How I Found the Perfect Medium Publication for My Stories (And How You Can Too)

Learn how to find the perfect Medium publication for your stories with this simple step-by-step guide for new writers.

Photo by Daniel Schludi on Unsplash

When I first joined Medium, I had this wild dream: I would write something so good that people would instantly follow me, clap, and share my work everywhere.

Spoiler alert—that didn’t happen.

Instead, my very first story sat there like an unopened letter, gathering digital dust. No views. No claps. No feedback. I realized something important: writing a good piece is only half the job. Getting it in front of the right readers is the other half—and that’s where publications come in.

If you’re new to Medium and wondering, “How do I find the right publication for my stories?”, let me share the exact steps I used—the same process that finally got my work noticed.

Step 1: Understand Why Publications Matter

Think of a publication as your story’s stage. You could whisper your work in the dark… Or you could read it out loud in a crowded room. Publications have loyal readers, built-in audiences, and credibility. When you publish under one, your story doesn’t just live—it gets discovered.

Step 2: Define Your Niche

Before you knock on a publication’s door, ask yourself:

• What do I write about most?
• Is it personal development, relationships, entrepreneurship, or creative writing?

When I started, I was writing about self-improvement and entrepreneurship. That instantly ruled out fiction-focused publications and narrowed my search to lifestyle, growth, and business-related ones.

Step 3: Search for Publications

Here’s my little trick:

• Go to Google and type:"site:medium.com publication + [your niche]"
• Or use Medium’s own search bar and filter results by publications.

This is how I found my first big break—a personal growth publication with over 50,000 followers.

Step 4: Check Submission Guidelines

Every publication has rules. Some want only fresh content; others accept previously published work.

Read their “Write for Us” or “Submission Guidelines” page.

Trust me!

Following instructions here is non-negotiable.

Editors will ignore you if you don’t.

Step 5: Study the Tone and Style

Before sending my first pitch, I read at least 10 articles from the publication.

This helped me understand:

• How long their stories usually are
• The type of headlines they use
• The style of writing (formal, conversational, witty)

This simple step made my pitch feel less like a stranger knocking and more like someone speaking their language.

Step 6: Write a Personalized Pitch

Here’s the exact structure I used for my winning pitch:

1. Short intro—who you are and what you write about
2. Why you love their publication? — Show you’ve read their work
3. Your proposed story—title and short summary

Example:

Hi [Editor’s Name], I’m [Your Name], a [topic] writer who’s been following [Publication Name] for months. I love how you [compliment about their work]. I’d love to contribute my story, “[Story Title],” which shares [brief summary]. I believe it aligns with your audience because [reason].

Step 7: Keep Submitting

My first pitch got ignored. My second too. But on the third try, I finally got in. The key? Don’t take rejections personally—take them as redirections.

Photo by British Library on Unsplash

Final Takeaway

Finding the right publication for your Medium story isn’t just about getting published—it’s about finding a home where your writing can thrive. Start small, follow the steps, and in time, you’ll see your work reach thousands of readers.

And when that first wave of claps comes in, trust me—you’ll realize it was worth every pitch.

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