Writer | Biography

Finding My Tribe

Thanks Illumination

A few years ago I joined an online writing community.

Newly retired, I was searching for a different focus. Writing had always been a side gig for me but I wanted more so I joined an online writing group.

My writing practice deepened and I was inspired by all of the stories of the participants. My creativity blossomed.

I met a fantastic group of writers and we ended up putting together an anthology of writing called “Breathing Words”. We self-published and it was a first for many of the authors. The entire experience was a series of learning steps for me and I really enjoyed it. We kept in touch, but many writers moved on to other projects.

I joined Medium and started posting there.

I tried many times to be accepted as a writer for a publication in Medium, but many of them were closed to new writers. The established writers had joined in the early days of the existence of the platform. They had the advantage of gaining readers as Medium’s popularity increased. Now there were a lot of new writers and fewer new readers.

I started to think I’d missed the boat.

I almost gave up.

Then I was invited to join Illumination.

I posted a couple of articles and was surprised at how encouraging and welcoming the response was. They didn’t just clap, they read them.

‘There are readers here’, I thought. ‘These writers aren’t out for just themselves, trying to make a buck. These writers are devoted to making their words count’.

I had found my tribe.

I know I’m lucky to be here. This publication includes many talented people. Some are new to writing and others are published authors with a lot of experience. No matter what your level of experience, everyone is appreciated.

Participation is encouraged. I really appreciate the attitude of reciprocity. Most writers make a point to read a new article from several authors every day.

We celebrate each other’s successes.

Writers at Illumination support each other. We navigate social media together. We follow each other and comment on each other’s posts. The cross-collaboration is fantastic and it excites me when I hear their new ideas. The writing is professional and diverse in topics and perspectives. There are writers from all over the world, with fascinating stories to tell.

At Illumination, I feel my voice is heard.

In a short time, I’ve learned so much. I’ve improved the format of my posts. I learned to engage with my readers by adding a note at the end of my posts and I’m now adding links to other stories I’ve enjoyed writing. My titles have improved and I’m choosing better tags.

Every day, Dr. Mehmet publishes a curation bulletin of fresh new writing from my friends. I look forward to reading what they’ve created.

He also challenges us by suggesting topics or providing writing prompts.

I also look forward to meeting new writers and discovering their talents. There are too many to list here, but I’ll mention a few:

Alison Tennent, Kevin Buddaeus, Holly Jahangiri, R Tsambounieri Talarantas, Ann K Frailey, Ravyne Hawke, Trista Ainsworth, Joe Luca, Anne Harrison, Arthur G Hernandez, Kirsten Abram, Feather🕊tales, Salam Khan, Priyanka Srivastava, Kiera-Fulton Lees, Chris Hedges. I’d like to acknowledge your support.

When I joined Illumination, I had no idea what I was in for. Now that I’m here, I’m staying.

I appreciate all the writers who reached out to welcome me when I first joined Illumination.

I appreciate the enthusiasm of the new writers as they discover us.

I appreciate the editors who perform a huge service with kindness and patience.

I appreciate everyone’s willingness to listen to different points of view.

I appreciate how our editors reach out and communicate with writers and readers.

Most of all I appreciate the encouragement and support.

Tag me @treelangdon or add a message to this post if you’d like to connect. I’m a ‘Top Writer’ in Poetry on Medium. Find me on Twitter and Facebook.

I write to inspire and make connections. If you’re interested in more, sign up here.