The Digitalmehmet Content Ecosystem

On January 1, 2024, I decided to give NewsBreak another shot after a two-year break. A mentor from the U.S. encouraged me, someone who had built a massive following on this platform and swearing by its reach and potential. ‘Try it again,’ he said, especially now that Medium seemed to be in a slump.

So, I agreed and put up my first story. And just like that — boom — it went viral the next day. It felt like magic for a moment, a sense of validation I hadn’t felt in a while, and a little thrill of excitement. But as I soon discovered, not all that glitters is gold…

Then came advice from another trusted mentor — a voice of clarity among the noise. ‘Spend 80% of your effort on Substack,’ he urged, ‘15% on NewsBreak, and a mere 5% on Medium to Grow as an influential writer.’

I took his words to heart, throwing my energy into Substack with a renewed purpose. The payoff from Substack? A staggering 600% growth, bringing me 20,000+ subscribers in fewer than three months, far beyond anything I’d imagined. It wasn’t just a win; it was a transformation.

Seeing this growth unfold, I felt the spark to do something new — something that could build a real community on Substack, a place for thoughtful exchange and genuine engagement. My new community on Substack has started flourishing as an extension to Medium.

Inspired by this momentum, I decided it was time to write a book about Substack—not just any book, but one that captured everything I had learned about the platform that had reignited my passion and given me the audience I had been missing. I called it Substack Mastery: Insider Secrets from a Content Strategist and Seasoned Author.

Even with Amazon’s bots causing initial hiccups, the digital edition of my book broke through, becoming a bestseller worldwide for weeks — a triumph that was as thrilling as it was unexpected.

Now, just when I thought things couldn’t get more exhilarating, the paperback has soared to #1 in Hot New Releases in the Business Aspects of Writing category on Amazon.com in the US.

It’s surreal to watch this book find its audience, defying all odds and making a mark in markets I’d only dreamed of reaching.

Now, it helped me to get a new hybrid book deal titled A Powerful Toolkit for Substack Mastery: How to Scale Your Newsletters and Reach Thousands for a Successful Writing Business. It will be published on 30 November 2024. I will introduce it in another story soon.

Back to NewsBreak Issues

In the meantime, the first three months on NewsBreak felt like riding a wave of success. Some stories soared past a million impressions in just a few days, numbers I could hardly dream of on Medium.

There was an addictive rush to the platform’s viral potential that sudden flood of engagement every writer secretly craves. But deep down, I knew NewsBreak would never replace Medium.

There was something hollow about the experience — a sea of numbers on a screen, devoid of any real community, conversation, or connection. Ideas vanished into the void, never sparking the kind of discussions that make writing feel alive.

Apart from a handful of discerning readers who found me through Google and reached out via my website, there was no bridge between the words I wrote and the people I hoped to reach.

And when one of my favorite stories close to my heart, Queer Organisms, went live, it didn’t find thoughtful engagement; instead, it drew hate speech and trolls determined to tear it down with their toxic voices. It was a harsh reminder that, in some spaces, even the best stories can be met with hostility rather than empathy and understanding for underprivileged populations.

I quickly realized that NewsBreak was not a champion of writers; it was a fortress built to keep our voices in check. Links to our other work were not allowed. Mention a Medium story, and their bots would pounce, flagging it as self-promotion and burying your post before it even had a chance to breathe.

Swallowing that bitter truth was tough, yet I chose to focus on crafting the best stories I could, hoping to leverage the platform’s vast reach in the United States for my insightful stories.

Then, a subtle shift occurred. Over the next few months, my impressions began to decline, and yet, to my surprise, my reads remained steadfast. It was a telling sign: those who encountered my work were not just passive observers; they clicked, engaged, and passionately shared.

This consistency proved that my stories resonated, even as the numbers dwindled. It was a bittersweet trade-off, but for now, as a secondary backup after Medium’s situation, it felt worth it, especially while I poured my heart into Substack — the one platform that truly values creators and their contributions at the moment.

Substantial reader feedback for my Substack Mastery book kept me very busy. For over a month, I was unable to post to NewsBreak while the digital world around me kept turning.

During this time, I received a few flurries of auto-generated messages from NewsBreak proclaiming, “Dear Dr. Mehmet, we missed your voice!” — a hollow encouragement that felt like a whisper in a crowded room.

I was immersed in the whirlwind of publishing my Substack Mastery book, leaving little room for NewsBreak. Yet, I created some time to share my stories on the platform again. But I was wrong and had regrets.

