I Took the Plunge and Became a Friend of Medium (FoM) Yesterday.

Here is why in a humorous tone.

FoM will be great for writers and readers, making Medium more vibrant and sustainable.

My Brief Background to Meet Medium

I stumbled into Medium’s universe in January 2022, all thanks to Dr Mehmet Yildiz, who, believe it or not, got the memo about my media, design, filmmaking, and gaming quirks through his connection — one of my old college supervisors in sunny Australia.

Before then, Medium was as foreign to me as decoding an alien language, and the notion that my scribbles here could stir up such a following, even make buddies out of strangers, was beyond my wildest imaginations.

The nerve-wracking drama of tapping out my debut story on January 9, 2022? Oh, it was a thriller! Picture butterflies putting on a Broadway show in my stomach — I even made a video about it. But lo and behold, the Medium fam welcomed me with open arms, showering me with kindness that turned my nerves into pure joy.

Under the wing of Dr. Yildiz, I’ve set up two publications diving into my passions — one exploring the gaming realm, the other delving into videos and podcasts. His guidance also steered me into the editor’s chair for ILLUMINATION publications.

But here’s the plot twist: my most crucial role, akin to his, isn’t merely as a creator but as an ardent reader and curator here on the platform. I’m a fervent reader, devouring stories for both pleasure and self-enrichment.

Oh, and the cherry on top?

I recently snagged the role of a boost nominator. It’s a bit like finding a needle in a haystack — sifting through a hundred stories to uncover that one gem deserving of a boost.

Surprisingly, not all pearls make the cut for boosting, but hey, it’s a learning curve. My success rate? Pretty impressive, if I do say so myself — grateful for the journey!

Why I Finally Became a Medium Friend?

Yesterday, I stumbled upon a game-changer from Dr. Yildiz! His tale reeled me in, and before I knew it, I’d swiftly ascended to the Medium Friend subscription tier, throwing in $150 post-story with zero hesitation.

While I’ve long been engrossed as a reader, editor, and curator here, his narrative was a revelation, transforming my perception of the platform’s worth. That infectious spark of inspiration? Dr. Yildiz has it in spades!

As he articulated the reasons so well, I don’t want to repeat what he wrote,so you may check his story and share it with your friends.

Let’s raise a toast to Medium amplifying this story’s reach, beckoning skeptical readers like me to dive headfirst into this exceptional program. Here’s to exciting adventures in championing exceptional content!

Here is how I promote Medium Friendship on my new Quora space.

10 Takeaways from the Exceptional Story of Dr Yildiz

1 — Being a Friend of Medium means our contributions directly uplift cherished writers, giving a power boost to their storytelling skills. It’s like handing them a writerly energy drink!

2 — Readers with this upgrade get a secret handshake: the Friend Link feature. We’re talking about a golden ticket to share our favorite reads easily — community bonding, sorted!

3 — The magic number here? Four! Friends of Medium, in their $15-a-month capes, magnify writer support, making a splash bigger than the standard $5 monthly heroes.

4 — This isn’t just about feel-good vibes — it’s a cash splash for writers. These superheroes-in-disguise might just get their batmobiles upgraded with this support!

5 — Reading those members-only stories as a Friend? That’s like sprinkling gold coins in a writer’s treasure chest — four times shinier than regular members’ coins.

6 — Writers’ earnings on Medium? It’s a mix-tape of read time, claps, follows, and more. But here’s the remix: Friends of Medium score quadruple points on these hits, making writers’ pockets jingle.

7 — Sharing links as a writer can now pay off more than sharing cat memes. It’s like turning a writer’s reading time into a money-making treasure hunt!

8 — Non-members typically don’t fill writers’ pockets with their reading time. But now, a Friend’s link can turn a reader’s visit into a writer’s payday. Win-win, right?

9 — Medium’s new plot twist? Friend Links bypass the paywall and put coins in the writers’ piggy banks, even for non-member readers. It’s like making it rain words!

10 — This isn’t just a short-term writer love fest — it’s a long-term writer bonanza! The more, the merrier in this income pool, meaning writers have a steady fan club in the making. Let the good times roll!

