Initially, I use to think merit is by chance ( i.e something that will just happen) or lengthy article ( i.e writing too many paragraphs and the rest of them), but I have come to realize that, it is more than that.
I have being discouraged several times because of my numerous posts and replies yet no merit then. Even now, some times I use to be discourage. However, the only way to get merit is by posting quality article ( that is what determines merit) which almost everybody is aware of now.
In summary, don't look at the quantity of post you have make so far but instead try to adjust, I mean improve in your posts, above all be consistent and patient that is the key.
Oh no- that is often the misconception that most people equate to.
The volume of the text is not in proportion to its quality. This means that it the more words or paragraphs that you create on your post, the better the quality is. Sometimes, less is always more especially if you construct your paragraphs into straightforward and concise answers without any irrelevant information.
Additionally, there are lots of people who have made several posts that only contain 2-3 sentences but they were able to garner merits from it. At the end of the day, it is all about the quality of your replies and the construction of it on how it tells the message.