I accept your apology, Tessa, and I appreciate your effort in explaining your response. To be clear, I didn't follow people simply to acquire followers. As I explained, I also followed people to read what they had written and I've become online friends with a number of them. The way I look at it is that in following someone, I give them an opportunity to check out what I am writing and to check out their writing in return. I think Medium works best when the writer gets value not just from the income their stories generate, but from the relationships they acquire. Marketing can only be avoided if you're not selling anything. If one expects to generate income from writing, they are in sales whether they like it or not. I try to give my readers value in what I write rather than try to upsell them. I don't sell courses or tip sheets even though I've been advised to do so. I have a newsletter that I publish once a month and the subscription is free. I would never charge for it. I have a website that I blog on once a month, but I have no idea whether anyone looks at it or not. I'm ignorant about SEO and how to monetize my blog. I don't even think I want to. One of my sisters has a very high IQ, the highest in the history of her school (at the time anyway). I suspect she's on the spectrum as well, although she's never been formally diagnosed. One of my best friends is the parent of a child with Aspergers and works with autistic children, so I am somewhat familiar with the challenges it presents. Once again, thank you for reaching out. I appreciate it. Live long and prosper! (That's not mine, BTW. :) )