fabiochiu/medium-articles huggingface dataset:
Here is the Christmas Letter from Santa.
By: Jessica Bugg
Tags: News, Parenting, Covid-19, Children, Short Form

Here is the Christmas Letter from Santa.

Dear Children of the World,

It is at this time, that I, Santa the Claus aka St. Nicholas needs the help of the children of the World.

More than anything this year, the World needs you and your belief. Belief is when you know something is there even if you can’t see it or it looks impossible.

Children are the most important people because you keep the human race believing. Believing in the good and the grand.

Believing in the MAGIC.

Now more than ever, our world needs MAGIC and that children, is what you create.

Your laughter, your excitement, and your wonder help everything to be less dark and less scary.

Your belief in the magic is what makes the world a better place and is what heals.

Things do not get better without first someone, or a lot of someone’s believing things will.

So it is at this time, that I, Santa the Claus, am requesting all children of the world (children of age and children of heart):

Believe in the good, the good of other people and the good of yourself and always believe that tomorrow will be better than today.

The world needs belief, love, and a little bit of magic.

Most Sincerely,

Santa Claus

P.S. Rudolph asked me to request that you have drinks for the reindeer in lieu of carrot sticks. It’s been a rough year for the reindeer.

I am still fine with cookies and milk.

Read the entire article here:

In Urgent News, The United States Military Has Received Request From The North Pole Approving… https://medium.com/@jessicabugg_56242/in-urgent-news-the-united-states-military-has-received-request-from-the-north-pole-approving-b99c05ce2340
Are you overwhelmed by the holidays this year?
By: Kristina Segarra
Tags: Mindfulness, Mental Health, Life Lessons, Holidays, Short Form

Are you overwhelmed by the holidays this year? Don’t be.

Take it easy this holiday season. With the pandemic pressure, you must relax and enjoy the holidays rather than feel the additional stress.

You can avoid all this stress if you approach the holidays with a different mindset. Making it harder than it should be will make it more stressful for you and deprive you of the holiday joy.

Don’t dwell on the negative and direct your thoughts towards the positive. With a change in perspective, you can make your holidays the most enjoyable part of the year. After all, the holidays are meant to bring joy — not stress.

If you’re celebrating Christmas, loosen expectations and enjoy it for what it is. Spend more time with your family and enjoy intimate moments with home-cooked meals and watch movies together.

For tips on how to relieve your holiday stress, read my article below.
Like many of you, I’ve jumped on the News Break bandwagon.
By: Missy Crystal
Tags: Writing, Writers Life, Writer, Freelancing, Short Form

Photo by Markus Winkler on Unsplash

Like many of you, I’ve jumped on the News Break bandwagon. I’m doing okay so far, but it’s only been a few days.

I read a lot of articles about the site before I joined, including multiple pieces on Medium. Tara Blair Ball has some great advice on navigating the ins and outs of News Break:

I recommend reading Tara’s post if you’re thinking about joining the platform. It’s very helpful.

Want to follow my work on News Break? You can find me here:

Don’t worry, though. I’m not abandoning Medium just yet — or ever, really. I love connecting with the readers and writers here, and I’ve met some incredible people during my time on this platform.

Are you on News Break? Please share your profile or an article you’ve written in the comments.
An absurd thought: The other day while I was watching the movie, National Treasure with my students, I had a reality check. As a reminder, this is the 2004 Nicholas Cage film all about treasure…
By: Rae Lately
Tags: Covid 19, National Treasure, Movies, Self, Short Form

An absurd thought:

The other day while I was watching the movie, National Treasure with my students, I had a reality check. As a reminder, this is the 2004 Nicholas Cage film all about treasure hunters, conspiracy theories, a silly smart side kick, and a quirky romance.

This was not a huge revelation, but more of a “wow” moment and a reminder about how we really can get used to anything and how quickly. There is a scene where they’re at a Gala celebrating the Declaration of Independence, and I kept thinking something is off (besides the acting). Then I realize no one at the party is wearing a mask. Super spreader! Super spreader!

And that is how I realized I have shifted into understanding life with a mask is “normal,” and anything other than that feels strange. Through a movie with flip-phones.
Merry Christmas to the Community
By: Tom Fenske
Tags: New Year, Wishes, Community, Christmas, Short Form

At least, have a better one than this year. I don’t know about you, but I am definitely 202Done. Can’t wait for this year to end and start the new one with some fresh energy.

Speaking of which, I am especially looking forward to growing this publication with you over the next year. It makes me truly happy and proud that we already built a little community in this brand-new pub.

Glad to have you all here!

My Best Wishes to You and Your Loved Ones
How do you know when it is time to quit?
By: Eugene Albano
Tags: Advice, Motivation, Perseverance, Short Form, James Clear

How do you know when it is time to quit?

That is one of the most challenging questions we all have to answer multiple times in our lives.

“Complaining about not achieving success despite working hard is like complaining about an ice cube not melting when you heated it from twenty-five to thirty-one degrees. Your work was not wasted; it is just being stored. All the action happens at thirty-two degrees.” James Clear

Nobody can tell you for sure if it is time to quit something you have been working hard on. However, it is often useful to remember that success is not linear. Success often happens suddenly, after years of consistent, hard work.
Can money make you happy? More and more people today think that money defines happiness.
By: Kristina Segarra
Tags: Personal Growth, Money, Life Lessons, Self, Short Form

Can money make you happy? More and more people today think that money defines happiness.

