Experience Tumblr like never before
I really like the analogy comparing making a discord server to discuss a creator's works without also posting publicly where they can see it and know they're appreciated to locking yourselves in a room to talk about how much you love a baker's cakes and excluding them, but.
Ok. Imagine you spent your early culinary career making that horrible 50s jello food. It's bad. Like really bad. Somehow, though, you debut your first cake recipe and it's fucking incredible. Not too sweet, not too tart or bitter, not too airy, not too dense--it's just fantastic. The world loves it and they make sure you know that. Riding that high you get back in your kitchen and make another cake. Except surprise! Under the frosting, it's all mayonnaise jello and everyone who tries it gets a nasty shock. Your first cake was so good that nobody really talks about the second one aside from furtive whispers in dark alleyways. But never one to be daunted, you get to work on a third cake and spend years on it--you scrap parts of the recipe a few times, but it's finally ready and you show it to the world. People who only tried your first cake come in with high hopes and are not disappointed; people who tried your jello cake are pretty leery at first but you blow their expectations out of the water. This is your best cake yet, as close to perfect as it can be. It's so good, in fact, that one day you get an invitation to hang out in a room where a bunch of people who liked it (and your first cake) have been talking about your cakes and sharing their own recipes inspired by you. They give you a nice comfy arm chair in a cozy but prestigious corner where people can come ask you questions about the baking process or what particular flavors you used or anything that strikes your fancy. Little do you know, though, in the room next door, a bunch of people who liked your cakes also discovered your jello food (which is still on display in your bakery) and are passing it around, trying it, and just marveling at how spectacularly bad it is. You just go between the bakery and your little armchair, working on cakes and talking to your fans about them, blissfully unaware.
You are Andrew Taylor Weir, critically acclaimed author of The Martian and Project Hail Mary.