Steemit is a new platform, and it's very complicated; the learning curve is incredibly steep. For those of us just starting out here and can't buy Steem to power up or perhaps don't even understand what "powering up" means, we have to keep learning and earn our Steem the hard way. That's okay. That's life, not just Steemit. For lack of better words, some people are "lucky" while others aren't. I got over feeling envious of others a long, long time ago. Envy has no place in anyone's life -- it really doesn't.
Obviously I'm new here at Steemit and you might want to take my opinions with a grain of salt, but I have a few tips to share with up and coming Steemian writers. I feel like several of my posts have made good money (with future posts on the up and up, I hope!) I also feel like it isn't a coincidence that these posts have made good money -- and not because I'm some brilliant writer. And no, I have not asked people to upvote me, nor do I personally know any whales here. I also don't have any social media followers on other platforms. I have literally started from scratch.
First a Little Disclaimer:
Forgive my bluntness, but I am really trying to help the community with these tips. I'm the "tell it like I see it" type and see no reason to change who I am in order to gain followers. If you like me or find value in my posts, you will follow me...simple as that.
</end>Disclaimer :)
Without further ado...
Here's My Take on Why Most Steemit Posts Only Make Pennies:
Reason #1 - You're not exposing your authentic self, warts and all.
The whole idea of sharing my innermost thoughts with the world is most definitely a foreign concept to me. I'm still not comfortable with it, and in the beginning I was literally terrified.
Despite any apprehensions, this is actually the best way to get followers to connect with you, while at the same time being fun and therapeutic. I'm sure you're an awesome, unique individual, so start acting like it. After all, there's only one of you.
Unless you're a crypto geek/genius, or someone like that, you're going to have a really hard time doing well long term on Steemit without having the courage to be yourself. This is my opinion, sure, but I believe in it strongly. Even artists have to have the courage to share their work (why, btw, reflects their authentic self), and that's one reason why artists do really well on here.
Reason #2 - Your articles are robotic and boring.
This reason sort of feeds off the previous one. I read a ton of articles that look like they were re-worded from some other article the person found on Google. That's not plagiarism, but it's pretty darn close; it's a wolf in sheep's clothing. Not only do a lot of these articles seem re-worded, but they also have no personality, no flair. I immediately assume these people are simply posting just to post. If you can't produce quality, quantity works just as well, right? *rolls eyes
With that said, obviously it's important to do research and check facts before posting fact-based articles, but at minimum, put your own spin on how the message is delivered. In the delivery is where the magic is made and hearts are won, not in your ability to regurgitate facts. This is your Steemit presence, and yes, we do want your commentary!
Reason #3 - You have bad grammar and spelling.
Sorry to break it to you, Cupcake, but it's true. I don't mean to come across as a so-called Grammar Nazi, but some people have so many run-on sentences and misspellings that I don't know what the hell they are trying to say. Help us help you by cleaning up your grammar, using spellcheck, or having someone edit it for you if you're having a hard time. It doesn't have to be perfect, but it needs to be legible. I make mistakes in my posts, too, and I realize that.
I also realize that English is not everyone's first language. If you're not happy with the way you write in English, have you considered writing in your native language instead (or in addition to English?) Steemit isn't just for English. I see lots of posts written in all sorts of languages. :)
Reason #4 - You're impatient.
It's technically possible, but not likely, that anyone will become an overnight success on Steemit. It takes time to build up a following, build up trust, find your voice, and interact with the community. There are also a ton of people submitting posts on here! You have to be patient in order to rise to the top and stand out from the crowd. Don't write for a week and then throw in the towel. A lot of people are missing out by giving up too soon. If you look at some of the people who have been on here for a year or more and started from scratch, they started slowly and haven't given up.