Get involved with the community. Comment on posts you like and write about what you love. Help others in the community.
Not every post will make money. Make sure you post about things you're passionate about. If your posts aren't interesting to you, it will show and you will not get as many votes as if they are.
Follow the right people and comment on posts from people you're following. The right people aren't necessarily whales, they are people who share your interests. If you follow people who share your interests and comment thoughtfully on their posts, they will follow and upvote you.