Editing a publication on Medium can get confusing and sometimes downright overwhelming. “Should I do it this way?” or “Should I do it that way instead?” are questions that often swirl around in an editor’s head. For that reason, I decided to put together a FAQ—Editor Edition, where I’ll be trying to cover some of the aspects editors need to be aware of when embarking on this journey:
What is the best time to publish submissions?
The best time to publish depends on your timezone. Try to publish twice a day, at different hours to see which time suits you and your contributors best. Consider scheduling submissions when life gets in the way.
How much editing is too much?
Check the photo credits, the grammar, the overall message and make few minor adjustments when necessary. If the article is not structured, coherent and on point with the themes, let the writer know through a PM. Never send an article back without stating the reasons why you believe it is not the right fit for your pub.
How much should I engage with my writers?
A lot! Follow them, clap, highlight and, when possible, leave some feedback.
Do I need social media to grow my following?
A lot of pubs use Twitter and LinkedIn for promotion. Personally, I don’t use any social media and have managed to steadily grow my pub. At the end of the day, it’s your choice.
Do I need a logo?
Your publication is your brand so the answer is yes, you need one. You can create a logo using Canva.com
Do I need to design my publication?
Yes! Add a background image with the name of the pub and some colors that fit the themes, align all the text, add tabs and point them to relevant tags and create feature pages (more on that in an upcoming article).
Do I have to be active everyday?
The short answer is yes.
How many articles a day should I publish?
That depends on how many writers are active on your publication. I publish around 35-40 articles/day. If you’re at the beginning of your journey, try and publish all the submissions (usually there will be around 5-10 in the early days).
How do I deal with writers who are assholes?
The same way you deal with assholes in real life—with grace & assertiveness!
What should I include in my guidelines?
Explanations as to how to add drafts to your pub, what images to use, which tags are relevant, what topics and writing formats are accepted, reminders for them to properly structure their articles & capitalize title, removal of stories policies, plagiarism, etc.
Do you have any questions that I haven’t answered yet? Hit me up at dianac4writing@gmail.com and I’ll make sure to include your question in the next FAQ article.
Thank you for your time! See you soon witn more exclusive content.