Yep, I've done that too with authors I admire, including @papa-pepper. I appreciate those who not only create interesting content, but who are trying to welcome and support newcomers.

When I first signed up, I also heard a lot of stories about $1,000 and $2,000 posts. Now, we see posts earning hundreds, which is still great. However, it takes patience, dedication and luck to reach that point and I wouldn't want new users to become frustrated simply because their expectations don't match the current reality. I want them to stay and be a part of Steemit. 🙂