I Will No Longer Be a Boost Nominator but Still Will Continue Curating Non-Boosted Stories
An open letter to my mentor, Dr. Mehmet Yildiz, Chief Editor of ILLUMINATION Integrated Publications, who did not accept my resignation from my volunteer editorial role in ILLUMINATION-Curated and mov
A Tale of Heartbreak and Determination: My Journey on Medium
Monthly discount vouchers to my training course on Udemy
From Zero to Substack Hero — Level 1
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Dear Dr Mehmet Yildiz, my beloved mentor,
I find myself truly at a loss for words as I reflect on your recent story on Medium.com. Your words brought tears to my eyes , not of sadness, but of profound joy and gratitude. You were the reason I joined this platform. Your relentless mentorship every day made me a better writer, editor, curator, and boost nominator. You also helped thousands of budding writers like me in the last five years.
I did not realize you faced such challenges on this platform. You always greeted us warmly in the editorial room, even while Medium suppressed your voice despite your dedicated contributions over the last five years.
As soon as I finished your story earlier today, something broke deep inside me, and I couldn’t hold back my tears. My gaming friends cheered me up with a Minecraft game we created in your honor. I find comfort in blocks.
A Story I Invested 3 Hours on a Topic Reflecting My 25 Years of Scientific Research Earned 77 Cents
Can you be a 6-figure income earner on Medium if you are a researcher and write on niche topics? Let’s dive into my…medium.com
My journey on this platform began with the sole intention of working alongside you, drawn by the inspiration you provide. Upgrading to Friends of Medium was driven by my belief in the platform’s potential and the opportunity to collaborate with incredible minds like yours.
However, my path has taken a dramatic and unexpected turn. Medium’s cancellation of my boost nominator contract has left me facing the heartbreaking reality that I can no longer nominate stories.
This also means I must close my beloved gaming publication, a project into which I have poured my heart and soul over the past two years. It will no longer be a formal boost nominating publication.
Stories receive very few views from direct links shared on my social media accounts. They get ZERO organic views, as nothing seems to be distributed — even the most exceptional gaming stories and previously boosted ones. Whatever you, Dr Yildiz, have been experiencing is replicated in my experience, too.
I lost 80% of my views, and my publication’s reach has plummeted. My account no longer gains any followers. Despite our relentless efforts and dedication, I have only garnered 173 followers — those writers whom you and I have added to our publications, who kindly followed us. Here is my stats.
Is it merely a coincidence that both of us are blacklisted, despite having jointly birthed over 300 boosted stories? This situation feels orchestrated, leaving me questioning the very core of our contributions and their recognition.
Even being the #1 top writer on virtual reality and gaming topics, I still get no followers in June. ZERO.
My gaming publication was more than a professional endeavor; it was a labor of love, reflecting my passion and dedication.
However, I will transfer it to my new Substack and add it to the ILLUMINATION-Connect network, which boasts over 600K subscribers. This move might breathe new life into my passion projects in gaming, media, and filmmaking. Despite the challenges, I find myself grateful for this new opportunity.
New Challenges ILLUMINATION Curated
However, the situation has grown even more complicated on Medium.com. I will no longer be able to add value to ILLUMINATION-Curated, which is in the way I once did.
Despite my resignation, you, Dr. Yildiz, did not accept it, recognizing that I can still serve as a screening editor for impactful stories. Your faith in my abilities is both humbling and deeply appreciated.
I am deeply sorry to hear that four of your senior editors from ILLUMINATION-Curated have resigned, losing trust in Medium to the extent of deleting their accounts. However, I am heartened to know they continue to support you on Slack and will curate stories for the new ILLUMINATION library on Substack.
Yet, the future of our beloved ILLUMINATION-Curated seems uncertain with these departures. I’ve also heard that ten more editors plan to leave after learning of my contract’s cancellation. They feel you are too soft towards Medium, but we understand that your kindness extends to everyone in your life, which is precisely why we hold you in such high regard.
While I am more than willing to donate my time to your publications and platforms as a media coordinator, my enthusiasm for contributing to Medium has waned. The platform’s decision to dismiss my contributions so casually has been disheartening.
I birthed 103 boosted stories, each a labor-intensive effort of three hours, resulting in a 70% success rate. Yet, they told me my performance was poor and canceled my contract. This unfounded criticism has broken my heart.
Despite these challenges, I remain grateful for the opportunity Medium provided me, as I have learned immensely throughout this journey since January 2024. I owe a special thanks to Ariel Meadow Stallings, who graciously invited me to the program, onboarded me seamlessly, and consistently addressed my queries in a timely manner. Her email confirming that my success rate was above average and granting me limitless nomination opportunities over the last four months is something I will always cherish. Ariel’s support and kindness will forever hold a special place in my fond memories.
