The Benefits of Writing For HubPages,com

The inspiration for this article is my love of writing. I am not the best writer and the things I love to write about aren't on Google's list of top 100 searches. I write because I believe that words, when thoughtfully crafted, can make a difference in the world.

Writers experience the feeling of success in varying ways. Our diversity and unique perspective defines how we view success. It is not the same for all writers. And that, is as it should be.

My journey here on Hubpages,com has reached another milestone. I now have over 50,000 views and have over 4400 followers. For other writers here, that is a mere drop in the proverbial pond. For me, it is something to celebrate.

“They”, whoever they are, say it’s not the destination that’s important. They say isn’t more about the journey and that is certainly true about my experience as a writer in this community.

All good stories begin with a little background.

I began my journey as a writer here in May of 2012. I had just been laid off again and had a lot of time on my hands. I also needed an income. Writing had always brought me a great deal of pleasure but my experience was quite limited. I had written an occasional op-Ed piece in a local newspaper and for several years I was the editor of a newsletter for a non-profit organization that I founded in the early 90’s. The primary focus of my writing had been limited to issues of social justice, Native America, and my love of the natural world. Every now and then I had to satisfy my need to vent about the political climate but that was rare.

The pieces I had written out of passion for social injustice or, through an emotional connection with the nature were creative expressions of thought. The articles were full of emotion but it was obvious that I knew nothing about writing for money, SEO, keywords, or monetizing an article. I wrote simply because I wanted to say something about something I felt was important.

While searching the Internet, I stumbled across several sites that claimed to pay money for writing. I tried a few and found them so monotonous and boring that I almost gave up. Then, I discovered Hubpages. After reading about the site, it was clear that I would have complete control over the content I published as long as it was not vulgar or abusive. I could compliment my writing with videos, polls, andimages, and, I would have some control, although limited, over the layout of my work. Hubpages would also allow me to monetize my work as an Amazon.com associate or through Google Ads and Ebay. It was more than I hoped to find.

After creating my account, I applied for all the affiliate privileges and was accepted by all. I read a plethora of articles by other writers, trying to get ideas for where to start. Eventually, I realized that the only way to get started was to just jump in and write. So I did. I chose a subject that I knew a little about that was innocuous. Surely, I would not start a firestorm if I wrote about genealogy. So, I did.

My first few articles received some positive feedback so I was encouraged. But, I wasn’t satisfied. As a very emotionally charged woman, I needed more. Well, maybe that’s a bit strong. Let’s just say, I wanted more. I wanted my writing to matter; to make a difference in the world, even if it only made life better for one person at a time. Looking back, I realize now that even my family history articles contain an element of emotion. Why wouldn’t they? The history of our families, whether positive or negative, help to mold us and make us who we are.

I realized pretty quickly that I was not going to get rich here on Hubpages, at least not very quickly. If I wasn’t going to get rich, then I could at least write about things that mattered to me. Still a bit timid, I wrote an article comparing trees in nature to family trees and waited for a reaction from the readers.

The response was quite moderate. I had a few visits to the article but nothing to make me jump up and down with excitement. What happened though was more important. I felt good about writing the article. I had exposed myself as a person who loved nature and as one who could equate things in the natural world to the species of human beings. I could share the lessons I was learning from nature and not get run out of Hubpages for being a total nut. So now, I had to give politics a try. I wrote my first article on politics and waited for the boom to fall. It didn’t but then, I didn’t get a lot of readers on this one either. That was okay though. I just wanted to test the waters and the result was much like my experiment of writing about nature. Whew! I felt free to go for it; to write about things I cared about without being bullied or criticized. I was free.

Since those early days, I have written about whatever erupted within my soul and not once have I worried about the consequences. I revised my profile statement to prepare visitors for what they might find in my writing. The only thing I could promise is that I would write about whatever inspires me and, that I would attempt to make a difference in this world.

I’ve had some success here on Hubpages. It has not been a financial success, nor has it been successful for having earned the title of an esteemed writer. My success here can best be defined for these things:

• I have widened and enriched my circle of friends.
• I have become more aware of the power of words.
• I have become more committed to produce content that inspires others.
• I have lowered my expectations of financial gain and elevated my commitment to make a difference.
• I have released myself from the pressure of Hub statistics.

These things do not matter to me anymore but may be of interest to others who are considering Hubpages as a platform for their writing. If I was writing for money, I would certainly have to change my writing style and subject matter. I will do neither for the sake of a dollar. I want more visitors though because that is how I can have the most impact on creating a better world, one person at a time.

The numbers:

• Joined HP on May 2, 2012
• Total earnings: $150.00 (try to suppress your giggle please)

• Hubs written to date: 209
• Total Views of All Hubs:54,678
• Hubber Score: consistently ranges from 94 and 97.
• Total Followers: 477
• Total friendships made: Innumerable

Hiding the bad and the ugly serves no purpose and I believe that we should represent the reality of our success truthfully. If we did not have the experience of an occasional failure, we would not fully appreciate our success. So, let's look at my highs and...my lows.

My highest score on a hub: 97

My Father, His Ties, And A Quilt

My lowest score on a hub: 57

President Obama - It's About the Vocabulary

My most viewed hub: 2955 views

Is an Italian Greyhound the Right Dog For You?"

My least viewed hub: 33 views

A Magical Christmas Moment

My hub that received the most comments: 73 comments

Social Issues: The Children Are Our Future

My hub that received the fewest comments: 0 comments

The Monacan Indian Nation in Central Virginia : Building Bridges Between Cultures

The values of writing for HubPages is not financial. Perhaps it is for those whose writing style is different and geared more for reviews, marketing products, recipes, etc. I cannot compete with those writers. That is not my niche and never will be. I envy their financial success but I am content with the success I have experienced as a writer here on Hubpages.

HubPages connected me to a community of writers who share my passion for nature and to those who want to make a difference to the under-served, under-appreciated, and under-estimated in our society. Hubpages has given the issues I care about a voice and that is why I will remain here.

Where else on earth can you find humor ($$), love and friendship, and an opportunity to speak your mind without discrimination? Sure, on a rare occasion someone will challenge your views but those are opportunities, not something to fear.

Until I report on another milestone here on HubPages, I wish for all of us the continued freedom to express ourselves.