The Day Has Come

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   jansharesposted 6 weeks ago

   Well, we knew this day would come. We've seen the writing on the wall for some time now. But as a veteran of HubPages, I must say I'm incredibly sad. This place has meant so much to me. I landed here after leaving my full-time job to start my private solo counseling practice. I'm re-living so many memories. (Sigh) So long, HubPages. Thank you for everything. I'm grateful for the platform which kicked off my side-gig-writing career in earnest. I will miss you dearly. I will cherish the community and the relationships built over my 11 years.
   (I'm not crying, you're crying.)
   https://hubpages.com/community/forum/36 … f-hubpages

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      Jodahposted 6 weeks agoin reply to this

      Yes, it was inevitable I guess that this sad day had to come, Jan. HubPages was also responsible for starting my writing career, and I always had hopes that that one day things would turn around, but that wasn’t to be. I made so many great friends here, and a number I thankfully still keep in touch with elsewhere, but I do miss the wonderful community spirit that this place once had. I wish you well in whatever you choose to do.

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         jansharesposted 6 weeks agoin reply to this

         I wish you the same, John. Let's keep in touch on other platforms.

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      Kenna McHughposted 6 weeks agoin reply to this

      Eighteen years —it's bittersweet, really, given all the angst in the last years. Time to move on, keep flourishing and prospering as a writer, everyone!

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         jansharesposted 5 weeks agoin reply to this

         Will do, Kenna.

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      misterhollywoodposted 6 weeks agoin reply to this

      I really am sorry to see this platform go. You know, back in the day, this place used to be my “side hustle”.
      
      For real. I could rely upon the money I made here to pay bills like the light and cable. But those days are long gone. I mean LONG gone.
      
      I fear we are heading into a world that is devoid of humanity. And in it’s wake, we are being left with robots cosplaying as humans.
      
      As a writer here, I learned so much from all of you. Like stuff I never thought I’d be interested in. I’m grateful to have been here and even more grateful to be part of an amazing, gifted community.

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         Jodahposted 5 weeks agoin reply to this

         Sadly, that does seem to be where the world is heading. It is been a fun ride, even if bumpy. All the best Misterhollywood.

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         jansharesposted 5 weeks agoin reply to this

         Ditto, misterhollywood.

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      ChitrangadaSharanposted 6 weeks agoin reply to this

      We knew that it was coming, but were in denial, hoping against hope, that things will improve. But that was not to be. It's a sad day indeed.
      As they say, ' Change is the only constant ', we must accept and adjust accordingly.
      All good things come to an end, eventually.
      So, Best wishes to everyone, all my dear writer friends, who have helped me grow, as a writer in this 14 years long association with HubPages.
      It was an incredible platform for online writing, something, which I haven't found anywhere else.
      Thank you HubPages and thank you to all my amazing Global friends, for your encouragement and support. I have learnt a lot from each one of you.
      Wish you everything good in life.

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         jansharesposted 5 weeks agoin reply to this

         Well said, Chitrangada. I feel the same.

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      ReViewMeMediaposted 5 weeks agoin reply to this

      It's sad to see the site go, but all things come to an end. Fortunately, I'm backing up my articles so I can move them to Blogger, but I'll always remember Hubpages fondly. I'm just glad I didn't write a thousand articles, or I'd be backing them up for a lot longer than I am now.

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      Thelma Albertsposted 5 weeks agoin reply to this

      The end has come. I am very sad but I can’t do about it. I started writing online in Hubpages. It was fun and I learned many things here and friends as well across the globe. 14 years I been here. My writing chapter in Hubpages comes to an end but I am very grateful and thankful I have been here. Good luck to all of us. Thank you Hubpages .

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         jansharesposted 5 weeks agoin reply to this

         Good luck to you, too, Thelma.

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      jansharesposted 3 weeks agoin reply to this

      My goodness, didn't realize I've been here 13 years, not 11.