Our editors and my followers know that to nominate just one exceptional story, I reviewed around 100 stories daily, curating them in my non-boosted collections. This means that to birth 103 exceptional stories, I read 10,300 stories, all curated in my collection, which is now episode 188. You can find them from this library.
Shareable List Links for My Curated Collections from ILLUMINATION Publications
Easy access to featured stories titled Look What Aiden Found Today series.medium.com
You can also find my latest boosted stories from this collection. I will create a new one tomorrow for the boosted stories in June.
16–31 May 2024: Featuring Boosted Stories on ILLUMINATION-Curated
I also link to previously boosted pieces for new readers and aspiring writers as examples of exceptional stories.medium.com
Regrettably, the curated stories received only a modest number of views, as Medium’s algorithm appears to limit the distribution of collections with numerous links. While I understand this and harbor no ill will, it’s disheartening to see my personal stories also struggling to gain traction.
For the past three months, none of my stories have been organically boosted, and even four stories I nominated myself were rejected. It seems as though my contributions are currently caught in a distribution bottleneck, which has been a challenging obstacle to overcome. I don’t feel like a top writer on Medium.com despite my 19K followers and owner of two niche publications.
I plan to write a story about my feelings later, a candid account of my journey, expressing both my disappointment and my appreciation for the opportunity Medium provided me.
It will be a tale of mixed emotions, a blend of frustration and gratitude. Yet today, I find myself struggling with my feelings, as your recent story moved me deeply, bringing tears to my eyes. Your words resonate profoundly with countless aspiring writers like me, touching hearts and igniting minds.
My New Passion Documentary Film About My Journey
Amidst these feelings, I am embarking on a new venture: creating a documentary film about my journey on Medium.com with ups and downs, which I plan to have published in collaboration with a prominent filmmaking company in the USA. Several writer friends volunteered to be actors and actresses for various roles.
I hope to enlist the support of my esteemed film director friends, Karen Goldfarb and Tejus Yakhob, who bring a wealth of experience and acclaim to the project. If you’re unfamiliar with them, I previously introduced them, and here are the links to their remarkable work.
Meet Meet Karen Goldfarb — Film Director
Karen is also a seasoned journalist and inspiring writer on Medium.medium.com
Meet Tejus Yakhob — Film Director
Mr Yakhob now shares his media insights on Medium.commedium.com
I will also seek scriptwriting guidance from my esteemed editor friend, Douglas Kwon. With a linguistic degree and decades of experience navigating complex topics related to diversity, inclusion, and LGBTQ communities, Douglas’s expertise is invaluable. I recently introduced Douglas in a post, and I am confident that his profound knowledge will greatly enhance the script’s depth and nuance.
Meet Douglas Kwon
A linguist, book author, story writer, and filmmakermedium.com
I will ask for the acting roles of some of the top writers I introduced on YouTube in 2022. And I plan to introduce many more writers on YouTube soon allocating my boost nomination work to YouTube and Substack.
Meet Top Writers of Medium on YouTube
Introduction to prolific writers of Illumination Integrated Publications on Medium in YouTube videos recorded by myselfmedium.com
Back to you dear Dr Mehmet Yildiz, unlike you, with your global influence and over a million subscribers, my reach extends to just 300 loyal subscribers in Substack.
Yet, I am deeply grateful for your unwavering support and mentorship. Your belief in me has been a guiding light through this tumultuous journey. I will continue to be a screening editor for your prestigious and beloved publication, ILLUMINATION-Curated.
Thank you, Dr. Yildiz, for standing by me. Your support means more than words can express.
With heartfelt gratitude,
Aiden (Owner of Illumination Gaming)
Former Boost Nominator for ILLUMINATION Publications
Here is one of my recent nominations for a story that touched my heart deeply. I wish it was boosted but it wasn’t. This beautiful story is written by Brother Bhunru. I hope you will enjoy it as much as I did.
A Masterpiece of Accountability: Why BoJack Horseman Resonates with Netflix Lovers and Philosophers
Featuring a remarkable story by Brother Bhunru.medium.com
Thank you for reading my story.
I wrote 50+ stories about TV shows and movies. You can find them from the attached list. I hope you enjoy some of my media stories. Thank you for sharing this list for many readers to find them as they no longer get any organic views on this platform.
