Publications are the most powerful tools on Medium to reach a bigger audience.
Especially if you’re just getting started.
Before becoming the editor of Mind Cafe, I just wrote for the publication as well, alongside other publications. Some stories did well, others didn’t and I learned a lot about what’s working for the Mind Cafe readers.
It’s not just having a good story, it’s also about formatting, story length, and using a proper image.
This isn’t just a guide to get into Mind Cafe, I’ll show you the things you should do if you want to get accepted into major publications.
What Publication Fits Your Story?
You shouldn’t just send your story to all kinds of publications.
Each publication has its guidelines. We (Mind Cafe) have our own that you can read here.
Therefore you should adjust your story for the publication you’re submitting to. That doesn’t mean you have to alter your story because the editor wants.
You should just notice that it’s up to the publication to set its rules.
Mind Cafe is mainly about personal stories, self-improvement or advice, and life lessons. But the key element that every story should have is a personal angle.
It’s no place for money-making articles or how to do x or y.
No hacks. Proper advice.
Headlines
You need a headline. A good one.
One that’s appealing to click on and should give away just a little piece of the cake but not give away the complete scope of the story.
Use templates for headlines or do the things that work.
- Don’t make your headlines complicated.
- It should be clear and people should click on it.
- Don’t make it clickbait.
- Be honest.
- Use “title case” titles.
Use High-Quality Images That You Can Use
Images are as important as headlines.
When I see an article with a stock image that I’ve seen over 1000 times, I’m eager to reject it.
One that values its story picks an authentic image. I often use Unsplash or Pexels for my images. But I don’t use the images on the first page or section. Scroll further and use an image that hasn’t been downloaded a couple of million times.
Or, even better, use your own (high-quality) pictures.
Format Your Stories
The number one reason I reject a lot of stories is because of the formatting — or the lack of them.
Medium offers a lot of great formatting tools.
Why don’t you use them? I see a lot of stories/articles that are just one piece of text without subheadings or breakpoints. Another thing that holds me back when reviewing a story is when there are too long paragraphs.
3–4 sentences are enough. It should be readable.
Quick tips if you aren’t familiar with Medium formatting:
- Use title case main titles and subheadings for your stories.
- Don’t make paragraphs too long. 3–4 sentences are enough unless it benefits the paragraph.
- Don’t overdo the editing using bold or italic styles.
- Use in-word attributes instead of a references box.
The Length of Your Stories in General
Stories on Medium (and in Mind Cafe) tend to do well with an average length of 4 minutes of reading time (Between 800–1000 words).
Short stories are great, but maybe not for Mind Cafe.
We’re eager to publish lengthy pieces. But it has to benefit the story. Don’t write long stories just to write long stories. User engagement is important as well.
Most stories published in Mind Cafe have an average of 850 words. Use that as a guide, not a rule.
Takeaways
Hopefully, this article has shed a clear light on how I’m reviewing submissions.
If you want to submit a story for review, use the form below. It takes about 7 working days to review your story for new writers and about 3 working days for current writers.