What are your favorite online writing sites, podcasts, and/or forums?

1. 74

   Matthew Meyerposted 8 years ago

   Curious what forums, sites, podcasts and other content you really like and frequent.
   
   What is your favorite writing site?
   
   What is your favorite writing forum other than HubPages (includes forums, Yahoo groups, Facebook groups. etc.)?
   
   What are you favorite writing podcasts or YouTube channels?
   
   Look forward to your input!
   Thanks.

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      Cardisaposted 8 years agoin reply to this

      I don't like anywhere other than Hubpages as a content site. My favorite place to freelance is now Guru.com.
      
      I like Facebook only because I have lots of friends and family who are far away and that's the only place to interact with them.
      
      I hate online forums and the only ones I participate in are the Google forums, only because I look for answers.
      
      My favorite YouTube channels are Hell's Kitchen, The Voice UK and the Dutty Berry Show.
      
      My favorite sites are my own..lol
      
      These are my most frequented sites:
      1. Hubpages
      2. FaceBook
      3. Amazon.com
      4. Games Network
      
      Basically that's my daily routine, unless I am doing research or prompted to read some article.

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      1. 74

         Matthew Meyerposted 8 years agoin reply to this

         Thanks for the input Cardisa!

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   2. 80

      ologsinquitoposted 8 years agoin reply to this

      Most of my online time is spent here, on Wizzley, Bubblews and my blogs.

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   3. 79

      Hikapoposted 8 years agoin reply to this

      Podcasts
      
      1) Smart Passive Income - Pat always has new things to offer
      
      2) Entrepreneur on Fire - Gives me new making money online ideas
      
      Sites
      
      1) Source Wave - Becker is the reason why I can be happily unemployed
      
      2) Niche Pursuits - The number 1 place to go for niche site building
      
      3) Viperchill - Good new ideas on affiliate marketing + strategies
      
      Forum
      
      1) Website Babble - Sometimes I go to Lisa's forum to kick back and relax.

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   4. 85

      gmwilliamsposted 8 years agoin reply to this

      I write for sites such as Xomba and Triond; however, I have VERY, VERY LITTLE there.  Their format is not as artful as my favorite HubPages.  If I were a parent, HubPages would be my FAVORITE.  I love HubPages better than any other site.  HubPages is by far the best writing site there is.   I love HubPages forums, there are so many subjects to choose from to participate in.  Also, one can be quite creative in starting NEW threads.  HubPages would be graded :
      

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      1. 76

         Barbara Kayposted 8 years agoin reply to this

         I didn't know Xomba was still there. At one time I did some writing there and then they lost their Adsense account and I gave up. That was a long time ago!  It must be they got it back.

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   5. 93

      Phyllis Doyleposted 8 years agoin reply to this

      I used to spend a lot of time on facebook, but not so much anymore except to post links to my hubs when I remember. Bubblews is fun and peaceable.
      
      BellaOnline has an awesome forums system. Each writer has their own forum, which is based on their site. I had the Folklore & Mythology forum which was part of my site. Each editor (writer) monitored their own forum. All forums are open for any editor or member to post in. It really is a good system and gave each editor a place to promote their articles, along with sharing buttons for facebook, twitter, etc
      
      Now that all my spare time is spent on HubPages, I do not have much time for other forums.

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      1. 93

         Phyllis Doyleposted 8 years agoin reply to this

         OMGosh -- I forgot about Google+ and LinkedIn. Both of those sites are great for sharing and promoting articles.

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      2. 74

         Matthew Meyerposted 8 years agoin reply to this

         Thanks Phyllis!

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   6. 74

      Matthew Meyerposted 8 years agoin reply to this

      Thanks to all for the input.
      I appreciate it and hope that everyone has a great weekend!

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   7. 60

      Artimes Blaineposted 8 years agoin reply to this

      For me, it is quite simple. I have only been introduced to a few writing sites and forums, but there is one that has both and is relatively easy to understand and use. That is Fanfiction.net. It has both forums and communities. Very simple to use and usually very good traffic. Most of my stuff was posted on fanfiction.net but I pulled it so I can post it here and paid. XD

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   8. 54

      David Trujilloposted 7 years agoin reply to this

      Bubblews has been the only one that I have truly engaged in like an addict. But new ones spring-up every month. I just a review one of these.

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2. 92

   Marisa Wrightposted 8 years ago

   I don't write much online any more, and if I do, it's more likely to be on my own blogs. 
   
   I've tried most writing sites and have articles which have been on sites like Infobarrel and Wizzley for a long time, but they still don't earn anywhere near as well as similar articles on HubPages.  Also, none of them have as lively a community.

