My 200th Hub, What Now?
It seems to be a hubpages custom to mark milestones such as 100 followers or 200th hub. I have not done so thus far, but it might be time for a summing up. Where have I been and where am I going? I read other peoples comments about how much money they are making and wonder what I am doing wrong. My hub scores are usually high, some commenters think I write well and have interesting subjects, yet I am not making money. Last Winter I had to have a partial hip replacement and my output of writing and generally keeping up on the changes has probably suffered. The exercise and general catching up with other things probability zaps my energy level.Still I am not getting the traffic.
A while ago I was thinking my traffic is getting a bit better and maybe I can improve it. Than goggle changed their logarithms and my traffic took a nosedive. I know I am not very swift when it comes to the technical aspects and don’t really understand SEO.I especially find it hard to apply to fiction. Anyhow in the two years I have been on hubpages I have made about $100.
I don’t recall how I found Hubpages. I wanted to write and I was looking for ways to do it with some hopes of also making money. I had tried selling books on theInternet but was forced to give it up when health problems interfered. It was fun but I never made much money at it, although it was still more than I am making now. I had heard of blogging and that sounded like something that might fit me. So I started to explore that as a possibility. I tried writing about the History of towns on a blog that I had to pay to use and decided I was wasting money. When I found hubpages I followed the same subject matter but I had to learn to use illustrations and cut my hub length. Truthfully, I still do not have a good handle on the concepts of blogging or social networking.
The next thing I did was to start writing about folklore and folksingers, which was fairly well received. I followed that with articles about American historical figures. Fiction writing was a long time interest of mine but I found that stories I had in my files were too long for most people to want to read, including myself. I concluded it was best to try keeping a hub somewhere under 1500 words. I tried a couple of fiction short short stories and some readers liked them. Hubber WillStarr sort of challenged me, possibly unintentionally, to try a Western story. I did and that led to more.I have put one of my older stories into an ebook and I am preparing about a dozen stories that have become known as “The carbons creek” series into another one.
It has been fun on hubpages, and I will continue to write here because it isalmost the only contact I have with the writing world. It also helps to get comments and feedback on what I do write. However, if you are looking to make money I don’t recommend following in my footsteps.
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Comments 55 comments
Ha! DA, you've only been here a few months longer than me but I certainly have not made my first $100 yet. My traffic has dropped both with the Google changes and with the recent format changes here. I am not interested enough in the monetary side to figure out how to "game" the system so I just keep writing. I figure in about five more years I'll have that first check for my first $100 dollars. Glad you hung in there. I think you write well in the political side too and I enjoyed your writings in the Carbon Creek series. I think most of us are in the same boat with you when it comes to revenue generated. WB
Wayne, Thanks for the encouragement.I see so much of hubopages promotion about making money, I thought I would bring it out in the open so to speak, although I would like to make some.I recall at least once where someone emailed me to ask me about making money. If making money were my main object I would probably change the type of subject matter.Bob Newhart based a comedy on TV about a writer doing do-it -yourself books. Actually he could do quite well doing it on line, I think.If I could write SOP for the Army I could probably write some do it yourself stuff, but it doesn't excite me much.Hubpages does help me generate ideas so I will stick around awhile.
I enjoy many of your hubs dahoglund although there are many that I still have left to read. I enjoyed the Bob Newhart shows. I think the first one where he was a psychologist was The Bob Newhart show and the one where he was a writer was just called Newhart. Glad to see you say that you will be sticking around awhile.
I've never made any money on hub pages either, so don't feel like you're doing something wrong. Many of us have the same problem.
Keep writing. I enjoy your hubs. Congratulations on reaching that 200 milestone.
Rob
Just Ask Susan
I guess I just think of them as the Newhart shows. My point was do it yourself articles seem to be the things that do well on line.For myself Hubpages does give an opportunity to try things and get some feedback from writers.
Robwrite,
Thanks for the good words.I'll be around for a bit. I don't get much contact with writers in "real life."It is nice to know other people who are driven to create something with words.
Hi Daho. I was lucky. I wrote some articles, and one of them had 2000 hits per day, so I hit my first $100 reasonably well. However, for no rhyme or reason, Google removed my No 1 spot on google and moved it to the 7th page after 6 weeks. Since then, I haven't made a blue penny. I have removed somewhere around 60 or 70 hubs over the past few months. I don't expect to make any money on this. I think it's affiliate marketers who make the money - not writers. Also, this article will explain to you why some made it, and the rest of us didn't...http://sophia-angelique.blogspot.com/2011/09/why-t...
Hi Sophia,
Thanks for the information.I'll check out the article.I'll also keep an open mind to other opportunities.
