Episode 1: Interview with Wendi Gordon
Freelance writer, book author, mental health champion, and former pastor with a social worker and master of divinity degrees from Texas, the US.
This is my new interview series on Substack as my content marketing strategy to create visibility of influential writers contributing to ILLUMINATION Integrated Publications, starting from the latest. Non-members of Medium can read this story for free. Thank you for sharing it and supporting Wendi on both platforms. If you are interested in participating in this community activity, please leave a comment on this story, contact me via the chat service, or send a DM on the ILLUMINATION Slack workspace, and I will organize it.
Dear Readers,
About this Story
In this story, I will introduce Wendi Gordon, a writer who has contributed to my publications on Medium.com for more than a decade. Her inspiring and insightful stories touched my heart, gave me unique perspectives, especially on mental health, a topic close to my heart, and impressed our readers. Therefore, I decided to interview her and give you a glimpse of Wendi’s life and work.
A Little Background on Interviews
Writing, editing, and content curation allow me to meet authentic and influential writers and leaders from different backgrounds. I enjoy interacting with people from diverse cultures, countries, and professional backgrounds. One of my hobbies is interviewing influential writers and introducing them to my audience. I have been conducting writer interviews on Medium since 2019.
As part of my leadership studies, I conducted many interviews with senior leaders and entrepreneurs in large corporate organizations. I still interview many leaders and freelancers, especially those in startup companies or working as solopreneurs.
These interviews helped me gain insights into their learning patterns and inspired me to collaborate with them. Each interview opened a new window in my life, allowing me to connect with another kind soul meaningfully. In addition, I use these interviews as a cross-pollination tool to inform and empower my readers, fellow writers, and editors/curators of my publications.
When I became a Friend of Medium last year, early adopters of the program expressed an interest in curated content and increased visibility for the work of influential writers who could inform, guide, and entertain them. To fulfill this request, I have continued introducing writers I know and admire. I take great pleasure in publishing and curating their impactful, insightful, relatable, and memorable stories in my publications.
Unfortunately, Medium does not curate interview stories, and the algorithm does distribute them, as I mentioned in a previous story. Why Does Medium Block My Interviews for Influential Writers? However, this restriction no longer impedes my success. I now share these interviews on Substack, reaching thousands of readers through their emails and Substack’s advanced, non-censoring algorithm and the impressive social media tool, Notes. When one door closes, another opens. I am grateful and will continue conducting these interviews without relying on Medium. It’s a pity, though, that Medium readers miss out on discovering these influential writers.
As I build a large community on Medium, my next venture is to create an equally large, if not bigger, community on Substack. My strategy involves creating a bridge between the two platforms, empowering writers by mentoring them, and helping them build their audience through guidance, collaboration, cross-pollination, and community support. Leading the Way and Empowering Writers for a Bright Future.
This strategy aims to facilitate a vibrant, interconnected network of writers across both platforms. I will empower this new community through a new publication our editors and curators established.
Here’s a high-level perspective of the organization I am developing with the support of brilliant minds and kind souls.
How I Architected a Charity Organization & Why I Will Run It Like a Business
Outline of my draft plan for creators, freelancers, and entrepreneurs empowered by the Substack networkmedium.com
Meet Wendi Gordon
Hi Wendi, tell us a bit about your background.
My personal and professional backgrounds have always been closely connected. When I was in high school, I decided I would become a pastor. Gerald Krum, the pastor of the church my family attended then, inspired me. He and his wife Jean, my English teacher, were like my second parents. We still keep in touch.
I graduated summa cum laudé with a bachelor’s degree in Social Work in 1990, then headed to seminary to get my Master of Divinity Degree. Of course, the idea that any human could ever master divinity is absurd!
I met my husband, Steve, shortly after I arrived at the seminary. We got engaged a few weeks later and married on May 26, 1991. Pastor Krum officiated at our wedding and later preached at our ordination service.
Steve and I celebrated our tenth anniversary with a trip to Hawaii in 2001, and we loved it so much that we moved to Maui a year later! I shared more details about that life-changing decision in this article.
