It changes a lot. The hourly updates reappeared on my account yesterday. Engaging on other people's stories can help drive people to check out yours, although it looks like you get a decent number of comments on your stories. I think you may just need to adjust your earnings expectations. This isn't a place to earn a living... much as we'd love it to be. $1 earnings for a story isn't uncommon. It's the monthly totals that matter.