Technically the act of answering a request is quite simple. You just click the request, followed by Answer This Request and you're almost on your way.

All you have to do now is Choose a Title, Add Some (more) Tags if you want to, agree to the terms and you're set.

And then what?

It all went too quickly there, didn't it? All we did was follow a few links only to find ourselves with an empty hub. And if that's what we wanted to achieve, we could as well have followed the Start a Hub link on the main HubPages page. So let's start anew.

You see, requests are a wonderful source of inspiration. If you browse the list of requests you can find numerous topics to empty your brain. With one precondition, though. It would be very convenient if your brain actually contains some ideas about the request. Whether you're an expert on the matter or just have your own layman views doesn't matter, but you have to have something to say on the subject. After all, you don't just want to write a hub, you want to write a good hub. So you need to give it a bit more thought.

‘Good' is a relative term. Relative and subjective, we all know that. But when you dwell here a little longer, you'll learn that most serious hubbers appreciate content. Original content, to be more precise. In the links-capsule I will include a few links to hubs on this subject. This list is far from representative, mind you. But it should give you some idea on what's considered to be good in this community.

I'm not advocating the use of words for the sake of using many words only. But if what you've got to say on the chosen subject is not much more than a five sentence paragraph, you may want to reconsider answering the request. Your readers like to gain something from your hub. Which means that you have to elaborate on it and explore different view points. Three hundred words indeed is a minimum, but I'd recommend to consider publishing your hub if it well exceeds 500 words. Quantity is not quality, but a lack of quantity is an indication of a lack of quality in this case.

A picture is worth a thousand words, as they say. Many people like a visual representation of ideas and thoughts. It allows them to see things, literally. So my advice is to add visuals to your hubs, regardless of whether you're answering a request or not. Take some time to search for pictures or videos to spice up your hub. As you can read from the hubs on writing good hubs, a good hub contains both. Don't make this into a stone carved law, however. There are times when there are no or only few pictures available.

Courtesy Sally's Trove

Tags are an important element in both making and answering a request. When you create thoughtful tags for the request you make, you give the potential writer valuable supplemental information about what you are thinking. A potential writer can look at your request's tags as a breadcrumb trail into the subconscious (yours or the writer's), and follow that trail to some creative thinking.

When you are the writer of a Hub answering a request, evaluate the original tags before you publish. You may want to add more tags to reflect the content of your Hub, but you may want to delete some as well. The point is to wind up with a list of powerful and meaningful tags that are specific to what you wrote.

Keep in mind that you are answering a specific request. The person who submitted the request is looking for answers or guidance, not for some smooth sales pitch. If you want to promote yourself, your site or some product or service just write a hub, but don't present it as being the answer to a request. In general, be aware that being overly promotional is not appreciated here at HubPages. There are limits. Refer to the HubPages Help if you are not sure.

Think before you act. If you want to publish poor quality or low on content hubs, that's all up to you. But remember that in this case you're answering a request. So ask yourself: if it were me who requested this, would this answer be satisfactionary? If the answer is yes, then there's a good chance that you've produced a quality hub. If the answer is no, well...