Suddenly feeling Rejected!

1. 77

   abwilliamsposted 8 years ago

   I recently received Accolades for publishing hubs that sparked interest and debate.
   Every published hub has been featured,
   Until now....
   Suddenly my hubs are not worthy!
   I've published two within the past couple of weeks and neither are featured, after having 19 in a row which were.
   I need a reasonable explanation or I am done writing for Hubpages!
   
   AB Williams

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   1. 0

      calculus-geometryposted 8 years agoin reply to this

      There's a forum where people can get feedback on unfeatured hubs
      http://hubpages.com/forum/category/2885
      You post a link to your hub, people read it, give you suggestions to improve it.

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      1. 77

         abwilliamsposted 8 years agoin reply to this

         Here's the thing. I received the best compliment that I've received in 4 years of writing for Hubpages and then.... REJECTED.  AGAIN!
         Very odd!
         Something at Hubpages has changed, nothing about my wring style has.

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         1. 76

            theraggededgeposted 8 years agoin reply to this

            I noticed that several of your hubs are political and 'newsy'. In other words, in little while they will be out of date. Perhaps you might think about witing 'evergreen' hubs that stay topical for a number of years?
            
            Also your titles are more suitable for a print publication rather than an online one - they don't contain any searchable keywords. For example: "I Pledge Allegiance to__And to the__for which it Stands...(What's it going to be folks? What will fill these blanks)"
            
            Hope that helps.

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               India-Nepalposted 8 years agoin reply to this

               Very good advice - thank you.

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         2. 72

            SmartAndFunposted 8 years agoin reply to this

            Hubs are often rejected due to technicalities which cause the hub to go against the current set of publishing guidelines. Just because your hub was not featured doesn't mean those at HP feel your writing is poor.
            
            If you do as calculus-geometry suggested and post it in the feedback forum, other Hubbers can help you pinpoint what's holding it back from being published.
            
            Try not to take it personally. It's probably some sort of link or maybe an unattributed photo. Sometimes these rejections are even automated. But you'll never know unless you either go back and read the entire help center and figure it out yourself, or if you post a link and have others take a look at it out for you.

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         3. 77

            abwilliamsposted 8 years agoin reply to this

            *writing
            Where's the dang edit tool when you really need it?

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   2. 61

      Dont Taze Me Broposted 8 years agoin reply to this

      AB that's what you get for putting stock in hub page's policies. I've seen the best writers for many years here criticize the way they do things up there, usually about received accolades followed by impersonal and'or weird events or contact like you are describing. It could be some moderator doesn't like what you write, I've read internet reviews attesting to that sort of moderation at hub pages. Actually the reviews are pretty devastating especially by Squido people which Hub pages bought.
      
      Forget about writing to please HP, write for yourself and your followers. Their accolades are all that matters.

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      1. 76

         theraggededgeposted 8 years agoin reply to this

         Rubbish. HubPages is focused on surviving the repeated Google slaps that have wiped out its competitors. HP provides a free platform for you to demonstrate your writing skills. Because they own the site, the servers, etc, then we have to abide by their guidelines. If you don't agree HP with policies then you are free to write and publish on your own site.

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            Dont Taze Me Broposted 8 years agoin reply to this

            Rubbish? You must be a moderator. if they are so good I suppose people like you keep it a secret cause I don't see your review among these 24: https://www.consumeraffairs.com/online/hubpages.html
            average rating of about 1 out of 5, and that's only because you have to  pick at least a 1.

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               theraggededgeposted 8 years agoin reply to this

               Why are you here then? If HubPages is so bad, go elsewhere. HubPages is a commercial enterprise. It's not here for your benefit.
               
               I'm not a moderator.

