I find myself at a crossroads, shifting away from my role as a boost nominator while remaining committed to curating unboosted stories. This letter is dedicated to my mentor, Dr. Mehmet Yildiz, Chief Editor of ILLUMINATION Integrated Publications, whose unwavering support has deeply moved me.

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A Journey of Heartbreak and Resilience: My Experience on Medium

Dear Dr. Mehmet Yildiz, my cherished mentor,

As I reflect on your recent story shared on Medium.com, I find myself overwhelmed with emotions. Your words brought me tears, not of sorrow, but of overwhelming joy and appreciation. You were the catalyst for my entry into this platform, and your daily mentorship has shaped me into a better writer, editor, curator, and boost nominator, helping countless aspiring writers over the past five years.

I was unaware of the adversities you faced on this platform. You always welcomed us warmly in the editorial room, even as Medium silenced your voice despite your dedicated efforts.

Upon finishing your story earlier today, I felt a profound shift within, leading to an emotional outpouring. My gaming friends lifted my spirits with a Minecraft game we created in your honor. I find solace in blocks.

A Story of Dedication: My Three-Hour Investment for Minimal Returns

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My journey on this platform began with the intention of collaborating with you, inspired by your vision. I upgraded to Friends of Medium out of belief in the platform’s potential and the chance to work alongside brilliant minds like yours.

However, my trajectory has taken an unforeseen detour. The cancellation of my boost nominator contract has forced me to confront the painful truth that I can no longer nominate stories.

This also means I must close my cherished gaming publication, a project I have passionately nurtured over the past two years. It will no longer function as a formal boost nominating outlet.

Stories receive little visibility from direct links shared on my social media, and they garner ZERO organic views, as distribution seems stifled—even for remarkable gaming narratives that once received boosts. The challenges you’ve faced, Dr. Yildiz, mirror my own experiences.

I have witnessed an 80% decline in views, with my publication’s reach diminishing drastically. My account has stagnated with no new followers. Despite our relentless dedication, I have only amassed 173 followers—mostly writers you and I have added to our publications who generously chose to follow us. Here’s a snapshot of my stats.

Is it merely coincidental that both of us seem to be blacklisted, despite having collectively launched over 300 boosted stories? This situation feels orchestrated, leading me to question the very essence of our contributions and their recognition.

Even as the leading writer on virtual reality and gaming topics, I gained no followers in June. ZERO.

My gaming publication was not just a professional venture; it was a reflection of my passion and commitment.

Nevertheless, I plan to transition it to my new Substack and integrate it into the ILLUMINATION-Connect network, which boasts over 600K subscribers. This shift could rejuvenate my passion projects in gaming, media, and filmmaking. Despite the hurdles, I remain thankful for this emerging opportunity.

New Challenges for ILLUMINATION Curated

The situation on Medium.com has become even more complex. I can no longer contribute to ILLUMINATION-Curated in the meaningful way I once did.

Despite my resignation, you, Dr. Yildiz, chose not to accept it, recognizing my potential to serve as a screening editor for impactful stories. Your faith in my abilities is both humbling and appreciated.

I am saddened to learn that four senior editors from ILLUMINATION-Curated have resigned, losing trust in Medium to the extent of deleting their accounts. Yet, I am heartened they continue to support you on Slack and will curate stories for the new ILLUMINATION library on Substack.

However, the future of our cherished ILLUMINATION-Curated appears uncertain with these departures. I've heard that ten additional editors plan to leave after learning of my contract's termination. They believe you are too lenient toward Medium, but we understand that your kindness extends to all, which is why we hold you in such high esteem.

While I am eager to volunteer my time to your publications as a media coordinator, my enthusiasm for contributing to Medium has dwindled. The platform's casual dismissal of my contributions has been disheartening.

I authored 103 boosted stories, each requiring three hours of effort, resulting in a 70% success rate. Yet, I was informed of poor performance, leading to the cancellation of my contract—an unfounded critique that has shattered my spirit.

Despite these adversities, I remain grateful for the opportunities Medium has afforded me, having learned so much throughout this journey since January 2024. I owe special gratitude to Ariel Meadow Stallings for her gracious support, seamless onboarding, and timely responses to my queries. Her affirmation of my above-average success rate and the granting of limitless nomination opportunities over the past four months is something I will always treasure. Ariel’s kindness will forever hold a special place in my memories.

Our editors and followers know that to nominate just one exceptional story, I reviewed around 100 stories daily, curating them in my non-boosted collections. To birth 103 exceptional stories, I read 10,300 stories, all curated in my collection, which is now episode 188. You can access 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.

