Shout Out

1. 69

   abwilliamsposted 4 years ago

   This is a shout out to thank those of you who have continued to follow me or have given me a follow, even when you see my score of '33'. It dropped one day (out of the blue). I suspect I was voted down (back when we could still do that)
   No explanation from HP, although numerous attempts have been made.
   I love writing, I follow the rules, I have many articles that go straight to niche sites. It is an embarrassing score, no doubt! No one wants to be the last name on the 'Following' list, but that is where I reside.  I've lost followers, have only gained a few over many years and have yet to see a payout, but I am holding my head high, will continue writing and I'll not be intimidated into quitting.
   Thank you to the few of you for your continued words of encouragement and support. You know who you are.
   AB

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2. 97

   theraggededgeposted 4 years ago

   How strange. Maybe one of the team will see this?

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   1. 69

      abwilliamsposted 4 years agoin reply to this

      I think I know what happened and when it happened, but I have no evidence.
      I just keep plugging. Thanks for the follow.

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3. 96

   Rupert Taylorposted 4 years ago

   You've been here seven years, have written 125 articles, and you've never made payout? Wow. Obviously, something is not working for you. I have a couple of suggestions.
   
   You say "I follow the rules," but the half dozen articles I checked were not the informative, magazine-style articles that HubPages asks us to write. The ones I saw, at random, are heavily slanted opinion pieces filled with unsubstantiated assertions (Al Gore "is the equivalent of Satan." Really?)
   
   You have a right to your opinions and to express them, but your articles read like blogs and HP is not a blogging platform. Understand that such diatribes are unlikely to make it onto niche sites, which is where the readers and money are.
   
   You say "I have many articles that go straight to niche sites." Actually you have seven on your profile page, and they're all on Letterpile, which, I believe, doesn't generate much income.
   
   Also, all the articles I checked have images that are not Creative Commons licensed. You can't lift images from Reuters, ABC News, or The New York Times without permission and, likely, payment of a fee. You leave yourself open to being charged.

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   1. 69

      abwilliamsposted 4 years agoin reply to this

      Hi Rupert, I was not giving you a shout out, obviously!
      FYI, if I use a picture from the NYT, for example, I will credit the NYT.
      I've never referred to Al Gore as Satan, he presides over the Church of Climate Change, not Satan....as far as I can tell.
      I have an interest in U.S. politics and that is what I write about most often.
      I understand that you do not share this same interest, I would not expect a follow from you.
      Take care and God Bless
      AB

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   2. 93

      greenmindposted 4 years agoin reply to this

      Rupert, this is about as even-handed and useful a critique as one can give. I, for one, took something useful away from your thoughtful and generous advice.

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4. 96

   Rupert Taylorposted 4 years ago

   But, Ms. Williams you absolutely did call Al Gore the "equivalent of Satan" in your article "The Church of Algore: Shout Amen and Pass the Prius (Everything Else on the Road Certainly Does)"
   
   https://hubpages.com/politics/The-Churc … ainly-does
   
   And I quote:
   
   "The man has had a long and impressive career, but nowadays, he is the equivalent of Satan...well at least as far as the Church of Algore is concerned."
   
   I don't understand how you can now deny writing what you have written, and please don't be so ungracious as to edit out that sentence so that others may not see it. If you make a statement of that sort then you have to be able to defend it with evidence.

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   1. 69

      abwilliamsposted 4 years agoin reply to this

      Read it again sir.
      I don't believe for a second that Al Gore has had a long and impressive career, I am referring to John Coleman, the founder of the weather channel and how he has been treated.

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5. 69

   shanmarieposted 4 years ago

   At the risk of offending you (it seems I'm good at that lately, especially if I offer an unsolicited suggestion). . .I do agree that the opinion pieces do not do as well on HP. You've also got a highly unique style when writing those pieces, which, in my opinion, is a good thing, but in the world of SEO technicalities is generally not such a good thing. I don't understand why your score is THAT low, though. I'm glad you haven't stopped writing. Too many people have left here for one reason or another.  (P.S - I've never made a payout either, probably because most of my pieces are poetry and not those "magazine-style" pieces when I do write an informative article.)

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6. 69

   abwilliamsposted 4 years ago

   I've yet to be offended by you Shannon, I recognize constructive criticism when I see it.

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   1. 69

      shanmarieposted 4 years agoin reply to this

      That's good to know. Maybe you and one on other person here have I blurted out my suggestions without thinking twice beforehand....and never been criticized for it by either one of you. It's kind of a habit developed from high school and college years. Constructive-criticism was encouraged for writing and, in some cases, required. Sometimes I wish that we could get more of that around here without having to post it specifically in the forum designed for that kind of feedback. Because the forum mostly gives feedback for writing for success on HP and not about the writing in general. It's not always easy to hear, but we get better that way. And we clarify things that maybe aren't as clear as we thought. Get rid of things that don't need to be included or add things that do. . .etc.

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      1. 69

         abwilliamsposted 4 years agoin reply to this

         Agreed Shannon.

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7. 69

   abwilliamsposted 4 years ago

   ....and since I have opened this can of worms, there are several writers, here at HP, one in particular uses different 'aliases', that continually tear down our President.
   With every word they put into print; they demean, degrade, insult, the current President of the United States, along with all of his supporters. It goes way beyond criticism and a difference of opinion, it is hate speech and yet...they get a high score and a pass!
   Why is that?

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   1. 69

      shanmarieposted 4 years agoin reply to this

      Traffic? People tend to go hang out on the divisive hubs to argue. About the author and his or her supporters as much as the topic itself. Maybe you need an alter ego that runs around ticking people off on purpose.   I mean, since we're talking politics....I'm sure Trump knows exactly what he's doing half the time when he opens his mouth or tweets something to set people off.

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8. 69

   abwilliamsposted 4 years ago

   In order to improve my score at this point in my illustrious career with HP, I'll need an alter ego, to fall in love with Al Gore and come up with some ugly adjectives for President Trump.

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   1. 69

      shanmarieposted 4 years agoin reply to this

      Or you could just write more evergreen, informative articles that don't interest you. But what's the fun in that?

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      1. 69

         abwilliamsposted 4 years agoin reply to this

         True, there is no fun in that, but there is fun...and an interest, in sports! I may come back as a sports guy!

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         1. 69

            shanmarieposted 4 years agoin reply to this

            You can write about those performance-enhancing Bible verses, too!

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9. 69

   abwilliamsposted 4 years ago

   Yes!!
   The young athlete was caught red-handed with the words in red, in his hands.....
   

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