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How To Write a Flagship Hub
What is a Flagship Hub?
Hubpages have announced a program encouraging hubbers to contribute high quality hubs which include a minimum of 1500 words of original content plus relevant photos, videos and links. Now in academia 1500 words is not very much - a very short, 2 page essay. However, in the world of the Internet, sound bites and blogs anything over 300 words terrifies some contributors!
First off you have to get approved by HubPages - thsi is not big deal - you have to sign a form giving copyright of the flagship hub over to HubPages. Then you choose a topic for the currently available pool and wait to be approved: which you will be unless someone has asked first - you usually hear back within 1/2 working day California time. For more details on the Flagship Hub program see the link on the right
The purpose of this hub is to describe the process of developing a hub, or any article for that matter, which involves some original content and research.
Step 1: Choose your topic
Select a topic which you know something about. You probably already know how to find relevant information on the Internet. You don't have to be an expert on the exact topic but knowing the best source of information in a particular field will speed up your research and you will probably produce a better article.
Step 2: Do some research
That's right actually get out and do some research, find some relevant sites and decide why they are relevant! Do the research before you start writing. Think up a list of key words (which could well become your hub's tags) and use them. Stay focused on the topic, hyperlinks can be way too distracting when you are trying to get something done! Make sure you keep a list of useful links as you find them - I cut and paste them to a document, but you could bookmark them too.
Here is a list of links to get you started on almost any topic.
- Flagship Hubs - More Information
The official Flagship Hubs page.
Step 3: Write an outline
Its personal preference how to write an outline, but however you do it, skip this step at your peril. Without an outline you will end up with a rambling monologue which will take at least twice as long to edit compared to the well structed article developed from an outline. It probably also worth mentioning that a beginning, a middle and a conclusion is a good structure to start with.
Options on how to write an outline:
- paper, some people like to physically write at this stage, use post-it notes write noteson small cards and re-arrange whatever works;
- use an offline word processor. I prefer this as it stops me being distracted by the technology. Beware of formatting as you are going to cut and paste the original to the hub pages editor. I find using OpenOffice works fine - and its a nice editor which costs nothing. WordPad which comes with Windows is good too. Avoid Word if you don't want formatting problems.
- Use the HubPage's tools. You can arrange the capsules in the order that you want them and start using text boxes adding Capsule Subtitles and other headers.
Whichever method that you use - remember this is an outline, not a draft. Don't confuse an outline and a draft. An outline is just that - headers, in the order that they will (probably) appear, notes under those headers, the odd phrase but generally not complete sentences and no regard for grammar or spelling.
My Flagship Hubs
Step 4: Now write the draft
Now its pretty easy - fill in the gaps. If you are using paper for the outline you probably want to start using a keyboard at this point. Write the whole thing - quickly, with the spell checker turned off. Try to write the whole article before you start re-reading. Get it all down once and then get yourself a well-earned coffee, gin or chocolate (or all three). It gets easier from here! Remember to keep it readable by using headers, bulleted and numbered lists. Make it easy for your reader to skim if that is what they want to do.
Step 5: Revise the Draft
Ideally you need to walk away at this point and do something else. Now come back and check:
- the spelling, I come from a part of the world that uses British spelling but for the Internet I use the US spellings because that's the majority of the readership
- check your grammar. There are some good grammar hubpages here
- double check that your links actually work.
You may end up re-writing parts, that's fine. Keep going until you are happy, now you do really need to leave it for at least 24hours - its amazing how time gives you perspective on writing!
Step 6: Final Version
Now is a great time to get an innocent friend to read the article - they can tell you the blooming obvious that you will have missed - I am good at missing out small words like : to, of, do, for - and they are really hard to see -you really do see what you want to see not what is there!
If you are all out of obliging friends try reading aloud (even if in your head) this slows your reading down and you will notice the obvious.
Step 7: Submit
Double check all your links (again) Double check the submission requirements and follow them. Good luck!
If you interesting in the final result check out my flagship hubs to date!