Dahoglund - I love HubPages though I make very little money here. I see it as a launching pad but mostly I enjoy the good folks here like you. Glad you're sticking around.
I just came to read and have read many of your stories and articles. Congratulations on 200. I enjoy your work immensely and finally gave in to pressure to join. I have 3 whole hubs and am not worried about it. Hope you get lots of hits soon.
Congrats Dahoglund on 200 hubs! I enjoy reading your work and I am looking forward to more.
Hi Dahog, and well done for having the stamina and creative sense to write two hundred hubs. I think you have been wise to keep your hubs to a shorter format, as time is the killer for all of us. I have a hub buddy who does ok, but he knows all the ins and outs that increase his chances, plus some of his hubs are genuinely informative. I like hubpages because it forces me to write at least one short hub per week and i like interacting with like minded people. I have learnt a lot from all the other diverse writers, as you have too, but if you want to make money you will have to think of that magic X that eludes the best of writers. Good luck on route to your 300th, from your Aussie mate. keith.
Becky
Thanks for being a loyal follower. I am now your follower as well.I will continue writing Carbons Creek stories. I am also starting a series as a follow up on my earlier hub on the Galvanized Yankee.I don't recall if you read it but a Galvanized Yankee is a Confederate, usually a POW we was allowed to enlist in the Union Army. They were mostly used in the Indian wars.Hopefully you will like it as well.
Suziecat,
Hubpages is a good place to hone ones writing skills.Through my writing life I have taken writing assignments that I would not have wanted in the beginning.However, I learned things in all of them.Sometimes it is just the discipline of things like meeting deadline, dealing with readers who have complaints etc.No experience is wasted.
Thanks for reading my hubs and commenting.
Dexter,
I thank you for your loyal following.
Attempted Humor,
Thanks for the comment. I think key words and SEO is a factor.In my articles I at least try to work them in. In fiction I find it hard to work in those words.When I started out though I did write more hubs. I tried for something like one every other day. I am working slower now since a took a fall last Winter. I think that has affected the traffic as well as the changes in Google.
Hi, dahoglund, and congratulations on 200 Hubs!
Money? What money? :-)
Congratulations, well done, 200 hubs is an awesome amount of writing! I am not in it for the money either. I enjoy people reading and commenting and appreciating what I write. I enjoy the interaction with hubbers and the feel that we are part of an international community. Good luck for the next 100 hubs
WillStarr,
Thanks for commenting. The money is fast disappearing in the economy. Need some changes.
Case1worker,
If money were all of it I would have dropped out long ago.
Thanks for commenting.
Wow - 200 hubs is quite a milestone - congratulations!
It would be nice to make a little money now and then. I'm wondering just how long it will take for my first payout. I'm in my 15th month. I guess I'd best not get my hopes up. I love your hubs and am a big fan. So glad you shared this one with us.
Thank you for your comment and your following.It looks like you are producing hubs at about the same rate as I am or close to it.I suspect titles with "How to.." might do better on the google searches.That is something you can probably test with adword key word tool.If my primary goal were to make money I think I would pick a subject area aimed at a particular audience (niche they call it) and write well researched articles of a "How to do...." nature.An areea that I get more traffic than any others are ones about entertainment icons, such as my hubs on "Betty Boop" and "Shirley Temple." Ones on diseases like cancer have done fairly well.
For me? I don't do it for the money but instead for practice and a place to put in words what is in my mind. Also, to find others who use words well, such as yourself.
I am not prolific, no time. But someday, maybe if I learn the craft well enough I might be able to turn it to something else that does make money then HubPages and other places I post can say....they knew me when!
You do marvelously well. If you want to make money at it, I think there are some articles posted here that do a good job at telling how to get traffic. Otherwise, well I hope you will continue to share your thoughts.
Yes, we are all at different stages in writing. Circumstance may push me to having to find a source of income as currently my income and saving are going downward.I think I understand the basic idea of getting traffic. However, the devil is in the details.
The best way to learn the craft of writing is to write.
Perhaps self publishing ? Dahoglund , you are such a history buff writer that it must be a possibility!...I too wonder of writing for money I guess we must be just happy with what we have .....:-]Ps. I too am glad you're sticking around !
Thanks for commenting.ebooks could be an outlet for a poet as well.
Hubpages keep promoting the idea of making money but it seems obvious very few hubbers ever make much. I would love to get hundreds of dollars a week from a handfull of hubs but the reality is I write hubs more to express myself and share ideas. Making a living at it is neither realistic or a motivating factor.
