Erika,

Great rant. Ranting is good for the soul.

I hear the phrase “pay wall” a lot. Perhaps you could explain to an old man just what that means and how it works.

There is much about Medium I don’t understand. I have had many pieces on the homepage, but never understood how they were chosen.

And then there are the “Top Writer” designations. I am currently a top writer in Poetry, Reading, Humor, Writing, Love, Life, Relationships, History, Short Story and Fiction (I may have missed a couple). I don’t know why. In my life, I have written exactly three short stories and nothing else that could be considered fiction. I have never posted a single article on History. 99% of what I post are poems. Go figure.

I get those paid opportunities for poetry too. I used to submit poems and managed to get a good many published and made a few bucks as well. But I found it a long and tedious process with small reward either in terms of money or readership. Most “literary” magazines on-line or (decreasingly) in print have smaller audiences than I have followers here, so why bother with them. It is a rush to see your work in print, the first time. After that, less so. Especially when you have to kiss up to elitist MFA editors who are more interested in their own “brands” than your work. This is only personal experience. If someone wants to play that game, they should.

Thanks for the response. Sorry this got long winded.

Mike