I'm not exactly sure what to say about this Mukundarajan...I've few followers, 1200 or so, but I spend a helluva long time writing, and my earnings have halved in recent times. Like you, I worked professionaly for years and I feel I have lots to offer. I tire of the people who say they don't write for money. Maybe, but I suspect that is untrue. Money to my mind is validation. You can't have writers writing for less than a dollar a day. I personally have no envy of the top writers. They got in at the opportune moment. But Medium must change, otherwise, people such as I WILL jump ship.