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Abstract

ind some publications you like. Check out my favorites: <a href="https://baos.pub/">Books Are Our Superpower</a> and <a href="https://medium.com/flint-and-steel">Flint & Steel</a>.</li><li>Use all five tags.</li><li>After you have written your first draft, spend time editing and formatting. This makes the text look so much better. Remember, layout matters.</li><li>When you think you are done — read your story out loud one more time. I use this last edit to make sure the text has a good flow and readability.</li><li>Don’t let <a href="https://writingcooperative.com/struggling-with-disturbing-beginners-doubt-af660d50e12e">beginner’s doubt</a> hinder you. Press the green <i>publish</i> button and think of it as a valuable experience.</li></ul><blockquote id="a5ce"><p>“Believe in yourself! Have faith in your abilities! Without a humble but reasonable confidence in your own powers you cannot be successful or happy.” — Norman Vincent Peale</p></blockquote><h1 id="0a0c">Useful resources</h1><ul><li>Make sure your story doesn’t have grammatical mistakes. I always check my text with <a href="https://app.grammarly.com/">Grammarly</a>.</li><li>Use <a href="https://titlecaseconverter.com/">Title Case Converter</a> to format your story title.</li><li>Learn how to use Mediums <a href="https://help.medium.com/hc/en-us/articles/215194537-Using-the-story-editor

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">story editor</a>.</li><li>Most publications have guidelines on how they want stories to be formatted. Follow them thoroughly.</li><li>I like <a href="https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/medium-enhanced-stats/jnomnfoenpdinfkpaaigokicgcfkomjo?hl=en">Medium Enhanced Stats</a> by Tomas Trajan. You get to see “Your total reach & summary of your articles and responses stats with a single click and many improvements of the Medium stats page!”</li><li><a href="https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/medium-enhanced-stats/jnomnfoenpdinfkpaaigokicgcfkomjo?hl=en">Medium Distribution Info</a> by <a href="https://readmedium.com/526cfefb2487">Martin van Soest</a> is great. “This extension shows which of your stories are Chosen for further Distribution (formerly known as Curated) right at your fingertips. Additionally, it tells you what topics the stories of other Medium-others are distributed in.”</li></ul><p id="97a1">If you have questions, feel free to ask them in the comments field.</p><p id="06dd">I hope you become a Top writer one day, too. <b>Happy writing!</b></p><p id="b906"><i>Sign up for the Medium membership to receive unlimited access to all my and other writer’s stories. If you use <a href="https://elinmelaas.medium.com/membership">this link</a>, I’ll receive a tiny commission at no extra cost for you. Thank you!</i></p></article></body>

A Big Milestone Reached — I’m a Top Writer!

Takeaways for aspiring writers and my most useful resources

Time for celebration — I’m a Top writer. Photo courtesy of Elin Melås.

What a great day! I’m grateful and humbled to have become a Top writer in Photography. I take it as a sign that all the hours I’m thinking about writing, spending on writing, coming up with ideas, and so on are not in vain. People actually read my stories. It’s awesome!

Top writer in Photography. Screenshot by the author.

My takeaways for aspiring writers

Be curious and always keep your mind open for new knowledge.
Read.
Practice your writing as often as possible.
Enjoy the journey.
Keep a notebook nearby at all times. You’ll never know when inspiration strikes.
Write frequently. I’ve committed myself to write 15 stories each month.
Connect with other readers and writers.
Find some publications you like. Check out my favorites: Books Are Our Superpower and Flint & Steel.
Use all five tags.
After you have written your first draft, spend time editing and formatting. This makes the text look so much better. Remember, layout matters.
When you think you are done — read your story out loud one more time. I use this last edit to make sure the text has a good flow and readability.
Don’t let beginner’s doubt hinder you. Press the green publish button and think of it as a valuable experience.

“Believe in yourself! Have faith in your abilities! Without a humble but reasonable confidence in your own powers you cannot be successful or happy.” — Norman Vincent Peale

Useful resources

Make sure your story doesn’t have grammatical mistakes. I always check my text with Grammarly.
Use Title Case Converter to format your story title.
Learn how to use Mediums story editor.
Most publications have guidelines on how they want stories to be formatted. Follow them thoroughly.
I like Medium Enhanced Stats by Tomas Trajan. You get to see “Your total reach & summary of your articles and responses stats with a single click and many improvements of the Medium stats page!”
Medium Distribution Info by Martin van Soest is great. “This extension shows which of your stories are Chosen for further Distribution (formerly known as Curated) right at your fingertips. Additionally, it tells you what topics the stories of other Medium-others are distributed in.”

If you have questions, feel free to ask them in the comments field.

I hope you become a Top writer one day, too. Happy writing!

Sign up for the Medium membership to receive unlimited access to all my and other writer’s stories. If you use this link, I’ll receive a tiny commission at no extra cost for you. Thank you!