Medium Pub Crawl: Connecting editors, writers, and publications
The 24-hour virtual meetup begins on March 19
Perhaps you’ve read about how Netflix streamlines its work with the masses in the Netflix Technology Blog. Or you found The Startup while searching for stories about entrepreneurship and management. From deep dives into math in Cantor’s Paradise to Fanfare film analyses, many of your favorite stories are part of a publication that makes its home on Medium.
Publications serve readers well because they are easy-to-follow repositories of high-quality stories neatly curated into an accessible package. They are usually authored by multiple Medium users.
The writers, editors, and publication owners amongst you have long asked us for best practices when it comes to connecting with like-minded creators. This gets tricky because Medium is global! Your favorite writer or editor might be next door but is just as likely to be in Ghana, the Netherlands, or New York City.
Facilitating human connections across a digital space is why Medium is hosting a virtual meet-up, Pub Crawl, on March 19–20, 2024. Our goal is to connect publications with the editors and writers who make their home here.
Participants will meet, exchange information, attend informative panels, and collaborate in a virtual, speed networking environment. Editors and publishers will walk away with a personal connection and introduction to new writers who want to understand how to pitch, why to pitch, and how to submit a story to a publication. Publications that participate in the Pub Crawl should see their follower count grow, as well as their stable of writers.
Writers will walk away with more insight into their favorite publications, plus new information about publications that they might not yet have encountered on Medium. Writers will also learn how or why to submit stories to a publication, the give-and-take of editing, audience building via publication, and why editors and writers work together to improve a story.
How to Pub Crawl
First? Register!
Publishers register here. Writers register here.
We’re using Zoom Events as our platform for Pub Crawl, so you’ll see a lot of familiar functionalities such as breakout rooms, webinars, and chats.
(If you prefer a video sneak peek of the event, here’s a loom.)
The “live” programming is happening in two parts on March 19, 2024, but the panel replays, speed networking opportunities, and Expo Hall (where publication teams can directly connect with writers) will run a full 24 hours until March 20, 2024. No matter your time zone, you can get in on the community fun.
There are two virtual speed networking sessions with Medium community members, and you can attend live (or view the video later) of panel discussions on publishing and writing on Medium. Plus, qualifying publications will host virtual booths at a time of their choosing within the 24-hour Pub Crawl period. There, they can chat via text or host a video call with those who stop by.
Publications are signing up in droves. Once you scroll down the general public registration page, you can see a few of the folks who have already fleshed out their publisher bio and their virtual booth, which lives in the virtual Expo Hall.
Writers are also signing up by the thousands. Writers, you will be able to visit the Expo Hall booths and also attend the panels. Once the event starts, you have 24 hours to browse the booths, and connect with editors who are hosting virtual office hours. You will need to check the booths to determine when you can hop on Zoom and chat live with an editor.
Schedule of Events
11 am — 12 pm EST:
- Welcome + Pub Crawl Expo Hall stays open for the next 24 hours
- Plenary: Medium CEO Tony Stubblebine
- Panel discussion and audience Q&A with the editors of Fanfare, The Unexpected Autistic Life, Coping with Capitalism, and Age of Empathy (plus The Memoirist.) This panel is hosted by Ariel Stallings.
12–1 pm EST:
- Speed networking session 1
7–8 pm EST:
- Speed networking session 2
Each Zoom breakout session becomes a speed networking room hosted by three editors/publishers and attended by up to 40 writers/readers. After a certain amount of time the attendees will be switched to a new speed networking room to meet new editors.
Editors, who will be pre-assigned to each networking room, can use the speed networking time to explain who they are, provide their submission guidelines, and detail what they are looking for.
Writers are encouraged to simply take notes, make connections in the chat or follow up at the publication’s booth.
If we get enough participants, we anticipate opening a second round of speed networking at 7 pm EST. Plus, the booths and replays of each panel discussion will be available for your viewing until 11 am EST on March 20, 2024.
Whew. Got it?
Pretty soon you’ll see folks on Medium with a special profile picture, denoting that they are signed up and ready to attend.
Writers: Be sure to register here.
Publishers and Editors: If you want to host a booth and also host a speed networking slot, be sure to apply here ASAP. (Important note to publication owners: If you have multiple publications or collaborate with multiple editors, coordinate with your team to decide who is applying for each publication. Due to event platform limitations, only one individual editor can be the primary point of contact for each publication booth.)
If you enjoyed Medium Day, you’re going to love Pub Crawl.
Be sure to register so you can get the latest updates.
See you there.
— Adrienne Gibbs, Director of Content @ Medium
