The real value of your work depends on its ability to produce meaningful reader experience. Therefore, focus your efforts in:

• understanding your reader and the experience they are looking for
• creating work that generates that experience
• creating work in a way that feels right

Let go of:

• objects (publications)
• tokens (awards, workshops)
• metrics (followers, sales, etc.)

If you focus on reader experience, you can immediately help someone and you'll be successful more easily. You may need to spend years to perfect your craft, but when you focus on reader experience and personal fulfillment, you immediately succeed. Establish daily and regular practices and routines to nurture your relationship with your audience one by one. See your writing as a form of ministry.

References

Blank, Dan. Be the Gateway: A Practical Guide to Sharing Your Creative Work and Engaging an Audience. WeGrowMedia, 2017.