Entry to the Final Chapter of NewsBreak for Now, Who Know Maybe Forever

So, just a few days ago, I decided to post a new health-related story to NewsBreak. It was an instant publication, courtesy of their robots—no human eyes laid upon it.

Normally, my pieces undergo a brief delay before hitting the feed, allowing time for editors to review and properly distribute them. But this time, it seemed to skip the quality check entirely. I was accustomed to my stories being distributed within an hour, quickly gaining many views.

The next day, my curiosity was piqued, and I checked my stats after work. To my shock, the story displayed a grim “zero” for impressions. No one had a chance to catch a glimpse of it on their screens, let alone click on it.

It was as if my words had been swallowed whole, published but entirely invisible. I wondered whether there was something wrong with the story. Or had a glitch muted my voice entirely in the vast expanse of digital noise?

As per my usual routine, I reached out to the support team—who, I must admit, had been genuinely helpful to me this year. But their past indifference lingered in my memory like an old wound.

The kindness of the new support team was one of the reasons I felt inspired to return to NewsBreak, promote it to my audience, and share my affiliate link on my website. I wanted other writers to seize the opportunity of this viral platform that boasts 50 million visits monthly.

This year, an impressive 243 writers joined NewsBreak through my referral link, which sparked a sense of pride within me. Yet, unlike previous years, I received no referral fee. I assumed my referrals hadn’t posted enough stories to qualify for a commission. But honestly, not being paid for affiliates didn’t faze me. My goal for promoting NewsBreak was never about the money; it was about expanding the horizons for my proteges, students, friends, and collaborators.

Then, a name from the past popped up in my support ticket — a team member who had always been terse with me in 2020. I didn’t even realize she was still around. As soon as I saw her name, a sinking feeling washed over me; I knew my inquiry was doomed.

Reading her curt reply made me feel like a fool for my naive hope. She stated that my story fell under the health category and thus was deprioritized.

I had heard this rule before from other support staff who told me NewsBreak always prioritizes local content, yet my health-related pieces had always seen the light of distribution. Her words felt like a final nail in the coffin: NewsBreak was systematically silencing health stories, including mine, which had clearly received ZERO impressions.

I countered her response, clarifying that my concern wasn’t about prioritization but rather the bizarre lack of impressions on this particular story. A nagging gut feeling told me she’d find a way to penalize me. I remembered how she had struck me down in 2021, which had pushed me to halt my contributions to NewsBreak altogether.

The next day, I noticed something alarming. My 400+ stories had all mysteriously received ZERO impressions — an unprecedented occurrence.

No views, no likes, no comments, and certainly no followers. All metrics show ZERO now, as shown in the screenshot below.

It felt as if NewsBreak had thrown me into an overt distribution jail, a punishment far worse than anything I had experienced on Medium. At least on Medium, my direct links could lead readers to my work, but here? It was as if I had vanished from the platform entirely.

As I gazed at the weekly views on my NewsBreak dashboard shown below, a sense of disbelief washed over me. It felt as if the platform had suddenly pulled the carpet from under my feet despite my unwavering contributions and commitment to delivering valuable content to their subscribers — content to which I now had no access.

Unlike Medium, where connections flourish, we cannot even see our followers. Views, likes, and followers are mere vanity metrics to me. I understand their ebb and flow and accept that reality.

Yet, two dealbreakers compelled me to step away from this platform until I get a favorable response.

The first was the disheartening encounter with a support representative who treated me as just another faceless number devoid of care or concern for a long-term contributor. Although this dismissal stung, it wasn’t the primary reason for my departure.

The main issue lay with an influential media company that overtly sidelined health topics, prioritizing sensational news instead. In a nation where half the citizens are metabolically compromised, and many grapple with mental health challenges like chronic stress, anxiety, and depression, this neglect felt particularly grievous.

My stories, which once reached a broad audience and resonated deeply with readers who discovered me through Google, now faced an uphill battle for visibility.

NewsBreak no longer directs readers to our websites or allows any links to our work — an indication that they truly did not care about their writers. With my real name — a rarity in English-speaking countries — readers should have been able to find me easily, yet the connection was severed.

I recently noticed that when we publish a new story, there is no way for new readers to find our previous stories. They removed links to our profiles. Here is an example of a story that gives no links to previous ones through my profile. This shows NewsBreak does not care about writer at all but only about their business. However, if writers stop contributing, I am not sure how they would survive.