List: Stories About Film and TV Shows | Curated by Aiden (Owner of Illumination Gaming) | Medium
50+ storiesmedium.com
I wrote around 700 gaming stories. My favourite game is Minecraft. You can check out Minecraft related stories from my collection linked in the list below.
My Minecraft Collection
Edit descriptionmedium.com
I am grateful that some of my old stories close to my heart were also boosted. However, in the last 3 months, none of them, even the exceptional ones, were chosen, so I don’t understand what happened and why curators stopped choosing some of the good ones. That is no issue to me. I share the links here as samples for aspiring writers and interested readers.
My Sample Boosted Stories.
Gaming, Fun, and Humor: The Lifelines That Rescued Me From Social Media’s Grip on My Life
What Car Shows Mean to Me and How They Enriched My Life
Finding Comfort in Blocks: How Minecraft Eased My First Time Loneliness and Intense Grief at 17
AI Can Now Create Photorealistic Videos From Just a Text Prompt
New writers might check the attached list including many insightful and practical stories written by my mentor Dr Mehmet Yildiz to improve their craft.
Writing, Content Development & Marketing Strategy Guides
Edit descriptiondr-mehmet-yildiz.medium.com
New writers, when you need help please don’t hesitate to contact me on Slack workspace or Discord server. I introduce these services below.
Here is some info about Slack and Discords
An Introduction to ILLUMINATION Slack Workspace
ILLUMINATION Discord: Video Introduction to Beginners
Communicate and Collaborate with Writers on the Illumination Discord Server
I also enjoy introducing writers on YouTube. So if you are interested you may contact me on Slack or Discord.
Meet Top Writers of Medium on YouTube
Introduction to prolific writers of Illumination Integrated Publications on Medium in YouTube videos recorded by myselfmedium.com
Please check out our submission guidelines so that we can publish your stories quickly
ILLUMINATION-Curated: New Submission Guidelines 2023
SYNERGY: Submission Guidelines 2023
Technology Hits: Submission Guidelines 2023
ILLUMINATION Book Chapters: Submission Guidelines 2023
Readers Hope: New Submission Guidelines 2023
Submission Guidelines: Illumination Integrated Publications
ILLUMINATION Gaming: Submission Guidelines 2023
ILLUMINATION Videos and Podcasts: Submission Guidelines 2023
Publishing and Conduct Guidelines for the Lampshade of ILLUMINATION
ILLUMINATION’s Nutrition- Nutrition: Curated Stories — Volume 1.
References
About Me
I write articles in my field covering gaming, film-making, social media, and design. I am also a YouTuber. Thank you for subscribing to my account to get notifications when I post on Medium. I created a new website to share my content for free and promote stories of writers contributing to my publications on Medium. I also have a Substack newsletter. Let’s connect on Twitter and LinkedIn.
I own two publications on Medium. One for video gamers and another for YouTubers and Podcasters. I also support Illumination Integrated Publications as a volunteer editor and participate in collaborative activities in the Slack Workspace.
Writer applications for my publications can be sent via this weblink. Please add your Medium ID. You may consider being a Vocal+ member to monetize your content. I also enjoy email marketing using Cliqly, which is my affiliate link.
Get an email whenever Aiden (Illumination Gaming) publishes.
medium.com
I created the Illumination Gaming network to support game developers, designers, and players. I joined the Substack Mastery Program as a founding member and turned the Substack Mastery Book into a Udemy Course called From Zero to Substack Hero. Recently, I have started curating stories at our new external site Illumination-curated.com, which will be the curation hub for our ILLUMINATION publications and Digitalmehmet Content Ecosystem subscribers. You can apply via our writer registration portal. You are also welcome to join our Patreon network, the Medium support portal, the sponsorship portal, and the ILLUMINATION Scholar network. New Udemy advanced course discount voucher.
Here are some books written by Dr Mehmet Yildiz, my mentor, I read which you might find helpful too: Substack Mastery Version 2, A Powerful Toolkit for Substack Newsletter Mastery, Smart and Ethical SEO, Train Your Brain for a Healthier and Happier Life, Modern Affiliate Marketing for Writers, Smart Email Marketing Content Integration, 4 Pillars of Enterprise Architecture, The Mysterious Leadership Mind of Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Agile Business Architecture for Digital Transformation (Audiobook), Monetize Your Passion with WooCommerce, Agile Business Architecture for Digital Transformation V2 and , Cortisol Clarity.
Thank you for sharing your experience, Aiden. I am very sorry to hear about this situation, It is disheartening.
So sorry to hear that you have been affected like this. I'm not sure what on earth is going on with medium, but substack is a much nicer place currently.