A true cautionary tale, to be sure. And I agree - making the change from “innovating” (I call this giving to the audience) to always going for the ask will leave everyone feeling like you describe… used…
But have you looked at the psychology behind why this happens?
Imagine you’ve been working on something for a decade - consistently putting in time and energy, and getting next-to-nothing in return… then, something “pops”. Something takes off. Now, you’re gaining traction. Finally - all the years of work you’ve put in are paying off!
But the inevitable question creeps up… how long will this last? Was this just a fluke?
In response, you repeat what gave you success and you desperately make an “ask” of the audience in every interaction.
This behavior kills the very audience the author worked so hard to build, but it’s also a response built into human nature.