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               1. 61

                  Dont Taze Me Broposted 8 years agoin reply to this

                  Why are you so set on controlling what I think and do? I merely stated some facts and my opinion. Why I am here is none of your business but you seem to think it is? But I agree Hub  Pages is not here for my benefit, or yours frankly, they are here solely for their own benefit. That's the only reason why they need people like you, so they can profit, according to the reviews they really don't care if you profit or not. Read the complaints. I have to believe if it was so great people would be saying so but the only reviews I see are negative.

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                     theraggededgeposted 8 years agoin reply to this

                     If you spent any time writing and publishing here, you would learn not to pay attention to the reviews - mostly written by sub-standard writers. Their experiences do not mirror mine. HP can be frustrating but at least they are still functioning and begining to thrive, not to mention paying out every month.
                     
                     I could care less why you are here, but why be negative when you could be constructive? Especially as your experience is limited (one hub).
                     
                     "People like me" What sort of people would that be?

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                        Dont Taze Me Broposted 8 years agoin reply to this

                        If you read the last comment on my one hub you'd know why I am not enthusiastic about writing for Hub pages. But I never said here anything negative about hub pages that isn't the truth, I merely gave good advice to AB, which she gracefully accepted btw, and it was nothing that wasn't true.
                        
                        It's you who have interjected yourself into my advice to her simply because you choose to be offended by the truth. If you care more about hub pages' opinion of your writing than your own that is your prerogative, I'm not demanding anything of you yet you act like some sort of shrew attacking me for merely stating the facts. I find it odd when I say they need "People like you" you ask, 'What sort of people would that be?" It's obvious that in context of all I said "people like you" means people who will write for them, nothing else. That's opposed to people like me who choose not to (as I explained in my comment on my one hub) because without people like you Hub pages won't exist, they need writers, that's just another fact. If that is too hard for you to understand then I can't help you.
                        
                        Perhaps you should be asking hub pages why they don't respond to the overwhelming complaint reviews and set the record straight instead of attacking me for simply giving good advice to AB. She's ready to leave HP and what I said wasn't encouraging her to leave but actually just the opposite, I don't see why you have a problem with that since HP needs writers to survive.

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            2. 88

               Marisa Wrightposted 8 years agoin reply to this

               I don't find it surprising that there aren't positive reviews on a site like that.
               
               If I wanted to give HubPages a good review, I would probably do it by recommending it to my writer friends.  I wouldn't bother going in search of review sites I'd never heard of.   
               
               Whereas if I was mad at HubPages about something, I'd go in search of as many review sites as I could find.
               
               That's the nature of reviews - angry customers are always going to be more visible than happy ones, because happy ones are too busy enjoying their product.

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      2. 77

         abwilliamsposted 8 years agoin reply to this

         Thanks!
         This was me ranting a bit, I am over it now.
         I know you are right, it's a little thing called 'principle', that just won't let me let things lie.

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         1. 77

            abwilliamsposted 8 years agoin reply to this

            You are cut from the same cloth, I see!

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      3. 88

         Marisa Wrightposted 8 years agoin reply to this

         Don't believe everything you read on the internet!   
         
         Squidoo's handling of the closure of their site left a lot of Squids feeling aggrieved, not to say confused. Some of them never got their heads around HubPages' rules:  their complaints about individual moderators were rubbish, they just didn't understand the rules they'd broken (or did understand and objected to them).   There is one particularly vocal critic who is borderline psychotic, she writes very convincingly about legal rights etc but when you research it (as I did) it's all bunkum.
         
         The bottom line is that HubPages has all kinds of rules which Squidoo didn't - but that's why HubPages still exists and Squidoo went bust. I do disagree with some of HP's rules, but it is their site so they're entitled to set whatever rules they want. 
         
         If Hubs are unFeatured, then they're earning no money for HubPages - so naturally HubPages is going to encourage you to understand the rules and get them Featured.  If that doesn't matter to you, and you're happy with the audience you get from other Hubbers, that's fine.

