Great thoughts on the publishing world. I've never delved into it, as Steemit is the only place I've ever gone public with anything I've created. (Except a letter to the editor, which didn't get published. I should put that on here..)
I've been dabbling at the computer, well into the night for quite some time, but most everything just sits in the machine and carries on conversations with the other writings that languish in the chip-works.
(Like you, I have idea books all over the place. There isn't enough time in the future of humankind to ever get to all these notebooks. But they're sure fun to read now and then. "When did I write that?")

But Steemit has been great. An impetus to actually finish writings, and put them somewhere to be read. It is a nice feeling, to have some creativity finished and 'out'. Even if no-one actually reads it. The process is still very rewarding. Yes, some monetary gain is great, but the interaction on here is more worthwhile to me.

Another thing I love about Steemit, is that it is what I call the writing/photo ecosysytem of creativity. It allows any number of photos and writings in the same article. Which I absolutely love. Sometimes a series of photos triggers the writing idea, and sometimes the other way round. Whatever the impetus, it is SO much fun to write and photograph together in a creation.

Well, I've ambled on down the page here in all sorts of directions like a fence-less herd of heifers, but at least I had fun on a Saturday night (: Thanks for the food for thought on writing.