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         PaulGoodman67posted 3 weeks agoin reply to this

         We’ve been here a long time, 14 years for me, according to my profile.
         
         I have to say though that the “community” element died for me when the management and staff stopped interacting on a daily basis.
         
         After the Maven/TAG takeover, the environment started feeling increasingly distant and corporate. I lost trust in HP but still appreciated the income.
         
         Talking of income, I just got paid fifty dollars, probably my last regular payout!

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            theraggededgeposted 3 weeks agoin reply to this

            Me, 15 years. But I am shocked in a very small way to see all my accolades have disappeared.
            
            Eff you, TAG.

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               bravewarriorposted 3 weeks agoin reply to this

               I've been here for 14 years. My accolades still show but what does it matter at this point?

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                  theraggededgeposted 3 weeks agoin reply to this

                  It matters not at all - it's just another minor slap in the chops.

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                     Kenna McHughposted 3 weeks agoin reply to this

                     TAG/HP situation is not a watered-down situation. It's flagrant neglect, theft, and lack of transparency. We have a right to complain, and it's getting noticed.

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                     PaulGoodman67posted 3 weeks agoin reply to this

                     Yes, accolades, like the hub scores and author scores, never mattered.
                     
                     I believe they were an effort to copy MySpace, the most popular social media site in the early days of HP.
                     
                     There was also the following of others and sending them set messages like “you’re cool” or “you’re hot”! Weird really.
                     
                     I ended up just focusing on the writing and earnings, everything else was pretty much ignored by me.

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               jansharesposted 3 weeks agoin reply to this

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               jansharesposted 3 weeks agoin reply to this

               Not sure why the post above is blank. It should have said, “Bev, you crack me up!

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   alexadryposted 6 weeks ago

   I just got the news. When I opened the email, for a split second I actually thought it might be something good, like maybe an update, a new feature, or some small glimmer of hope.
   
   I guess a part of me has been living in denial for a while, hanging onto the belief that somehow things would eventually return to normal. That maybe the tides would shift again as people would start seeking out content created by real humans, real voices, real stories.
   
   But as I continued reading, I felt a chill run down my spine and the reality finally hit me as I saw these first posts on the forums.
   
   
   I joined this website 17 years ago. That’s almost two decades of my life. It has been a constant companion through so many stages, challenges, and chapters.
   
   I grew here... not just as a writer, but as a person. I learned, I connected, I shared, I created. So many memories and milestones are tied to this platform. And now, knowing that it’s coming to an end, I can’t help but feel a deep, heavy sadness settling in.
   
   HubPages survived so many storms: algorithm changes, Google updates, shifting trends, and the unpredictable waves of the online world. It endured when so many other platforms didn’t (Helium, All Experts, Brighthub, Suite101 for those who remember them).
   
   Through thick and thin, the site kept standing… and so did those of us who believed in it.
   And now that this day is finally here, it feels like losing an old friend that you always assumed would just have kept being around.
   
   I will truly, deeply miss this place, the community, and the part of myself that lived here for so long.

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      sallybeaposted 6 weeks agoin reply to this

      Feel the same sadness.  It was such a great community to belong too but once they moved our articles around so much, earnings dropped to a level where I really had to question the viability of the site or whether it was worth spending time on it.  Grateful thanks to all who kept it going so long.

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      bravewarriorposted 6 weeks agoin reply to this

      It is very sad, indeed. I've been here for fourteen years. The downward spiral began with HP's first sellout. They shouldn't have done that. As you said, HP was standing high above ground on its own two feet with thousands of writers/authors creating the firm foundation on which those feet were planted. The corporations that took over with each sale ruined a great site with their corporate money over matter mindset.
      
      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rblYSKz_VnI

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      Jodahposted 6 weeks agoin reply to this

      Yes, a sad day indeed. I have been here about the same amount of time, through the ups and downs.

