Excellent, Janice Harayda.

Unfortunately, the demand for writing (and the arts generally) is soft and to everyone's loss. By nature, it is less transactional.

There need to be more readers. Many who say they read don't. There is part of the population lacking the skills to read.

Writers can help themselves by reading more than they write and being vital customers themselves. Another is to treat their readers as customers. Both can be easily achieved on Medium.

I learned in retail to regard every person who stepped into the store as the most important. They chose my store over another, and I had to be welcoming, engaging, and responsive if I wanted their patronage.

I'm surprised by the number of writers on Medium who don't acknowledge or thank comments. It is an incentive for readers to return, and opinions expand the original writing. The NYT manages comments from its readers brilliantly, as often the correspondence multiplies (and can supersede) the value of an original Op-ed (or whatever) a hundredfold. Nicholas Kristof replies to many. The NYT used to Pick comments (which regrettably they stopped).

Many thanks. Best.