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How to Write a Hub on HubPages: Learn the Basics

Introduction
I received a request to write a hub that covers the very basic elements of writing a hub. I searched “How to Write a Hub” and found that, while the advice out there was good, I couldn’t find a hub that laid it out on the total, ultimate beginner level (although my search may not have been exhaustive). So, given that I’ve made a few hubs and have nothing else productive to do, I’ve written this up to give people the super basics.
If you want to write your first hub, this will tell you exactly what to do. This is not going to show you advanced features, nor will it cover how to write, how to do search engine manipulation or optimization, how to make money, style, or even how to use modules (also referred to as capsules) beyond the most basic parts.
That said, let’s get started:
1. Write your hub article
Write your article in MS Word or in Notepad or some word processor if you like. You can just write it directly in the hub if you want, but I really recommend already knowing what you are going to say before you start making your hub, and do it in the comfort of a writing program.
However, that is not necessary, and if you want to write directly into the hub, go for it. To do that, just sort of think ahead to at least what your title will be and your topic because you will need to know that to set up the hub before you can start writing.
2. Click the "Start a New Hub" on top of the HubPages window.

3. Write the title into section #1 of the page that pops up.

4. Choose a category from the #3 drop down menu
Choose a category from the #3 section using the drop downs. You don't have to keep going to the sub menus if you don't want; one category level is fine. But if you want to refine the category of your hub for people looking for specific topics, you will see that each category you pick opens up a new set of choices that focus down on the specific area of your topic.
For example, if you are writing about "cooking" you might start with "FOOD" and be done. But if you want to keep going, you can work your way through to Dessert Recipes or Kitchen Equipment and Cookware, or Food Safety or whatever else you like. But one category is perfectly fine.



5. Choose a starting layout in #4
Use the first one on the left for your first hub. It's easy. They all are, but for your first hub, so that we can be on the "same page," let's just go with the first one on the left. It will already be highlighted, but if it's not, or if you click off it for some reason, click back on it before moving on.

6. Add tags
Tags are just related terms. For your first hub, just start with two or three or so. You can always add later. So if you are writing a hub about food, put "cooking" in the first box. Then "cooking tips" for the second. Maybe "baking" in the third, etc. Just terms that are related to your topic. Tags help search engines find your article. (You will notice a gray box pops on to the far right when you click the tags field, that too explains the nature of tags.)

7. Click Continue. It will take you to a screen that gives you some rules.

8. Read over the rules, and click Continue

9. Take a look at the layout of your empty hub
You will now be at your hub, with three modules. One is a photo capsule, one is a text capsule, and one is the comments capsule that will be at the bottom. This arrangement is the result of the choice we made back on step number 5 of these instructions.
The Text capsule (or module as I sometimes call them) is for the body of your article. The Photo capsule will support pictures, charts, etc. And the Comments capsule will be where readers can give you feed back. The comments capsule can be a lot of fun in the days, weeks and even months after you publish.

You will notice a section at the top-right where there are other capsule types (text, photo, Ebay, video, etc.). U can add whichever you like, but for a VERY basic hub, the three modules will work, and for now, let's just stick with the three we have.
Keep in mind, you can also add more later, when you are done. Hubs are very easy to edit and modify.
You will also notice as you begin working on your hub, that if you scroll down very far in your browser window, a bar might pop up along the top that has all of these options on it too. That is simply for your convenience if you are making a long hub, enabling you to add capsules/modules without having to scroll all the way back up to the top.

10. On the text module, click the EDIT button. Type or copy/paste your article from your word processor


11. Click "save."

12. Photograph/Image step
If you have a photograph, follow the instructions below. If not, click the red X at the top right corner of your Photo capsule and it will go away. Don't worry, you can always get it back later if you decide to add a photo. Otherwise, follow the steps below.
Adding Photos:
If you have a photo to go with it, click the EDIT option on your photo module and it will open an options box.



13. That's it. Click Publish and you have your first hub up.

14. Make changes to your published hub whenever you want.
If you spot a typo or want to change something or add more text, or an Ebay capsule or whatever, just click the EDIT button that appears at the top of each of your hubs.

