Couldn't agree more @chrisroberts, well said. I started off on here 3 months ago clueless but just glad to have a place to encourage me to write after a long period of the creative blues. I just started reading and commenting on all the quality posts I could find and it encouraged me to start posting. Then I found that the same people I had spoken to started commenting on my posts. Without realising it I had taken the best path to engagement on steemit.

Too many people get caught up in a kind of desperation when they start off and see their posts making 20 cents and seem to get in a fever of trying to get followers by any means. Turning up on one of my posts saying gr8 post, follow/upvote me back just ain't gonna cut it with me. What I try to do with these people is politely advise them to read, comment what you like about it, and get in a conversation. 9 out of 10 people (including myself) will go look at that person's profile and follow them, if the posts are any good.