Closure of Major Medium Publications

In addition to "The Ascent," I learned that "World Traveler’s Blog" will also soon be bidding farewell. The editor, Cody James Howell PhD (Raiden), expressed in his farewell message that it has become challenging to justify the continued efforts of their editorial team in the current climate.

He further elaborated that their decision is partly a show of solidarity with other publications and highlights that Medium can be a platform where self-published authors can thrive without the need for traditional publications.

Medium's Shift Toward Individual Writers

With recent updates, Medium has signaled a shift in focus from publications to supporting individual writers more robustly.

#### Recent Closures of Top Publications

• A few months ago, P.S. I Love You ceased operations after Medium cut its funding, leading editors to conclude it wasn't worth their efforts to continue.
• Recently, Tom Kuegler announced he would halt submissions for The Post Grad Survival Guide.
• As mentioned earlier, Steve Campbell, the founder and editor of The Ascent, decided to close his publication after a fulfilling five and a half years.

I suspect that more publications may follow suit, and I am curious to see which significant publication will next take the plunge. It’s a bittersweet moment filled with both sadness and excitement.

As noted by Bebe Nicholson in a recent comment, "When I first joined Medium, there was a huge publication called The Mission, and the reaction to its closure was like the internet was shutting down."

The Medium Landscape

Currently, there are approximately 1,478 Medium publications open to contributors. The influx of new subscribers has been motivated by the Medium Writers Challenge, but many newcomers may feel disheartened by rejection messages from larger publications.

When I began writing on Medium, I took a course by Top Writer Tom Kuegler, who introduced me to Smedian, a tool that tracks and ranks publications on the platform.

Many writers find that getting published in a well-established publication can significantly increase their visibility, expanding their reach beyond their immediate follower base. For this reason, Kuegler suggests using Smedian to request contributions to Medium publications.

Conclusion

Returning to my initial question: is this a troubling time or a form of evolution? I lean toward the latter.

In the context of Medium, evolution means embracing continuous change, moving from simpler states to more complex and beneficial ones. As the platform evolves, writers must adapt.

Despite the closures, I remain optimistic about the future of publications. Although Kuegler has closed his own, he encourages joining or establishing new ones, like Jonathan Townend's Creative Passions or Nancy Blackman's Herb+Fettle.

I believe new opportunities will emerge as the landscape shifts.

• Jameson Steward observed, "It seems that Medium is trying to implement tools to promote individual writers. I’m noticing more stories trending under tags that aren’t associated with a publication."
• Kristina Segarra added, "This could also lead to the rise of smaller publications as writers from larger ones may begin sharing their work in these new spaces."

Indeed, there are budding publications such as New Writers Welcome by Robert Ralph, designed specifically for newcomers.

I anticipate that more publications will shutter in the near future, which is both saddening and exhilarating. It raises the question of who will step in to fill the void.

What Are Your Thoughts?

P.S. To the team at The Traveler’s Blog (Cody James Howell PhD, Glad Doggett, Anne Bonfert, and Be Adventurer), thank you for your dedication and hard work. Your decision must have been difficult, and your absence will be felt. I appreciate the fantastic stories you shared, including my submission for the Medium Writer’s Challenge. I hope to see you reopen in the future.

> "Sad but understandable. You were where I got my start on Medium." — Will Hull > > "I cherished exploring the world through the incredible writers here!" — K. Barrett > > "I will miss the amazing travel stories that came together in your publication." — Suntonu Bhadra

© Kristina God

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