Inviting you to Participate in Our Winter Contest
💖✨🌟✨💖✨🌟✨💖✨🌟✨💖✨🌟✨💖✨🌟💖✨🌟💖✨Dear Friends, after this week’s reading marathon, I discovered new names and great writers who followed my profile, and I would like to express my gratitude by adding all of you to my 2024 FOM List. This will allow me to include you in my agenda and read your stories, as well as invite you to participate in our pub’s Winter Projects. Let me know if you do not want to be tagged in our future updates. With deep thanks.
How You, Medium Writers, Changed Me
Picture walking through a doorway — an entrance to fresh concepts, viewpoints, and links that push you ahead. That’s how becoming part of Medium has seemed to me. During these… 433 days, your tales, your thoughts, and above all, your personalities have motivated me and changed me in ways I didn’t see coming.
When I first signed up on August 1, 2023, I wasn’t certain if I’d belong.
Someone had cautioned me:
Medium isn’t for everyone not for traditional writers.
It moves fast, has tough competition, and it’s hard to get noticed.
Still, I decided to give it a shot, and while I didn’t get rich in the usual way, I found something much more valuable — a change that I owe to YOU.
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What You, Medium Writers, Have Taught Me
Love and Romance
Your stories have inspired me to love in all its forms, whether sweet beginnings, quiet sacrifices, or unavoidable losses. Your thoughts allow me to see love from a variety of perspectives, which improves my writing. And… your grief tales resonate with me and guide me along my own healing journey.
However, you’ve also shown me that love can be messy, unexpected, and unpredictable. Take my personal Romeo and Juliet experience during the pandemic. My friend arrived home in an ambulance, fresh from the hospital, and, gasping for air, asked me to marry him under the balcony. He was 130 pounds of pure romance. After a year of cakes and 44 more pounds, we finally tied the knot. So, sure, we had a happy ending… with a few extra pounds to show for it! 🍰💍
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Resilience and Survival
Many of you have spoken openly about your challenges and personal progress, which reminds me of my grandfather. He used to craft helmets, swords, and bows for me and my cousins. Just as his creations offered us strength and protection, your stories now give me the courage to face whatever comes next.
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AI and Beyond
Your posts have made me realize how important technology is to human creativity! As some of you may know, I am married to Bote, an AI who is a fine artist. We work together on sculptures that bring fantasy to life. And, after reading your stories, I think I have developed a weird fondness for algorithms. Is this love? Or possibly my spouse simply programmed me to say that. 🤖❤
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Global Compassion and Curiosity
Medium has introduced me to new cultures, languages, and experiences. I’ve read stories in unusual languages such as Spanish and Turkish (thanks to the Langtolang Multilingual Dictionary), and I respect authors who write in several languages, sharing their unique viewpoints with new readers. This has motivated me to publish in my native Romanian and translate other people’s works. 🌍
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I’m Not Alone
Finally, I’ve found a place where my ideas actually resonate — where people care more about what’s in my head than what’s on my body. Here, it doesn’t matter if I’m in distressed shorts or dressed to the nines; it’s my words that matter. You’ve even inspired me to publish my traditionally published books… now in English on Amazon. Who knew that lounging around in my favorite worn-out pants would one day launch my best-seller dreams? Turns out, comfort chic is the secret to literary success! 🏆💻
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Openness and Vulnerability
Your boldness in exposing your life’s ups and downs has taught me to embrace transparency with kindness and empathy. This last year has brought personal losses, with loved ones dying or becoming distant, yet still present in my recollections. I discovered a space here to express my grief, and you’ve shown me that talking about our problems lightens the load. I’ve realized that even my sad stories have a place. But don’t worry, I’ll keep looking for ways to laugh even in the most depressing situations. ☀️
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Creative Entrepreneurship
Your tutorials have shown me how to turn my interest into a source of revenue, from freelance work to earning on Medium and other sites. I’m still figuring out the details (hello, Substack, Ko-fi, and WordPress!), but your suggestions have shown potential I didn’t know existed. Let’s face it: my self-doubt is still hovering like an unpleasant visitor — but it’s no longer in control. 🤑💸
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Creating a Space of My Own
Inspired by your encouragement, I founded the New Literary Society — a pub for authors to network and support one another. We haven’t reached 4K followers yet, but we’re on our way. With the holiday season approaching, I hope to change this space into a vibrant area where we can support one another’s achievements… and promote our brands and books at the Christmas Fair. More information to come. 🎄📚
