Shutting down Be Unique

Summary

Abhay, the creator of the Be Unique publication on Medium, is announcing the closure of the publication due to personal time constraints and loss of motivation, with the final day of operation set for February 1st.

Abstract

Abhay, the founder of the Medium publication "Be Unique," has declared the discontinuation of the platform, citing a lack of time and motivation due to college studies and everyday tasks. Despite the value he sees in publications for maintaining quality stories and providing support to writers, external factors such as Medium's shift in focus and potential funding issues have influenced his decision. He encourages writers to pursue independent platforms like newsletters or personal websites, emphasizing the temporary nature of third-party services. The publication will cease accepting new submissions after February 1st, though it will remain online as an archive of past stories. Abhay reflects on the journey and expresses gratitude towards the underrated writers who contributed to "Be Unique," while also acknowledging the difficulty of closing a project he was once passionate about.

Opinions

Publications on Medium are seen as crucial for upholding story quality and offering guidance and feedback to writers.
Medium's shifting focus towards a more relational platform may have contributed to the decision to shut down "Be Unique."
The financial aspect of running publications on Medium could be challenging, as indicated by the mention of funding being pulled from other publications.
There is a recommendation for writers to secure their work by creating their own newsletters or websites, ensuring independence from third-party platforms.
Abhay expresses a personal struggle with maintaining the publication alongside his college studies and other commitments.
Despite the closure, there is an optimistic view of the future, with hopes for the best in Medium's evolving ecosystem.
Abhay acknowledges the talent of "Be Unique" contributors, calling them some of the most underrated writers on the Internet.

Shutting down Be Unique

Hello everyone, it’s Abhay here :)

Today, I have an important announcement to make & also, the last one too. As indicated by the title itself, I’m going to close this pub for all.

I know such statements are not new to you. There have already been many publications (much bigger than ours) getting shut down due to the pulling of funding and the platform shifting its focus ‘towards a more relational Medium.’

Nevertheless, I personally have considered publications a way for maintaining quality stories for the platform since they provide guidance and feedback (not all pubs do that, I know, but many did and still do!) to writers with a supportive community for free that Medium can’t do for its writers itself. I don’t know what made them do so…

Maybe it’s been costlier for Medium to continue funding the pubs or maybe this is just the right move? I don’t know 🤷‍♂️ I’m just guessing. But let’s hope for the best!

Also, I highly insist you to start a newsletter/website of your own if you haven’t already. Your work should not be dependent on a third-party app or service. Remember, everything is temporary and anything could happen. Always have a backup plan for yourself.

Now, coming to the reason why I’m discontinuing this pub…

I’ve started this as a hobby thing for myself — to build a personal collection of philosophical & unique stories from all over the world, curated by me and freely available to all.

I don’t like doing this. Closing something that I was so passionate about before and leaving it now like this, but there’s no other choice. My everyday tasks and college studies have made this impossible for me to continue which is why you haven’t seen me publishing any stories of my own. I’ve lost the motivation to write, and whenever I got some free time, I chose to rest and do some other stuff.

When you can’t give yourself the time you need, it is better to close off.

As much as I loved reading the submissions then, now I find them exhausting. And so, I’ve decided to completely shut it down.

Concluding now…

We will be closing the pub entirely on February 1st. Don’t worry, I’ll be reading through the submissions till then. Feel free to contact me.

Also, the publication is not going to be deleted. It’s just that you won’t be able to submit your new work anymore and this page is going to be another ghost town of stories on Medium.

This journey has taught me so much and I must say that Be Unique surely has some of the most underrated writers on the Internet. You guys are amazing and I cannot thank you enough ❤️

We’ve come so far but now it’s time to say Goodbye.

I wish you good luck with your writing journey 🤞

Thanks! Will miss you all!