They live their lives with the illusion that money will solve all their problems. So they work hard pursuing one goal — to make more money and become rich. Later they realize how unhappy they are.

In today’s world, when everything is driven by money, it is easy to think that the more you have, the happier you will be. However, it doesn’t always work out that way.

Don’t get me wrong; money can make you happy, but only if you use it right. What you do with your money will determine your happiness.

So how can having money make you happy? Read the article below to see what amounts to true happiness.
Kitchen towels, tea towels, and dish towels.
By: Marie Jones
Tags: Housekeeping, Short Form, Tea Towel, Funny Tea Towels

Kitchen towels, tea towels, and dish towels. I use the words sort of interchangeably, but according to Cotton Creations, dish towels and tea towels are both types of kitchen towels. Tea Towels is a more British word, and they are traditionally made of linen. Dish towels can be made of whatever, but are used to dry dishes. In my head, tea towels are the thin kind of kitchen towel and dish towels are the terry cloth kind, but they are also used interchangeably. What’s in your head?
Why I don’t Support Short-Forms Publishing on Medium?
By: Aamir Kamal
Tags: Writing, Technology, Médium, Reading, Short Form

A lot of writers are interested to post short-form 150 words articles but I didn’t find this very compiling. For me, Medium is a long-game. I don’t want to make Instant money on Medium. The founder of Medium is also a co-founder of Twitter. His idea of Medium was a Medium was that there is no limit on the number of words you publish. On Twitter, you can Tweet 140 characters so EV thought it would be a better idea if there is a long-form content platform. A post published in 3-Minutes Read about Blogging on Medium explained it brilliantly.

Every platform on the Internet loves long-form content — it may be Google search algorithm, YouTube video recommendation, Facebook Watch, or podcasts on Spotify. All these platforms love long-form content. The same is true for Medium and other writing platforms like Quora.

I always try to write stories that are at least 1000 words. A 1,000 words story is somewhat 5-minutes if you just include one picture. As short-form could be distributed but I don’t think it will justify everything in an article.

For Me, Medium is a Blogging platform, not Twitter or Facebook

I love Medium. This is the only platform that i spent hours writing and reading stuff.

I have certain standards for Medium. Publishing stories that are long-form is one of them. The definition of long-form content is way behind what we expected. A long-form blog post has over 2500+ words. A content that is 10+ mins of reading time. If you look into the perspective, there are many benefits of writing long-form content or you could say you will miss these things if you write short-forms.
A minuscule film of poetic residue left on the outside of this writer’s literary meth pipe. A decades’ long addiction scrawled across the pages for all to read. How many hits? Three million words…
By: Steve B Howard
Tags: Everything Short Form, Short Read, Poetry, Poem, Short Form

Everything Shortform is a publication for Medium stories 150 words and less. Rapid reads to capture your attention and direct it towards further reading or short expressions readers can gulp down in one bite. Use Everything Shortform to get your point across quickly.
Age of Empathy is honored to be publishing top-notch personal essays.
By: Aimée Gramblin
Tags: Creativity, Nonfiction, Age Of Empathy, Reading, Short Form

Age of Empathy is honored to be publishing top-notch personal essays. Creative nonfiction can be a difficult genre to master. I want to share some of the stand out work we’ve published over the last few months.

Do drop a note after you’ve read these works. Authors appreciate claps and words so very much.
Holidays bring joy and happiness, but also pressure and stress.
By: Kristina Segarra
Tags: Mindfulness, Mental Health, Pandemic, Holidays, Short Form

Holidays bring joy and happiness, but also pressure and stress. It’s easy to get carried away and forget about your health.

But remember, whatever you do, don’t forget to stay grounded. Get outside for a walk and do some physical activity.

Your health should be your top priority this year. Don’t let the pandemic take it away from you. Boosting your mental health and tapping into positive emotions will help you overcome depressive feelings.
I Want to See More Political Ads
By: Georgia Anne Hayes
Tags: Politics, Campaign, Georgia Senate Runoff, Short Form, Political Ads

Said no one in Georgia ever!

Please, God. January 5th can’t get here soon enough!

In case you have been living under a rock, there are not one but two senate runoff elections in Georgia.

Georgia, the state that President Trump lost his re-election bid 3 times in one month. Georgia the state that hasn’t elected a Democrat to the senate since 2000.

Here in Georgia, we balk at political pressure. We are unaccustomed to being the deciding factor between whether the President’s agenda is fulfilled or becomes mired in grid-lock.

Don’t send any more political ad money to Georgia! We have had enough!

The future of our country currently lies in the hands of Atlanta liberals and rural rednecks and if we see any more political ads we are going to write in Donald Trump or Barack Obama!
Sometimes, all we can do is wait for a good story to come.
By: Jm Miana
Tags: Mindfulness, Creativity, Self, Mental Health, Short Form

Sometimes, all we can do is wait for a good story to come.

Just like that. Good stories love to play hide-and-seek in our minds, and they love to play that game for days.

Meanwhile, I’m living my life. Studying, reading, and relaxing — and that part is helping me a lot, because when our world slows down our thoughts get clearer, like mud at the bottom of a pond, they settle when the water stops moving.