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3. 62

   Lisa HWposted 8 years ago

   Hi, Mathew.   
   
   I'm not sure my input here will be of much use here, because I pretty much stopped doing anything on any "article sites" or "writing sites" that are aimed at "standard" Internet articles (whether they're the variety that requires writing samples, resume, etc. and involves being "accepted", or the type that let anyone write but make it clear that they want only (again) the "usual"/"standard" type of article.  I'm on lists for "a zillion" sites of that variety, but the only time I'll do anything on them is if a particularly appealing article/assignment shows up (but also if I know I'll be paid for the work, rather than the deal where "everyone" takes an assignment and essentially competes for who gets paid).
   
   I suppose I decided to go ahead and share what I've been kind of wishing I could say (or wishing someone else might say), because I can't really believe I'm the only one with the aims/priorities (or whatever) as I have (at least with regard to the online-writing that I do that related to what I do (or would like to do) on HubPages.
   
   So, I know you said, "not counting" HubPages, but for now HP is the only site I do anything on (and these days I'm kind of trying to figure out what to do/not do with stuff I have on here already (if anything), but also kind of waiting to figure out if there's some subject for a Hub that interests me, but also that I can make fit better into the "stellar" model.
   
   Part of why I think my input may not be all that useful here is that the online writing I do, while a bunch of different types of writing, is always writing that I do for me - separate from writing that I do for other people (on assignment, online or offline), but always material of a more formal, professional, nature; rather than either "insight" type of non-fiction or else just the occasional non-fiction, creative, writing piece that I think someone may enjoy - or at least that I just kind of find fun to write.  So, because of that, the only place I now post writing or consider writing is here, any number of my own sites/blogs, or else Bubblews.  Bubblews serves multiple purposes for me - but mainly complete writing freedom (depending on my mood or aims for my profile there), but also lots of potential to find a little "short-term" /"quickie" socializing if I'm just looking to get away from writing.
   
   So, in other words, this is pretty much the only "writing site" I consider myself at all "still active" on.
   
   As far as forums go, I used to only use this one either to discuss HP issues or have general discussions (etc.), either the exchange HP info or else to take a break from writing/work and just do a little socializing (but just for the "sake of socializing" - not to "get my name out there" or use the forums for "ulterior motives".     )
   
   After the forums here were divided I stopped coming here very often because there's really only so much "exchanging of HP info" to done, and the "topical" forums are so heavily either religion or politics - with the other topics being fairly old and/or else of not  much interest to me.
   
   Other than that, I don't do much/anything on "social sites".  I have Facebook for personal/family reasons, do little on there (only have 9 friends, and 2 of them are my daughter's cats    .   Maybe it's just because I haven't gotten "all into" socializing "for real", but Google+, Twitter, and whatever other ones are out there all pretty much look to me like everyone has "ulterior motives" of one kind or another (in other words, pushing their own stuff, getting their own names out there, etc. etc..  I don't have the time or the nature to pretend to want to socialize/network when I'm not honestly interested in all the stuff that comes through on those sites.   I've tried writing-related types of groups on those sites, but so much of it is "all the same thing".   
   
   As far as something like YouTube goes, I use it for everything - but never for anything on the subject of writing (mainly, I suppose) because I'm someone who learns from reading.  So, if I'm looking to learn something for my own use I seldom use videos or podcasts.  With writing I never use those things, mainly because if there's something I need/want to learn about writing I want "more comprehensive" than what is presented in the vast majority of videos.
   
   I don't go to "content sites" for info/content on a lot of "general-life"/miscellaneous subjects because I go to all the same "authority sites" that Google would send people to. And, no matter how professional or otherwise "great" something like a blog looks, if it's not clear that it's an authority site I don't want information from it.  (Insight, maybe, but not information.)
   
   When I just want to browse to find something to read (and granted there's a lot of wading through a lot of stuff I don't want to see on there), I go to Bubblews, the way I used to browse through HP.  Knowing who writes what kind of stuff can trim out some of the wading, though.

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4. 60

   The Examiner-1posted 8 years ago

   I write Hubs (articles) on HP because it is my favorite, posts on my blog which I began before signing up to HP.
   I use the About.com birding forum frequently.
   I only use YouTube to find videos to post on my Hubs.
   I do not have a pod.

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   1. 74

      Matthew Meyerposted 8 years agoin reply to this

      @The Examiner-1 Thanks!