Conclusion
So there you go. You have all you need for a very basic hub. You can get fancier with each new hub. Try things. Type titles in the module “capsule subtitle” portion of each module. Use the up and down arrows, and the sideways arrows to move photos around (or other capsules like Ebay or Amazon or videos). Have fun. Pretty soon you'll be a master.
Good luck.
Other links
- How to use the Various Capsules
This is a hub by Darkside that shows you how to work the different capsule types (video, Amazon, RSS, etc.) It's a fantastic hub, I don't believe there is a better one available on the topic.
A nice video if you want to see it in action.
Comments
Great information for beginners. The only thing I would add is to make sure you pick the "right" title for the hub. This is how your page will be searched and ranked by google. Before choosing a title, check google search for number of hits returned. Make sure it is not so large (greaster than 1 million hits). It is my experience that the lower this number, the more likely your hub will be ranked high by google page rank. The reason the title is important is because it is the one thing that cannot be changed after you publish. Your web address is tied to this title.
Thanks for sharing the very basics of how to get started. I have written my first hub and hope it will pass the test to get published.
hello! just joined, and am still at a loss right now. I found your hub interesting and plan to follow it step by step. I don't know really know what to do next after I signed up! lol, i wish to see more beginner hubs for additional infos. i'd like to follow you but i don't even know where to hit that button. lol
Thank you for this interesting post!
Thanks, I haven't been on the site for so long I forgot how to post. Do you know anything about what it means to be a Level 1 commenter?
Nice hub, Helps a lot.
Ijust read an article for beginners which was very helpful and now yours adds to the picture--going through the steps and adding how to do the image addition. I recently learned this from another site. I have some hi speed internet now so I have to tune up with what I can do. The red hilight was a nice touch and the video was ag good complement.
I did a trial run with my first hub using the procedure from the Hubs page. Reading your page just gave a little extra commentary! Thanks a lot for following your muse!
I enjoyed your voice and style too.
this is good for starters, Thankyou.
Very well written and easy to understand. Thank you so much.
Very useful information for the newbies.
Thankyou for sharing!
Thx that was really helping I didn't what tags are for :)
Nice hub to get started on hubs.Thanks for sharing.
Thanks SB,
It always a good Idea to brush up on the Rules of The Road, especially since here on the Hub Pages they regularly hand out tickets, for bad writing. Not complaining just stating facts.
Well Done SB
That's really great ..Very helpful for newbies
Hi; Thanks to you I just created my first hub. I just don't know how to fill in the blank in between my first and second module.
Oilcan
Hi. Bobby is my name, but everyone calls me "Oilcan". I am a totally new at writing Hubs. In fact, i haven't even started to write my first Hub. I'm trying to learn, and I find your hub very simple and helpful. Thank you.
Oilcan
Thanks for the info I am about to publish my first hub and your article was helpful, very easy to follow.
Thanks great post!
This is an awesome beginners guide and tutorial. I especially appreciated the annotations on the screen shots. Great hub!
As a newbie on Hubpages, I find this very helpful. Thanks so much for your wonderful details and ideas! = )
Really useful and awesome hub. Thanks Shadesbreath.
Last night I watched "Revenge of the Pink Panther." My favorite is still "A Shot in the Dark."
I can be so dumb! I was searching for some hub of yours I had not read and ended up reading not only the hub but also the comments of one I had already read. All I wanted to do was to post what I suspected you had not read as an answer to your comment to my Mark Twain hub:
Btw, so far I have read two Peter Sellers movies (the Inspector). The first one titled The Pink Panther I did not like. The one before that, "A Shot in the Dark," I really enjoyed. Kato was very active. Elke Sommer is one "hawt chick"! I googled her. Born in 1940 in Germany, the daughter of a Lutheran minister who died when she was 11, she went to England to be a nanny when she was 16 or 17. She speaks 7 languages. Since the early '90's, she has been painting. I found this interesting!
Super Step-by-Step description, too bad that I didn't find that earlier...
Thanks for making the effort to put together all the screen shots. A very helpful hub indeed!
