I joined steemit because my wife said there were lots of writers and stories to read. i am a reader. For a little while I did a small steem mag on writers, I think 12 issues, I would search out steemit for four or five Authors to profile, I got up to about 38 Authors and then started doing a few other things. There was a slight whale tiff about writers on steemit, and that kind of spoilt it for a little bit, i still read and I have a lot of Authors that I can turn to and find a good story to read when I want. I still add to it every now and then. And there are a few readers, enough that we have favorite authors of the moment, some more than others. But they are all nice to their readers. But yes the engagement with the Authors seems to be lacking a little bit. many times I find myself the only commenter on a chapter or part of a story, but the Authors hang in there, and I hang there with them giving what little support I can. And back then my vote was less than a penny.

SO I will help with votes to your audience, and they may come back for the second and third contest if you continue them. Yeah its only a penny or a two cent vote, but it's still a penny, and they add up.