It is frustrating trying to work stuff out - but it can be done. Once I'd knuckled down into the fundamentals of titles/images I started to see more success. That's across the board regardless of what I write - but the Penguin-brand stuff, high on clickable controversy followed by more nuanced commentary is what audience have come to expect.

The Penguin is certainly not paying my rent with Medium royalties - the Penguin has made a bit of a side hustle from time to time and has good months and bad months but mostly does it for the fun. The Penguin rarely checks the stats and very rarely checks the Partner Program income, what arrives simply arrives and very nice it is too.

I voiced a similar plan to Medium - suggesting that Medium should also employ quality readers outside of publications. People on 5 - 10% of the total income received - I'm not a fan of the centralisation of wealth distribution via publications. i think publications lead to niche readerships and then it would be a short hop back to lowest common denominator writing aimed at large echo chambers. It'd kill thoughtful indie writers - and we've almost gone extinct a few times already :o/