To be truthful I would like to be somewhere between a fortune and zero.I did mention the money factor to put things in perspective.I think one can probably make money doing product reviews or do it yourself articles.Thanks for commenting.
dahoglund, Congratulations on your 200th hub. It's a great accomplishment. I along with most people am not making money hand over fist. As I read the comments you recieved I thought we are in good company. I enjoy reading your hubs and am glad you are going to continue. It has to be done for the love of writing.
Unfortunately readership has gone down. I know it has to do with key words and such. I haven't figured out how to work them into fiction. Thanks for the good words and being a faithful follower.
Hi dahoglund,
It took me a long time to hit that first $100 payout and I knew absolutely nothing about keywords and SEO. I still don't know that much but write about what I like and it has slowly built over time to almost hitting that $100 mark every or every other month. Then Panda came along and my readership and money sank to depths that were almost like in the beginning. I was scratching my head when these little "A's" popped up on all of my hubs. Since I have started adding summaries...the money is increasing almost every day and I have many more summaries to write. (That is why I have not been creating more hubs in a while and won't be writing many until I have added summaries to every last hub already written). Between Google Adsense and Hubpages, I expect to surpass that $100 mark this month. While not the riches that supposedly others are making...it has me smiling!
Question...have you done summaries on all of your hubs? Use different words than what is already written. Maybe you will see something coming your way soon. You have certainly put in a lot of good hard work on this site!
Thanks for commenting.I've started doing summaries but have a ways to go.I am probably going in the wrong direction with doing fiction but I am anticipating more ebooks. they may or may not do better.
Doing the summaries is key from what I have learned. Naturally any new hubs will have them but going back and writing ones for all the old ones is taking time. Hope you see better results when you get yours done!
As to fiction...I wish I could offer advice, but have no idea. I guess if people search for items...it is probably not fiction as much as factual information unless the fiction is based upon many facts which are interwoven into the story. Think about the things you search for and let that guide you as to writing on HubPages.
Ebooks might be the better place for fiction...but then again...I am hardly the expert. You have done a good job with your westerns...the dialogue, etc. Wishing you great success!
Hi Peggy
One reason I wrote this hub was to draw out other peoples experiences. Many people seem to say they don't care about the money.Truthfully I think we all like to get paid for what we do. If nothing else, money is the sign of being considered a professional.On the other hand, with things like short stories posting them on hub pages is an opportunity to get some feedback before publishing them in a ebook. My first ebook, which is free, has had about a hundred downloads so far. I understand that is fairly good. It is a story that I had put on hubpages and I know you read it and commented on it.It never got much traffic though.I am formatting a second one which I will sell at a low price .
A quick glance at my stats it seems that the highest hits are on "iconic" subjects.
There is a feature called "title tuner" which might be useful along with writing summaries.
I use google key word tool on article I am writing but find it hard to apply to fiction as my brain doesn't work that way in a creative mode.
Terms like "story" and "short story" do pretty well in the key word tool although people may be looking for instruction rather than reading.
You have pretty much found a niche with your travel articles and photography.That is the way to do it.
Thanks for commenting. I appreciate your concern and advice.
Sorry for late to write this hub. Marvelous..... You have done a great job. This was good achievement for you. Not all of us can stay in the right line in writing field for two years. Just keep on writing and do the best. Success for you, Brother!
Prasetio
I enjoyed reading about your experiences writing on HubPages thus far. Congratulations on your first 200 Hubs.
You wrote: "I found that stories I had in my files were too long for most people to want to read, including myself."
That's when you know you are in trouble. :D
You give sound advice here: "I concluded it was best to try keeping a hub somewhere under 1500 words"
I use the free tool at keywordtracker to pick my tags. I generally pick tags that are getting between 30 and 100 hits a day. Less than that won't help drive traffic much; more than that are in an area where it is hard to compete.
prasetio,
I am happy to hear from you anytime.I will keep writing.
James
Thanks for commenting. The length is sort of my personal guideline but not written in stone.I'll try the keyword tracker.
Learned something new from James Watkins. Will have to check that out. Thanks for writing this...it will help others besides yourself. That is so nice that people share their experiences and we can learn from one another on HubPages.
I did write this hub partly to get feedback on other peoples experience and views. No matter what people say I think most serious writers and artist want to make money from there efforts. unless they have an independent income of some sort they simply cannot afford to do it.In my own situation I am not dependent on writing for a living or I would be writing How to do it articles or somethng.The concept of keywords is rally not that different than any writing, just a bit different.Writing a front page headline, for example is a bit different than writing a sports headline.The words have to catch the eye of the reader. Sports fans expect something quite different than someone scanning headlines for other news. The difference on line is that a program is scanning for the reader, who has to determine what specifically they are looking for.Even in print headlines have changed since my day as headline writers seem to like puns of some sort in the heads.It boils down to-whatever works.