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            Dont Taze Me Broposted 8 years agoin reply to this

            Well be that as it may, it is somewhat strange that positive reviews are so few and far between. I know if I thought it was the cat's pajamas I'd be saying so and giving a good review. The thing is like I said I've seen what appear to be long time rewarded HP writers here writing hub pages complaining about how things are done. You can search them for yourself.

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            1. 88

               Marisa Wrightposted 8 years agoin reply to this

               I don't need to search, I know there are Hubbers who complain - in fact most people would say I'm one of them!
               
               I've been very critical of some of the decisions HubPages has made.  In fact at one time, I had several stand-up fights with one of their moderators on these forums and got banned more than once!  At that time, there was a huge exodus of writers from the site - but things have settled down since then.  The rules are still demanding but HubPages has improved its relationship with writers again.
               
               Like I said, I don't agree with some of their rules - I can see their reasoning but they have a habit of going overboard.   They're like the person who discovers too much salt or coffee or eggs (or whatever) is bad for you, and decides they must cut ALL salt (or whatever) out of their diet - which isn't necessary and can even be harmful. However, the fact remains that HubPages is still surviving while every other big rev-sharing site has failed.  And it's the existence of rules that has made that possible.
               
               When HubPages first started, they could happily welcome any writer and let them write about anything regardless of quality and subject - that was how the internet worked then.  For the last few years, it's been getting tougher.  Google will crucify any site that allows even a few low-quality articles to be published.  That's why HP has to be so strict.

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               1. 77

                  abwilliamsposted 8 years agoin reply to this

                  Be that as it may...my latest hub is still in limbo, just wanting to be read, it's future  money-making potential (for HP and for me) hanging  in the balance.....
                  
                  Great discussion though ya'll!

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                     Marisa Wrightposted 8 years agoin reply to this

                     Did HP send you an email about the Hub?   Use the link in the email to post on the forums to get feedback on the Hub, and we will probably be able to spot the problem.  Then you can fix it - and know what to avoid in future Hubs.

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                     1. 77

                        abwilliamsposted 8 years agoin reply to this

                        No emails received.. I just noticed that neither have the little H (Featured), as all others do. The last has the symbol for not featured due to Quality. The latest, as I said is currently in limbo (under review all day)

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                        1. 88

                           Marisa Wrightposted 8 years agoin reply to this

                           I suggest checking your spam folder to see if there's an email from HP lurking there.  Also check your Notifications settings on your profile.  If a Hub was unFeatured due to quality, you should've been told about it.
                           
                           Tip - you can set your profile to show all Hubs, not just Featured ones - then you can just tell us the title of the Hub and we can find it on your profile. 
                           
                           As for the one that's in limbo, there's something wrong there.  I would try editing it again, you only have to change a few words, then see what happens.

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         2. 71

            makingamarkposted 8 years agoin reply to this

            You said
            "The bottom line is that HubPages has all kinds of rules which Squidoo didn't - but that's why HubPages still exists and Squidoo went bust."
            
            I disagree. Squidoo did not go bust. A business decision was made by the owner to get out of this market before the site went bust. We all exited with our cash earnings intact - and I earned far more in the final months of Squidoo than I have ever done on Hubpages.
            
            The fact was that the traffic trend was sliding big time.  IMO the owner appeared to be oblivious to what was happening for too long. There are two explanations
            1) the people employed by the owner simply were not bright enough or good enough to spell the facts of life out in time and/or pull it round.
            2) Or perhaps some of the key players at Squidoo HQ could see the writing on the wall re Google's view of the marketplace generally and decided their career interests were best served by leaving - and the site would not survive them leaving. (Goodness knows there's enough other sites who saw the writing on the wall and have also quit this market)
            
            The big difference with HubPages is that the people who own it also run it.
            
            They've got a LOT of personal investment in making it work whereas the Squidoo owner could simply walk away and close down that part of his investment portfolio.