There’s a lot of noise in our lives, and like physical noise, we don’t notice it until it’s gone.

Isn’t that beautiful?
MUST READ: Article below outlines current agricultural workers on strike in India, this has and…
By: Jessica Bugg
Tags: Politics, Economics, World News, Short Form, Foreign Affairs

MUST READ: Article below outlines current agricultural workers on strike in India, this has and will affect the entire world food supply if we are unable to find a way for these farmers to live.

More information found here:

https://link.medium.com/XI8zyUJfqcb
Dr. Preeti Singh .
By: Jessica Bugg
Tags: Human Rights, News, Trade, Economics, Short Form

Dr. Preeti Singh . . . What can you tell us about the current farmers strike? This is a huge deal that is not getting enough coverage on mainstream media.

When as many agricultural workers strike as there are adults in the United States, when farmers who supply the world with food cannot live and survive . . . This is not just an India issue . . . This is a global issue . . . A human rights issue.

I stand by your people and your farmers. Their work and their lives are valuable.

Much love from the States. Please let us know how to assist.
If you read one article on Medium today, make it this one chronicling how homelessness lead the…
By: Jessica Bugg
Tags: Writing, Recommendations, Reading, Short Form, Literature

If you read one article on Medium today, make it this one chronicling how homelessness lead the author to reading.

I read . . . A lot. This authors story left me hanging on every word. Reading has gotten me through a lot of hard times as well. It was so inspiring to read of his journey from his parents home to life in a car and how he began to fill his time.

Do yourself a favor and check this one out:

https://link.medium.com/U4cjVSX9ncb
Here is a Quote from my work in progress for today.
By: Jessica Bugg
Tags: Words To Know, Religion, Christianity, Language, Short Form

Here is a Quote from my work in progress for today.

“If you control the language, you can control thoughts.

If you can control thoughts, you control consciousness.”

You have to know what the Words Mean.
Do you have a book published?
By: Jessica Bugg
Tags: Writers, Writing, Publishing, Authors, Short Form

Do you have a book published?

If so, comment the title or titles, I will make a review of your book on amazon as well as post a review on YouTube.

#ShareTheLove
Dumb Joke #5:I just realized I’m fifty years old and I don’t have a single flannel shirt that…
By: Steve B Howard
Tags: Short Read, Short Shots City, Humor, Short Form, Jokes

Dumb Joke #5:I just realized I’m fifty years old and I don’t have a single flannel shirt that smells like a camp fire and my unwashed body. What a total failure I truly am. They are going to revoke my “man card” any day now, I can feel it.

I’m here all year folks!!
A Fellow Medium Writer Is up to Research Reading Behaviors
By: Tom Fenske
Tags: Writing, Marketing, Reading, Stats, Short Form

Quy Ma is a professional market researcher and writer here on Medium. He got curious about how internal readers find your story. He states:

So if the Medium writer or publication is the brand and they’re selling products in the form of articles, understanding the reader journey is crucial to growing views. [Quy Ma]

For this, he created a survey about Medium reading habits. His goal is to find out more about how a reader ultimately landed on a specific story and will let us know his findings in a later story.

I highly recommend taking this survey. It’s a google form and will take less than 5 minutes. The bigger the database, the better are the insights for the Medium community!
Living through the pandemic doesn’t mean you can’t thrive and be creative.
By: Kristina Segarra
Tags: Mindfulness, Pandemic, Inspiration, Life Lessons, Short Form

Living through the pandemic doesn’t mean you can’t thrive and be creative. In fact, creativity flourishes when we are alone with our thoughts and not distracted by the mundane events in the world. The key is to find a passion — something that brings you joy and nurtures your soul. For me, it’s writing. What about you?

I hope you get a dose of inspiration from reading this article.
The Power of Perspective Change
By: Tom Fenske
Tags: Personality, Relationships, Decisions, Health, Short Form

Photo by Nadine Shaabana on Unsplash

This time last year, I had the flu, and I was fighting with myself whether I would go to work to finish some important projects before years end. I was feeling really sick and couldn’t conclude. My fiancee played the magic trick:

Honestly, what would you advise me if I were in your situation?

Before I even thought about it, I said:

To stay at home. Your health is more important than your job. The office will figure it out anyhow.

Suddenly, it all came clear. The moment I stopped thinking about myself and my obligations, the decision was made. The perspective change had me seeing the only right decision; To stay at home. I did, and it worked out well. Ever since, when I am not sure, I ask myself:
This is a news blast to Everything Shortform applicants for an editor position or those wishing to…
By: Greg Prince
Tags: Marketing, Short Story, Short Form Content, Wrting, Short Form

This is a news blast to Everything Shortform applicants for an editor position or those wishing to write for our publication. I’ve been on vacation for the last four days. Keeping up with your requests to be editors has been a challenge. I can’t explain why Medium has stopped allowing me to add editors. I submitted a request to resolve this issue, but I can only add you as a writer until that happens.

I will approve your stories. All other Everything Shortform editors, I ask you to publish your own stories and not publish anyone else’s story.

Should any of you need any clarification on this issue, please message me and, I will answer you as soon as possible.

