Am I a failure to Hubpages?

1. 0

   Ivan Hernandezposted 7 years ago

   Hello, Hubbers,
   
   I'd like for you to answer this question. Am I a failure to other Hubbers?

   replyreport
   1. 75

      Barbara Kayposted 7 years agoin reply to this

      A hubber score of 82 isn't bad. I wouldn't worry as you seem to be doing fine. I didn't start earning decent amounts until I had about 70 hubs and that was years ago.
      
      If you are unhappy with your earnings, start experimenting until you find an interest that does earn well. Then look at it from every perspective that you can think about. Keep writing hubs in that area.
      
      If you don't know about keywords etc yet, read some of the articles other writers have here.

      replyreport
   2. 85

      Jesse Drzalposted 7 years agoin reply to this

      I just took a peek at your Hub on weather..If you want some quick advice for some better articles, break up those really long blocks of text into some more readable text with shorter paragraphs. This will help engage your readers. Good luck!

      replyreport
      1. 74

         Wesman Todd Shawposted 7 years agoin reply to this

         I second that this is great advice. Big blocks of text turn readers away. People are often reading from the small screen of a smart phone. So a big chunk of text is hard to read. Try three concise sentences, and then a paragraph break.

         replyreport
   3. 88

      theraggededgeposted 7 years agoin reply to this

      Are you looking for sympathy, Ivan? If you are, then do stop it. This is a place to act like a grown-up. If you want to be a writer, you have to take criticism and rejection. It's part of the job. You need to grow a thick skin if you are intending on writing for a living (or even as a hobby).

      replyreport
      1. 89

         poppyrposted 7 years agoin reply to this

         Seconded.

         replyreport
   4. 89

      poppyrposted 7 years agoin reply to this

      All right, I'll bite. Why do you think you're a failure?

      replyreport
      1. 86

         Marisa Wrightposted 7 years agoin reply to this

         If you check out his other recent thread, you'll see he makes the statement there, because his Hub was heavily critiqued.

         replyreport
         1. 89

            poppyrposted 7 years agoin reply to this

            Ah thanks for clearing that up, Marisa

            replyreport
   5. 78

      jackclee lmposted 7 years agoin reply to this

      It depends on what you consider to be success? More money, more views, or more articles?
      You are in control of your destiny and your success or failure.
      Keep writing for the sake of writing...the rest will take care of itself.
      Don't worry about hubscore. It means little.

      replyreport
   6. 89

      Will Apseposted 7 years agoin reply to this

      No, you just need to learn stuff like every other beginner. Don't give up.

      replyreport
   7. 88

      theraggededgeposted 7 years agoin reply to this

      You also have to know that there is a huge difference between someone criticising a piece of writing and being criticised yourself. Just because your writing needs work doesn't mean for one second that you are wrong or a failure or anything like that. It just means the writing could be better.
      
      If I give a critique to anyone on HubPages, then they'll get it straight. I don't waffle and I don't try to protect people's feelings. I look at the article and explain where it's going wrong or in need of work. If you put it on the forum, it's there for review by other hubbers.
      
      Use it as a learning experience, which was what it is, and what I meant it to be.

      replyreport
2. 81

   Holly22posted 7 years ago

   I am making a dollar a month but I do it for the fun of making the hubs. One day I will write a hub that will go viral and it will all be worth it. Focus on hubs you like doing for yourself and just keep going. Take a break when you get frustrated. Come back refreshed. Thats what I do.

   replyreport
3. 85

   Jesse Drzalposted 7 years ago

   Absolutely not. There is a big learning curve to writing online and everyone goes through it. Keep going and keep that head up!

   replyreport
4. 76

   psycheskinnerposted 7 years ago

   What are you trying to achieve? Are you succeeding or moving towards succeeding?  Well, that's your answer.

   replyreport
5. 0

   RTalloniposted 7 years ago

   Hub Pages is like a big family of people in many ways.  There's that funny uncle who makes everyone laugh by writing corny jokes, that curious grandmother who writes just what she thinks whenever she thinks it, that cousin who seems to always be thinking and writing outside the box, that sibling who's always picking on your writing, including babies (both newbies and big spoiled brats). 
   
   It's not that you don't care about your family, but you have to work at what you do and persevere until you are satisfied.  You have to continue learning about writing online and you have know what your goals for doing so are.  If you want to do more, or do better, or change your goals then you have to decide about it.
   
   Taking family members' input into consideration is important,  as well as remembering that critics can often be our best friends, but determine to go forward in a positive manner no matter what any one else may think.  Be far more concerned about whether you are meeting your goals and then raising the bar for your work than about others' opinions. 
   
   Always make sure you are willing to continue to mature your writing. Learn more about how to do it and exercise yourself in the effort.  There are always new adventures in reading for the purpose of learning more about your writing, working to learn more about the craft, and pondering how to continue setting new goals.

   replyreport
6. 86

   Marisa Wrightposted 7 years ago

   Ivan, you can never be a failure to other Hubbers, because they don't need your help.  You're not obliged to do A SINGLE THING for other Hubbers.    What you write doesn't affect us and what we write doesn't affect you. 
   
   When you were at school, you didn't wonder if you were a failure to other students.  All you worried about what you could achieve for yourself.  It's the same here.
   
   But I don't think that's what you are asking.  You feel that you are failing with your writing.  Don't get discouraged, because learning how to write online is a skill and it takes time.    You need to study, just like you studied at school.   
   