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      Solarasposted 6 weeks agoin reply to this

      +1,000,000

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      jansharesposted 6 weeks agoin reply to this

      Oh, alexadry, you hit all the notes. Couldn't have said it as eloquently.

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      Jodahposted 5 weeks agoin reply to this

      Well said. It is good to hear from many who have been through all the ups and downs but have stuck with the site ‘til the end.

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   Savio Dawsonposted 6 weeks ago

   Sad day indeed. This was one of the first sites where my article was published anywhere on the world wide web.
   
   Memories!

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      jansharesposted 6 weeks agoin reply to this

      Me, too, Savio.

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   Genna Eastposted 6 weeks ago

   Shauna, I agree with you regarding HP's gradual decline with each new takeover.  "Corporate money over matter mindset" describes it perfectly, and is sadly true.

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   billybucposted 6 weeks ago

   Sending best wishes and a sincere thank you to all who supported me over the years. Your friendship and support are the reasons I continued writing and sharing my heart and soul. May you all find a new path and may your lives be purposeful and meaningful.

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      jansharesposted 6 weeks agoin reply to this

      Best wishes to you, Bill. Special thanks to you for your leadership and support. You played an integral part in my journey here as a writer.

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      bravewarriorposted 6 weeks agoin reply to this

      Bill, you were one of the first to reach out and follow me when I joined back in 2011. And we became fast friends over the years and still are!
      
      Love ya, Bill!
      Sha

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      Genna Eastposted 5 weeks agoin reply to this

      Bill, your marvelous talent, leadership and support both encouraged and inspired many of us, and helped to make HubPages truly unique.   Thank you, my friend! :-)

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      sallybeaposted 5 weeks agoin reply to this

      Thanks Billy, you were a mentor to most of us, always willing to help anyone and everyone.  Perhaps Hubpages should have employed you in that role.  I think we could have gone from strength to strength, especially if they had kept the 'Comments" section going.  Without that we would never have made the long last friendships we made or had the ongoing support from one another.  It was truly exceptional on a site such as this.

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   Venkatachari Mposted 6 weeks ago

   Yes, we are all aware of this fact. Good, they have come up with a clear-cut email notification. We have ample time to make copies of our articles and store them for further use.
   
   It's also good to know that they will pay the remaining balances of our earnings, even if it's a small $5.
   
   So, I request all my friends to be active on Facebook/Medium/WordPress sites so that we can continue our friendships.

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      jansharesposted 5 weeks agoin reply to this

      I second that, Venkatachari. See you on Medium. I'm also on fb.

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   theraggededgeposted 6 weeks ago

   I think I already worked through the sadness and disappointment when I took all my articles down so this announcement was just the underlining of 'The End'.
   
   It's such a shame that a fine platform, resource and community should fizzle out this way.
   
   I am disappointed that the staff were so uncommunicative and so unsupportive during the last months. It is unforgiveable, the way we have been treated. Left to speculate, not knowing what to do. I cannot think kindly of those who made the decisions not to include us in the process by even letting us know the briefest of details.
   
   I believe that this plan was set in motion the moment HP was sold off to Maven/TAG. It was clear enough in the Terms of Use that HP was a pool to be drained of all the good stuff. The life was literally sucked out of HubPages and stolen from us.
   
   It's probably for the best now and at least we know where we stand instead of stumbling around in the dark.
   
   Wishing everyone a bright future in whatever they do.

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      bravewarriorposted 6 weeks agoin reply to this

      Well said, Bev, and I share your sentiments. Good luck to you and all the beautiful writer friends I made here on HP. So sad to see it come to an end. :-(

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      Kenna McHughposted 6 weeks agoin reply to this

      It's been tough. We will prevail.

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      jansharesposted 5 weeks agoin reply to this

      Wishing you the same, Bev. I haven't even started saving my articles yet. I will likely delete some.

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   Jodahposted 6 weeks ago

   Same to you, Bev.

