Hi! Those are good questions and everyone has the same feeling when they begin on Steemit. It takes time to build your branding and get followers so having almost no earnings is realistic.

I'm a minnow helper and write tips & tricks on how to get more successful on Steemit, including how to get more profits. If you want a full source of information you can check my profile. Older posts are also pretty good in content and you don't have to upvote it. Just want you to succeed.

I wish you all the best though and good luck!