Gabe, I'm right there with you. I, too, have put much time, energy, and research into every article I've posted on Medium. One in particular stands out. In June of 2020 I put out a piece examining Trump's emotional maturity. It had one very nice comment from a reader -- the only person who read the story! ONE READER!

I've written many thoughtful pieces, all involving considerable research, effort and time. Still, you have currently 232 claps on this piece, which is roughly double what I've ever received on any single article.

And I don't think it's that I'm a crappy writer so much as, for whatever reason, my work doesn't set off the necessary algorithms for better distribution and visibility.

So, I feel what you're saying and couldn't agree more. It's terribly frustrating, but I keep plugging away, with a goal not so much to make a lot of money as to simply reach a larger audience, which has so far remained out of reach.

One final thought, I don't believe the quality of one's writing has any bearing at all on good distribution. I think it all boils down to quantity. Write a lot, get views. Write sparingly and thoughtfully, as i have done, and remain obscure. My take is that with Medium, as with any commercial endeavor, volume means money, quality be damned. I think that's the unfortunate truth we face