From the archive

Nobody owes you applause for trying

That doesn't mean all value in the world is measured in sales. You can make something strong and never find an audience. You can lack connections, a budget, and luck. You can arrive at a time when people simply have no attention to spare for you. Effort does not guarantee success, and a lack of success doesn't prove you're talentless. But your effort doesn't prove the result is good either.