We worked in the tourism industry and sold tickets to luaus, snorkel trips, whale watches, and many other popular activities. That meant we got to try them all for free!
We lived in Maui for ten years and loved it, but we wanted to resume our careers as pastors. We were part-time pastors of small churches on Oahu for five years before we became co-pastors of a Texas congregation in 2017.
Covid-related issues brought an unexpected end to that work in 2020, and subsequent interviews with other churches did not pan out. That led us to explore new ways to generate income.
I’m now a freelance writer, mental health peer support guide, and part-time tutor. My husband is an Uber driver and software developer.
What are your hobbies?
When I’m not immersed in a book, I love to immerse myself in nature. When we lived in Maui, I snorkeled near sea turtles, spotted eagle rays, dolphins, and many other magnificent marine animals. Here in Texas, I walk at a local park where I see herons, rabbits, wildflowers, and amazing sunsets.
My love of wild animals and beautiful scenery is also what led me to become an amateur nature photographer. Readers can see some of my best photos, including underwater photos of Maui’s marine animals, here. A few examples:
I also created a “Nature + Nurture” ebook that combines my nature photos with short original quotes inspired by them. It’s the project I’m proudest of and had the most fun making. Here’s a sample page:
Nature + Nurture: Images and Wisdom To Help You Embrace Your Uniqueness and Change Your Life
This ebook is a collection of beautiful nature photos and wise words inspired by them. It invites readers to embrace…wendigordon.gumroad.com
What are the top three books that affected your life?
It’s impossible to narrow the long list of books that have significantly affected my life down to three!
My top five mental health book recommendations are listed here. If I had to choose only one, it would be The Myth of Normal: Trauma, Illness, and Healing in a Toxic Culture by Dr. Gabor Maté.
The Bible obviously affected my life since I studied it extensively in seminary and preached sermons based on passages from it for many years.
I also love fiction, especially murder mysteries. I can’t choose just one book, but my favorite author by far is the late Andrew M. Greeley. His Blackie Ryan series of murder mystery novels has the most memorable and entertaining characters I’ve ever encountered.
Why do you write on Medium?
I write on Medium (and elsewhere) because I’ve always loved to write and have been told I’m good at it. I self-published a book, Timeless Truths for Troubled Times, in 2011. It got multiple 5-star reviews and is still available on Amazon.
Writing is also a way to express my opinions and share my experiences, connect with readers and other writers, and earn money. I no longer write on Medium as often as I used to, but I am very grateful it provides a platform for me and many others to share our work.
Most of the writing I do now is for my weekly mental health newsletter, “Changing Lives,” on Substack. I’m also a freelance writer for publications that have paid me $1K or more for a single article. I’ve only made more than $100 a month from Medium’s Partner Program once; usually I make less than $25.
What are your values as a writer?
My top values are being truthful and accurate, helping others by sharing my wisdom and experience and advocating for social justice.
I am passionate about sharing information and practices that have helped me improve my mental health. I am also passionate about pointing out the obvious contradictions between the words and deeds of people like Donald Trump and those of Jesus.
I will never understand how anyone familiar with Jesus’ teachings and actions in the Bible can believe Jesus would approve of false claims, cruelty, or violence.
How do you connect with your readers?
I connect with my readers by writing about experiences they can relate to and sharing information they find valuable. I also do my best to respond to every reader’s comments. If my readers are also writers, I sometimes read and leave comments on their articles.
Why did you join ILLUMINATION, and how do you find it so far?
I joined ILLUMINATION because it’s not just a single publication but a collection of them. I’ve had articles in ILLUMINATION, SYNERGY, and ILLUMINATION-CURATED. I also joined because it publishes articles from new writers as well as seasoned writers with thousands of followers. ILLUMINATION is wonderful, and its editors are amazing! They don’t just publish my articles; they promote them on Medium and elsewhere.
Who are some writers you follow on ILLUMINATION?
Apart from you, I follow many but writers I regularly gain insights fro mare Dr. Preeti Singh, Dr. Gabriella Korosi, Vidya Sury, Collecting Smiles, and Aiden (Owner of Illumination Gaming). In addition to being great writers, they are also editors. Aiden stands out because he often includes my articles in his article roundups, and those roundups also lead me to great articles by other writers.
