Chapter 1: Welcome to ILLUMINATION

We are thrilled to announce that over 200 new writers have joined ILLUMINATION Integrated Publications on Medium! This welcome post serves as a reminder of your acceptance and provides essential information for a smooth onboarding process.

To submit your stories, please access our registration portal. Before you begin, we encourage you to review our checklist and onboarding materials. For those who are not yet members, it’s important to read our guidelines using the provided link to ensure a seamless publishing experience.

Photo by Gutjahr Aleksandr from Pexels

Becoming a Contributor at ILLUMINATION

ILLUMINATION Integrated Publications welcomes writers of all levels, from novices to seasoned professionals.

Dear new writers, we appreciate your patience regarding the onboarding process. This post confirms that you now have access to submit your work across our various publications. You are allowed to submit one story per publication each day. Due to the high volume of submissions, we can no longer accept multiple stories from the same contributor daily. Please aim to submit drafts.

As we onboard new volunteer editors, there may be slight delays in the review process. Medium limits the number of editors to 30 per publication, which can be challenging for a large platform like ILLUMINATION. Your understanding is appreciated as we strive to publish your work promptly. For urgent matters, if Dr. Mehmet Yildiz, our chief editor, is unavailable on Slack, you can reach out to his backups: Aiden (Illumination Gaming), Mike Broadly, DHSc, Lawson Wallace, K. Joseph, or InYah.

We are delighted to have you as part of our ILLUMINATION community, which supports over 29,000 writers. Our platform is a diverse and collaborative space dedicated to ethical storytelling. Recently, we celebrated our fourth birthday on March 19, with an update in our monthly newsletter.

Monthly Updates from ILLUMINATION Editorial Team

If you create engaging and meaningful narratives, we are here to publish and promote them, helping you build an audience and increase your income through genuine engagement. All you need to do is focus on crafting exceptional content and participating actively within the community. We are excited to read and share your stories!

As you might have heard, Medium recently took action against several accounts involved in fraudulent activities. While some were reinstated, we want to caution against purchasing claps, highlights, or guaranteed reads from third-party sites like Fiverr, as these practices are prohibited and closely monitored by Medium. More details can be found in our latest bulletin, which we encourage you to share with fellow writers for their protection.

Stay Aware: Avoid Purchasing Engagement

An urgent reminder to stay vigilant against scams within the Medium Partnership Program...

Medium has a strict policy against monetizing AI-generated content. While we support writers, content produced by generative AI tools cannot be monetized. We have introduced a publication called the Lampshade of ILLUMINATION for this purpose. You can find our detailed policy on this topic here.

New Guidelines and Policies

Please take a moment to familiarize yourself with the updated partner program rules released by Medium, which we have simplified for your convenience.

Additionally, we are excited to announce a new publication dedicated to health and science, launched by Mike Broadly, DHSc. If you are interested in these subjects, please review our submission guidelines.

Joining the Health & Science Publication

Invitation for writers interested in exploring health and science topics...

This onboarding pack serves as a supplementary guide to help you navigate your new role. The master onboarding pack includes comprehensive information about our publications. We recommend reviewing it before submitting your stories, focusing on the crucial points regarding submissions. As a reminder, please leave a brief note confirming you’ve read the pack.

Connecting with Fellow Writers

At the end of this post, you will find links to the profiles of our new writers, allowing you to connect meaningfully.

Please note, Medium has identified some fraudulent activities and has suspended certain accounts. As a new writer, it’s vital to adhere to platform policies and avoid any attempts at cheating.

Engaging with Community Updates

A heartfelt invitation to empathize with the challenges faced by both writers and Medium...

If you are not a member yet, we encourage you to consider becoming one. Approximately 30% of new applicants are non-members. While we support all writers, it's important to note that only members can monetize their content effectively and grow their audience on Medium. Investing just $5 a month can offer significant returns in terms of visibility and income. Dr. Yildiz elaborated on this in a recent article, which you can read for free via our friend link.

The Value of Membership

An open letter encouraging writers to consider membership benefits...

During the holiday season, our administrators were unavailable, and Dr. Yildiz took it upon himself to onboard new writers and offer additional guidance. You can connect with those who joined during this time through the attached stories.

Challenges of Onboarding New Writers

A personal reflection on the intricacies of managing publications on Medium...

Dr. Yildiz has set a strategic direction for our publications in alignment with Medium’s goals for the year. He has interviewed several talented writers recently, which you can explore through the provided link.

Collaboration and Promotion

As part of our collaborative spirit, we introduce you to our readers and fellow writers through curated collections. This is a great opportunity to connect with others who share your interests.

Apart from our ILLUMINATION editors, other editors such as Mike Broadly, DHSc, Aiden, Elin Melaas, and The Sturg also curate collections for our readers. You can find their latest collections linked here for inspiration.

Staying Engaged with ILLUMINATION

Our chief editor, Dr. Mehmet Yildiz, has upgraded our publication accounts, allowing writers to earn more. By reading from these upgraded accounts, you can enhance your earnings significantly. We encourage all writers to consider upgrading for better visibility.

As we prioritize quality content, we have updated our submission guidelines. Please ensure you are familiar with the new requirements for the publications you contribute to.

Important Submission Guidelines

Every writer must review our policy documents before submitting their stories. We have a zero-tolerance policy for plagiarism and strict rules against defamation and hate speech.

Guidance for New Writers

For those new to Medium, here are some frequently asked questions:

1. How to Submit Your Stories: After drafting your story, click the three dots on the top right and select "Add to Publication" to submit.
2. Using Copyright-Free Images: It’s crucial to add captions to your images and ensure they are copyright-free. Please review our photo handling policy to avoid potential penalties.
3. Joining Slack for Communication: Slack is a private communication tool that allows for easy interaction between writers and editors. We highly recommend joining to enhance your collaborative experience.

Join Our Slack Community

An introduction to ILLUMINATION's Slack workspace...

We also have a Discord network for those interested. You can contact Aiden for access.

4. Policies on AI-Generated Content: Our publications do not accept AI-generated content, with the exception of our dedicated publication for such works.

Understanding Our Policies on AI Content

Details about our policy regarding AI-generated content...

ILLUMINATION-Curated and ILLUMINATION-Gaming have been recognized as boost-nominating publications. If you believe your stories meet the criteria, please reach out to Dr. Yildiz for consideration.

Boosting Opportunities

Learn more about our boosting process through the attached interview with Dr. Yildiz.

Recent Safety Concerns

In light of recent security issues on Medium, we urge all writers to remain vigilant. Our editor Mike Broadly has shared updates regarding account cloning incidents. If you encounter suspicious activity, please report it.

Let’s warmly welcome the newest writers joining our publications today. This is a wonderful opportunity to explore their work and connect with them.

Welcome to all our new contributors! We are excited to see your stories and the unique perspectives you bring to ILLUMINATION.