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Jason McBride's avatar

I just listened to this and it was one of the more helpful and thorough guides to Medium publishing that I’ve seen in a long time! I was first on Medium in 2018 and published regularly for a while and then left for a season before coming back and giving it another go.

I guess I’m an intermediate Medium user 🤣. I put a renewed focus on Medium starting in October 2024 and have been fortunate to have most of my stories boosted, but I did not know much about the mechanics of how the Boost program worked. I found your Substack from seeing your stories on Medium. Thanks for this hosting and posting this great Q&A!

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Walter Rhein's avatar

That's very nice of you Jason! I do a video chat for paid subscribers (at any level) twice a month. However, I haven't had much luck promoting or Boosting poetry on Medium. Which publication are you mainly writing for on Medium? I'll look for you over there!

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Jason McBride's avatar

I mainly publish outside of the publications, but I'm slowly getting added to a few publications. I don't directly publish poetry on Medium. Instead, I use my poetry comics as editorial illustrations for my essays. I'm a contributor to "Better Marketing", "The Startup", "The Writing Cooperative", and just had a boosted story appear in "Couner Arts" earlier this week. Most of my work is about anti-hustle culture/anti-producitivty/time management and mindfulness.

My profile there is: https://medium.com/@jasoncmcbride

When I'm able, I look forward to becoming a paid member!

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Walter Rhein's avatar

Excellent! I just found you and followed you. I could probably boost a writing related story, so if you have a good one, don't hesitate to send me a draft and I could give you some feedback. Cheers!

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Jason McBride's avatar

Thanks!

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Sophie S.'s avatar

Lightbulb moment for me. My earlier articles had more of a research based twist, I often added in some research found on Google scholar. I'm not doing that anymore, it's more story based now. So that explains why I've not been boosted anymore! Thanks for that

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Walter Rhein's avatar

Yes, you need to find that “sweet spot” which balances narrative for readability and academic research to ensure your work is supported.

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Tom Calarco's avatar

Interesting discussion, Walter. One of my stories was boosted. I only have 15 and one of them is also on my Substack -- my first article was published on Medium in 2015, so I haven't published much, but already have 15 on Substack that I started in October. I know I need to write more. Anyway, I've been a published writer for more than 40 years, so that was well before the online era, writing for various pubs, and also have had 10 books published, 3 self-published.

I don't know, but I think my articles on Medium are as good as any I have written, but I don't why they haven't connected ??? Funny, the story that was boosted was not liked by one of the editors of a pub whose workshop I attended on Medium Day; she thought it was racist. It was a true story and the guy who was involved was black. Maybe she didn't like the dialect I used for his dialog but that was how I remembered it.

I will keep your comments in mind. If you have a chance, and I know lots of people probably request it, so np if you don't take a look, but maybe you would consider it. I am a free subscriber to your publication and have shared some of your work on Facebook.

Also, wondering, how do you know what writers are boosters?

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Walter Rhein's avatar

I subscribed to your email, so the next time you publish something, I can review it for a boost nomination.

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Walter Rhein's avatar

Here’s the list of the publications that can boost: https://help.medium.com/hc/en-us/articles/23964242497559-Browse-100-publications-in-the-Boost-Nomination-Program I lived through the era of snail mail submissions too. I’ll have a look at your profile! Thanks Tom!

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Baz's avatar

Well this was incredibly useful. I only have 500 followers on Medium and I wasn’t sure if I qualified for Boost or how to go about it 😂

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Walter Rhein's avatar

Yes, you can certainly be Boosted even with 500 followers. The key is to submit to publications with Boost nominators.

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