Summary

A Medium writer shares their journey of getting curated on the platform, emphasizing the importance of community engagement, perseverance, and the use of proper tags and image alt text.

Abstract

The author of the article reflects on their recent achievement of being curated on Medium, a milestone in their writing journey that began as a way to cope with the pandemic. They discuss the significance of receiving recognition from a publication and the joy of having their work acknowledged by Medium editors. The curated article focuses on the use of Facebook alt text to assist the visually impaired, showcasing the author's commitment to inclusivity and community service. Despite the curation, the author notes that views are not guaranteed and highlights the importance of using relevant tags, engaging with fellow writers, and consistently producing content as key lessons for aspiring Medium writers.

Opinions

The author values the affirmation that comes from having their work recognized by publications and curators, viewing it as a sign that they are on the right track.
Rejection from publications is not taken personally, as the author understands that each publication has a specific brand and editorial criteria.
Engagement with the Medium community, such as quoting and crediting fellow writers, is seen as crucial for fostering a sense of community and support.
The author emphasizes the importance of inclusivity by advocating for the use of alt text in images, not just on Medium but on all social media platforms.
There is an acknowledgment that curation does not automatically lead to a significant increase in views, suggesting that other factors, such as distribution and engagement, play a role in an article's visibility.
The author encourages new Medium writers to continue writing and to use the right tags, focusing on relevance rather than popularity.

Finally, I Got Curated on Medium

Lessons I want to share with all Medium writers

I have been back to writing this year. Like everyone else, writing helps me deal with the pandemic. At first, it is out of boredom. But the more I write, the more I am in touch with my thoughts and feelings. I was also surprised that I got paid by Medium, from an article I published years ago.

A publication took notice and asked me to submit articles. Writers need an affirmation that they are doing something good, and having someone believe in you is one of them. Thank you, Esat Artug.

My articles vary in scope. My writing journey is just beginning. I write mostly by sharing the things I know and the things I read about.

The next goal was to be curated by Medium editors, it was the next step in my journey as a Medium writer. It was something I didn’t pursue, and yet, I would always check on my stats, if there is a message left by the Medium curators and editors.

I wrote an article, Love Is Blind but Let the Blind See Your Facebook Photos. It was an important piece of information to help out a community of people who like most of us, are spending more time at home.

There are 40 million blind people and 285 million visually impaired around the globe who are also on social media. They need to stay connected like us, especially during this time of the pandemic.

The article is about the use of Facebook alt text, and I hope more people use it. It gives visually impaired people the context of a photo they ‘see’ on social media, even on Medium, please use the ‘Medium Article Image Alt Text’.

I first submitted it to a publication, but it wasn’t accepted. I learned to accept that kind of rejection, that it isn’t personal. Publications have editors to check what stories fit with their brand on Medium.

I decided to publish it on my own. As soon as I posted it, I got a notification that Casey Botticello not only clapped, left a response, but more importantly he read it. He engaged.

I did quote him in the article, it was something I remember reading on Medium Blogging Guide. He also highlighted that part of the article.

Soon after, I was surprised to get an email from Medium.

Your story has been recommended in topics on Medium

I was happy. I felt, I did well. I am a Medium writer who got curated. I am grateful.

To be honest, I thought, after being curated that I will receive a lot of views. But, one of the lessons, I learned here is that it is not a guarantee. And while you see your article posted prominently on the topics, Medium thinks, readers will be interested to read. Other factors affect your readership.

As you can see in the photo, so far it has 49 reads, and only 24 views are from Medium. The rest comes from other sources, probably from Facebook and Twitter where I shared the article with my friends.

How many times your story has been viewed in the selected time period from Medium distribution, including our homepage, app, emails, and social media accounts. — Internal views, Medium.

My takeaway from this experience that I want to share with all Medium writers especially the new ones like me. It can happen, that your article will be curated by the Medium editors. That while there is no guarantee that it will receive more views, it will make you want to do better.

Continue to use the right tags on your article, use only the relevant ones, and not because they are popular tags.

To be curated doesn’t mean you have to write in the biggest publications on Medium.

Give credit to your fellow Medium writers, if you quoted them on your articles. It makes Medium feel more like a community.

Continue writing, the views will soon come.