I think it took courage to write and publish this piece, Steve. You had mentioned external views and I noticed that views for most of my stories were external, too, even when published by publications. I also enjoy comradarie, reading others' stories, the give and take - though much of this is new for me, and sharing my work.

I, too, am considering how much to focus on my books that have taken months and years (many) to write and need to be completed. I'm sorry to say that the payment for a writer like myself here is almost insulting, let alone shocking - so it's definitely not money I'm making at this point.

I got through two masters programs at the same time at Columbia University but I felt the learning curve here was unnecessarily steep and required seeking out what I didn't know to seek out. There probably is some chock full of information welcome video and buddy program somewhere on Medium that I will stumble upon in the future.

But I am intrigued by "Illumination", which has a unifying vision, highlights people's work, and emphasizes collaboration. I may join Slack when I get my bravery up to tackle a new technological challenge. Focusing on the work you are most passionate about sounds like the key. For me too.