The bought-upvotes have caught many out in that they see some getting big rewards and feel demoralised with their much smaller reward on maybe what they see as better content.

My advice to newer users is as stated; Engage and apply passion and personality to blogs. I also tell people not to make it about the money but about the enjoyment...It takes the pressure off and that makes the writing easier...The money comes naturally.

Yeah I am the same. I have a small number of people I follow and engage with regularly.

It's also good to branch out a little, probe other people's blogs with a few comments, see how they respond and if favourable it may develop into another valuable connection.

From what I've seen you engage and do decent posts too. It's that engagement that is going to work well for you. I have people I vote on just because they engage with me; I don't agree with, or sometimes even like, what they post about, but they engage with me, are fun, and so get some votes. Engagement puts a person squarely in front of others...It should be promoted heavily here and those doing it will find great reward. Valid and relavent engagement I mean, not spam commenting like some do.