The Author
Lis Sowerbutts is trying to make money on the Internet without ripping anyone off! You can read more about how her online journey at her blog: Passive Income Online
Lis,a New Zealander, is currently living in Perth, Australia
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To be honest I don't remember how I came to HubPages! I started fulltime on the web, trying to earn an income, in September 07 and within a month I found HubPages. At the same time I revamped my existing...
Resource Links
- Google
No kidding - the biggest search engine out there is not a bad place to start. Don't forget their image options either! - Wikipedia
The online dictionary,travel resource, encyclopedia which anyone can edit, and yes sometimes it shows! However often a good place to start. - YouTube
More videos than you possibly hope to use in a lifetime. - Free Stock Photos
Read the terms of service but basically you can use these photos for free - a wonderful resource!
Comments
Just found this little gem - a perfect description of who to write thanks for sharing/ I agree with the breaks and revisiting the text.
thanks for the useful tips and instructions.
gooood instructor. Nice hub, i enjoyed reading this hub.
Damn you write good stuff! Thank you for sharing. Really need it especially at this time!
Very useful again! Thanks for writing it.
Very well-written hub. I appreciate the information with the points. I just need to bookmark it. So, thumb up! :)
Great hub! Thank you. Grammar link was very useful in my case!
Nicely done I am still getting useful info !
you have any example of flagship hub you craeted ?
Great work, really interesting and useful hub. Will get cracking right away...
I love this Hub - I wrote one on Disney World crowds by month, but I didn't know it became a "flagship Hub" of my group. I guess there are factors that make it flagship: evergreen appeal, word count, and usefulness.
Thanks Lissie for this informative hub. I just became a hubber and have not yet written my first hub. I will use your recommendations to help me write my first hub. Although it is not a flagship hub I do want to create a quality hub. Thanks for the advice.
- Author
if I hire a writer I own the copywright - pure and simple -that's what the flagship program is - but its better than that because you get the residual advertising income too - most programs only give you one or the other - not both!
yes, useful information for writing a Flagship hub. HPs want the copyright, how much are they paying for it. I write outside the Internet, you know print, I get paid for it, I've never been asked for my copyright.
This is great information on building a flagship hub. Thank you very much for the information.
Great information here thanks. I did not realise there was such a thing on HubPages as a Flagship hub. I am going to have a look after I have finished here. Yes research and presentation are very important I agree.
Fantastic info. I've followed this info and gotten several highly scored Hubs. Thanks.
well said Lizzie
excellent advice, thank you. 300 words doesnt terrify me, I like the sound of that!
Great great hub :D
Off to read your flagship hubs :)
I am new to Hub Pages, so this was really useful to me. Thank you so much for taking the time to help others like me. You are appreciated! Thumbs up!
- Author
Yeah sad really isn't it!
"anything over 300 words terrifies some contributors!" This sums up most articles on the internet.
Very nice tutorial.very straightforward.I will follow your tips on my next hub.Thanks alot for sharing.
I have a problem with signing over copyrights to anyone in general. But Let's see what topics they are looking for, I'm willing to try anything once.
- Author
Daniel: check out the how to create an attractive hubpage link above: I describe lining up capsules there
Lissie
How do you get your ebay and amazon ads to appear next to your content and not at a the end of the capsule?
Lissie, Thanks very much for this post! I've got a lot I want to do here but just getting started. I've been commenting on a few hubs just to get my feet wet. I'm looking forward to getting going and very glad I found your hub.
All the best!Jeff
Thanks Lissie, this was just what I was looking for. I'll check out your Flagship pages now.
Lissie, this is great! I didn't even know there was such a thing as flagship hubs until just this minute.
Thx for the tutorial, this is great! (did I say that already?)
- Author
Thanks for commenting vietnamese - but it was a cyclo in HCM
I was going to comment about the pic in your profile. Of course I recognized it was taken in VN. But when I scrolled down here, I saw you already mentioned that. Look like you enjoyed the motorbike (something I didn't have a chance to jump on over there yet)
Nice job, I picked up a couple of tips from your article.
