Have you "crossed the line" in your online writing?

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  1. Mighty Mom profile image75
    Mighty Momposted 14 years ago

    Have you found yourself compromising your values or lowering your standards on what you are willing to write about?
    Have you become more inhibited over time?
    Less inhibited over time?
    Or stayed the same?
    Does this post make sense?

    1. wilderness profile image89
      wildernessposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      It makes too much sense.  Yes, sometimes when writing a hub I'm not really interested in and it gets too long, I have to fight myself to "do it right" and not get sloppy and leave out information.

      But I haven't found much I'm unwilling to write about.  Anything goes as long as I'm at least somewhat knowledgable and am sure it's within TOS.

      1. profile image49
        perthelizabethposted 14 years agoin reply to this

        I am agree with you buddy. I also want to do as I want.

    2. Diane Inside profile image70
      Diane Insideposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      I really haven't been here that long so I really can't say.  I just know at this time that, I try to keep with the tos, and I so far don't want to write about anything political, or  things like that.  I doubt that I will change as far as that goes.

    3. PhoenixPoet profile image52
      PhoenixPoetposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      If I could only tell you just how much I have felt inhibited here!
      That was a super question and I am still waiting for the pictures of you in the outfit . . . if you know what I mean.
      If you do--please don't say anything, okay?
      By the way I probably won't be able to share that rather adult story with you here.

      Well, I guess I'll go.
      Super avatar, by the way.
      Probably should get back to writing!

    4. Mark Knowles profile image57
      Mark Knowlesposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      Gawd Yes. big_smile

      Definitely changed what I write about in order to make more money. But - I am a professional writer so I do not see this as "compromising my values" more - "being realistic." There is very little money in some subjects and I have seen this as a challenge rather than a compromise. I still write the occasional rant for fun though. smile

      I am slightly less inhibited in that I will almost never discuss specifics about my family and friends and I rarely share any deeply personal stuff because that gets leaped on by the ravening wolves who speak for Jesus in such a way as to make me wish I had never said anything.

      Apart from that I am pretty blunt and uninhibited. As you know. big_smile

      1. Paradise7 profile image69
        Paradise7posted 14 years agoin reply to this

        I was really interested in your answer to this question, as I know you are a very successful online writer.  You changed what you wrote about, to make more money, but that doesn't necessarily mean you compromised your personal ethical code one bit.

        For example, and I'm curious about this, would you or would you not, promote a product that you either have no personal experience of or have had a negative personal experience of, to make some money because it's a hot item????

        Or--would you take a point of view on a certain hot topic that is different from the point of view you feel?

        1. Mark Knowles profile image57
          Mark Knowlesposted 14 years agoin reply to this

          Yes.

          No.

          Kontera actually wrote me and asked me (as I have a lot of "make money doing X" pages that rank well) if I would write them up and become their affiliate. I said no because I had a very poor experience with them.



          I do write about products that I think are a complete and utter waste of money:
          http://hubpages.com/hub/Whats-hot-for-2008
          http://markpknowles.com/ten-pieces-of-p … dont-need/

          But - I struggle to get traffic to these. People do not want to hear that they should not be buying the latest piece of plastic crap from China. sad

          So I tried adding an ethical aspect to my sales type hubs:

          http://hubpages.com/hub/espresso-machines

          Same problem - hard to generate traffic.

          1. Paradise7 profile image69
            Paradise7posted 14 years agoin reply to this

            Thanks for getting back to me.  It's really interesting to hear from the master!

  2. donotfear profile image83
    donotfearposted 14 years ago

    He he he. Soon.....

  3. thisisoli profile image78
    thisisoliposted 14 years ago

    To be honest I write a whole load of c**p a lot of the time when it comes to sales text.  However, I found my standards stretched when I was offered a commision job to write articles about penis enlargement.  I just couldn't do it. It is in someways comforting to know that when it comes to imaginative writing, enlarged cock is something which my mind cannot elequently convey.

    The annoying thing is that that is the subject that my old flatmate used to earn a £60,000 a year income for 2 weeks work a year online.

    1. Diane Inside profile image70
      Diane Insideposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      ha ha wish I could get offered a commission to write about penis enlargement.

