Wasted Opportunity

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   NateSeanposted 14 years ago

   How many times have you responded in the comments section with a lengthy breakdown of why the hub is wrong, only to think, wait, why not write my own hub?
   
   Wouldn't that be more constructive? Writing the hub to counter that person's argument so that inevitably, people who disagreed would read your opinion and increase your traffic?

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      paradigmsearchposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      I have done that with forum posts as well. When I'm suddenly staring at a 100 word reply that I have just written, I'll expand it some more and turn it into a hub instead.

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      WannaB Writerposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      Makes a lot of sense to me. Nothing stirs my desire to write like a good discussion.

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      SunSevenposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      I dont, sometimes when you have large portfolio its difficult.
      Sometimes its the negative views which drive traffic to your hubs.
      
      Try writing a piece that become controversial!
      
      Best Regards

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      dutchman1951posted 14 years agoin reply to this

      you are correct Nate

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   celebritieposted 14 years ago

   You make some valid points about this.

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3. 70

   Rosie2010posted 14 years ago

   I thought the same thing when I had answered a question and it was so long that I actually said at the end "sorry for the long answer."  But it was all relevant, as far as the question was concerned.. but I should have turned it into a hub instead.

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4. 61

   Teylinaposted 14 years ago

   I tend to ramble, and have started deleting for that very reason! Sometimes I've left it alone (even apologized like Rosie2010), but hit me some answers could be their own hubs! If I stick around, I'll try it. Right now, ready to drop out and just read.

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5. 64

   Lisa HWposted 14 years ago

   I sense "long" coming on in this post  .  It's something I struggle with all the time.
   
   It's only been about twice that I've made a long comment on someone else's Hub, and that was to share my own story that essentially "elaborated" on their Hub, rather than disagree with it.  When I disagree I do write my own Hub.  I'm always glad when someone writes a giant, long, comment on one of my Hubs, because it gives me something to "address", and it does give me the chance to have a Hub with a "real discussion" on it, rather than just my own Hub.  (Having said that, though, I've recently stopped showing comment capsules on my Hubs because 1) as much as I appreciate the time and care people take with long comments, replying to them had become a part-time job for me  , and 2) I've been in the mood to try letting my Hubs have a "cleaner" look for awhile.
   
   I know removing the comments goes against conventional Hub-wisdom, but all the changes recently have made me just decide to do what makes me feel better about how the Hubs look (and I like a clean look); 3) it eliminates the chance people will be posting links, or making comments that don't particularly enhance the overall "image" of the Hub.    (Ignoring the comments isn't a polite or respectful or caring option for me, because a lot of the Hubs that get comments are about "big, serious" life issues; and no caring human being could just ignore some of the comments I get.  Letting them go through without my having to approve them isn't an option - because, as far as I'm concerned, it just isn't.)
   
     Sometimes I write a Hub if a forum post "inspires" a long answer, but sometimes the subject doesn't warrant a Hub (or else I just don't care, and figure it makes for "real" discussion in the forums).  I figure, too, nobody has to read anything longer than they feel like reading; so, best case, I contribute to a solid discussion.  Worst case, I reinforce my reputation as a "long poster".     Fortunately, the questions section limits length and/or forces you to turn your long answer into a Hub; so I'm "clean" when it comes to staying within limits on the question-answering.
   
   If you think about it, though, it's kind of too bad that so many of us feel like we have to apologize for our "long leanings".  This is a writing site; so between writing being what so many people just do (wherever they're posting) and the thing that a "solid discussion" isn't such a bad thing in this world; it's kind of too bad that so many of us feel as if we're being self-indulgent (or whatever) when we see a discussion and want to contribute some thoughts to it.  So many times I've done a long post and then deleted it, just because I was embarrassed by the length.    Other times, I just think, "Oh, too bad.  Nobody cares.  People can ignore me anyway." 
   
   I'm always kind of glad to see someone else post a "big, long, thing" (as a comment or a forum post).  It helps me feel like I'm not the only one suffering from "long verbal leanings". 
   
   I don't know...   I think some subjects/discussions just require a more substantial discussion than others.  It wasn't all that long ago that people were being told to keep their Hub length down because "people on the Internet have short attention spans," and "nobody wants to read more than 500 words".  Now that "wisdom" went away, and people are told that (as long as the subject warrants it, and it keeps the reader) longer Hubs are better.
   
   I vote for all the long-posters to post whatever they want to post, stop apologizing for it (I do that all the time), and stop feeling embarrassed.  People can always ignore long posts, and in the meantime the forums (or answers or Hubs) would have a whole lot more "meaty" discussions.  (..funny how nobody seems uncomfortable to make big, giant, posts in the religion and politics forums, though....    (Maybe HP needs to put a "L" on some Hubbers' image, the way there's the "E" on some..  That would warn everyone else that they were dealing with a long-poster and give them the opportunity to avoid them like the plague if they were so inclined.    )

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   1. 59

      Mark Ewbieposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      I dislike long anything as a general rule. Yet funnily enough, I nearly always read your too long posts because they are well written and interesting.
      
      So in your case Lisa - carry on as you are.  Anyone else tempted to follow suit - try to make it well written and interesting.

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