❤️ Let’s Meet and Congratulate My Medium Friends ❤️

Lorwen Harris Nagle, PhD, Mike Broadly, DHSc, Elizabeth Emerald, Dr Mehmet Yildiz (Tech), Antonio Segovia, MD., Dr. Gabriella Korosi, Bill Abbate, Rebecca Romanelli, David B. Grinberg 🇺🇸, Ammara Hassan, Annelise Lords, Ani Vals, James Boylan, Dr John Frederick Rose, Dr. Christine Chuckle, Dr. Julian Barkan, Wayne Stelk, PhD, Seda Anbarcı, Sven Vandenberghe, tarun bhatt, Pernoste & Dahl, Elaine Hilides, Angie Mangino, Haimish Mead, Rui Alves, Amir Bibi, Marcus Musick, The Bumble Life, Ali Alzahrani, Editor, Zeem, Barbara J. Martin, Marcus aka Gregory Maidman, Luay Rahil, Sherry Atkinson, Jay Squires, Tom Kane, Fiona McDerment, Rick Allen, Akaahan Terungwa, Mariana Busarova, Daniela Dragas, john creed, Meghan E. Gattignolo, Britt H., Shanté Nixon, Darlene López, Arosa Jabein, Ivylockewrites, Jodes Wiltshire, Kashi Writes, Robin Christine Honigsberg, Ripton Green, Jill Ebstein, Libby Shively McAvoy, Alina Pitt, Senetta Diane, Omni Essence, Power of Positivity, Deborah Camp, Misty Rae, Wesley van Peer, Hira Chaudhry, Justiss Goode — 2.0, Anshul Kummar, Ruby Noir 😈, Memoona Bilal, Charles Davie, Cancer Husband, Usman Khalid Qureshi, ✅ Doc Samurai Sam, Pete J J, Michael Zwierzanski, Patricia Ross, Frank Ontario | empathy, logic, love., Lanu Pitan🥰, Prasanna Srinath Subhasinghe, Jake Roper, Gill McCulloch. FranMorelandJohns. Lovely Poems, Sanjay Singhal, Dawn Ulmer, Shirley Willett, Mhstuart, Lysandros Lysandrou, Pierre. Climate change & solutions., Michael Burg, MD (Satire Sommelier), JD Adams ~ Stories From the Mountain, Oksana Kukurudza’s Sunflowers Rarely Break, Jamel Hendley/Greenviool/PawProfits, Parenteeny — teenagers can do more, and my good poetic friend Joanie Adams — Sightseer; Conjurer Of Words. I look forward to reading and curating their wonderful stories, so stay tuned.

Gratitude to ILLUMINATION editors and ILLUMINATION-Curators for supporting 25,000+ writers and many readers on this platform.

An Update on My Editing and Curation Roles

As ILLUMINATION editors and ILLUMINATION-Curators have been very busy, I decided to compile curated collections with a list.

I’ve bundled up all my lists into one tidy little story. It is a treasure trove of fantastic reads waiting for you. Please consider sharing the love on your socials and dive into these gems! You won’t regret it.

We are pleased that our special publication, ILLUMINATION-Curated, got recognized as a boost nominating pub. I am one of the editors and curators for that pub. Here is How ILLUMINATION Publications Support the BOOST Program. However, we have another piece of good news.

I am also grateful that my little publication, ILLUMINATION Gaming, was chosen as a boost-nominating publication. I wrote about my goals and how I can help our writers in a story titled ILLUMINATION Gaming Is Part of the Boost Program Now. So I look forward to helping you.

ILLUMINATION-Curators compiled boosted stories in December, so you might find some fascinating stories from this collection. I also chose to publish this collection on ILLUMINATION-Curated as our readers enjoy curated collections, especially ones nominated by the community.

I love reading, curating, and amplifying stories using collections and lists on my personal time as a volunteer editor. Here are the links to my recent collections, where you may find some gens.

Thank you for checking out these collections and sharing the lists.

For those who missed my Vocal saga, here is the link. I hope new writers don’t make the same mistake I made for 18 months.

Those who missed the drama of my being cloned can read it from this link.

Now let’s give a warm welcome to these new writers. I believe they will be part of these collections soon. I already explored some of their stories published in other publications.

New writers, when you need help please don’t hesitate to contact me on Slack workspace or Discord server. I introduce these services below.

I also enjoy introducing writers on YouTube. So, if you are interested,you may contact me on Slack or Discord.

Here is some info about Slack and Discords

About Me

I write articles in my field covering gaming, film-making, social media, and design. I am also a YouTuber. Thank you for subscribing to my account to get notifications when I post on Medium. I created a new website to share my content for free and promote stories of writers contributing to my publications on Medium. I also have a Substack newsletter. Let’s connect on Twitter and LinkedIn.

I own two publications on Medium. One for video gamers and another for YouTubers and Podcasters. I also support Illumination Integrated Publications as a volunteer editor and participate in collaborative activities in the Slack Workspace.

Writer applications for my publications can be sent via this weblink. Please add your Medium ID. I also enjoy email marketing using Cliqly, which is my affiliate link.