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   Jodahposted 6 weeks ago

   Will do, Jan.

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    louiseelcrossposted 6 weeks ago

    Please can someone explain what is happening because I'm clueless and I didn't receive an email.

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       theraggededgeposted 6 weeks agoin reply to this

       https://hubpages.com/community/forum/36 … f-hubpages
       
       That's the text of the email.
       
       Here you can see all the threads... https://hubpages.com/forum/hubpages

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    PaulGoodman67posted 6 weeks ago

    The site died some time ago for me. When they gave up on editing and let all the editors go, that was the end.
    
    And the miniscule earnings meant that the site stopped mattering.
    
    Still, it's good that they're giving us advanced warning of the final closure and it's being done in a staged way. I had visions of them just pulling the plug.

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       jansharesposted 5 weeks agoin reply to this

       I think a lot of us were in denial. But the pennies per day and then per week was the last tell-tale sign.

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    Rupert Taylorposted 6 weeks ago

    Yes Bev, the treatment of the writers was very shabby, but that is standard corporate behaviour these days. The making of money is a completely soulless activity and the corporations have seen to it that legislation is enacted to protect them from litigation that ill-treated employees might contemplate.
    
    Businesses lie. They lie on their balance sheets. They lie to their customers. They lie to their employees.
    
    "HubPages is not going anywhere." "The statistics glitch will be fixed soon."
    
    I have wide experience of this. My first writing job was at a radio station. At my annual review I was told I was doing a great job; two days later, I was fired along with a dozen or so colleagues in the news room. It seems the radio station owner had overextended himself in highly speculative ventures and had become financially unglued. He scraped by and today his company is a media giant that, among other things, owns a major league baseball team and a cell phone empire.

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       PaulGoodman67posted 5 weeks agoin reply to this

       I think HP mirrored the development of the internet generally. I miss the heady days of the small startups fifteen years ago.
       
       This site was like a family business when I joined. Now it’s just part of a corporation.
       
       It feels like there are few survivors from the early internet, Wikipedia being a notable example.
       
       Unfortunately, I think things will only get worse with AI. My early techno optimism has all but vanished.

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    Ansel Pereiraposted 6 weeks ago

    It’s a sad day. I had a feeling this was coming soon. I don’t know how to react. I cannot describe the feeling as I read the email. HubPages was my dwelling place. I feel privileged to have been part of such a wonderful community.
    
    Thank you to all the writers, editors, and everybody associated with making HubPages truly unique. Wish you the best.
    
    I have just started on Medium, trying to figure things out.

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       Jodahposted 5 weeks agoin reply to this

       I wish you well on Medium, Ansel. I have been there a while: John Hansen PAL.

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       jansharesposted 5 weeks agoin reply to this

       I was feeling the same when I read it, Ansel. "Dwelling place" is an accurate description of our stay here. I'm on Medium, too. See you there.

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    Wolfyposted 6 weeks ago

    Goodbye Hubpages, thank you for starting my career in Internet Marketing. I don't want to think where I'd be without you.

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    WriterJanisposted 6 weeks ago

    I know we all saw it coming, but it's still sad to see it all end. It's been a great writing experience and I've learned so much.

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    bhattucposted 5 weeks ago

    Yes, it is sad. We are associated with this platform for such a long time and if not a business relationship we certainly have an emotional attachment here.
    Anyway, world of business is ever changing and cut throat competitions and change in technology bring setbacks to so many good businesses.
    Though no new contributions are being accepted but we can certainly continue here for some time with our old contributions alive and being read by the prospective readers.

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       jansharesposted 5 weeks agoin reply to this

       +1 That part; the emotional attachment.

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    WryLiltposted 5 weeks ago

    It certainly feels like the end of an era; I have hubs with over a million views which now see 1-2 views per month, and my $1000 months long ago turned into small quarterly payouts.
    
