What an excellent, incisive essay, Julia. I’ve some very strong opinions about the obsession over monetization, the FB groups, etc., the formulaic writing and formatting, which creates a sea of sameness. The stories feel less crafted and more deliberately packaged. I don’t knock anyone’s desire to make money (and one should make money if they publish their work), but it’s the degree of the obsession which feels smarmy. And it’s ironic that these same people hold marketing in low regard. But that’s a whole other diatribe. I’ve been toying about writing about this because I’ve been on the platform since 2013, and the community vibe is just…different now…but I’m not sure I want to put that energy out there. Best to keep it moving :)