As far as blogging platforms on the internet that pay their contributors, I'm actually not sure it's possible to do much better than Medium at the moment. I've been frustrated by all of this fluctuation lately, too, but the pay system is actually still far more generous than it was a year ago for most writers. My first paycheck was only about 40 cents, and I wasn't the least bit disuaded by it.

There are times where I've felt really defeated by the system here, but at the end of the day, I'm here because I love writing and even if I hadn't gotten paid for any of what I'd published, I don't think I'd regret writing them. And when I think about all the connections I would have never made if I didn't join medium... that just makes me sad.

I definitely understand your concerns, but I'd try not to let them consume you. I don't think everyone who leaves you an inane comment, or single clap/clap and running etc. is doing it because they're cruel, vicious people. Take solace in the fact that they're playing short games. It's no strategy for longterm success in the world of writing.

Some advice I heard from a friend when joining medium that I still think about a lot is that Medium is a platform of writers more than it's a platform of readers. Most of us are here because we love writing. And building an audience for our work can be challenging. I can see why people try to cheat the system in the way they do, even if it annoys me.

My best advice would be to try to revel in the connections that you've made, and all the work you would have never written if it weren't for medium. I hope you feel, too, that that's enough to outweigh the bullshit at the end of the day. I hope you decide to stay, Willow.