How to Get Boosted: My 7-Point Checklist for Submission to Top Medium Publications

Stop getting ignored by big publications — here’s what actually works in 2026

Hey friend,

Remember when you poured your heart into a story, hit “submit” to a big publication… and heard nothing but Fb reels? Yeah, me too. That used to be my life on Medium.

Then I cracked the code. In the last 12 months I’ve had some stories boosted and almost every submission I send to top pubs gets accepted on the first try.

How to Get Boosted: My 7-Point Checklist for Submission to Top Medium Publications(ai generated images)

Here’s the exact 7-point checklist I run through before I ever click “Add to publication.” Steal it, use it, and watch your acceptance (and boost) rate skyrocket.

1. Does This Story Match the Pub’s Top 3 Performing Topics Right Now?

Open the publication → scroll the homepage → look at the last 10–15 stories.

What are the three themes that keep repeating?

• Forge loves productivity, career pivots, and “hard truths”
• Better Humans loves habits, mindset shifts, and personal experiments
• P.S. I Love You loves vulnerable dating/relationship stories with a clear takeaway

If your piece isn’t in their current top 3 lanes, rewrite the angle or pick a different pub. Editors boost what’s already working.

2. Is the Title a Curiosity Bomb + Specific Promise?

Bad: “How I Changed My Life”

Good: “I Deleted Instagram for 100 Days and This Unexpected Thing Happened”

Good: “The 5-Minute Morning Routine That Saved My Marriage”

Formula I swear by:

[Time frame / Number] + [Emotional hook] + [Specific outcome]

3. Does the Subtitle Deliver the “Aha” in One Line?

Your subtitle is the second chance to hook the editor (and later, Medium’s algorithm).

Examples that got me boosted:

• “And no, it wasn’t more productivity.”
• “Turns out the real problem was way closer than my phone.”
• “I wish someone had told me this at 25.”

Keep it under 12 words and make them desperate to scroll.

4. First 150 Words — Do They Grip or Bore?

Open with a scene, a confession, or a bold statement. Never start with “In today’s world…”

My favorite opener that got 400k views:

“I ghosted my own wedding.”

Editors decide in the first 10 seconds. Make those seconds count.

5. Is There a Clear “Reader Transformation” by the End?

Boosted stories don’t just share — they change the reader.

Ask yourself:

What will my reader feel/believe/do differently after reading this?

Put that answer in the last section with a headline like “Here’s Exactly What to Do Next” or “Your 3-Step Plan Starts Today.”

6. Formatting That Screams “Professional”

• One idea per short paragraph (3–4 lines max)
• Bold the juicy sentences
• At least 3–4 subheadings
• Bullet points or numbered lists somewhere (people love skimming)
• A beautiful custom banner image (Unsplash + Canva = free magic)
• Reading time 5–9 minutes (sweet spot for boosts)

7. The Magic Cover Note to the Editor

Never send a blank submission. Paste this template (tweak it):

Subject: New submission — [Exact Title Here]

Hi [Editor’s first name],

I loved [specific recent story in their pub] — especially how it [specific thing you genuinely liked].

Here’s a new piece I think your readers will eat up:

“[Full Title]”

Subtitle: [Full subtitle]

It’s ~[reading time] minutes and follows the story → lesson → actionable steps format your audience seems to love lately.

Happy to tweak anything!

Thanks so for the amazing work you do,

[Your name]

[Link to your best-performing story as social proof]

That’s it. Seven checkboxes. Tick them all and your acceptance rate will feel unfair (in a good way).

I still run this checklist every single time — even after 11 boosts. It’s my little superstition now.

You’ve got stories inside you that deserve to be seen. Stop throwing them into the void and start submitting like someone who gets paid (because soon you will).

Go open that draft right now and run it through the list. I’m rooting for you.

P.S. If this helped, drop your next submission link in the comments — I’ll clap 50 times and share it with my list. Let’s get you that first boost together.

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