    2. Kangaroo_Jase profile image73
      Kangaroo_Jaseposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      Oli,

      Quick question on this ........ how does one do the 'research' to provide correct & informative articles on penis enlargement? lol lol lol

      1. thisisoli profile image78
        thisisoliposted 14 years agoin reply to this

        He actually uses the blue pill now when he suffers from the 'Fosters flop' apparently he was impressed by the sample he got.

        1. Kangaroo_Jase profile image73
          Kangaroo_Jaseposted 14 years agoin reply to this

          Had to read this line twice Oli......had a Morpheus meets Neo moment when you said 'he uses the blue pill now' , lol.

          Ya should tell your flat mate, get off the Fosters, that stuff is so sh*t, even we Australians gave up on it, 20 years back and its also not conducive for the 'research' that may involve additional assistance wink

          1. thisisoli profile image78
            thisisoliposted 14 years agoin reply to this

            Haha indeed, it is shod, He is more of a Carling man I think. But after dating an Aussie girl, I think that was the best slang term I ever picked up off of her!

            1. Kangaroo_Jase profile image73
              Kangaroo_Jaseposted 14 years agoin reply to this

              lol lol lol

  4. Rafini profile image81
    Rafiniposted 14 years ago

    No, I haven't crossed the line in my online writing.  I haven't compromised my values or lowered my standards.  But I think I've become less inhibited...mostly in forums posts, not in my hubs.  Of course, I kinda started that way by being open and honest.  Unfortunately, I don't have much of a sense of humor and wouldn't be able to keep track of what I said yesterday if it wasn't the truth. hmm

    1. mailxpress profile image49
      mailxpressposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      Hi Rafini,

      I too started at Hubpages being open and honest and I still write that way.

      I chuckled reading you don't have much of a sense of humor.  You writing that made me smile.  Maybe others don't get you and maybe you just don't find ordinary humor or jokes to make you laugh.

      I am the same way.  I wouldn't be able to keep track of what I said yesterday if it wasn't the truth within me.

      1. Rafini profile image81
        Rafiniposted 14 years agoin reply to this

        big_smile   If I remember correctly, someone once told me I had a dry sense of humor....if that's the case then where did all the wet humor go?  hmm

        1. thisisoli profile image78
          thisisoliposted 14 years agoin reply to this

          Maybe you just need to bathe regularly. tongue

          1. Rafini profile image81
            Rafiniposted 14 years agoin reply to this

            lol   Then my humor will be wet again?  Geez....it's been like...a quarter century or more....lol

    2. Paradise7 profile image69
      Paradise7posted 14 years agoin reply to this

      Rafini, honey, we'll all help you take a bath, I'm sure there's plenty of volunteers for that task...

      I have little sense of humor  myself, I have closed down forums completely with odd comments.  Nobody ever comes back!

      And!  I always get caught if I try to lie.

      It's not easy bein' me.

      1. Rafini profile image81
        Rafiniposted 14 years agoin reply to this

        Hey, me too!  Many times when I look at my forum posts page, I notice I was the last one to post and it was like 2-3 days ago...it was going good until I joined in the conversation. hmm  Sometimes the forum can be revived, other times it's gone for good.....  One of these days I'm sure I'll get this Social Etiquette thing everyone's always talking about   lol

  5. Mighty Mom profile image75
    Mighty Momposted 14 years ago

    Thank God for the Hub Pages TOS, eh? Keeps us all on the straight and narrow. But one of the best things about HP is WE get to choose our own topics. So I guess it's self-regulating!

    thisisoli -- that's a crackup. And EXACTLY the kind of pseudo moral dilemma I mean. Some of the writing "opportunities" on some of the contract sites make me blush!
    So let me ask this: Is it noble to be a starving artist when people like your flatmate are raking in the cash? IDK.

    BTW, Diane Inside -- I'm sure you could find such a commission if you really, really wanted to big_smile
    PhoenixPoet- BILLY! Is it really you??? How the heck are you? Reincarnated?

    1. thisisoli profile image78
      thisisoliposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      I woudl have done it if I could have, but where my imagination normally kicks in with a load of rubbish to fill a page, when it came ot penis enlargement, well, I just did not know what to write.

      My list of articles that I needed to write included items such as penis pump benefits, how to use a warm cloth to increase penis size, and stuff like that.

      I ended up just getting in touch with the guy, apologising and saying that it was something that I simply couldn't manage to write about!

