Thank you, Matthew. That random factor is among the most urgent things Medium needs to fix.

Some of the low-views issues you note might vanish or ease IF stories consistently ended up on the right desk, though the algorithm clearly plays a role, too.

As you say, so much of the fate of any story seems to depend on a curator's skill and experience (and, I'd add, personal tastes). It can belie Medium's many assurances that it wants quality if you provide it and curators lack the skill or experience to recognize it.