Here’s what stood out at Medium Day 2026
TK, AI, and an unending love for reading, writing, and sharing.
There’s the numbers version of this recap:
- 15,000+ registrants from 172 countries
- 134 speakers, 122 sessions, 14 meetups
- 6.8k attendees
- 350 attendees who came to 9+ sessions! I admire your dedication.
And then there’s the Medium version of this recap, which is that it was a wonderfully special day in a way that transcends numbers.
Our readers get to listen, first-hand, to experts freely and generously share their knowledge and experience. Writers get a direct line to their own communities, and the opportunity to talk about their passions to a group of deeply interested listeners. And it’s the one day a year we, Medium employees, get to reconnect with huge swathes of our community, and hear directly from you why it’s all worth it.
What our community said
Overall, attendees felt inspired to read and write more.
I left more inspired and more inclined to write and read on Medium.
I feel more motivated to write.
Attendees, like me, were blown away by the incredible quality and breadth of knowledge speakers showcased.
Great day with amazing speakers.
Great insights and helpful direction
A great platform for engaging and learning connecting people from different cultures and background around the world.
It’s always a joy meeting new people and hearing new perspectives.
And one common theme? Looking forward to more community events like this. We’re right there with you.
I truly enjoyed participating in the Medium Day event; I attended at least five or six sessions, and they were genuinely valuable. I want to extend my heartfelt thanks to the organisers, curators, writers, editors, and everyone else involved, because the event would not have been a success without your support. I am looking forward to more sessions like this. Thank you so much.
It was great to attend sessions of fellow writers. I also appreciated learning of new opportunities to share my life with readers. A few sessions that were especially valuable include 'The Real Reason ADHD Brains Can't Stop', 'Write Where it Hurts', Women Writing After 50' and the Medium 101 Webinar. Thank you for Medium Day. I plan to participate in the future.
Read more community highlights on the Medium Day 2026 topic page.
Medium Day Editor Award Winners
A special part of Medium Day was celebrating the Editor Awards. Editors give so much of themselves to the readers and writers here, and we loved having the opportunity to recognize just a few for their contributions to their communities on Medium.
Community Builder Award
For the editor who cultivates a supportive, collaborative environment across their team.
Winner: Rodrigo S-C, editor of Full Frame
Whether a writer has 10 subscribers or 50,000, this editor takes joy in helping them build something strong. The community they've built has grown into one of the best and strongest on Medium.
Equity in Action Award
For the editor who intentionally supports and amplifies underrepresented writers, helping ensure a broader range of perspectives are seen and heard across Medium.
Winner: Patsy Fergusson, editor of Fourth Wave
This editor championed unheard and outsider voices from around the globe — developmental editing, copy editing, and nurturing new voices all along the way.
Champion of Emerging Voices Award
For the editor who consistently uplifts newer or lesser-known writers.
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Winner: Susan Brearley, editor of MuddyUm
This editor hosts free community writing groups and super affordable writing courses through their nonprofit. They turn away no one and see the potential in all of us — they’ve published an anthology of emerging writers and have three more in the works.
Story Whisperer Award
For the editor whose notes consistently uncover hidden potential in a piece.
Winner: Ali Hall, editor of Life Without Children
They are wonderfully encouraging and supportive of my work, adding in nuances that stimulate me to think more deeply about my own life.
Editor's Editor Award
For the editor other editors turn to for advice, second reads, or mentorship.
Winner: Debra Groves Harman, editor of The Narrative Arc
Their name has come up more than once from an editor saying, 'You should ask so-and-so about this.' If I have an essay I want extra care and attention on, I'll always share it with them first. They're the editor's editor, for sure.
Congratulations to all five, and thank you to everyone who submitted a nomination.
*One minor correction: during the Medium Day closing ceremonies, we incorrectly swapped the recipients of the Equity in Action Award and the Champion of Emerging Voices Award! The correct editors are stated above, and we emailed Susan Brearley and Patsy Fergusson to let them know about our mix-up.
Most-attended sessions
These were the sessions that had the most viewers.
Missed any? You can catch the recordings! Just head over to mediumday.com, log in, and watch any sessions on demand.
- Medium Day 2026 Keynote, with Tony Stubblebine, Kassandra @ Medium, Scott Lamb, and Zulie @ Medium
- Why every human should write a daily blog (and how to consistently do it), presented by Niklas Göke
- Arguing about facts doesn't work: Why politics should be like couples therapy, presented by Andrew Anderson
- 5 writing tools for getting unstuck, presented by Jeremy Caplan
- Medium 101 Webinar, presented by Kassandra @ Medium
- AI: Hype, reality & writing, presented by Mark Dranias and co-hosts Prutha, Su Myat Noe (ス), and Grace
- Beyond aesthetics: How one story can become a creative ecosystem, presented by Ebony Walden
- Making life's toughest decisions with clarity, presented by Mark Shrime, MD, PhD
- Wordsmiths' Weekly: Writing in community, hosted by Susan Brearley
- The psychology of writing: Getting to flow, presented by Carol Lennox. LPC, M.Ed.
Most-asked questions
Will these sessions be recorded?
- Yes! Yes, yes, a thousand times yes.
- (In all seriousness: yes, unless the speaker requested the session not be! All sessions are available in the Zoom event at Mediumday.com for anyone who registered, and we’ll be uploading a selection to YouTube for further distribution.)
Where can I read Medium's State Of Writing Report?
- Here! https://medium.com/blog/mediums-state-of-writing-report-2026-a-private-writing-revival-107016e9e254
Where can I buy Medium merch?
- You can buy Medium merch here: https://www.bonfire.com/store/medium/
What Medium staff thought
I love my job, and I love Medium’s mission. I wouldn’t work here unless I truly believed that reading and writing makes the world better, a feeling I know is shared by all my colleagues. But it’s always such a treat to come to Medium Day and have that feeling coming to life. It fills all of our cups for the year to come — at least until next Medium Day.
A wrap on the best reading and writing day of the year
How do you explain Medium Day? I like to say it’s like a renewal of vows. Every person who attends gets reminded why they love reading and writing, and (hopefully) is inspired to read and write just a little bit more.
Honestly, being online can be kind of a bummer! There’s so much low-effort content being generated for eyeballs or a quick buck. It feels revolutionary to go to a gathering designed purely for discovery and community, based around our shared love of reading and writing.
Medium Day 2026 was our best one yet, but we can’t wait to see you all again for Medium Day 2027!