Managing Everything Shortform, my Facebook group Medium Magic, and publishing a story every day of my vacation was an adventure. But now I am back and getting things on track.
The words in the embedded Medium link count towards your shortform word limit.
By: The Dozen
Tags: Shortform, Writing

The words in the embedded Medium link count towards your shortform word limit.

I found out the hard way. I was at 145 words without the link, and 161 with the link.

When I published the 161-word story, it didn’t have a preview. There was no “Read more” button. The article displayed in full.

I went back and deleted a couple of lines, and the story now had a preview.

And since Medium only pays you when readers click on “Read more,” make sure that you count ALL words in your story.
Punting my books on Medium never seems to work very well, but I’ll try again I guess.
By: Steve B Howard
Tags: Flash Fiction, Books, Science Fiction, Short Shots City, Short Form

Punting my books on Medium never seems to work very well, but I’ll try again I guess.

Sci-Fi Flash: A collection of funny, frightening, fascinating and strange flash fiction and short stories. From the author of the Cyberpunk novelette series, Mystical Meat Machines comes this great little collection of some of his best sci fi flash fiction.

A young serial killer plots his murderous escape from a lunar juvenile prison colony. A small farming town is attacked by intelligent mutant turkeys after a horrible accident happens in their community. A jealous AI runs amok in her owners lab. These and several others make up this thrilling collection.
Having a Panic Disorder made me a better person:
By: Kennedy Montecue
Tags: Anxiety, Mental Illness, Panic Attack, Mental Health, Short Form

Having a Panic Disorder made me a better person:

Having a panic disorder gave me a sense of compassion and even more empathy towards other strong humans that struggle with it every day of their lives. I use to think of it as a curse that hindered me from living the life I wanted (which at the time was ballet dancing professionally) when the truth is it was a huge blessing in disguise.
Big Five Sign Up to Write for The Bad Influence.
By: Reuben Salsa
Tags: Salsa, The Bad Influence, Satire, Humor, Short Form

Learn more. Medium is an open platform where 170 million readers come to find insightful and dynamic thinking. Here, expert and undiscovered voices alike dive into the heart of any topic and bring new ideas to the surface. Learn more

Make Medium yours. Follow the writers, publications, and topics that matter to you, and you’ll see them on your homepage and in your inbox. Explore
Update on issues with displaying short form content
By: Tom Fenske
Tags: Médium, Updates, Paywall, Short Form

Update on issues with displaying short form content

Recently, I wrote about issues with displaying short form correctly, meaning in whole without being truncated by a Read More button.

As the Medium team states in the blog post below, the recent update has the following consequences for short form:

Whether a short form is truncated depends on the paywall.

If you decide to meter the story and make money from it, it is truncated with a Read More button. The preview shows the heading and the featured image or the first 30 words if you have no featured image.

If you publish an unmetered story, it shows in whole on profile streams and publications.

I want to assure you that The Shortform accepts both metered and unmetered stories. It is only for the story's creator to decide whether he puts his work behind the paywall.
These are a list of wellness articles to binge as 2020 ends.
By: Nkeonye Judith Izuka
Tags: Health, Wellness, Mental Health, Short Form, Healthcare

This is a list of wellness articles to binge as 2020 ends. Like I mentioned in:

and despite having spent a decade in this industry, I am not quite sure why I don’t write more about these topics. But for now, check out:

Watch out for part 3 of “Was this a personality mismatch or something darker?”
Today I’m just writing to keep my skills sharp.
By: Jm Miana
Tags: Writing, Creativity, Humor, Self, Short Form

Today I’m just writing to keep my skills sharp.

Recently, I've read one of David B. Clear's articles about taking care of our inner muse by writing each day a bit, about anything. I think it’s great advice and most of you will enjoy it.

Also, his drawings are hilarious.
Real progress consists of two components: Consistency and reflection.
By: Julian Drach
Tags: Consistency, Productivity, Reflections, Progress, Short Form

Real progress consists of two components: Consistency and reflection.

We will have to show up every day no matter how we feel. But only once consistent action is paired with reflection, we can begin to make progress. When both are collaborating, we can learn from the actions’ results and gain new perspectives. And it’s through new perspectives that we can redefine our goals and measure whether we are achieving progress.

To test this concept, I will use these short-form stories to combine writing and reflecting — daily. For one year, I will rediscover and reflect on principles and concepts. You are welcome to join. Let’s see which new ideas we might discover.

19.12.2020 — 1/365.
Hmmm Doordash and Air BNB stocks tank after their IPO week.
By: Jessica Bugg
Tags: Money, Stocks, Investing, Economics, Short Form

Hmmm Doordash and Air BNB stocks tank after their IPO week.

Who called it?

I did. Never believe the hype around a company. Always investigate for yourself before making an investment into anything. However, if you made a nice put option, you were in good shape.
Witty/Funny/Brilliant Poems
By: Terry Trueman
Tags: Sheehan, Poetry, Epic, Humor, Short Form

Learn more. Medium is an open platform where 170 million readers come to find insightful and dynamic thinking. Here, expert and undiscovered voices alike dive into the heart of any topic and bring new ideas to the surface. Learn more

Make Medium yours. Follow the writers, publications, and topics that matter to you, and you’ll see them on your homepage and in your inbox. Explore
You know you’re on the right track when the editors of the largest Medium publication think your…
By: The Dozen
Tags: Writing, Motivation, Thankful, Inspiration, Short Form

You know you’re on the right track when the editors of the largest Medium publication think your work is worth publishing!

