Writing with Others

Illuminating Discussions

Join a writers’ group, they said…

I’m not much of a joiner. In fact, until stay-at-home orders took away the privilege of choice, I’d have said I craved solitude almost as deeply as air and water.

Rarely have I found a writers’ group that felt like a good fit. For me, a good fit means one that energizes its members; sparks the imagination; acts as a springboard from which to test and launch new ideas; provides opportunity for creative collaboration; and leads to enthusiasm for writing. For others, it’s a working critique group; a small social club; or a large professional organization centered around a particular genre, like Science Fiction Writers of America (SFWA) or focused on writers in a geographic area, like Oklahoma Writers Federation, Inc.

There is no one-size-fits-all writer’s group, and no law against belonging to more than one. But if you’re not getting what you need out of it, or enjoying what you put into it, any organization becomes a drain on your time, energy, and resources. Cut your losses and run, or find a new one.

ILLUMINATION

I was recently invited to write for a new Medium publication: ILLUMINATION. Except that “publication” isn’t quite the right word for it — that’s only part of what ILLUMINATION is. ILLUMINATION is a community of content curators, editors, writers, and readers. I might have hesitated under different circumstances, but as I said, isolation isn’t entirely by choice, right now.

If you’re a reader looking for a publication packed full of fresh Stories that are as vibrant and eclectic as its writers, you can’t go wrong reading ILLUMINATION.

Meet the Writers

Ready to Become a Contributor to ILLUMINATION?

Read the FAQ and leave a comment expressing your interest — it’s that simple.

ILLUMINATION is anything but “elitist” — in fact, if you’re looking for a publication that’s challenging to break into, where you can brag about being in the exclusive club of the 0.023% of writers whose over-the-transom submissions were ever accepted — ILLUMINATION probably isn’t that. Submission Guidelines are simple:

Each article should have an appropriate photo.

Articles cannot contain any illegal materials

No harassment towards individuals — internal or external

We don’t change the content however if there are grammatical errors, spelling mistakes, or typos, we correct them and inform the writer via a private message.

Our editors don’t embarrass writers for their errors publicly. We contact writers privately. If you’re interested in submitting your Medium Stories to a publication that thrives on diversity, whose members support and encourage and advise one another, then ILLUMINATION is for you.

Remember, I said it’s not just a publication — it’s a community. It is an open community where the rules are few, but mutual respect and kindness are a core value.

There’s a Slack channel and some lively discussions on everything from feedback on one another’s articles, how-to and why-to advice on all the aspects of Medium (and Slack) for new writers, and ideas for encouraging and promoting others within and outside of the group. As ILLUMINATION’s founder, Dr Mehmet Yildiz writes, “We have a diverse set of writers and editors reflecting insights from various domains and disciplines. They share and engage. Meeting them can give you new perspectives.” Honestly, you’ve probably already met some of us.

Care to join us?