I liked your story, Emily.
Interesting POV.
I can relate to the churning out stories and I can only speak for myself; there are times when I am in flow and the creativity feels like electricity that has to be grounded in writing and so I produce; other times there is just a mere trickle and so less pieces are published. The aim is never just to 'produce more content for more views'.
We will never really know a person's motive for reading, clapping or commenting and I am one who believe in giving the benefit of the doubt; she read it, she clapped, she liked it and I say thank you and move on.