Summary

P.G. Barnett and Sherry McGuinn have launched "The Top Shelf," a Medium publication dedicated to showcasing high-quality writing from established and skilled writers on the platform.

Abstract

The Top Shelf is a new Medium publication spearheaded by P.G. Barnett and Sherry McGuinn, aiming to distinguish itself by featuring only top-tier content. This initiative is a response to the concern that excellent writers are often overshadowed by a large volume of lower-quality work in other publications. The publication emphasizes the importance of quality over quantity, inviting writers who can produce engaging and thought-provoking pieces, whether in the form of essays, poems, op-eds, or satire. The Top Shelf is positioned as a prestigious platform for experienced writers who have honed their craft and are recognized for their writing prowess, not necessarily for their earnings or popularity. The founders stress that submissions must meet high editorial standards, and while the publication is open to newcomers, it is not intended as a training ground. The editorial team is committed to maintaining a space where readers can consistently find exceptional writing without the distractions of clickbait or get-rich-quick schemes that plague other platforms.

Opinions

The founders believe that many quality writers on Medium are undervalued due to being grouped with less skilled writers in other publications.
They assert that The Top Shelf will be selective, featuring only the best writing, and will not publish subpar content.
The publication is not for beginners to practice their writing; it is a showcase for those who have already achieved a high level of skill.
The Top Shelf values the impact of writing, seeking pieces that can change perspectives and provoke deep thought among readers.
Rejections are not personal but are based on maintaining a high standard of quality; writers are encouraged to refine their work and submit again.
The editorial team prioritizes the flow, grammar, and overall quality of the writing, and will not accept pieces that are grammatically clumsy or filled with typos.
The founders are excited about the new publication and are actively seeking talented writers who align with their vision of excellence in writing.

NEW PUBLICATION

Open Invitation To Truly Top Shelf Writers

Remember to bring your “A” game

P.G. Barnett here folks and I’d like to say a little bit about our new publication! Along with a writing sister of mine Sherry McGuinn we’ve banded together to create The Top Shelf publication.

The Top Shelf

A publication featuring quality content from the best writers on Medium. Whether it be an essay, poem, op-ed piece…

medium.com

Now, in all transparency, Sherry did all the heavy lifting, I simply remained my crotchety, irascible self, grousing about the artwork and trading emails back and forth.

And she still made me an editor. Damn.

So here’s the deal. Some may call this an elitist attitude, but this next line’s what separates The Top Shelf from many of the other publications. Our belief is that there are a ton of quality writers here who are getting sick and tired of their work being lumped in with a shit ton of poorly thought out, poorly written work.

The fact is, these great writers happen to be posting in the same publications, and are often getting overlooked. Even worse, they’re getting branded with a stigma of poor quality simply by virtue of their association with the publication.

I know, never happens, right?

Well, you all know it happens all that time and for that single reason alone, we’re going to be very upfront with all writers who submit to The Top Shelf.

Succinctly put, The Top Shelf is:

“A publication featuring quality content from the best writers on Medium. Whether it be an essay, poem, op-ed piece, satire, or another genre, if it’s not great, you won’t find it here.”

So who are the best writers on Medium? Guess what? You already know. If you’ve been here awhile you’ve probably earned your battle scars and a lot of the damned ribbons and medals. Maybe you’ve never made any serious coin and maybe you’ve made a lot.

That’s not what matters to The Top Shelf.

The only thing we’re interested in is the quality of your writing. Can you make a poem sing until we’re sobbing into our coffee mugs? Then The Top Shelf is where you need to be. Can you write satire so tight and hilariously funny you’re able to crush somebody's toes without messing up their shoeshine?

Right here in The Top Shelf is where we’re looking to find you.

If you have the ability to press home a point with such classy vigor it completely alters people’s viewpoints and makes them think hard about a subject, then The Top Shelf is where you want to be.

The Top Shelf is a home for good writers who’ve become great writers.

A place where the waters aren’t muddied by a motley crew of wannabes who espouse how much they earned last month or snake oil salespeople who tell us all how to get rich quick, or how to get our work curated in five easy steps.

Everything you fantastic writers simply hate to see pouring out of some of the publications on this platform you will never see on The Top Shelf.

As my partner, Sherry said, “If it’s not great, you won’t see it here.”

So come on all you fantastic writers who Sherry and I, and others love to read each day. Come on in. Kick your six-inch high heels (or in my case boots), your flip-flops, or your tennis shoes off and make yourselves at home. This will be your publication as much as it is ours and we expect it to hit the ground running.

Of course, we’ll need the help of all of you great like-minded writers who want to publish your work in a place where the quality of what you do is appreciated more than the quantity.

Hell, post here daily if you wish, or monthly or one time a year, we don’t care. We probably don’t have to say this, but we’re going to anyway. Remember to bring your “A” game each and every time you submit to The Top Shelf. We want your work to make it to the show, but it won’t if you don’t give us the best you’ve got.

Thanks, P.G. Okay, writers, Sherry McGuinn here.

My partner did a stellar job of letting you know what The Top Shelf is seeking: Quality content and nothing but. I can’t stress that enough so please forgive the redundancy. But many publications on Medium have become dumping grounds for sub-par writers and “stories” that neither engage nor entertain. What they do achieve is to humiliate the writer, the editor, and the very publication that showcased bad work.

We just can’t have that here, folks. TTS will not be a learning ground for newbies. This is not the place to practice your craft so if you’re unsure of your ability, work hard, and when you feel confident that you’ve put out the best work possible, get in touch.

That’s not to say we’re not welcoming Noobs. We are! Noobs who know their stuff.

As P.G. mentioned, great writers who are sharing their work in less-than-great publications are picking up the stench of all the crap that’s being overlooked by editors who should know better and instead, are routinely putting poop out into the world for hapless readers to step in.

That will not happen here. Rest assured.

Does this sound like a plan? Something you’d be interested in being a part of? We hope so and one thing I want to add is this: Do not take a rejection personally. Re-write your draft or write something entirely different and try again.

And we know that mistakes happen. The occasional typo is not a crime. Hell, we all make them, but if a story is grammatically clumsy or doesn’t flow or is rife with typos, we won’t take it. If we did, we’d be doing you a disservice.

That’s it, for now. If you’re as psyched as we are about The Top Shelf, climb on up. We’re keeping the editorial staff lean and mean for now, but are actively seeking writers. If that’s you, please hit us up in an email and we’ll go from there.

Thanks for reading. We can’t wait to get started!