Gosh, the point of editors is for them to be selective, promoting quality. The first step is to only publish good stories in your publication. They are already bing selective. So, having this group of selectors refine the process by recommending boosts is about as logical and natural as it gets.

Might some editors boost lousy stories from time to time - due to poor judgement or friendships with writers? Sure. But those stories still won’t be read, won’t be engaged with. So those lousy writers won’t get rich by gaming the system.

Random selection will just be annoying.

The way a never boosted writer can get boosted is to write for a publication that does boosts. Work their way up by reading stories at that pub that get boosted.

Just like just like at any newspaper or magazine, it would be petulant for. New writer to insist their stories should at random be selected for the front cover…