    If it wasn't for this site and so many of the amazing people on it (I'd name some but I'd leave too many out), I wouldn't be where I am today with a marketing and SEO career.
    
    For anyone who wants to stay in touch, feel free to reach out via any of the links on my profile.

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       jansharesposted 5 weeks agoin reply to this

       WryLilt, I would not be the person I am today either without HubPages, I've published 2 books! I write on Medium. So, I'm so grateful. Many thanks to you for all you did to help me and others on this site. You helped me navigate through this place a lot over the years. Your leadership is truly appreciated.

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    Myn Is Meposted 5 weeks ago

    16 years. It has been one hell of a ride.

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    Glimmer Twin Fanposted 5 weeks ago

    So bittersweet going through and starting to delete my articles.  It's been a great ride!

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    Ben716posted 5 weeks ago

    It's with a heavy heart I read for a second time the future of Hubpages. After the demise of Helium, followed by Suite101, I became fully immersed in Hubpages for more than 10 years. Not only did I grow as a writer, but also made friends. And the comment section was another plus that made it worthwhile publishing more articles.
    I know I won't reach the threshold, not with the fact I earn roughly $2 a month. All in all, I am grateful of having being part of Hubpages. Will surely miss it so much as I do with Helium, Suite101, and others.

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    PaulGoodman67posted 5 weeks ago

    I think most of the regulars left this site some time ago.
    
    It stopped being a serious site for those wanting to earn anything remotely serious a couple of years ago.
    
    The early enthusiasm and accessibility of management and staff was wonderful in the early days. However, I eventually gave up on a return to the glory years following Maven and TAG changes, which is a long time ago now.
    
    I was still willing to continue as long as HP was bringing in three or four figures a month, though. Then that stopped. So it was basically all over.

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    Eileen Hughesposted 5 weeks ago

    yes I was here in almost the beginning then had problems with centrelink said I was earning money and it affected my husbands payment so pulled out then came back as it was such a friendly helpful place which encouraged us learning writers. 
    I missed the comments section I still reckon that gave us the connection to each other. After that it was not the same but still come and check what is happening all the time.  Yes I will miss this great site.  But no nothing lasts forever.  Infobarrel went, and quite a lot of others and now hubpages.  Not good.  But hope we can still communicate with one another on other sites.  But where will that be .....Any ideas....

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    Zackary Gonczposted 5 weeks ago

    Shoot, I just got here and even I'm feeling nostalgic. Good luck in your future writing. Curious where everyone is going to go, but seems like there isn't a place that really duplicates what HP does.

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       jansharesposted 5 weeks agoin reply to this

       No, there will never be anything close, Zackary. It's been a wonderful experience. I'm on Medium but it's a totally different experience. I wish you the best.

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    Janda Rakerposted 5 weeks ago

    billybuc, I believe you were the first person on this site to send me encouraging words. Thanks so much! It made a difference. Hope to see you on other sites down the line!

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    Solarasposted 3 weeks ago

    Regarding accolades, I was within 50K of 15 million views on my counter and would have achieved that had the counter not stalled a few months ago. It's not a number that would release a new badge. But it would have meant something to me to see it.
    
    A hearty eff you to tag for stalling our pageviews for your own nefarious purposes and for removing all time views when we delete articles.
    
    Of course they don't give a rat's ass what we think or feel. They have gleefully cheated us for over a year, resenting us for expecting the deal we signed up for and which fed their machine and salaries for years. Shame on all of them, rats scurrying around on a sinking ship. 
    
    My disgust at the quarterly halving of our share, to prop up their miserable stock, sickens me to no end.

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       Kenna McHughposted 3 weeks agoin reply to this

       Barbara, well said. It's terrible.

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       jansharesposted 11 days agoin reply to this

       I hear you, Solaras. I'm under 100,000 from hitting 2 million, but for that stall. I was really looking forward to that milestone. It's very sad and maddening.

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