Yes, The Startup thought my writing was worth publishing in their new publication — Curious.

I haven’t self-published a story in ages, but after I did I found this note. (See screenshot below.)

Screenshot by Author

I don’t know how they found it or what they loved about it. But they did!

These are THE editors that know quality, and their recognition of my writing meant I’m on the right track.

To me, this was a sign — keep doing what you’re doing.

THANK YOU to The Startup team. You’ve inspired me!
Writing Tips For Writers
By: Kristina Segarra
Tags: Writing, Self Improvement, Writing Tips, Writing Advice, Short Form

In the first article, I share a simple 3-step strategy on how to build a writing habit. If you’re a writer and want to take writing seriously, one thing you have to realize is that the only way to improve your craft is to write with consistency. Consistency is the key to developing a solid writing habit.

In the second article, I talk about how you can grow and succeed as a writer if you join a writing group. One example is a virtual writers group arranged by a few writers who trade articles with one another for feedback, suggestions, and publication advice.
I’m not the gentlest person I know.
By: Bingz Huang
Tags: Gentleness, Short Form Content, Short Form

I’m not the gentlest person I know. Yet, I feel blessed to finally know how I truly benefit from being gentler with myself and the people around me.

Being a Virgo with a naturally harsh inner critic, I saw how my life transformed the most during various times when I accepted the gift of Gentleness through various teachers and healing modalities.

I am so grateful to interview 11 Gentleness Ambassadors from all over the world during our lockdown periods and spend time to distill the essence of their wisdom into articles published on Medium.

I am proud to be a Gentleness Ambassador. :)
. . . Yer being kinda dumb; just wait, you’ll see. ******************************** Wikipedia & Encyclopedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terry_Trueman…
By: Terry Trueman
Tags: Writing, Luck, Success, Poetry, Short Form

When You Wish upon a star . . .

. . . Yer being kinda dumb;

just wait,

you’ll see.

********************************

Wikipedia & Encyclopedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terry_Trueman

Thanks ILLUMINATION-Curated for letting me pitch, via this short-form poem, my longest and best works! My epic poem Sheehan, posted on my pages of Medium, led to the publication of my best known and best selling novel:

Image courtesy of author and publisher

Which in turn led to many more books:
I started a new blog without the hope to earn money.
By: Ayesha Tariq
Tags: Writing, Work, Médium, Blog, Short Form

I started a new blog without the hope to earn money. When I started writing on Medium, the idea was to get back into the flow of writing. I’d always had a personal blog but, never gave it much time or attention. It was more a place for me to reflect, than anything else.

And then I discovered Medium with a vast community of writers who were very supportive of new writers or renewed writers, if you’d like. This really propelled my motivation to keep writing. And that’s when I realized that in this busy world, the best way for anyone to hire me is to see what I know. And what better way to show it to them than through my writing.

So my blog is up and active but I import stories to Medium, LinkedIn and Twitter for readership. But the blog is a great way to have a repository of all my professional writing.
Greetings, Kind Readers!
By: Aimée Gramblin
Tags: Writing, Reading, Ideas, Music, Short Form

Everything Shortform is a publication for Medium stories 150 words and less. Rapid reads to capture your attention and direct it towards further reading or short expressions readers can gulp down in one bite. Use Everything Shortform to get your point across quickly.
Woman entrepreneur makes it big in India with top-class oversubscribed IPO!
By: Dr. Preeti Singh
Tags: Entrepreneur, Short Form, IPO, Finance

Woman entrepreneur makes it big in India with top-class oversubscribed IPO! Mrs. Rajni Bector started her bakery with a meager amount of one dollar in a city named Ludhiana in northern India in 1978. She started by making ice creams, bread, and cakes in the garage in her home. Now her bakery is a brand by the name of English Oven.

She floated an initial public issue(IPO) of Rs.541 crore (US. $73585142.90 ). The offer closed yesterday on the 17th of December 2020. The issue was oversubscribed 198 times. It is called the most successful IPO in the year2020.

This is a great story because first-generation women entrepreneurs in the world, find it very difficult to survive. They are not trusted by people and have financial glitches.

The takeaways:

Some women do make it big!

Work hard and do not lose heart!
Perfectly Sculptured
By: Sophie F.
Tags: Creative Writing, Short Form, Fiction

Photo by Alexander Krivitskiy on Unsplash

I looked into his eyes. Smouldering. Grey. Knives. Heaven. A black hole to a mysterious land where knights dueled with fairies.

My line of sight traveled down the bridge of a very perfect nubby nose. I couldn’t help myself.

A shallow cupid’s bow moulded into a moderately thin upper lip which came together to form a soft point, like the top of a heart. I’d seen a lot of people with lips like this, but for some reason, I couldn’t look away from his. They seemed so alive, the corners turned up, making it look like they held secrets of their own.

My gaze dropped to his chin, there was a lone freckle to the left of his oval chin, an element of character in an otherwise flawless complexion.

Becoming self-conscious of my ogling, I quickly flicked my attention back to those gorgeous eyes. Boring into my own, an expression of amusement and challenge lingered. My god.