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5. 76

   Barbara Kayposted 8 years ago

   I have a couple of articles on Squidoo and Infobarrel and didn't care for those sites or I would have written more. Of course I had to try Bubblews, but got tired of that quickly.
   
   Hubpages is the best site for writing articles by far. I've been earning more from my websites, so have been putting more work into that.  I'll return to Hubpages when I am ready to write about different things.
   
   I don't use Youtube except to search for videos for my hubs. I do spend a lot of time on Facebook to keep up with family and friends. I post on a few forums, but not often.

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   1. 60

      mochirajacksonposted 8 years agoin reply to this

      Hi all,
      
      Thanks for sharing your experiences on this thread. I have just started writing at hubpages and, so far, I'm enjoying it. I wanted to ask you whether you think it is a good idea to put all of your eggs into one basket i.e. write for one site only, or do you think it is best to spread your articles around. Personally, I think it might be best to stick to one place and really build up content. Does everyone agree? I'm open to suggestions.

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      1. 92

         Marisa Wrightposted 8 years agoin reply to this

         It depends on which site you're talking about.
         
         On other writing sites, it's not important how many articles you have - there's no need to "build up content" because your account isn't seen as a separate entity by anyone except you.  So it's fine to write just two or three articles, and it is worth doing that, because it will help raise your profile as a writer to have articles sprinkled in multiple places online.  It will also allow you to try out those sites and see how you like them, and how well your articles perform on each. 
         
         However, on HubPages you have your own sub-domain, which is judged by Google on its own merits.  Google isn't impressed by small sites, so to do well, you really need a decent body of work.  I'd say 25 Hubs at a minimum. 
         
         It's never good to put all your eggs in one basket. I don't think HubPages is likely to disappear any time soon, but since I started writing online, I've seen several other writing sites close down - and the closures were all totally unexpected by the users.

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            mochirajacksonposted 8 years agoin reply to this

            Hi Marisa,
            Thanks for the detailed response. It has certainly given me something to think about. Thank you for explaining the differences between hub pages and other writing sites in terms of Google. I was a little confused about that.
            
            I am going to try and create a hub a day for March which should give me 30 hubs and then I may start spreading my articles to other sites.
            
            Thanks again :-)

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6. 76

   AVailuuposted 8 years ago

   The "Stuff to Blow Your Mind" podcast by Robert Lamb and Julie Douglas is an awesome podcast. I've been a loyal listener for over a year. I've been exploring the "How Stuff Works" brand because they offer a lot of great blogs, videos, and podcasts. They're supported by the Discovery channel, so they always put out quality content.

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      Matthew Meyerposted 8 years agoin reply to this

      Thanks @AVailuu!

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7. 86

   rebekahELLEposted 8 years ago

   Favorite writing site: HubPages. I've looked at others, but it's basically all the same stuff. I love HP.
   Favorite forums, etc: I'm not a huge forum participant, but I check HP, music related forums, and sites like BigThink.com and BrainPickings.org (nice, short articles about writers and the writing process among other creative pursuits).  I love their content and helpful links to relevant articles.  My time online is limited, so I'm very selective in where and how I spend my time.
   
   I belong to a few Facebook groups about writing, but don't participate.  Facebook is for family, friends and professional interests and topics I'm interested in.
   No favorite writing podcasts.

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8. 42

   mrblueishmouveskyposted 8 years ago

   The Howard Stern Show has taken my interest of late to listen to, also Just a Minute

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9. 82

   psycheskinnerposted 8 years ago

   My favorite site about writing in general (all types) is the Absolutewrite forums.

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      Matthew Meyerposted 8 years agoin reply to this

      Thanks @psycheskinner!

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10. 55

    janderson99posted 8 years ago

    I like medium (dot) com and other similar sites that are written for mobiles from the ground up (responsive) - simple concise clear layouts that provide what the user want quickly and easily. (Plain Jane, not 'Stellar'). I have several similar ones, that I developed myself.

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11. 87

    Nell Roseposted 8 years ago

    I have tried virtually all the other sites, well the ones that I have discovered, and after writing for a while get so fed up with them! So this is the only one for me, and bubblews too, but thats not as good as here!

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       ologsinquitoposted 8 years agoin reply to this

       I forgot to say that I also write for Seekyt and Zujava. None of the other sites, including Squidoo right now, has the authority of Hub Pages. But I still like to have a couple of other platforms just for diversification.

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12. 73

    amiebutchkoposted 8 years ago

    I really do love Yahoo Contributor Network. I  haven't had as much time to dedicate to them recently, but I enjoyed writing for them and want to write for them again in the future.  I do love HupPages of course.

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