Enhancing Your Journey as a New Writer with ILLUMINATION
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Welcome to ILLUMINATION Integrated Publications! We are excited to have you on board as a new writer. This guide includes a welcome pack and a few key resources to help you navigate your new role effectively.
We apologize for the delay in notifying you about your acceptance. We are in the process of redesigning our publications and will provide further updates in an upcoming newsletter. Please note that we have many applications still pending, and we appreciate your patience as we work through them.
To streamline the process for writers and enhance reader satisfaction, we have revised the submission guidelines for our flagship publications, ILLUMINATION and Curated Newsletters (formerly known as Illumination-curated). The new guidelines are aimed at making your writing experience smoother. We are also offering at least 30% of ILLUMINATION writers the chance to contribute to Curated Newsletters, aligning our Medium services with Substack. We encourage you to familiarize yourself with these guidelines before submitting your first stories.
Embracing Growth: ILLUMINATION’s Evolution
Unveiling New Submission Guidelines for ILLUMINATION 2.0
We are excited to introduce these new guidelines that empower writers and reflect our strategic shift towards greater integration between our Medium and Substack platforms.
We also feature interviews with writers to boost their visibility. In today's interview, Dr. Mehmet Yildiz introduces Timothy Agnew, a relatively new writer who brings a wealth of experience.
Thank You for Joining Us
We are thrilled to have you with us. We look forward to reviewing, publishing, and promoting your stories. You will gain access to our Slack workspace and Substack sites for collaboration, which will help you grow your audience.
In this post, we’ve compiled valuable resources. While you don’t need to read everything, we recommend saving this guide for easy reference. At the end of this collection, you will find links to the profiles of new writers joining us today, which will help you connect meaningfully.
We are building a larger community on Substack similar to Medium. We have three main Substack sites catering to various purposes, and we provide links for your reference. When we publish, you may receive newsletters on different topics. If you prefer not to receive these newsletters, unsubscribing is straightforward. All our services are optional.
> ILLUMINATION Library for Freelance Writers
> Substack Mastery of ILLUMINATION Community
> Content Strategy, Development, & Marketing Insights
We now offer a three-tiered service, which will be announced in future newsletters. Here’s a preview of what’s to come.
ILLUMINATION Substack Community Support — Dr. Mehmet Yildiz
This section summarizes our three-tier service offerings for creators, freelance writers, and content entrepreneurs on Substack.
We have also rebranded ILLUMINATION-Curated to Curated Newsletters to better support our seasoned writers in this new endeavor. Our aim is to expand beyond ILLUMINATION!
For those interested in expanding their audience on Substack, our chief editor has authored a book, sharing its chapters for free across multiple platforms. He has already published several chapters and will continue to do so.
> Preface of “Substack Mastery” for Beta Readers
> Substack Mastery Book: Chapters 1 to 8
Submitting Your Best Work
Once you are familiar with the guidelines, you can start submitting your best stories. Please submit only one story per publication each day and ensure you send drafts, as self-published stories are no longer accepted. Given our large writing community, we limit publications to one story per writer daily. However, you may submit to different publications.
ILLUMINATION currently supports over 32,000 writers with just 30 volunteer editors. Medium's restrictions prevent us from adding more editors despite having over 159 volunteers.
Our publications thrive on a diverse, inclusive, and collaborative environment, and we support every ethical writer who aims to engage their readers meaningfully. We have shared our monthly newsletter with updates and will send out a new one shortly.
If you create engaging and meaningful stories, we will publish and promote them, assisting you in building your audience and increasing your income through meaningful engagement with our community. We aim to simplify the process for you.
Onboarding Information for New Writers
Attached is our supplementary onboarding pack, which includes essential updates. This master onboarding pack covers all aspects of our publications, including links to our submission guidelines. You may also refer to this post for easy access to the guidelines.
> Master Copy: Onboarding Information for New Writers
We will be updating our onboarding pack to reflect changes in our submission guidelines, which will be detailed in a forthcoming newsletter.
As a critical update, Medium has suspended some accounts due to fraudulent activities. Please adhere to platform policies to avoid issues.
> My Informed Perspectives on Recent Account Suspensions on Medium
Medium prohibits monetization of content generated by AI tools. We have a dedicated publication, The Lampshade of ILLUMINATION, for writers using AI tools, but note that monetization is not permitted there.
> POLICY: No More Monetization of AI-Generated Content on Medium
Please familiarize yourself with the new partner program rules published by Medium, which we have simplified for your convenience.
Guidance for Beginners in Four Steps
Here are some frequently asked questions by beginners. If you have been on Medium for a while, you may skip some sections.