I quickly glanced at my shoes, feeling a warmth filling my cheeks, growing warmer as I god-awfully felt my own lips turn up in a stupid grin, lips pursed.

He held himself with such poise and ease. Elegant and comfortable despite having stood there for such a long time.

He wore a pair of smart-looking jeans, not ripped, though slightly faded on the knees, and a white top with a casual dark blazer over it.

The skin, even on his hands, was the softest I’d ever seen on a man. In spite of myself, I couldn’t resist reaching out to touch his hand. Smooth, harder than it looked.

I glanced once again into those beautiful eyes, seeming to have their own whole universes within them. I could have sworn they twinkled for me…
John Lennon & Vlad Lenin
By: Terry Trueman
Tags: Anti Trump, Poetry, Politics, Humor, Short Form

Learn more. Medium is an open platform where 170 million readers come to find insightful and dynamic thinking. Here, expert and undiscovered voices alike dive into the heart of any topic and bring new ideas to the surface. Learn more

Make Medium yours. Follow the writers, publications, and topics that matter to you, and you’ll see them on your homepage and in your inbox. Explore
When madness in the world prevails and all you have left is mockery… Mock away! **************************************** Wikipedia & Encyclopedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terry_Trueman…
By: Terry Trueman
Tags: Epics, Sheehan, Poetry, Love, Short Form

Learn more. Medium is an open platform where 170 million readers come to find insightful and dynamic thinking. Here, expert and undiscovered voices alike dive into the heart of any topic and bring new ideas to the surface. Learn more

Make Medium yours. Follow the writers, publications, and topics that matter to you, and you’ll see them on your homepage and in your inbox. Explore
What if I told you who the wife of the Christian God was/is?
By: Jessica Bugg
Tags: Words To Know, Religion, Spirituality, Christianity, Short Form

What if I told you who the wife of the Christian God was/is?

Her name is Asherah and she was conveniently left out of the modern translation of the Bible minus her reference in the Book of Kings.

Asherah was worshipped alongside Yahweh as his consort or wife.

I didn’t learn that in Sunday School . . .
Should Amazon, Facebook, and Google be nationalized?
By: Tessa Schlesinger
Tags: Government, Innovation, Business, Short Form, Economy

Should Amazon, Facebook, and Google be nationalized? All three companies have now reached a point where their closure or break-up would probably negatively affect most people in one way or another. The owners of these companies are also rich enough to be able to survive for the rest of their lives without any further payment. Anyone who argues that the owners are entitled to reward for their work misunderstands the fact that it was and is the workers who contribute most to the growth of these companies. Also, low-status workers perform their duties in horrendous conditions while the upper echelons are well-rewarded. Private ownership of corporations that nationally and internationally affect the well-being of humanity should not exist. Power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. It is unsurprising that the owners of these companies don’t care about the misery of their workers or their impact on small business ownership.
Medium Comes Clean About Profile Reads
By: Tree Langdon
Tags: Writing, Partner Program, Business, Short Form, Helpdesk

Recent changes to our profile pages resulted in a drop in our earnings, across the board. Every writer I know reported some negative impact.

Medium kept telling us they were making sure the reads on our profile pages were counted as reads, not just scans.

“All views, reads, and Member reading time is being accurately captured and reflected in your earnings and statistics on profile views where the post is fully displayed (and there is no read more link). So if a reader scrolls your profile and encounters posts that are fully displayed in your profile feed, the system will determine their dwell time on each post, just as if they clicked through to read it, and your statistics and earnings calculations will be correct.”

Dwell times, right.

Well, I took them at their word.

Now, this.

“ Like all stories on Medium, shortform earns based on reading time on its story page, not simply viewing it in a feed.” From Medium’s story below.

Seriously?

Clear discrepancy.

Don’t you hate it when you think you can trust someone to at least tell you the truth?

Dang, Medium, I thought we were friends.
The Trouble with Honesty is that the Truth is Hard to Swallow.
By: Tessa Schlesinger
Tags: Self Improvement, Help, Philosophy, Psychology, Short Form

The Trouble with Honesty is that the Truth is Hard to Swallow. There’s something painful about hearing factual information when you don’t want it. Who wants to be told that the cake they baked isn’t edible, or that their religion is a load of bollocks, or that their hero has feet of clay? Why is that? It’s the ego that gets in the way. The more difficult it is to accept something unpleasant, the more the ego is at play. That’s also the root of inadequacy — ego. When the ego steps out of the way, truth becomes the light that shows the path ahead. It exposes the dark corners, and in exposing them, makes the way clear. Honesty isn’t for ninnies. As someone once said, ‘The truth shall set you free,” and so it does. It clears the path from the cobwebs of confusion and error.
What if I told you the Christian God, Yahweh had a wife?
By: Jessica Bugg
Tags: Words To Know, Religion, Spirituality, Christianity, Short Form

What if I told you the Christian God, Yahweh had a wife?

You read that correctly. He indeed had/has a wife. More to follow.
Amanda Cary . . .
By: Terry Trueman
Tags: Sheehan, Writing, Poetry, Glory, Short Form

Amanda Cary . . .

. . . writes to me, “This is the best poem I’ve ever read

And I’m pretty sure you’re my favorite person.”

Signing her name, Amanda Cary

And I’m pretty sure this should be my call

To quit while I’m WAYYYYYY Ahead!

