Excellent advice. I sometimes swap topics from time to time, but this usually corresponds with a drop in my Medium income.

But I don't think you should cut off writing about other things - as I think you've drawn a false conclusion from your evidence. You're essentially a new writer when it comes to drugs, in much the same way you were a new writer when it came to sex and relationships X number of months of years ago.

And what you've done is apply the success metrics of one set of articles onto the success metrics of the others. This is an unfair comparison and is disheartening. Instead you should consider the success metrics in drugs with a) other articles you've written about drugs to see if you're growing an audience or b) Your earliest stories about sex and relationships to find a comparable entry point into a new audience. You're doing yourself a disservice.

What I mean is.... you're an interesting writer and you shouldn't feel like money is the only metric on here that indicates success. If you're prepared to grow your drugs articles as a separate project from your sex and relationships articles and can overcome your intuitive thought that less money = less success then I think you'll find an audience wherever you may go and within whatever topics you choose.

Play the long game Stroh, Penguins believe in you - and for the record, none of your drugs articles have popped up on my homepage. If they had, I would've read them. I suspect many ardent Strohlings have had the same experience as me.