Milestone map
Milestone map
3 milestones
Write and Publish Five Essays in Public
8–16 weeks (one to two essays per month)
Write and publish five complete essays on any publicly accessible platform (a personal blog, Substack, Medium, or equivalent). Each essay must be at least 600 words and have a clear thesis — a specific claim or argument — stated in the opening paragraph. Not every essay will be good, and that is expected.
Proof required
Submit links to five published essays. Each must be at least 600 words, publicly accessible without login, and have a clear thesis stated in the first paragraph. Include a one-sentence description of each essay's thesis.
What gets checked
- All five essays are at least 600 words — not counting the title, headers, or block quotes
- Each has a clear thesis in the opening paragraph — a specific claim, not 'I am going to explore X'
- All five are publicly accessible to anyone with the URL — no paywall or login required
Common mistakes
- Writing essays without a thesis — a well-written but thesis-free piece is a narrative, not an essay
- Waiting for essays to be 'ready' before publishing — five essays published imperfectly beats five unpublished essays
Resources
Foundationstart here
Depthgo deeper
What a verifier looks for
- Open each essay: is there a clear thesis in the opening paragraph?
- Count the word count on each essay — are all five at least 600 words?
- Are all five publicly accessible without login or paywall?
You'll sign in first, then come straight back here.
Complete the Final Five Essays Showing Development
8–16 weeks (continuing from milestone 1)
Publish the final five essays to complete the set of ten. At least two of the final five must tackle subjects or arguments more difficult than the first five. Write a 150-word comparison of one essay from the first five and one from the final five, identifying specifically what improved.
Proof required
Submit links to the final five essays (completing ten total). Include a 150-word comparison identifying one essay from the first five and one from the final five, and naming specifically what improved — in thesis clarity, argument quality, evidence use, or writing craft.
What gets checked
- Final five essays are each at least 600 words with a clear thesis
- At least two of the final five tackle harder subjects or more complex arguments than the first five
- Comparison is specific — it names something that actually changed between the two essays
Common mistakes
- Writing ten essays on the same subject at the same level — the set should show range and development
- Comparison that says 'the later essays are better' without identifying what specifically improved
Resources
Foundationstart here
Depthgo deeper
What a verifier looks for
- Count all ten essays: are all publicly accessible with a clear thesis?
- Are at least two of the final five essays on harder subjects than the first five?
- Read the comparison: does it name something specific that improved?
You'll sign in first, then come straight back here.
Collect External Feedback and Reflect on the Body of Work
2–4 weeks (community engagement)
Share the complete set of ten essays in at least two writing communities for structured feedback. Collect at least three written feedback responses that are specific about what works and what doesn't. Write a 300-word reflection on what the feedback revealed about your writing.
Proof required
Submit: links or screenshots of the complete ten essays in one accessible place; screenshots showing you shared in at least two communities; at least three written feedback responses; and a 300-word reflection on what the feedback taught you about your writing voice, argument quality, or essay craft.
What gets checked
- Feedback is from at least three different writers with specific observations — not generic encouragement
- Reflection names something specific the feedback revealed — not 'the feedback was helpful' but what it changed
- All ten essays are linked in a single accessible place for community sharing
Common mistakes
- Collecting feedback only from friends or family — feedback must come from writers without a pre-existing relationship
- Reflection that summarises the feedback rather than synthesising it into a development direction
Resources
Foundationstart here
Depthgo deeper
What a verifier looks for
- Is there a single accessible link to all ten essays?
- Are the three feedback responses from writers outside the candidate's personal network?
- Read the reflection: does it identify something specific about the candidate's writing?
You'll sign in first, then come straight back here.
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