*****************************************

Wikipedia & Encyclopedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terry_Trueman

http://www.encyclopedia.com/children/scholarly-magazines/trueman-terry-1947

Thanks ILLUMINATION-Curated for letting me pitch, via this short-form poem, my longest and best work!

Sheehan. An Epic Poem of Love and Loss | by Terry Trueman | ILLUMINATION | Medium
Are you facing issues displaying short form stories?
By: Tom Fenske
Tags: Médium, Paywall, Short Form

Are you facing issues displaying short form stories?

I experienced some differences in displaying them recently: As they should appear in whole on profile streams and the pub’s homepage, many of them were displayed with a preview and a Read More button.

I did some experiments yesterday: The continuous stream works on smartphones if you Toggle Medium beta (available in settings). When opening the publication, the short form is displayed in full.

Nevertheless, on laptops, just a preview and a “Read More” button appears. I’ve contacted Medium support on this issue. Apparently, it all comes down to the paywall: If you meter the story, a Read More button appears. If you opt not to meter it, it appears in whole on profile streams.

As an experiment, this story is not metered, so it’s not behind the paywall.

Please share your experiences in the comments.
Justin Timberlake might be one of the best artists to ever do it.
By: Nia Simone Mcleod
Tags: Pop Culture, Culture, Black Women, Music, Short Form

Justin Timberlake might be one of the best artists to ever do it. This week, I’ve been listening to 1990s-2000s era Justin Timberlake. I began my journey dancing through my living room to *NSYNC songs like “I Want You Back”.

Photo by Gabby K from Pexels

Then, I took a left into his Justified era with “Cry Me a River” and “Like I Love You”. I’m now going through his (arguably) best album: FutureSex/LoveSounds. Every song is incredible. Currently, I’m losing my mind off of his duet with Beyoncé, “Until the End of Time.”

All I’m saying is that if you see me write an article soon proclaiming my love for Justin Timberlake — that’s my business.

In the meantime, check out this article I recently wrote about my top 10 songs of 2020:
These creatives, the beautiful creative ones, making solar flares from the souls, tiny animate…
By: Steve B Howard
Tags: Everything Short Form, Short Read, Creativity, Quotes, Short Form

These creatives, the beautiful creative ones, making solar flares from the souls, tiny animate specks on a no name planet in the backwaters of a minor galaxy. And yet, and yet, their light bursts so far beyond the limits of their physical realm, they jump up on the dance floor and shake their butts in the face of the gods.
If you read one article today, make it this one on India’s challenges relating to population growth.
By: Jessica Bugg
Tags: Feminism, Population Growth, Economics, Global News, Short Form

If you read one article today, make it this one on India’s challenges relating to population growth.

This story caught my eye to the point I read it twice. I had heard for quite sometime about how quickly the population was growing but never thought to consider what would the effects of so many births be on a country and how might the quality of life for the majority and particularly women, the undereducated, and the poor.

Check it out. It is thought provoking for sure.

I can’t wait to read more from this author.

https://link.medium.com/5tEK38mohcb
Emmanuel Macron, President of the French Republic, has COVID19, according to staff.
By: Frankie Faunet
Tags: Politics, Pandemic, Covid 19, Emmanuel Macron, Short Form

Emmanuel Macron, President of the French Republic, has COVID19, according to staff.

What goes around comes around, I guess?

I’ll go on record to say I am not a great fan of President Macron, especially since he seems to have an uncanny ability to show a firm grasp of a situation, only to turn towards a neoliberal approach to solving whatever problems there may be (or may not be).

I do hope he recovers quickly, especially since this virus managed to leave Donald Trump, Boris Johnson, and even Jair Bolsonaro intact. Diseases may not be fair, but I would really like to see my country, France, avoid the kind of political crisis that would be an unexpected transition of power in the middle of a pandemic.

No, no, may our dear Pres. Manu recover quickly, so that we can vote him out and send him on his way.
Writers-How to Avoid The Dreaded Blurry Story On Your Profile
By: Tree Langdon
Tags: Writing, Art, Self Improvement, Profile, Short Form

Writing | Short-Form Story

Writers-How to Avoid The Dreaded Blurry Story On Your Profile

Unsplash, screenshot by author

I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but stories written in the new ‘short-form’ format, display differently in your profile.

If you’re not sure what a Short Form story is, here’s a quick description to get you up to speed.

In a Short Form story, you don’t use a title, the ‘Subtitle’ is often linked to the story, resulting in a bold, underlined look. The entire story is under 150 words. The idea is to highlight an important news item and the format is intended to be short, like a tweet.

You can add a comment line after that ‘Subtitle’, and how you format that comment makes all the difference.