    2. PhoenixPoet profile image52
      PhoenixPoetposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      You have my real e-mail but let's not discuss anything here any further okay?

  6. Mighty Mom profile image75
    Mighty Momposted 14 years ago

    Rafini -- You are a class act!

    1. Rafini profile image81
      Rafiniposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      lol   ty    big_smile   Um....what does that mean?  Or, more accurately, what do you mean?

  7. Cagsil profile image70
    Cagsilposted 14 years ago

    Hey Mighty Mom, I'll let you answer your own question with regards to my writing. Therefore, you can let me know if I have crossed the line, you think exists. lol

  8. Mighty Mom profile image75
    Mighty Momposted 14 years ago

    Cags -- it's not MY line, it's your own line.
    Everyone's threshhold is different, I think.
    Do YOU think you have crossed the line?

    Rafini -- What I meant is you are a refreshing breath of HONESTY and GENTILITY here on the forums.

    wilderness -- sounds to me like you have uber integrity!

    and oh yeah, dnf -- I'll be waiting. We'll ALL be waiting for that. He he he big_smile.

    I've gotta get to bed now and figure out if I'm going to accept this contract to review live webcam sites. I mean, I have no firsthand knowledge of these sites. How bad could they be, right?
    roll

    Night, all!

    1. Cagsil profile image70
      Cagsilposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      Of course not. smile tongue

    2. Rafini profile image81
      Rafiniposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      Oh, okay.  That sounds...positive.  And much better than being told to lighten up!  Or, be less serious!  lol

      1. sofs profile image75
        sofsposted 14 years agoin reply to this

        I have been here for a month  ( may be too short a time to say much )   I have not  compromised  on anything I write about. I really wanted to express my views on the religious forums but  I have  become inhibited  in that space, because of the crap that goes on there. I really love to put forth my views but just keep away from that stuff.
        Also when some asks a valid question in that section and if you answer you end up with negative marking, that is unfair.
        I am happy you came up with this!

        1. Rafini profile image81
          Rafiniposted 14 years agoin reply to this

          Those religious forums are brutal!  Every once in a while I forget to check which forum a thread is on and will poke my head in for a moment only to run out with blinders on.

          If you want to discuss religion, I'd suggest starting your own thread and make sure to make your intentions clear in the beginning.  Act kind of like a moderator of the forum thread to keep everyone on track of your discussion - it works better than learning to keep your mouth shut.  smile

  9. alphonsians93 profile image59
    alphonsians93posted 14 years ago

    As long i am following the policies of hubpages, then i am not crossing the line.

  10. Christoph Reilly profile image68
    Christoph Reillyposted 14 years ago

    Hi MM. I think I have crossed a couple recently. For one, I am more willing to draw more on personal experiences that previously I would have (not that I've done it so much here yet,) but I have certainly become more, um...let's put it this way. It was over a year before I ever wrote the F word in a short story - forget about on HP _ and I can have a little more sexual references in my work now, or innuendo, if you will. It's kind of like I don't care what people think but I am less willing to censor myself.

    I still won't write junk though...at least not intentionally. Ha!

    1. PhoenixPoet profile image52
      PhoenixPoetposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      I have seen more than one hub with the F word here.
      Maybe they don't actually scan for profanity and maybe that's why they now have that program that scans the text.

      1. Christoph Reilly profile image68
        Christoph Reillyposted 14 years agoin reply to this

        Yeah, I have too. I meant I didn't use it in my writing in general, not on Hubs. I never had any call to use it here. I usually go with "friggin" anyway. But I put something on recently that I thought would last about 24 hours. It's still here after 3 days. My attitude is if they take it off, so what. I have other places that will publish it.

        1. PhoenixPoet profile image52
          PhoenixPoetposted 14 years agoin reply to this

          Well, you have been here two years so maybe if they spot it you will only be flagged.
          Still, I have heard people getting banned for no reason other than their chosen subject as well as getting banned for only one or two mistakes so be careful.
          Heck,I even got an e-mail that said that anyone writing from Arizona or California would be banned . . . maybe I should have just named myself Poet.

          1. WryLilt profile image87
            WryLiltposted 14 years agoin reply to this

            Where did you you get the email? That doesn't sound right.

