@nathanlovestrees @philosophy For example, I'm currently reading Rebecca F. Kuang's novel Yellowface - itself much hyped, ironically enough.

https://www.harpercollins.com/products/yellowface-r-f-kuang?variant=40985522831394

Her main character badly wants to become a successful author. She writes about 'cultivating a social media presence'. How, 'now that I'm drawing attention for my book deal, I want to give off the right impression. I want bloggers, reviewers, and readers to know I'm the kind of person who, you know, cares about the right issues .... I study the Twitter feeds ... to see which community figures I should follow, which conversations I should be part of. I retweet hot takes... '.

Could that kind of marketing and promotional strategy be another explanation for the experience you describe - of having more influential people taking a similar position to you some time afterwards?

#RebeccaFKuang #novel

@albinokid writers working now: #RebeccaFKuang #RebeccaRoanhorse #MickHerron #SAChokraboty #WaubgeshigRice #AndrewMichaelHurley