Here are 3 examples:

No special formatting

I recently wrote a short-form story. Click through and have a look at my formatting in the actual short-form article:

That resulted in this look on my profile page:
Hidden Gems
By: Hogan Torah
Tags: Stories, Hidden Gems, Underrated, Short Form, Second Chances

Everything Shortform is a publication for Medium stories 150 words and less. Rapid reads to capture your attention and direct it towards further reading or short expressions readers can gulp down in one bite. Use Everything Shortform to get your point across quickly.
Macho Guy Shopping for Hand Soap (Alternate Title, It Doesn’t Take Much)
By: Terry Trueman
Tags: Sheehan, Poetry, Humor, Machoism, Short Form

Learn more. Medium is an open platform where 170 million readers come to find insightful and dynamic thinking. Here, expert and undiscovered voices alike dive into the heart of any topic and bring new ideas to the surface. Learn more

Make Medium yours. Follow the writers, publications, and topics that matter to you, and you’ll see them on your homepage and in your inbox. Explore
Where’s the stimulus package?
By: Jessica Bugg
Tags: News, Stimulus, Politics, Covid-19, Short Form

Where’s the stimulus package?

Latest update December 17, 2020

It appears there might be an agreed upon stimulus package.

What’s in it?

-$600-$700 direct payments to Americans

-PPP (Payroll Protection Program) continued support

-Federal Unemployment benefits

-Money to aid in the CoVid-19 vaccine distribution

-Money for schools (not real sure why this one is in there)

The House will vote today. If passed the bill will move to the Senate. If passed there, the people will receive help. If not passed or something passed by Friday, the government will go into shutdown.
Any of my readers know anything about simulation theory?
By: Jessica Bugg
Tags: Aliens, Science, Religion, Physics, Short Form

Any of my readers know anything about simulation theory?

If so please comment your article or ANY resource you may have or feel free to email me directly at thejessicabugg@gmail.com.

I want to read, review, and assist in giving the information to others. I do not want credit.
This is a shameless ask.
By: Aimée Gramblin
Tags: Writing, Innovation, Humor, Ideas, Short Form

Everything Shortform is a publication for Medium stories 150 words and less. Rapid reads to capture your attention and direct it towards further reading or short expressions readers can gulp down in one bite. Use Everything Shortform to get your point across quickly.
My First Shortform
By: Lincoln W Daniel
Tags: Short Form

Okay, they said this is the new thing, so I’m trying it.

Will this be here to stay? No one can tell.

Will this replace Twitter? That’s probably not the goal.

Will this help poets perform better on Medium? I don’t know. Maybe?

Will fiction benefit from this? Probably not materially.

There’s a lot to be worked out, but it’s worth giving it a shot.

It’d be nice if this interface told me my word count as I typed.

Anything to help me know I’m about to publish a “shortform” would be nice.

Welp, here I go.

Publishing.
Selected Top Performing Stories
By: The Dozen
Tags: Top Stories For You, Short Form

Everything Shortform is a publication for Medium stories 150 words and less. Rapid reads to capture your attention and direct it towards further reading or short expressions readers can gulp down in one bite. Use Everything Shortform to get your point across quickly.
Several writers publishing Shortform have experienced difficulty with their story being displayed…
By: Greg Prince
Tags: Writing Tips, Mindset, Publishing, Marketing Strategies, Short Form

Several writers publishing Shortform have experienced difficulty with their story being displayed in full on their profile page or in publications even though they are 150 words or less, and I am investigating why this occurs. We need to understand why Medium does not recognize the format we’re presenting. One of my Shortform Publishing stories was not displaying properly, and I don’t know why.

Writers here become very frustrated the second an issue appears with our stories. I believe it’s important for us to manage our expectations of Medium and from ourselves. When we think Medium is purposely out to get us, I think we must consider the reasoning behind our blaming. Do they really want to hurt us? Why would they waste their energy and productivity on any writer in such a manner?

For me, it is better to understand the reason for my error and correct my behavior.
The pre-order experiment begins
By: 𝑨𝒖𝒕𝒖𝒎𝒏 𝑺𝒆𝒂𝒗𝒆
Tags: Writing, Short Form, Novel Writing, Writing Life, Productivity Hacks

The pre-order experiment begins

One of the things I struggle with is making my own work a priority. I can set goals, plan ahead, or make myself promises. Somehow, I always end up making excuses. I have too much client work. Covid sucks. So, my own writing doesn’t get done.

Client work gets done because I have deadlines and if I don’t meet them, I get fired.

So, I put my book up for pre-order on Amazon. If I don’t meet my deadline, I won’t be able to use pre-orders for a year.

Stay tuned for daily updates on my productivity!
Shortform: A Helpful Update Before You Jump the Bandwagon
By: Xin Xin
Tags: Writing, Productivity, Social Media, Médium, Short Form

Here is how it looks on desktop

The secret sauce;

it will be truncated in a way that encourages readers to click through to its story page.

Now readers have to click to read your shortform story.

But look at what I discovered, if I use a GIF on my shortform, it becomes visually appealing, and it is the final hook that will make readers click through to its story page.
I don’t like winter.
By: Elizabeth Demolat
Tags: Short Form, Lifestyle, Winter

I don’t like winter. I’ve tried to change my mindset about winter. To find joy in the season. I haven’t been successful.

Spring and summer are my favorite time of year.

But, I’ve started to realize that I need to contrast of winter to fully enjoy spring and summer. I need to know that the days of sun and warmth are only around for so long.

I suspect that if summer were all year long, I would take that time for granted. I wouldn’t make plans to go on picnics or go kayaking. I wouldn’t get that thrill that I feel when I put on shorts for the first time in months.

Maybe one day I will learn to like winter. Until then, I’ll try to be content with knowing that this season increases my appreciation for the times of year that I truly enjoy.