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            1. 88

               Marisa Wrightposted 8 years agoin reply to this

               That's a pedantic distinction, IMO.   Sure, the site did not go bust but the owner closed it down because it wasn't financially viable, and therefore it would've gone bust very quickly.
               
               I can well believe that the top earners were still doing well - but obviously not enough members were!  Like HubPages, they also had a ton of also-rans who weren't earning much at all.   The fact that HubPages took only a small proportion of the site tells you that.

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               1. 71

                  makingamarkposted 8 years agoin reply to this

                  Well I think the distinction between a site going bust and a decision to close an enterprise which is no longer financially worthwhile in the context of a changing market is a fairly important one - not least in terms of what it does to the credibility of the owners - and whether customers are let down.
                  
                  I know I was grateful for the transfer to HubPages rather than being left high and dry with no access to my content as some people experienced on other sites.
                  
                  You're also assuming that HubPages only took a small proportion os the Squidoo lenses. We were told it would only be those lenses which were featured (i.e. the top 85,000).
                  
                  However in reality, I think HubPages took far more of the rubbish on Squidoo than they realised. I think they didn't realise this happened until too late.
                  
                  There was no ringfence. If they took the top 85,000 sites then they certainly forgot to allow for the number of sites which disappeared off the site between the date of the announcement and the date of the transfer.
                  
                  How do I know? Well I had 100+ sites in the top 10,000 lenses as at the date of transfer and although I had a lot before (c.20-30), it certainly wasn't this much prior to the announcement - which means a very significant shift of content which occurred prior to the transfer.

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                     Dont Taze Me Broposted 8 years agoin reply to this

                     Thanks makingamark for airing your side about the squido thing. It's amazing how people make judgements about things these days without even attempting to get at the facts before airing an opinion. It's all hinged on bias and when you try to shed light on that bias they are so committed to it that your facts are just dismissed as "pedantic" or just ignored.

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   3. 84

      Dean Traylorposted 8 years agoin reply to this

      It may not be so much about content. There are times I have  had my hubs deemed "unfeatured" (sometimes the half full circle, rarely the empty circle) Often, it has to do with a link (that may or may not go to site that promotes or sells something), readership is low, or something such as ebay or amazon components need to removed (the 300 limit thing  for Amazon still confuses me).
      In those cases, the best thing to do is write the site's name down but don't make a direct link to it. Or, if it's a traffic issue, you vsnchange the size or position of a photo. That's helped in the past.
      Still, we're going to see a lot of hubs become unfeatured due to something that's fixable. In many respects, Hubpages hired more editors (some with their own style of writing) and are attempting to prepare articles for possible inclusion onto one of the niche sites.
      One thing, however, is that the suggestions can be vague. If you get the empty circle unfeatured tag next to your article, it's probably because an automated system (not so much a human) has deemed something to be "spammy" - To fix that, I  turned off the link to any websites I may have (usually under photo captions).

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      1. 77

         abwilliamsposted 8 years agoin reply to this

         Thanks for your feedback. Appreciated.

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            SmartAndFunposted 8 years agoin reply to this

            I agree that it's probably not your writing or the subject matter. I think it's probably a link, an amazon product or some other technicality. I tried to make this point earlier in the thread but I guess it got buried in the ensuing discussion.
            
            If you'll post a link to the article we can try and figure it out.

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               abwilliamsposted 8 years agoin reply to this

               Thank you for your feedback.

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2. 39

   Peterwoodwilsonposted 8 years ago

   there is no way to remain dishearten. Please keep publishing your edits here and if the hub pages like your post then they certainly will highlight your post as they did before. Keep trying.

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      abwilliamsposted 8 years agoin reply to this

      Thank you. I'm not disheartened. Can't keep a good wo-man down.

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         Peterwoodwilsonposted 8 years agoin reply to this

         

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3. 0

   Will Apseposted 8 years ago

   Seems HP are toughening up on the political nonsense they publish.
   
   These things might be related:
   
   Google is introducing a fact check service.
   