What are the top five stories that you want to share with your audience and why?
Are You Listening To God’s Words or Just Someone Who Claims To Speak For God?
This article includes numerous Bible quotes to make the point that Jesus taught and modeled love for all people and rejected violence. It provides a list of questions to help readers assess whether political or religious leaders who claim to speak for God are expressing views consistent with those of Jesus.
I believe that it is more important than ever to challenge claims that a particular nation, ethnic group, or political party is God’s chosen one. The well-being of everyone, the people who make those claims deemed inferior or unacceptable to God, depends on our willingness to do that.
How Our Wounds Can Be Sources of Healing Instead of Shame
This article provides insights into why I share painful truths about my life and mental health and how doing so has helped me and others heal.
How to Help Someone You Love Cope With Depression | by Wendi Gordon | ILLUMINATION | Medium
This article covers what NOT to do as well as what to do to help a loved one who is battling depression and/or anxiety. It’s based on my experience with both of those mental health challenges and what others did that helped or hurt me. It’s also one of the articles included in my Depression and Anxiety Survival Kit.
NOTE: The suicide prevention hotline number listed in the article has been replaced by 988, a more comprehensive emotional crisis support hotline available 24/7 via phone, text, or chat.
Do Writers Have An Ethical Duty To Society? | by Wendi Gordon | The Writing Cooperative
This boosted story quotes JFK, E.B. White, and I.F. Stone’s remarks about writers’ ethical duty to society. I use their comments to reinforce my opinion that writers have a responsibility to verify claims they cite as facts and avoid using words likely to fuel hate or incite violence.
How Toxic Cultural Values Affect Our Mental Health and What We Can Do About It | by Wendi Gordon
Too often, mental health issues are believed to be primarily due to biological factors or adverse childhood experiences. This article cites experts and my personal experiences as evidence that our capitalist culture’s unhealthy messages and misguided priorities also significantly affect our mental health. It also suggests simple actions we can take to counter our culture’s harmful effects.
What do you recommend to the new writers on ILLUMINATION?
First, have realistic expectations. You’re not likely to get rich or famous solely by writing on Medium. Your early articles probably won’t get many views or be very good. Publish them anyway! The only way to get better is to write more articles, read stories by more experienced writers, and learn from the feedback you get from editors.
Second, pay close attention to each publication’s submission guidelines and make sure you follow them. Respond promptly to private notes from editors on your article drafts and make the changes they ask you to make. Remember that editors are volunteers, and be grateful for their hard work and patience if it takes a while for your article to get published.
Finally, don’t spend much time (if any) looking at your statistics, especially at first. You’ll quickly get discouraged and be tempted to give up. Focus on your writing, not how many views each article gets or how many people follow you.
What are your plans as a writer?
I will continue to use my “Changing Lives” newsletter and articles on Medium and elsewhere to share information and practices that readers can use to improve their mental health.
I also plan to write about my 1:1 peer support services via phone and my speeches at mental health workshops and other events.
My ultimate goal is to combine my writing and other work to create a financially viable enterprise that provides emotional support to people struggling to cope with life’s challenges. My mental health website is a step in that direction.
How can readers and fellow writers connect with you?
Apart from Medium, they can connect with me through my portfolio site, including links to my work, my mental health guide site, Substack, and LinkedIn.
Thank you for your time, Wendi. I hope many readers find your profile and wonderful stories. I wish you the best in your writing journey.
Thank you, dear readers, for exploring the profile of Wendi Gordon and her lovely stories and supporting her Substack newsletter. 🙏
I also introduced several other influential writers. Here are some recent samples that you may start exploring.