In search of clarity for my case, I consulted a mentor, a healthcare expert familiar with mainstream media dynamics in the United States. His analysis provided a crucial epiphany: the stories NewsBreak chose to amplify were predominantly those tied to medications and supplements, benefiting big pharmaceutical companies.

The realization hit hard. I had mistakenly believed that NewsBreak supported my health content, only to discover the underlying motives driving their distribution. This contradiction clashed starkly with my values. I could not condone a platform prioritizing virality and profit over public health.

When they silenced my valuable contributions — designed to promote the well-being of citizens — I knew it was time to reevaluate my presence on a profit-driven platform that seemed indifferent to the welfare of both writers and readers.

So, I have made my decision.

I don’t make decisions randomly or based on egocentric instincts; I make them strategically using my intellect and intuition, which come from my higher self.

Until NewsBreak offers a sincere apology for mishandling my support ticket and commits to distributing my important health content, adhering to its stated guidelines, I will cease my contributions and stop promoting the platform.

Their affiliate payments no longer appeal to me. This so-called support engineer has shattered my trust, tipping the scales beyond repair.

For now, I bid farewell to NewsBreak — until they prove they genuinely care about their writers and the public’s health in the United States.

So, what lesson can we glean from this experience as writers?

This story isn’t about lamenting the loss of distribution on a platform like NewsBreak. It is not a complaint and by no means a criticism. I respect them and wish them the best in their journey.

But my story is rather a reflection on the resilience of creators, freelance writers, or content entrepreneurs. I personally have navigated the ups and downs of the writing world with multiple fallback positions, such as Substack and, most importantly, my own platforms no one can take from me.

The critical takeaway for all writers is to remain vigilant. It means that trust in any platform can be a double-edged sword, as rules and algorithms can shift at a moment’s notice.

Even worse, you may find your account suspended without explanation or recourse, as I experienced in 2020 when Medium suspended my account based on unfounded allegations without any notice, casting a shadow over my publication, ILLUMINATION, for 24 hours.

While I held no grudges against Medium, that incident instilled a sense of caution, prompting me to establish backup plans for myself and my wonderful community writers and readers.

This cautionary tale serves as a vital reminder to aspiring writers: no platform, no matter how viral or seemingly friendly, can be fully trusted.

Diversifying your content across multiple channels while prioritizing your own platform is essential for survival, growth, and sustainable success as a writer.

By taking ownership of our content and diversifying our outlets, we protect our voices and empower our creative journeys. In this ever-evolving digital landscape with constant fluctuations, we must remain adaptable and prepared, ensuring that our stories continue to be told, regardless of the shifting tides of any single platform.

If you are a new writer and reader on this platform you might find some helpful stories from my collection listed below.

Thank you for reading my perspectives. I wish you a healthy and happy life.

I am here to help my readers, so reach out when you need support. You may take a quick taste of some of my inspiring stories in this collection. If you wish, you may subscribe to my Health and Wellness newsletter to benefit from my decades of health, science, and technology experience.

If you are a new writer on this platform, you are welcome to join my publications by sending a request via this link. I support 32K writers who contribute to my publications on this platform. You can contact me via my website. I also have another profile to write and curate tech stories.

You are welcome to join the ILLUMINATION Community on Medium and Substack and our education tool, Substack Mastery, curated by ILLUMINATION-Curators. Here is the Importance and Value of Medium Friendship for Writers and Readers.

A Quick Update on My Recent Book Projects

To support the writing community and help them gain a competitive advantage in the market, I recently authored a book titled Substack Mastery, which is now available in popular online bookstores. It was well received by readers and now it trends as a best-selling book in its categories.

Here is the universal link to find it in different bookstores. The paperback of this book is available through Amazon or booksshop.org. The audio will soon be available in major outlets, and the first release can be purchased from Google Play.

I also published a new version of the Substack Mastery for busy people and explained the reasons in a new story.

I will continue beta reading for the next version, which is coming soon. So, if you enjoy reading and providing feedback, here are links to chapters for free:

Preface of “Substack Mastery” for Beta Readers, Chapter 1, Chapter 2, Chapter 3, Chapter 4, Chapter 5, Chapter 6, Chapter 7, Chapter 8, Chapter 9, Chapter 10, Chapter 11, Chapter 12, Chapter 13, Chapter 14, Chapter 15, Chapter 16, Chapter 17, Chapter 18, Chapter 19…

You can join my newsletters, where I offer experience-based content on health, content strategy, and technology topics to inform and inspire my readers.

Health and Wellness by Dr Mehmet Yildiz

Content Strategy, Development, & Marketing Insights

Technology Excellence and Leadership