it’s shameful, because this reason should actually be considered first, before people get all up in arms about the possibility of being liable for misusing images.
As I stated in the opening, I’M JUST AS GUILTY of not always giving this particular reason the respect it deserves.
I plan to change that going forward. Instead of thinking about the rules of the website, when I use and attribute images, I want to think about the creative person who’s responsible for the work. I want this question to come to mind:
“How would I feel if I wrote a story and discovered someone posting it online — with no mention of me, my name, or link to give me credit, or no permission in any way, fashion, shape or form?”
This is the kind of thinking that helps me relate to the potential damage I do, every time I use an image in a haphazard or lazy way.
For example, let me tell you how I use Canva, a popular site to get images.
How I use my paid Canva account
Up until now, just like I indicate in the title, I’ve been using Canva.com for most of my images, except when I use some of my own photos. Some writers will immediately pipe in about how Canva is not just a photo host like Unsplash, as if that makes Canva not allowable.
But that’s not correct. While Canva is a great place to create graphic designs yourself, you still have existing photos and images at your disposal. Apparently, Canva actually has arrangements with some of the very same artists that can be found on some of the free image sites, like Unsplash.
The Canva Pro account will allow you to go a step further, and do more than simply find a useful image or photo for your story. You can put .gif or animated files together, to create your own images.
And of course, you can also insert photos and images from their catalogue — a catalogue made up of pictures from thousands of online photographers and artists.
When I started writing on Medium, I read several stories about Canva being acceptable by Medium, and saw that other writers used it and seemingly had no problems.
I went to Canva and fell in love, even opting to pay their monthly fee for the Pro account.
Regardless, I’m not the only writer on Medium who seems to use this practice. It may be the reason for not getting curated, distributed, and/or both (since there’s supposed to be a difference in the two).
I haven’t paid close enough attention in the past. But I think I’ll try and notice if any of those writers who credit their Canva images the same way I do, ever end up on Medium’s front page.
This may or may not be related, but if it is, I want to know, because I could see how it might be a problem in Medium’s eyes.
I like Canva, and when I create or use an image, I always create a link back to where I created the image — for Medium’s purpose.
But since Canva doesn’t readily identify the author (like Unsplash does), the only credit available to give is to Canva. What makes that really screwed up for artists who submit photos to Canva, is the fact that many Canva images come from Unsplash, and no doubt, various other free sites.
When I eventually noticed that, I began to get curious about the images on Canva, or at least the actual photographs. I tried locating the name of an Unsplash artist that popped up on Canva, and it couldn’t find it.
It’s almost like Canva doesn’t want to give credit to the photographer. I’m not trying to bad mouth them or start a rumor, because I love using Canva. I just don’t understand what the arrangement is with them and the artists.
In the past, I satisfied my curiosity — if not my conscious — about this, by assuming the artist has an agreement with Canva, whereby they don’t expect to be credited.
Now, I’m starting to wake up to the fact that whether this is true or not, either way it still sucks! It makes me want to change the way I deal with images.
It’s all about viewing the people responsible for images as fellow creatives. Once I’m consistent on remembering this point, I know that two things will happen when I publish stories:
- I’ll start giving special attention to the images I use, and make a point to visibly credit and promote the right person, and not just the website.
- I’ll begin getting more creative, by taking and creating images that I can proudly take credit for myself.
What is Medium’s policy about using images?
According to Medium writer Casey Botticello and his Blogging Guide:
“One of the most important partnerships Unsplash has made is its early integration with Medium. Medium writers can use any of Unsplash’s 1,000,000+ royalty free images in their articles!”
He’s quite the Medium expert on things. Casey and lots of other writers have written great stories on the use of images.
How reliable are free sites that we rely on for images?
Everyone knows that we Mediumites are encouraged to use “sites like” (and when I say sites like, I mean mostly) “Unsplash” and a few others, like Pexels, and Pixabay.
But then, a story like this one comes along:
It was written by: Susie Kearley and I have to tell you, it makes me want to do nothing but start using my own images from now on.
Even though Medium has given us the go ahead on Unsplash photos, we still need to be careful, as Susie’s story brings out. And these are photos that have at least been credited to someone.
How much more so is the concern over tons of photos, all simply credited to Canva.com, with no attempt at identifying the creative behind it.
I doubt that Medium has the time, the resources, or the desire, to check the thousands of unidentified Canva photos, and make sure they’re acceptable to use.
I’m sure it’s easier and safer, for Medium to simply pass on a story with a questionable image — like so many of the stories I’ve shared.
I’m not bad, because I totally get it. It must be hard enough, dealing with wrongly credited photos and images, as in credit going to the wrong name.
If you read Susie’s story about Unsplash, you’ll be floored like I was, and yes, she took her own advice and used a cover photo that belongs to her.
FYI: I took her advice also. In case you didn’t notice, the image in the story you’re currently reading is mine.
I don’t really have a wealth of photos I can use, other than all my photos of skies, trees, plants and shrubbery.
Then again, if all the other numerous photos I have don’t happen to fit my stories, maybe I’ll start writing some stories to fit my photos, like I did with this one:
My Rams house shoes came in handy for this recent story about the Super Bowl. I already had the shoes, so all I had to do was take a snapshot.
After reading Susie’s story, I’m so shaken, I think whatever photos I already have or take in the future, will have to suffice!
Final Thoughts
As we have seen from the statements in this story, even when we try our best to follow the rules and regulations about using images and providing credit, problems can arise.
This story is not to point fingers at anyone or tell anyone what to do. This story is to hopefully, help some readers look at this issue from a different perspective.
Truthfully, the real issue should not be whether or not unidentified Canva images are preventing us from being selected for further distribution.
The real issue should be, to what extent are we willing to recognize that photographers and graphic artists are creatives just like we writers are?
Just like us, they deserve to be seen and recognized for their efforts, especially when it’s tied directly to how much, or whether or not they get monetary compensation.
We may not know what the Agreement between the hosts and artists consists of, but we can recognize if they’re actually receiving attribution for their work.
When we as writers, don’t abide by the agreements of the sites that host these images, we do our fellow creatives a disservice.
But oddly enough, even when we do follow those rules, there’s a good chance to do a disservice, especially when we know we don’t publicly credit the photos with a name.
Let’s each one do whatever we realistically can, and change any negative habits on this issue, going forward.
I said “realistically” because no, I honestly don’t plan on going back to change or modify any previous stories — at least not specifically to change the image.
With over 650 stories currently; trying to go back and undo any possible damage would be self defeating for me.
But I will start making sure I use only images that are credited to a person, in addition to the hosting site. I’ll also use my own images more and more.
And on the occasions that I do have a need or desire to alter a previous story for some reason, I’ll definitely keep this issue about possibly changing the image in mind.
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