            1. PhoenixPoet profile image52
              PhoenixPoetposted 14 years agoin reply to this

              Well, bookmark my profile page.  We will see if it's right or wrong. 
              I have probably said too much already.

  11. Bill Manning profile image72
    Bill Manningposted 14 years ago

    Everyone's idea of a "line" is different. I write adult post on my adult websites, some of the most strangest niches you can think of.

    Then after that I go and write about a Disney ride on my theme park site, followed by a pet advice article on my pet site, and finally a biker leather jacket on my leather biker site! lol

    I see nothing wrong with any of those. Writing is just words, text that different people want to read and find useful in their own way.

    Of course, here at Hubpages I follow the rules they have, as I do at every site. smile

  12. Paradise7 profile image69
    Paradise7posted 14 years ago

    I think I would draw the line at the adult web sites, because I think they are exploitative of women (and sometimes children, and sometimes dogs...)

    I just don't like that, it repels me, so I wouldn't go there.  However, other people's standards are different, and so long as what's going on is legal, I have no say over it.

    I don't make hardly any money online, except for monitoring commodities online for various brokerage firms.  That's not writing online.  I really don't make any money online, and I think it really is because I'm too uncompromising in what I write about, and because I don't use the techniques to improve traffic, and because I don't look for paid work in writing online.

    Still, I'm content with this situation for now.

    Most people will bend depending on how badly they need the money.  big_smilebig_smilebig_smile

    1. thisisoli profile image78
      thisisoliposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      heh, 500 dollars plus for a few hours of what I would class as enjoyable work, not sure who is really getting exploited there :p

      1. Rafini profile image81
        Rafiniposted 14 years agoin reply to this

        I'll just stick my nose in for a minute.

        Putting a price on sex is equal to giving women a distorted sense of self-worth.

    2. Pcunix profile image81
      Pcunixposted 14 years ago

      I am very conscious of "the line".  There are things I will not do, and some of them are things most people here think are perfectly fine. 

      But you never know what you might do if driven to the wall.  I have never been in danger of going hungry, losing my home or anything like that.   I want to believe that even if facing that I would still have the same standards, but I have never had that test.

    3. Mighty Mom profile image75
      Mighty Momposted 14 years ago

      As per usual, there are at LEAST three distinct subthreads going on here -- I love it!
      Rafini, did you get your bath? I love the idea of a wet sense of humor. Good one!
      Others -- thanks so much for sharing your experience. I believe we each have different reasons for writing online. I must confess, when I first came to HP it was to get experience writing "blogs" (called Hubs) and I could not imagine being able to write more than 2-3, as my vision of potential topics was very limited.
      I had no intention of making money, and have done quite well in not making any:-).
      But that is changing as the economy here in Sacramento and CA remains TANKED. Gotta be a bit more creative in sourcing and fulfilling paid work. Of the active and passive variety!

      Phoenix Poet -- Sorry, I did not get that email about everyone from CA and AZ being banned. That would dramatically reduce the hub population!
      Meanwhile, glad we are all here and able to talk about personal values in a way that does NOT set the born-agains against the atheists or the leftards against the repulsivecans big_smile).
      MM

      1. PhoenixPoet profile image52
        PhoenixPoetposted 14 years agoin reply to this

        I don't know if any of the rumors are true.
        I DO know that the last prson to open an account to try to prove or disprove all the rumors/facts was banned.
        All he did was publish one hub of stupid questions.  There were no warnings, no multiple flaggings just one hub of stupid questions with no advertising.
        He was here one day and (practically) gone the next.
        His profile said he was from Phoenix, Out West.
        There was a whole list of rumors/facts on his profile but he was banned so quickly most people missed it.
        I have the list if you want to hear it.  But bookmark my profile and see if I get banned just for discussing it.
        it's one thing to get banned for breaking rules you didn't but should have read but being banned for no reason other than perhaps you are choosing a subject once covered by someone who was banned or because the rules have changed and no one alerted you--that's nonsense.
        I really have said too much already.
        You have my real e-mail.  E-mail me and I'll fill you in!

      2. Rafini profile image81
        Rafiniposted 14 years agoin reply to this

        Actually, I took a shower. hmm   lol

        (had to follow thisisoli's idea! lol  -  but glad it made sense, lol, my humor usually falls flat on my face)

     
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