Hi Will. I've been on Steemit about six weeks. My first article got $15. My second article got $1750 at peak, but it's been getting diluted, so maybe by payday it will be $1000 or so.
From my study of this platform, I believe there are two ways to develop high-earning posts.
a) build a large network of minnows who follow you and like what you write.
b) write things that impress the whales.
Option "b" requires studying the whales.
One way to do that is to look at the whale list and follow them all.