- Author
Hi Jason, thanks for commenting and for the heads up on the India link - now fixed! Yes the picture is vietnam - I wrotea hub about it here! https://hubpages.com/community/What-is-the-signifi...
Vietnam is awesome - I want to go back! I have amended this hub a little and added a link below the picture just to clarify: to write a flagship hub you have to select a topic from the topic pool - link in the "get paid $25" link. The pool is a bit thin on the ground at the moment - probably because of the hublov contest. Of course you can use the same standards for any hub: I just did for this non-flagship hub http://hubpages.com/hub/New-Zealand-Property-Inves... one yesterday's contest :-)
Three items,
Thanks for the info. I'm working on building what I hope will be a flagship hub on weight loss but imagine the compitition over there is pretty fierce - if not accepted as a flagship then it will be a very large hubpage with lots of stuff. Your infomation here is quite helpful for a novicel like me.
I tried to jump to you India page from this page (I tried several times just to make sure it wasn't me) and always went to Italy. Italy goes to Italy. (Don't you just hate it when something that you put up glitches)
The photo of you is clearly Vietnam. We recently lived in Saigon for almost two years - loved it! Where are you in the photo?
I'm working on building what I hope will be a flagship hub - if not then it will be a very large hubpage with lots of stuff. Your infomation here is quite helpful for a novicel like me.
- Author
LInk capsule now working fine!
- Author
Finally got the flagship hubs added -but the link capsule is still not working - I used a text capsule instead
:) no problem - it is hard to proof your own work
- Author
Thanks belief713 fixed now! I know Im missing the flagship hubs - technical problem hopefully it will fixed soon
just wondering if you realize you are missing "step 3"
Another great hub.....thanks...I also checked out your website and tried to email you but the link did not work for contact, just an fyi.
- Author
Oh and yes google ads do ocasionally even still get me. They really work though when some starts at google at types in something like "how to I make money on the internet?" - they have a question that needs answering !
- Author
ROTFL Jerrico - you get paid $25 for a flagship hub - and you have to choose one of the prescribed topics!
Thanks for the nudge toward the flagship program. I checked it out when I first arrived at HubPages but was a little intimidated. Now that I've had some experience, I'm going to take another look.
BTW, your writing is always a pleasure to read. :-)
- Author
Glad to be of help funride!
Thank you for this great informative hub!
I´ll use this info in my next hubs ;-)
- Author
Yes reading aloud is a good trick - its great what you can see if you want to! Its also to keep an eye on the common my/by of/off to/too their/there its/it's to/too mix-ups
Great, great hub, Lissie! It also helps (if you don't have an innocent bystander on which to force your final draft) to read the thing out loud. That keeps you from skipping those little words (of, to, for) that you automatically add when you read it in your head.
Thanks for the great guide.
Super, great details. Thanks
- Author
I wrote this hub in the 24 hour pause between steps 5 and 6 - so I couldn't refer to the flagship hub! However its out now and I've added the link at the end of the hub!
Lissie, how about putting links to your own Flagship hubs in this article so we can go and have a look at how it worked out in practice?
- Author
It took longer than I thought - finding the 10 sites was the slow bit - once I had them I just wrote and the pics and videos werent hard to find.
hi liss, thanks for visitng my hub, i really like to apply for the flagship hub but I may not have the time to do the research, it is like doing my uni assignment (lol) but the incentive is really good.
great tips. regards and see you around.
- Author
Glad to have been some help - and I am quite chuffied to get a comment from a real wriiter - I am very impressed with anyone who can write fiction - I certianly carn't!
God bless you for taking pains to write this!
- Author
Thanks for your kind comments guys! I think its nice that hubpages is going this way with the longer articles - though I think the short ones have their place. I don't know how Hubpages is going to differentiate them though - we will have to wait and see what happens when some are published!
Thanks Lissie!! GREAT Hub!! GREAT idea!! The new format soooooooooooo fits my writing style better!! Is HubPages going to create a new section for these new short essays?? Blessings, Earth Angel!!
A very well put-together Hub on how to write successful Hubs. I like it! Good job, Lissie!
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