#### 1 — How to Submit Your Stories to Publications
After drafting your story, when ready for submission, click on the three dots at the top right of your screen. Select "Add to Publication," choose ILLUMINATION or the relevant publication, and submit your story. Once submitted, editors will review it, and if it meets the criteria, they will publish it. If not, they will return it with feedback for revisions.
We no longer accept certain types of stories, so please ensure you review the updated submission guidelines.
#### 2 — Use Copyright-Free Images with Captions
It's important to use copyright-free images and provide captions. Copyright violations can lead to significant penalties. Our editors are dedicated to protecting our writers, so please adhere to their requests. Review the Photo Handling Policy before you begin to avoid delays in publishing.
> Revised & Distilled Image Copyright Rules for Writers of ILLUMINATION Publications on Medium
#### 3 — Understanding Slack and Discord
Slack is a private communication tool that facilitates collaboration among writers, editors, and publication owners. Unlike social media, it allows for direct communication and problem resolution. Joining our Slack community, which boasts over 21,000 members, can help you gain visibility for your stories.
> An Introduction to ILLUMINATION Slack Workspace
We also have a Discord server managed by Aiden (Illumination Gaming). You can contact him via Slack for access.
> ILLUMINATION Discord: Video Introduction to Beginners
#### 4 — AI-Generated Content Policy
We do not accept AI-generated content in our primary publications, but we do have a dedicated venue for that content—The Lampshade of ILLUMINATION.
> AI-Generated Content Policy for ILLUMINATION Integrated Publications
New Publications for Health & Science Enthusiasts
We are excited to announce a new publication called Health & Science, created by Mike Broadly, DHSc. If you're interested, please review the submission guidelines.
> Invitation to Writers: A New Pub Named “Health & Science”
Additionally, Dr. Adam Tabriz has launched a specialized publication for health professionals called Integrated Healthcare.
> Invitation to Write for Integrated Healthcare
Consider Membership for Enhanced Opportunities
We have noted that over 30% of applicants are non-members. While we welcome all writers, becoming a member enables you to monetize your content and grow your audience more effectively. A $5 monthly investment can yield significant returns.
> An Authentic Open Letter to Non-Members
Friends of Medium Subscription for Readers
Our chief editor, Dr. Mehmet Yildiz, has upgraded our publication accounts to "Friends of Medium," which allows writers to earn significantly more from their stories.
> Why I Became a Friend of Medium
By reading from these accounts, non-members contribute to writer income, enhancing visibility for all.
Links to Submission Guidelines
To maintain high content quality, we have updated our submission guidelines. Please review the guidelines for any publication you contribute to.
> ILLUMINATION-Curated: New Submission Guidelines 2023
> Submission Guidelines: ILLUMINATION Integrated Publications
> SYNERGY: Submission Guidelines 2023
> Technology Hits: Submission Guidelines 2023
> ILLUMINATION Book Chapters: Submission Guidelines 2023
> Readers Hope: New Submission Guidelines 2023
> ILLUMINATION Gaming: Submission Guidelines 2023
Policy Documents
All contributors must review our policy documents prior to submission. While we are understanding, these rules are non-negotiable.
> Zero tolerance to plagiarism on ILLUMINATION
> No Defamation, Discrimination, and Hate Speech Published
> Why Image Copyrights Matter for Writers and Editors
> Use of Affiliate Links On Medium
> AI-Generated Content Policy for ILLUMINATION Integrated Publications
Sample Boosted Stories for Understanding Criteria
To help new writers, we share boosted stories as examples of exceptional work.
Invitation to ILLUMINATION on Substack
Our new publication on Medium offers a great opportunity for Substack writers seeking subscribers. We aim to connect both platforms to maximize benefits for writers.
> Invitation: ILLUMINATION Curators on Substack Publication on Medium
We encourage you to support our Substack newsletters, which will facilitate priority services for writers.
> ILLUMINATION Library for Freelance Writers | Substack
> ILLUMINATION Writing Academy | Substack (Coming Soon)
Thank you to our founding members who support our initiatives.
Welcoming New Writers Today
Let’s extend a warm welcome to the new writers joining our publications today. This is a fantastic opportunity to explore their stories and connect with them.
[List of new writers]
Resources for New Writers
Explore helpful articles curated by Dr. Mehmet Yildiz designed to assist new writers on Medium.
> Writing, Content Development & Marketing Strategy Guides
Final Thoughts
Our editors aim to publish only well-crafted stories that resonate with our readers. We focus on content that is "curate-able" and "boost-able." We strive to elevate the visibility of important stories and appreciate your unique voice and experiences.
We look forward to supporting your journey as a writer in our community.