Recent Topics of Interest

• Censorship and Mental Health: Following discussions on cancer and suicide, the focus has now shifted to the censorship of dementia-related topics.
• Engagement Metrics: Are writers compensated multiple times for the engagement generated by their Medium friends?
• A Heartfelt Thanks: I appreciate Dr. Yildiz for highlighting these important stories; it’s an honor to have my work chosen by him.

Aiden also featured a touching story about Brother Bhunru, which adds to our diverse range of narratives.

New Publication Launch: Substack on ILLUMINATION

We are thrilled to announce a new publication under the ILLUMINATION umbrella, aimed at supporting Substack writers, with me as part of the editorial team.

Dr. Yildiz elaborated on the mission and approach for writers in this new venture. Although it’s a fresh endeavor for me, I’m eager to learn. To kick things off, I created my first Substack post, outlining submission guidelines for my Health and Science publication, while also sharing a short narrative to keep the momentum going. I’m excited to be one of the first contributors to this publication!

Join the journey on Substack: [A New Chapter in Supporting My Readers.](link_to_substack)

After my initial contribution, here are some other writers who have joined the publication:

• Dr. Adam Tabriz: A New Beginning: Join Me on My Writing Journey on Substack
• Lawson Wallace: Transitioning to a Focus on Newsletter Growth
• Brooklyn Muse: Medium Marries Substack

Despite our efforts, it seems that the introductions and interviews of writers are not being adequately disseminated. Our editorial team believes that connecting writers with readers through publication activities isn’t yielding the desired results.

Clarifying Concerns About Paywall Settings

Recent inquiries by writers have led to clarification from the ILLUMINATION editors regarding paywall settings, confirming that they remain unchanged. If you have additional insights, feel free to present them.

Inspiration for Writers

One of Aiden's initial tips was particularly encouraging: "An Elderly Lady Gave Me a $100 Tip, My First Ever Big Tip."

In a bid to enhance visibility for boosted stories, I’ve started introducing them to attract more readers, as they currently struggle for attention. Each month, I will include older stories in upcoming collections, as they reflect the hard work and passion of our editors, nominators, and writers.

Here’s a collection of some of our edited stories that have yet to be boosted, along with valuable perspectives from recent data-driven insights shared by our chief editor.

I also initiated a discussion about the boosting phenomenon, sharing my personal experience and inviting thoughts on the topic. My stance is that the emphasis on boosting may be exaggerated by many writers, who treat it as a definitive way to grow an audience. I welcome your feedback and corrections on my views.

My Health and Science Publication

My new publication, Health and Science, is gaining traction and making an impact akin to its more established counterpart, ILLUMINATION. My first newsletter achieved thousands of views in May 2024, and you can check out the details in my inaugural newsletter, Exciting Updates from the 1st Successful Month of Health and Science Pub on Medium.

I have begun curating health and science stories from ILLUMINATION archives. Among these, some were published prior to my joining Medium, and it’s been heartwarming to rediscover these remarkable narratives.

Writer Interviews

Recently, I interviewed Matthew Bamberg and Sylvain Zyssman, alongside three other authors: Payal Koul, Abhishek Biswas, and Øivind H. Solheim. You can find their interviews linked here.

If you wish to be interviewed by Dr. Yildiz, please leave a comment on this story.

Community Building: Empowering Writers and Editors

In an effort to empower creators, we are featuring interview stories and profiles of writers and editors within our community.

Meet Our New Writers:

1. Douglas Kwon
2. Lawson Wallace
3. Karen Goldfarb
4. Naya Monroe, MA, LCDC-I
5. Tejus Yakhob
6. Dr. Adam Tabriz
7. Joshua Mason
8. Zondra Dos Anjos
9. Sridhar Pai Tonse — Leadgen Coach for Tech Startups

We remain vigilant against scammers who create unnecessary stress.

Bravo, Digital Scammers: A Masterclass in Deception and Algorithm Exploitation

Invitation for Self-Curation

Here’s a sample of self-curated collections to inspire our writers in this generous initiative.

Links to Boosted Stories:

• Friend links to boosted stories from other writers can be found here.

Thank You for Reading

I appreciate your engagement with these wonderful stories. Here’s to more enlightening tales from ILLUMINATION Publications!