I'm exactly in the same position as you, Ryan - I feel like I've done everything, every little trick and tip, but fuck me dead, it's just not happening. It is VERY frustrating at times. I'm going at it for nearly 2 years, got over 2K followers, and the numbers just aren't there. At this stage, self-doubt kicks in.

My mentality is the same as yours, just keep going, keep working, and it'll happen over time. But, sometimes, I think to myself, "what if we are on the wrong platform?" Medium is content-driven. If you don't write about those popular and widely read topics, you're basically fucked.

But I'll keep trying to because giving up isn't an option at this point, and if nothing else, consistent writing comes out of it, at least.

Good luck and keep going, Ryan!