   From time to time, the Obama administration has proposed ways of getting a grip on the deluge of false information that is poisoning debate on the internet and airwaves.
   
   And, of course, there are now hate speech laws in the US.
   
   It might be that sites identified as entirely lacking in integrity will have trouble getting visitors from search engines, in future. But that is speculation on my part.

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   1. 77

      abwilliamsposted 8 years agoin reply to this

      I think it's safe to say that a reminiscing of the history of the National Anthem isn't nonsense or hate speech or lacking in integrity.
      
      If that is the case, as you speculate, then we're all doomed.

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         Will Apseposted 8 years agoin reply to this

         I wasn't picking on your page (honest).
         
         It's just that quite a few politically orientated pages are not getting featured as easily these days, as they were in the past.
         
         My comment really is pretty speculative but after the recent 'post truth' campaigns in the UK (Brexit) and the US (Presidential), I reckon there is going to be some kind of push back.
         
         Has HP noted a change in the wind direction?

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            makingamarkposted 8 years agoin reply to this

            Wow - political pages which have their facts checked by Google would be amazing if true. I'd vote for that!
            
            In fact a website which has a reputation for fact checking its political pages in the absence of Google doing the same job might do extremely well - even if it already has some stiff competition....

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         2. 77

            abwilliamsposted 8 years agoin reply to this

            If they have, I was not privy to that memo Will.
            
            Fact checked by Google?Now there's an oxymoron.
            
            I'll stick with my old school World Book Encyclopedias when doing my research and welcome fact-checking, as long as it is not rigged against Conservative writers.

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               Dont Taze Me Broposted 8 years agoin reply to this

               Google fact checking, "now there's an oxymoron!" Yeah, kinda like the fox guarding the hen house? We know that Google itself is in the tank for President Obama, has been in the tank for Obama and is now in the tank for Hillary Clinton, and there’s good reason for that. From their perspective, they want to pursue as liberal policies as possible across the spectrum. Google has been accused of burying negative stories about presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton.
               
               "It’s no surprise to see Google crack down on particular political viewpoints. Google has long been a leftist company. Eric Schmidt, executive chairman of the company, is a heavy supporter of President Obama financially, helping him with campaign advice in 2008 and 2012; Obama reportedly considered him repeatedly for slots within his administration before Schmidt was picked as Obama’s transition advisory board, as well as for a position on the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology, or PCAST. Obama’s campaign manager, Jim Messina, received personal training from Schmidt. So did Obama for America Chief Technology Officer Harper Reed and Engineer Mark Trammell."

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               1. 77

                  abwilliamsposted 8 years agoin reply to this

                  Mic drop......

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                     Dont Taze Me Broposted 8 years agoin reply to this

                     You are are cool, not because we agree but you tell it like it is while being hip too.

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                        abwilliamsposted 8 years agoin reply to this

                        Thanks Taze.
                        Ditto.

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4. 0

   Will Apseposted 8 years ago

   Squidoo was in freefall, traffic-wise. It tried to regulate the quality of its content, belatedly, but that was a disaster. There was no way, it was all a pre-planned strategic retreat, lol.
   
   HP realized faster what the issues were, and have, more or less, kept ahead of the game.

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      makingamarkposted 8 years agoin reply to this

      Certainly nothing strategic about it. If it had been it would have been sorted a lot earlier.
      
      Granted HubPages realised what the issues are and have endeavoured to fix them.
      
      However staying ahead of the game in my book goes a long way beyond sticking around.
      
      The HubPages return to authors of investment in their content is way way lower than that experienced on Squidoo - or realised elsewhere by some as content has been moved. That in itself explains why so much content has moved....
      
      Like I've said before - people look at their options and make their choices as to what suits them best. HubPages remains a good option for hobby writers who are not interested in creating their own websites.

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5. 61

   Cindy Kay Shunposted 8 years ago

   keep writing your are good writer!

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