Great step-by-step process, a visual learner and just joined a few days ago. Have to have a picture of what a hub is first, before jumping in. Appreciate the willingness of others to share their know-how. This is refreshing, after always having to pay for specialized course or idea that didn't work. Thanks.
Thank you for your wonderful step by step tutorial. I know it will help me greatly as I try to build my first hubs. :-D
Yes I totally agree with everyone else. A great presentation by you my friend. This will help all beginners and some of us who have forgotten a thing or two. Hey #13 why didn't you push the PUBLISH button. She may have put her bikini stringy back on though as she was watching your every move. Whoot...lol..
Great info for a newbie to get started writing hubs.
I linked this hub in my new hub and using the Chamber Of Commerce to build your business.
Thank you for replying and the extra advice! Off to check out Darkside. I've never traveled on the Darkside, might turn out to be a very interesting adventure. LOL ;D
Thanks, Shadesbreath. We both have something in common -- we love humor...and irony...and intelligence. Many thanks for the praise!
Of course, I had to find this AFTER struggling while trying to write five hubs. Better late than never! Thanks for the hints and again for your sense of humor.
Can I just say again...thank gawd! Here I've been researching and studying everything I can get my hands on, so I can learn how to get this set up. I was stuck, I'll admit it and worried as hell that I wouldn't figure it out. At least this will get me started. Now all I have to do is figure out how we are suppose to know what topics they would like to comment on. My goal is to finally take the leap and post something within a week...maybe sooner. Just trying to get over my fear of screwing up, because first impressions say a lot about a person and I definitely don't want people thinking I am a half-wit. :) Thanks again and have a great day!
Hi, okay:) At least I know where the text is LOL
We newbees need someone like you to guide us when we have no idea which rode to go down
So I can hopefully understand your directions and hopefully get some of my how tos out there in cyber-space :)
Hopefully of some interest to all of you.
Wow! That article you wrote was excellent. Thanx for all the info.
Bookmarked and saved for those that come after me in the writing arena...
Excellent information shadesbreath!!
Very well executed! From my experience here, I have suggested this hub to most of my friends. They have surely liked it as I have!
I was thinking of the new rules screen. It's no biggie though, as people should be able to realize they just have to click continue on that screen.
You see, lots of newbies have trouble figuring out the hubtool and this is an awesome hub to solve my problem explanation-wise. Thanks again. :)
Thank you very much for this helpful hub, Shades. I recognize a lot of effort must have gone into it.
Is there a chance you update the hub so it shows recent changes to the process?
Very helping hub
Thank you
Thank you, it certainly cleared up some questions. Now I know what I have to do!! Thanks again!
thanks for this
Wow Shades what great info especially for a beginner wanting to write a hub. Thumbs up baby!!!!
Bravo excellent work done here! great job, arted up and all that good stuff.
PS, when you get that hub of yours up please let me know I'd love to read it.
This is a great hub with awesome screenshots to help new users get rolling. I guess I'm lucky to have been able to catch on quickly to all this stuff, but I am a geek.
Bookmarked to share this with other new users. I have one hub I'd like to link to this from, if that is alright with you?
Very nice and informative..., I'm new and working on my 3rd HP. This is a God send, and helpful to all.
I wish I had seen this when I first started out. It would have saved a lot of time. Great information, easy to understand. Thanks
Oh, thank you. Thank you. THANK you for this hub. Ijoined a week ago and, I have WRITTEN 10 hubs but have yet to post anything. The reason: so much good information that NONTECHNICAL me had a brain melt down. But, between this hub and your answer to Lorilee, I think I can actually get a couple of these up this weekend!!!
Very helpful for newbies. Well done.
Hubby is cheesed off today and needs somewhere to vent. So, he plans to start hubbing alongside me. Should be fun, but I'm sending this hub to him to save me the time trying to act like I kmow how all this works.
Thanks:)
Kez
Yeah! I was searching for something like this! :)
eureka! Just what i've been looking for!
Thank you so much!
Great break down, very informative.
wonderful hub
Seriously you broke it down nicely. could have used this when i started!
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