Chapter 1: Pre-Publication Checklist

Have you finished crafting your story and are considering publishing? Before hitting that publish button on Medium, make sure to evaluate these nine critical factors:

1. Proofread Your Work

   Carefully review your story to catch any spelling errors and complex sentences. Ensuring clarity and readability is vital. If the text feels cumbersome, revise it. The Hemingway App can be a valuable resource for enhancing readability.

2. Utilize Grammarly

   Grammarly is an indispensable tool for checking spelling and grammar. Always run your draft through Grammarly at least once and ensure it’s polished before publishing.

3. Select an Engaging Image

   Choose a striking image that complements your story and remember to credit the source appropriately. You can explore platforms like Unsplash or Pexels, or use a personal photograph. Include credits such as 'Photo by the author'.

4. Craft a Compelling Headline

   Invest time in refining your headline; it may require several iterations. Ensure it is straightforward rather than overly clever. Titles should be formatted in Title Case. The Title Case Converter can assist in achieving the correct format, and CoSchedule's Headline Analyzer can help evaluate your title's effectiveness.

5. Make Use of Subtitles

   Your subtitle serves a significant purpose—use it wisely and ensure it is in sentence case. A useful tip is to swap the title and subtitle to see if a different arrangement works better.

6. Optimize Formatting

   Use Medium’s story editor to enhance the readability of your article. Avoid dense blocks of text. For guidance on formatting, check out Casey Botticello’s piece, "The Best Medium Article Formatting Guide."

   Headline Formatting: Highlight your title and click on the large T.

   Subtitle Formatting: Highlight your subtitle and click on the small T.

   Here’s how Medium’s story editor toolbar looks:

   

7. Incorporate a Call to Action (CTA)

   Include a relevant CTA at the conclusion of your story, but avoid excessive CTAs. Not all publications permit them, so review their guidelines carefully. You might also add links to similar stories at the end.

8. Review Submission Guidelines

   If you plan to submit your story to a publication, familiarize yourself with their 'Submission Guidelines' thoroughly. Following these instructions can increase your chances of acceptance.

9. Use Relevant Tags

   Select five appropriate tags for your story. If you aspire to achieve Top Writer status on Medium, consider exploring Kristina God’s article, "Introducing The Full List Of Medium’s Top Writer Tags In 2022."

Once you’ve verified all nine points, you’re prepared to publish or submit your work to a publication. Here’s a quick guide on adding your story to a publication:

To add your piece to a publication, click on the three horizontal dots at the top right corner, select ‘Add to publication’, choose your desired publication, and hit ‘Select and continue’.

Chapter 2: Video Guides for Writers

This video titled "How to find the right publication for your Medium stories | A Step-by-step guide for new writers" provides a comprehensive approach for new writers looking to discover suitable publications for their stories.

The second video, "How to Use the Medium Editor Like a Pro (in 9 Minutes) To Turn Your Drafts Into Beautiful Stories," offers quick tips on mastering the Medium editor to enhance your drafts effectively.