Congratulations.....
It's not just about the money!!! You enjoy a read (different from the newspaper stories). You use the word fun in this Hub, so you enjoy writing the Hubs...
So "What Now?"..... Your 201st, your 202nd, your 203rd etc.... You can't walk away, Your Addicted!!!
I'll be around for awhile.It is never just about money, however money is sometimes necessary. Writing may be cheaper than most addictions but there are still expenses, computers, printers, paper, etc.It would help if I could wrap by brain around all this SEO stuff.Thanks for commenting.
I haven't made money using hubpages either. I never write my hubpages thinking about the money I may make. Hubpages it a great place I can blog about various things that interests me. I love to write. I have published my first novel, "Calico" this past August through a small royalty house. My book can be found on Amazon and allisonbruning.com. I love hubpages because it allows the chance to meet other authors and exchange ideas. You're a good writer. I enjoy reading your hubs.
Thanks for the comment and compliment. I think some of us would write no matter what but we do like to get paid for what we do. People willing to put down hard cash helps affirm our egos, I guess.Congratulations on your novel.I published my first ebook "Guest Ranch" with Smashwords about that time.
I am sure by now you've written your next one. I voted your site interesting.
Thanks for commenting and voting.Yes, I have a few more now.
That's quite an accomplishment. 200 Hubs and a perfect 100 Author Score. Congrats!
wow, that is quite amazing, a lot of hard work behind the hubs and the perfect hub score,Congratulations and well done. Now what it will be beautiful see four figures in place of three figures, so keep going and good luck my friend.
Anamika S
Thanks for commenting and the congratulations.
dinkan53
Thanks for commenting and the congratulations. It will take awhile.
Just read you Carbon Creek story but couldn't comment on it. There is no comment section. I love your stories and I know you would have to remove your Carbon Creek stories if you published them elsewhere but I think they would make a great book.
mljdgulley, I don't know why there was no comment box. I wenat and added one now.Thanks for letting me know.I did do an ebook on Smashwords with twelve of the early Carbons creek stories titled Tales of Carbons Creek. It is waiting final approval now.I don't think I have to remove the stories from hubpages. Another story I did have to remove because it had been published before being on hubpages.I used that story in an ebook titled Guest Ranch. It is free and there is a link on my profile page if you want it.
dahoglund--congratulations on writing so long and so many hubs. I wanted to let you know, something if you haven't discovered it already. When I first started on Hubpages, I published several hubs in a few days that I had been working on. I wrote the summaries--which Hubpages says Google searches to get you listed in search engines. I went back and checked them a a week or so ago and found that even though I had kept them short--like 150 characters, the field for the summary said I was over character limit. Well, about half of my 15 hubs' SUMMARIES WERE OVER LIMIT!
Since Google uses these to add your article, if you haven't done it already, you might want to check your summaries. I think your work is interesting and hopefully others will find you and think so too. Just an idea, if you haven't checked recently. I'm not setting the world on fire either, but anything I can do to improve my chances I'll try. I haven't gotten the SEO stuff yet either.
Oh, have you written a hub on how you research your western themed hubs? That would be interesting! Also, improving hub titles might benefit you. I've changed several of mine a few times already and I think it has helped traffic. I'm experimenting now. Good luck!
ajwrites, It appears that I will have to go through my hubs and revise them.. I might try your suggestion of revising titles. I've done my best to use keywords and such but the rules keep changing. I've tried to keep my hubs short because I figure the readers attention span is short. Now they indicate many of them are too short.
I think younger people have more of an intuitive feel for working on line than I do. I still like to look things up in books and get ideas from reading. I'll use sources like Wikipedia to verify facts and details.
Thanks for reading and commenting on my hubs.
You're welcome sir. I put off writing online for a long time, but now that I've done it, I feel like its a challenge. I want to overcome and figure how to make some money, too. I checked the word count of my hubs and had to add to two of them to get it over the 500 word threshold. I've tried to add photos, too, because the search engines find the captions, too--at least that's what I read somewhere.
There's a fellow that just started with hubpages I follow who writes about improving hubs for search engines in simple terms. I'm trying to read and apply some of his ideas. His name is Paul Maplesden--maybe you've come across him. Good luck again, sir!
Generally I have tried to keep my hubs between 500 and 1500 words.. The short stories usually shorter as I have been experimenting a bit with "flash fiction." However, the scoring thing that hub pages has been putting on my hubs lately indicates mine should be longer.
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