i don't think getting paid for your writing makes you a better writer than people who get published but never get paid. i think it's more of choosing which publications to submit to and whether or not your piece fits what they're looking for. that's why i mentioned how i do make exceptions for publications that don't pay if i really resonate with their mission and / or themed calls etc. if i have a piece published by a mag who doesn't pay, i know i would be equally happy with it because i was the one who chose to submit in the first place. tldr; i treat monetary compensation as a standard decency. you can't just expect people to give you their hard work without giving them something in return, and no, "hype" and "your undying love" is NOT enough. i know many magazines are run by volunteers but it doesn't sit right with me to simply hand my work over to magazines who don't treat it with the respect it deserves and simply hang it on a corner of their website, allowing it to collect dust as they churn out more issues for no purpose whatsoever.