   I have some Hubs that could help you, if you go to my profile and check the slider, you'll find most of them.  You could also try contacting Kylyssa, who is also autistic.  I know autism is a wide spectrum but it's possible you will find she is more on your wavelength and can explain things better for you.

   replyreport
7. 93

   Mamertoposted 7 years ago

   Not really. I'm just starting here with only 4 articles. I'm yet to earn because I don't have adsense yet until I make 10 hubs. But for some reason, there is something satisfying about seeing views in my hubs, even though I only get 5 a day. I mean I'm having fun here!

   replyreport
8. 93

   Mamertoposted 7 years ago

   Sorry, wrong reply, I mean this is your hub and you don't owe anyone. You may fail, only if you stop writing here

   replyreport
9. 89

   mireland19posted 7 years ago

   I don't think anyone is a failure if you like what you are doing! No one is getting rich from Hubpages! The ones that are making a lot of money put hundreds of hours a week into not only writing, but promoting and advertising their writing! You seem to have a very specific set of interests that you write about, which is actually great! Join some wrestling forums online, join groups on Google Plus and Facebook and then share your articles with them! The key to making money is generating traffic and there are multiple ways to do this with traffic generating websites and if you want to spend money to make money, buying your own ad space! If you are just doing it as a hobby then you are doing absolutely great with a good hub score, if you want to make a bit more you will have to try sharing your articles, especially since many of your topics are not "search friendly". Good luck, and remember one of the biggest mistakes a writer can make is feeling down on themselves because then it is no fun!

   replyreport
   1. 0

      Ivan Hernandezposted 7 years agoin reply to this

      thank you! Thank you all. i was not thinking about coming back here again after that destructive constructive criticism that an expert hubber gave me. now, i feel better.

      replyreport
      1. 88

         theraggededgeposted 7 years agoin reply to this

         Ivan, it was all constructive and not destructive at all. You have to separate the article from yourself. If you re-read what I wrote and try to understand it, you will realise that all the suggested changes are valid ways for you to improve the work.
         
         Are these 'destructive' suggestions:
         
         1. On Hubpages you are not writing for other hubbers.
         2. HubPages is for publishing articles not a blogging platform.
         3. Writers should always 'write to the title'.
         4. I pointed out your misuse of a word in a sub-title.
         5. Break up the text into shorter paragraphs.
         6. Some of the information appears elsewhere on the web in an almost identical form.
         7. I suggested you remove one section which bore no relation to the title.
         8. Remove the ratings capsule - it's not for regular hubs.
         
         Is there anything in there that is destructive? If you incorporate those suggestions - into ALL your hubs, you'll have a greater chance of success.
         
         As a writer, you cannot afford to take criticism personally. Instead you should do your best to learn from it. I wasn't horrible to you - why would I be? You want your hub featured so those are my suggestions for that to happen.
         
         I'm sorry I upset you. It wasn't my intention.

         replyreport
10. 90

    Kylyssaposted 7 years ago

    Don't take criticism to mean you are a failure. Almost every time I've asked for help in the forums people on HubPages criticized my work and sometimes my personality, even if I wasn't asking for it. For instance, every time I asked for clarification of vaguely stated rules in the TOS a particular hubber jumped up to say I have a character flaw to want a clearer explanation with facts and numbers or something else objectively measurable in it.
    
    I'm not a failure even though some people in the forum have treated me like I am one and a nuisance as well. I even had a hubber latch onto one of my hubs to make personal attacks and drop link spam on it in response to a post in the forum about how my grief for recent multiple deaths left me unable to enjoy things.
    
    I reached the million view mark in a long, slow two years on HubPages. In that time, my readers have offered me jobs large and small and several even let me help them start up charities. Five of them let me help them get into better living situations. I've answered dozens of questions from students age 11 to adult because teachers in an assortment of countries include links to some of my hubs in their classroom materials. Dozens of charities also link to them, far beyond the number I've donated content to. Three of my hubs were picked up by major educational publishers. One hub was picked for inclusion in a textbook for students age 11 to 13, one for a compilation of essays and editorials used by high school and college students for political debate, and a third for an anthology that will be on reading lists for classes around the world.
    
    I could keep going, but that would just earn me a bunch of people attacking my character again, so I just listed the things I'm most proud of.
    
    I'm what some here consider a failure at writing. I thought you needed to know so you know how high their bar is set (way, way over my head) and how little their opinion actually matters. I literally earn my living on my writing and I can't begin to reach their bar.
    
    * Keep writing if you love it. Stop if you don't.
    * Keep learning.
    * Take in the good advice and apply it.
    * Ignore everyone who is simply bashing your character or calling you a snowflake.
    * Accept that your needs, abilities, and wants are unique to you and may not always fit with what others think you should desire and strive for.
    * Obey the TOS. Get help finding all the scattered bits and pieces of it and ignore the people who deride you for seeking clarification.
    
    Now I'm going to run off and hide, because I have autism and the nasty things people say in response to my post written to encourage you will upset me so much I won't be able to speak for days if I bother reading them.

    replyreport
    1. 0

       Ivan Hernandezposted 7 years agoin reply to this

       STOP RIGHT THERE!!!! DONT HIDE ANY LONGER!! i accept you for who you are. IM AUTISTIC TOO!!! it doesnt work if you hide for years at a time. i live in a group home. almost 87 percent of us hide from society because we are not good enough. Im highly intelligent, but lazy. i graduated high school at the age of 18. if you want, go to my profile, and look for my autism article. youll be amazed at what i can do. oh, and make sure you listen to mi pequeño principe. follow me, ok?

       replyreport
11. 70

    srirad0675posted 7 years ago

    theraggededge's criticism is helping many writers. To put it simply, if someone is sick, what cures the person? Bitter medicine or sugar candy? Hope you got my point. Accepting criticism and using it for your benefit will help you not only in HubPages, but also in your life as a whole. Sorry if I'm sounding preachy. All the best.

    replyreport