It is one way true that the system here is not completely fair. There are loop holes and some people find those loop holes and get good rewards. We can't blame them and we can't even blame the one who created this system. Maybe we can look at this with positivity and move on.
Your tips for minnows are great. When I first joined Steemit a month back, I didn't have a proper idea about the platform. I explored a lot. I just initially looked for articles that interested me. Today more than posting I read a lot and learn a lot every day. That keeps me happy.