Thank you, Shannon. I've dealt with this a lot over the course of my career whether it be the books I published (and people always wanting them to be "bigger" than what they were, which subsequently made me feel worse) or even writing here on Medium. I tend to not pay attention to a lot of the "talk," because talk gets in the way of the work. Instead, I focus on the writers I like to read (who challenge me to think and feel) and the work I put out into the world.

It's hard to be beholden to an algorithm or the whims of current culture because neither are reflective of the quality or talent of a creator. What I try to do is put blinders on as much as possible and keep doing the work knowing (or at least hoping) my group of people will cleave to it. Hope that's useful in some way.

If anyone's condescending on the topic, I have to wonder about their level of empathy and compassion. Especially given the times we're in.