Interview Elle, Interview Waleed Mahmud Tariq, Interview Bill Petro, Interview Sylvain Zyssman, Interview Matthew Bamberg, Interview Øivind H. Solheim, Interview Abhishek Biswas, Interview Payal Koul, Interview Matt Lillywhite, Interview Genius Turner, Interview Shirley Willett, Interview David Mokotoff, MD, Interview Martin D. Hirsch, Interview Gill McCulloch, Interview Adelia Ritchie, PhD, An Interview Dr. Lutz Kraushaar, Interview Tim Denning, Interview Lorwen Harris Nagle, PhD, Interview Matt Williams-Spooner, Ph.D., Interview Pernoste & Dahl, Interview Luay Rahil, Interview Melissa Kalt, MD, Interview Ayodeji Awosika, Interview Dr. Preeti Singh, Interview Dr. ADAM TABRIZ, Interview Dr John Frederick Rose, Interview Yogesh Haribhau Kulkarni (PhD), Interview Hakima T A N T R I K A, Interview Mark Sanford, Ph.D, Interview Raymond M.E. Aguirre, Interview Keri Mangis, Interview John D. Leavy. You can find more interviews from my collection.
Interviews with Writers on Medium
Featuring inspiring writers of ILLUMINATIONmedium.com
If you are interested in being interviewed, you can leave a comment on this story or contact me at ILLUMINATION’S Slack workspace. I will arrange it at your convenience.
ILLUMINATION editors, Aiden (Owner of Illumination Gaming), and Mike Broadly, DHSc also introduce writers to create visibility to their profiles and stories. Here are the recent ones that you can click on “Meet” to read their profiles. I shortened them to save space.
Meet William Spivey, Meet Karen Goldfarb, Meet Naya Monroe, MA, LCDC-I, Meet Tejus Yakhob, Meet Dr. ADAM TABRIZ, Meet Jack Kammer, MSW, MBA, Meet, Joshua Mason, Meet Seda Anbarcı, Meet Dr Emmanuel Ogamdi, Meet Jozsef Kovacs, Meet Davor Katusic. Meet Thomas Allen Moon, Meet Sneha Nagre, Meet Zondra Dos Anjos, Meet Ani Vals Meet Ammara Hassan. Meet Sridhar Pai Tonse — Leadgen Coach- Tech Startups
If you are an aspiring leader, I researched leadership over the last four decades and summarized my findings in three articles that you may find helpful.
How to Be an Excellent Technical Leader
Here’s How to Recognize Distinguished Leaders.
Here’s What Young Entrepreneurs Can Learn from Exceptional Leaders.
You may learn about my technology leadership curation plans for my publication, Technology Hits, on Medium. Back to Writing / Curating Technology, Business, and Leadership Topics Using a New Profile
Here’s the latest newsletter I wrote for Technology Hits. And the one for ILLUMINATION showing our new strategy.
Thank you for reading my perspectives. I wish you a healthy and happy life.
I wrote many stories for new writers to guide them and find their voices easily and effectively, sharing my five decades of experience. I hope you find some stories from the attached collection.
Writing, Content Development & Marketing Strategy Guides
To inform my new readers, I wrote numerous articles that might inform and inspire you. Some of my topics include brain, mental health, cognitive function, significant health conditions, longevity, nutrition/food, valuable nutrients, ketogenic lifestyle, self-healing, weight management, writing/reading, including 100+ Insightful Life Lessons from My Circles for the Last 50+ Years.
I publish my health and wellness stories on EUPHORIA and share distilled versions on SUBSTACK. My posts do not include professional or health advice. I only document my reviews, observations, experiences, and perspectives to provide information and create awareness.
Here are my three Substak sites serving different audiences.
Health and Wellness by Dr Mehmet Yildiz | Substack
Content Strategy, Development, & Marketing Insights | Dr Mehmet Yildiz | Substack
Technology Excellence and Leadership | Dr Mehmet Yildiz | Substack
If you are a writer, you are welcome to join my publications by sending a request via this link. I support 30K writers who contribute to my publications on this platform. I also have another profile to write and curate tech stories. Friend Links to My Sample Boosted Stories for Non-Members of Medium.
Get an email whenever Dr Mehmet Yildiz publishes. He is a top writer and editor on Medium. dr-mehmet-yildiz.medium.com
Importance and Value of Medium Friendship for Writers and Readers
You are welcome to join the ILLUMINATION Community on Medium and Substack.
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Thank you Dr. Yildiz and everyone who has commented on and/or restacked this post!
I've just finished reading The Myth of Normal. Great book!