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.

Unfortunately, the curated stories have received only minimal views, as Medium’s algorithm seems to hinder the distribution of collections with multiple links. While I understand this and harbor no resentment, it’s disheartening to witness my personal stories also struggling for visibility.

For the past three months, none of my stories have received organic boosts, and even four stories I nominated were rejected. It appears my contributions are currently caught in a distribution bottleneck, a challenging obstacle to surmount. Despite my 19K followers and ownership of two niche publications, I don’t feel like a top writer on Medium.com.

I plan to write a story expressing my sentiments later, candidly detailing my journey, blending both disappointment and appreciation for the opportunities Medium has provided.

It will be a narrative of mixed emotions—a mix of frustration and gratitude. Yet today, I grapple with my feelings, as your recent story profoundly moved me, bringing tears to my eyes. Your words resonate deeply with countless aspiring writers like me, inspiring hearts and minds.

My New Passion: A 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, encompassing both triumphs and setbacks, set to be produced in collaboration with a prominent filmmaking company in the USA. Several writer friends have volunteered to act in various roles.

I hope to enlist support from 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 links to their remarkable work.

Meet Karen Goldfarb — Film Director

Karen is also a seasoned journalist and inspiring writer on Medium.

Meet Tejus Yakhob — Film Director

Mr. Yakhob now shares his media insights on Medium.com.

I will also seek scriptwriting guidance from my esteemed editor friend, Douglas Kwon. With a linguistic degree and extensive experience navigating complex topics related to diversity, inclusion, and LGBTQ communities, Douglas’s insights are 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 filmmaker

I plan to invite some of the top writers I introduced on YouTube in 2022 to join the acting roles. I also intend to introduce many more writers on YouTube soon, redirecting my boost nomination work to YouTube and Substack.

Returning to you, dear Dr. Mehmet Yildiz, unlike you, with your global influence and over a million subscribers, my reach is limited to just 300 loyal subscribers on Substack.

Yet, I am profoundly grateful for your unwavering support and mentorship. Your belief in me has been a guiding light through this tumultuous journey. I will continue to serve as a screening editor for your esteemed 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 had received a boost, but it did not. This beautiful narrative is penned by Brother Bhunru. I hope you find it as enjoyable as I did.

A Masterpiece of Accountability: Why BoJack Horseman Resonates with Netflix Lovers and Philosophers

Featuring a remarkable story by Brother Bhunru.

Thank you for reading my story.

I have written over 50 articles about TV shows and movies. You can find them in the attached list. I hope you enjoy some of my media stories. Thank you for sharing this list, allowing many readers to discover them, as they struggle to gain organic views on this platform.

List: Stories About Film and TV Shows | Curated by Aiden (Owner of Illumination Gaming) | Medium

I have authored approximately 700 gaming stories. Minecraft is my favorite game. You can explore Minecraft-related stories from my collection linked in the list below.

My Minecraft Collection

I appreciate that some of my older stories, which are close to my heart, were also boosted. However, in the last three months, none of them, even the exceptional ones, were selected, so I am perplexed as to why curators have stopped choosing some of the quality submissions. Nonetheless, I share these links 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 may find valuable insights in the attached list, featuring many practical stories authored by my mentor, Dr. Mehmet Yildiz, to enhance their craft.

Writing, Content Development & Marketing Strategy Guides

New writers, please feel free to reach out to me on Slack or Discord for assistance. I introduce these services below.

Here is some info about Slack and Discord

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 featuring writers on YouTube. If you are interested, feel free to contact me on Slack or Discord.

Please review our submission guidelines so that we can expedite the publication of your stories.

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: Curated Stories — Volume 1.

ILLUMINATION’s Health & Science [New]

ILLUMINATION’s Integrated Healthcare [New]

References

BoJack Horseman Netflix

BoJack Horseman IMDB

About Me

I write articles in my field covering gaming, filmmaking, social media, and design. I am also a YouTuber. Thank you for subscribing to my account to receive notifications when I post on Medium. I've created a new website to share my content freely and promote the stories of writers contributing to my publications on Medium. I also have a Substack newsletter. Let’s connect on Twitter and LinkedIn.

I manage two publications on Medium—one for gamers and another for YouTubers and Podcasters. Additionally, I support Illumination Integrated Publications as a volunteer editor and engage in collaborative initiatives within the Slack Workspace.

Writer applications for my publications can be submitted via this weblink. Please include your Medium ID. You may consider becoming 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.