HubPages Odds and Ends to Consider

I have no hidden agenda in writing this. There are no subliminal messages ready to leap into your subconscious if you should decide to read my ramblings. These are just some odds and ends that I have been thinking about over the past few months, and I thought I would upchuck them all now and make room in my brain for other random nonsense.

There is no blame to be assigned here. I am quite happy at HP. I’m just spouting randomness. If any of it resonates with you then great. If not, print this and use it to line your kitty litter box.

Shall we begin?

I’m a fairly observant guy. I spend a lot of time on HubPages, and I’ve got three years behind me now, so what I’m about to say is just a product of that time and those observations.

There seems to be an influx of people lately who follow but don’t follow, if you know what I mean. Now it’s entirely possible that they are reading my articles but not commenting, but I don’t believe that is the case. Rather, I think they are pressing the follow button, and then doing nothing at all.

And I can’t help but wonder why? Mind you, I don’t much care. It doesn’t affect my day one way or the other, and I checked with our chickens and they don’t care either, but it is curious. Why would someone do that? Do they feel it improves their Hubber score if they are following a lot of people? If that’s their thinking, then they really need a mental health day. I especially love the newcomers who “follow” 528 Hubbers on their first day, and yet have no Hubs or followers of their own. Is that like the shotgun mentality? If you shoot a shotgun in a narrow space, you just might hit someone? Is that what’s going? I would love to hear your thoughts on it, because I’m baffled.

Follow me, comment on my articles, and I’ll return the favor. Pretty simple, really.

And you can take that to the bank.

I literally have fewer daily views today than I did two years ago, and yet I’ve written five hundred new articles in that time. Does that seem logical to you?

I literally make less money today than I did two years ago, and yet, again, I’ve written five hundred new articles in that time. Again, does that seem logical to you?

I’m not complaining, mind you, because I’m not here at HP for views or money. I love the community and the friends I have here, and HP gives me an area where I can try new creative writing techniques and also help other writers, so I’m happy…but still….if I were a newbie on HP, what I just mentioned would give me a reason to be concerned. I have not changed my approach to writing at all. In fact, my Hubs today are more search engine friendly than they were two years ago, so what in the name of Bill Gates is happening?

If you are confused, or need help, there is a ton of great help in the community of HubPages. Just ask for it. I’m not talking about the staff of HP; rather, I’m talking about fellow writers. I have found my peers to be extremely unselfish and helpful when I have had questions in the past.

There are also great articles, written by those same unselfish writers, about practically any problem you will encounter on HP. Read them and learn how to navigate this site correctly. Do so, and you just might find yourself making some money here. Of course, two years later you might make less money, but that’s another matter altogether.

I have no idea who picks the Hub of the Day, but for the love of all that is holy, could you please pick Hubs that are, well, well-written? I think the least we can expect from a HOTD is that it has proper grammar. After all, the HOTDs are being displayed for all to see, and I assume they are also being shown to entice other writers to the site. If that is the case, then choosing Hubs that are poorly-written just doesn't make sense.

I've already won one, so obviously this isn't about me. This is about common sense and nothing more.

Seriously! For a couple hundred bucks a month, I’d be more than happy to be the Good Humor Man of HP. I would spread encouragement and love, two things that are sorely missing from this site.

Be very clear on this point: HubPages is a business, and they are making money hand over fist from advertising. A little of that money should be spent paying someone to be a goodwill ambassador, someone who will offer a pat on the back and words of praise for the writers who make HP money. It’s just a good business practice to keep your employees happy and satisfied, and that is sorely missing from this site. Give me a call, HP. I’m here ready to help you….for a price of course.

Oops, forget it. I just realized I already do those things for free. Well, there goes my bargaining chip.

I’m also curious about those writers who feel it is their job to tear down and ridicule other writers here at HP. What’s up with the rudeness? I really don’t understand it. Writing is a tough enough gig without having our peers skin us and baste us on an open fire. This explains why you will never find me on a forum, and it also explains why you will never hear me be negative about your writing publicly.

I have, on occasion, sent an email to someone explaining that they misspelled a word, or that they would see better results with a thousand-word article rather than a five-hundred word article, but I will never tell someone, in public, that their writing sucks. To do so is simply rude, as is calling someone stupid or idiotic for their viewpoints on a topic. What it reminds me of are the bullies we’ve all seen on the playgrounds in elementary school.

I really am a very lucky person. I have a core group of followers who read every article I publish, and I publish five articles each week. They also buy my novels, and take the time to leave reviews for me, and….and this is a biggie…they are my friends. They know about my family. They care about what I am doing in life. They offer encouragement and support, through good times and bad, and I have no doubt the same people will be with me for years to come.

The management of HubPages may think they are just running a business, but I know this site is so much more than that. This is….and I want you to absorb the true meaning of this word…a community. We support….we encourage…we lift up….and for that reason, I hope HubPages is around a very, very long time.

Thank you, all of my friends. It is an honor to be part of OUR community.

2014 William D. Holland (aka billybuc)

“Helping writers to spread their wings and fly.”