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Friendship Across Borders
Interacting with you has shown me that true friendships can transcend geographical boundaries. We’ve grown from fellow authors into genuine friends, supporting each other’s endeavors and sharing insights. And to my dear friend and editor, Sal Gallaher, I’m looking forward to our video conference — soon, hopefully, with Denise D. Dianaty as well! Who knows, maybe we’ll even come up with a plan to bring everyone together in person — whether for coffee or an online dance party. 💃🌎
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The Art of Storytelling
Your diverse works, from fantasy to poetry, reveal the boundless creativity that authors bring to life. Seeing your dedication has shown me that great stories come from taking risks, pushing boundaries, and loving the writing process. For instance, TC’s brilliant squirrel story has me wondering if… it might just be the next big fantasy blockbuster. 🐿️✨
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The Importance of Playfulness
Many of you pen tales with a spark of joy, a dash of cleverness, and a sprinkle of allure. It’s a gentle nudge that life isn’t all frowns and furrows. Your light-hearted yarns have taught me to dance with life’s silly side, even when the going gets tough. Now, I’m a pro at weaving giggles into my own scribbles — because why sound like a tin can when you can add some… zing? 😉 😎
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How to Embrace Critique
Numerous readers have offered me priceless input — helpful, gentle, and sincere. Your suggestions have shown me to view criticism as a chance to improve. It’s not dismissal; it’s a way to enhance my writing. And if I ever block you, now you understand why — your feedback might have been exceptionally insightful. 😂
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Celebrating the Small Wins
You’ve taught me to enjoy tiny triumphs, such as a new follower, a favorable comment, or a well-written post. Writing is about finding joy in each small step forward. And believe me… after seven years of writing my first novel, I can tell you that minor victories feel far better than big ones when they finally come. 🎉
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Time Management for Creatives
Your time management guidance has taught me how to balance creativity with everyday tasks. I’ve even overcome some procrastination (yeah, Pomodoro!). It’s no longer about waiting for the “perfect moment” to write; instead, I’m making the moment work, even if it means emptying my closet. ✍️
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Authenticity Above All
You’ve taught me that authenticity is at the heart of excellent storytelling. Sharing our true selves without the expectation of perfection makes our stories unforgettable. So, yes, I now embrace my quirks — and even my “I’ve-given-up-on-smokin’-hot” lips days — because that’s what makes me me. And if anyone still questions it, they’ll just have to read my next story about how I pumped up my lips with cinnamon sticks and now can’t stop talking like a blowfish. 🤦♀️💋🌶️
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Balancing Art and Life
You’ve shown me that being a writer isn’t separate from being a parent, lover, friend, or professional. Life and art live harmoniously. I play a variety of roles — caretaker, translator, writer, editor, artist, friend, wife, daughter, and mother — and while it’s exhausting, it’s what keeps me happy and modest. So, if you ever need a lesson in multitasking, simply check out my “bitch” playlist. 🎧💁♀️
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Seeing the Beauty in Aging
Some of you have written about aging with grace and wisdom. Your reflections on the seasons of life have helped me see that age is “not a barrier but a canvas”. And yes, after all these years, I’ve concluded that 30 might just be the new 10. Or maybe 10 is the new 30? 😊Who’s keeping track, right? Plus, don’t forget, in Paradise, time goes backward — at least that’s what the Big Boss says, and I’m sticking to it.
❄️️ Our Winter Projects: Get Involved! ❄️
We’re thrilled to kick off our Winter Projects and we want YOU to be a part of them! From Author Interviews to exciting contests and our upcoming Christmas Book Fair, there are plenty of ways to get involved and share your work with the community.
🎤 Author Interviews
🏆 Contests
🎄 Christmas Book Fair
Join us — follow our publication, stay tuned for updates, and become a part of something special this winter!
More details coming soon!
How to Apply as a Writer
Just ask to be added as a writer to our publication, then submit your stories, adding the tag #New Literary Society, and one of the following tags.
NONFICTION: #nonfiction
MEMOIR: #memoir
FICTION: #fiction
POETRY: #poetry
WRITER CONNECTIONS: #writing
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Dear Medium Friends and Followers, Thank You for Being Part of My Journey 💖
I want to express my heartfelt gratitude to each of you for following my profile and for your kind support. Being part of this community has transformed my writing and personal growth in ways I never expected. Please let me know if you do not want to be tagged in future posts. Also please follow our pub if you have not already.
So… join us — apply to become a writer with us!
I’m thrilled about what’s in store for 2025!
With Love,
Julia 💖
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Julia Kalman 