You are often asked to explain your work, as if the reader isn't able to work it out. And people always try and label you by your work.
Quite a lot is required of writers these days in terms of, if not promoting the work, then being a representative of the work. It's a difficult thing, really.
You always hope you'll surprise somebody with the work. If you write something human and appealing, the perfect reader could be anyone.
Short stories are often strong meat. Reading them, even listening to them, can be challenging, by which I do not mean hard work, simply that a certain amount of nerve and maturity is required.
Language description and metaphors seem readily available. The things I have to work harder at are plot, pacing, and form.
I don't think practitioners should necessarily be advertising their work.
My work is of me; it's not me. I want it to be far more extraordinary than I am.