Well, since I've always been a 'have-not' on Medium, never making more than $100/month and that was only once, I'm looking at all of this as an outsider, and what it looks like from here is that both Newsbreak and Medium operate much like casinos.

It's all a crapshoot. No matter how much time you spend (read money at a casino), no matter how good you are or how clever you are, it eventually comes down to luck.

You could be on a wonderful winning streak and then lose it all through no fault of your own. (I don't mean 'you' specifically here.)

The casino can change their odds at any time. They're in charge and they rarely ever lose.

I understand why so many writers at both places are filled with anxiety, never knowing what will happen next or what they'll need to do, either to fend it off or to keep the good times going.

I never had the patience for it; not that I wouldn't have liked to have been at the top of that bubble, if even for a while.

But I sincerely hate to see what's happening now to those of you who deserve better. You've all worked at it far harder than I have, and you should be proud of yourselves. You did what most couldn't do here. You kept at it, you did all the right things--everything that was asked of you by both companies--and now it looks like it's time to regroup.

Except it's not clear what you're supposed to do. There's the real problem. And for that I blame both Newsbreak and Medium. Especially Medium. How can any of you plan the winning play when Medium keeps changing the odds? You can't anticipate what's ahead because there are no contracts and there is no plan. None that writers here are aware of. It's one surprise after another, and not all of them are happy surprises.

Medium is in turmoil and all I see is a whole lot of game-playing, with so many good writers serving as pawns. I hope they settle down soon and come to their senses. What they're doing now, if even unintentionally, is cruel.