Maybe I’m Biased, But…

I have my questions about collections, and I’m glad we have a community representative like elizabeth tobey to field them.

In the descriptions of the features, planned and present, of collections, I see a lot of what I’d already like to see for publications: top-of-the-feed featuring, suggestions to users based on interests, and, most of all, an emphasis on curation, rather than algorithm optimization, as a solution to Medium’s sometimes lackluster front page experience.

Honestly, all of that is great. I’m interested in seeing how collections work in practice. As a publication owner, however, I’m left wondering:

What can collections do that publications can’t?

And, perhaps more importantly:

Why not give some of these new features and privileges to publications, instead of creating a new feature?

Part of me is sitting here worried that the already meager abilities of a publication to be discovered over time by new users will be eclipsed by more nimble, more ubiquitous, more visible collections. If collections are based on trending topics, and are featured at the top of feeds, how can publications expect to compete? Will publishing editors be expected to spring into action as soon as news relevant to their publication breaks, scrambling for pieces that will hopefully be picked up by a popular collection? Does that not make publications subordinate to collections?

Publications are already based on human interaction, curation, and subject matter. I’ve poured a great deal of time into reaching out to new writers, discovering content, and communicating about our content to potential readers, and the results have been largely positive. I believe in Medium as a platform because of what it’s been able to facilitate so far for both of my publications. With collections, however, I have to wonder if that facilitation is being pushed aside, rather than expanded.

I’m excited to hear your response, and perhaps for my concerns to be put at ease! In the interim, I am your humble editor.