I totally agree with this. I mean, I found the bonuses highly motivating. For someone who's been around for a while, there was at least a decent chance of getting them. But writing contests with obscene cash prizes for a handful of writers who happen to write about a topic or two in a very specific style? They just make me sigh...

Why does Medium have to double down on giving a handful of select writers a sh*t ton of money instead of making an effort to spread it out more equally?!

This is highly DEMOTIVATING to me, which must be the exact opposite of what Medium is hoping to accomplish with these competitions.