What part of writing a hub or any type of writing do you find most...?

1. 69

   Michael Willisposted 13 years ago

   What part of writing your Hub do you find the most difficult? Or any type of article for that matter?
   
   The intro has-is-and will be the hardest part for me personally. It shouldn't be, but this is the part that I have always struggled with.
   
   I will make an outline before writing any hub. List all points in order by intro, body and conclusion. Then begin to fill-in the material.
   
   Easy enough, right? LOL
   
   Then the 'InTrO' stares right at ya'! It won't go away, it won't write itself. It is just there like that scary silhouette in the window on a dark stormy night.
   
   I know it is easier for some.
   
   I do end up with an into, but most times it is the very last part I will complete. And I may change it many times.
   
   
   What is your most Difficult part?
   
   

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2. 60

   MysteryPlanetposted 13 years ago

   To me the most difficult part is coming up with the title and topic. Once I have that the outline is relatively simple and once I have that the writing just falls into place.
   
   Often though, I start out writing something intended to be funny and have no idea what it will be until it is written. Sort of 'make it up as you go'.

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3. 83

   Simone Smithposted 13 years ago

   Oh, definitely the intro.  I'm with you all the way on that one, Michael Willis!

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   1. 69

      Michael Willisposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      I have even gone back to a published Hub a week later and it is like, "I wrote that?!?!? for an intro?" LOL
      Hit the edit button and re-work it immediately. Sometimes seeing it in print once published a week later shows the flaws.
      When you are in the process of the writing, you tend to see what you want to see and believe you did a good job. Then you go back and see the reality of what was written.
      
      p.s. People can just call me Michael without the last name if they choose to.

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      1. 83

         Simone Smithposted 13 years agoin reply to this

         Hahaa, then Michael you are!  And I think I have the opposite feeling... I look at my writing and I'm like.... "This is CRAP!!"
         
         ... and then I hit publish anyway.
         
         Though I definitely go back and edit the really bad stuff later on... gosh, it's so embarrassing to see!

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         1. 69

            Michael Willisposted 13 years agoin reply to this

            I have had that thought before!
            I get embarrassed when I find "any" mistake I have published online or on paper. 
            I had one hubber who pointed out a mistake I had made in a sentence and I was sooo glad he did. I fixed it and thanked him.
            
            One of the thoughts behind this forum post was to let people share their difficulties with their writings. Maybe we can learn from each other and laugh at (with=with-with!) each other at the same time. Plus, let people know they "are not alone."

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      2. 77

         Uninvited Writerposted 13 years agoin reply to this

         Have you ever written something and then find out you wrote the exact same thing elsewhere and didn't remember? It's happened to me with paragraphs...weird.

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         1. 69

            Michael Willisposted 13 years agoin reply to this

            Actually...I have in a long article. I like to write it first in Word and then copy/paste to the text box.
            The horror when I had published the hub and a week later...I noticed the flub! I was embarrassed by that and the thought of others seeing it. lol

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4. 69

   Michael Willisposted 13 years ago

   To me, it is far easier to write in the "3rd person" mode. When writing an article where personal/review type writing is needed, I find it hard to "mix" the article and create a normal flow in the story.
   
   I am in the process in writing/creating a hub about a skin condition that I live with. Writing about the condition is the easy part. The hard part is incorporating the "life experience" into the article which is the Key part of the entire hub.

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5. 78

   Sunnyglitterposted 13 years ago

   LOL The intro is my most difficult part as well.  I can quickly write an outline, and thinking of topics has never been a problem.  My biggest time killer is always the intro.  I have spent hours writing one paragraph before.  Terrible.  I need to knock it off.

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6. 89

   wildernessposted 13 years ago

   I'm with you, Michael.  Trying to mix good, informative and interesting material in an intro with salesmanship (come, read the rest!) and SEO is the hardest.
   
   Too often it ends up just as an exercise in SEO and reading it a little later I realize that I've done nothing to encourage further reading.  Not good, so I change it and it looks like something a 6 year old wrote.  Change it again.  Now any SEO is gone, so change it again.  Pretty soon I'm bald and have to stop and sweep up the hair off the floor.

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7. 0

   BRIAN SLATERposted 13 years ago

   Michael for me its all about the title and url. I play around with the title so many times it does my head in. If I can work the title/url with the keyword(s) in the right place, I'm happy and the rest will just flow from me. No title or one I'm not sure about basically means the hub will be crap. I know you can change the title later, but not the url but I have to be happy with the title first to get my juices flowing freely.

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   1. 69

      Michael Willisposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      The title helps me to get started. I hardly ever go back and change my titles. 
      I am very diligent about making an outline first. List point and then sub-points. Then go back to fill in the information.
      I just 2nd guess and even 3rd guess myself on an intro.

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8. 61

   rachelsholidayposted 13 years ago

   The hardest part for me is coming up with a title.  Since I often write about gender issues, coming up with a title that is going to grab people is a huge challenge.

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9. 83

   IzzyMposted 13 years ago

   Its the title and url for me too. The intro is one of the easier parts once I have that title in place. Sometimes I agonize for days over the title so obviously can't even start the hub without it  (unless I write it in Word first, which I do occasionally.

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10. 60

    Randy Godwinposted 13 years ago

    The most difficult part for me is getting the text capsules and photos to load correctly.  I enjoy doing the research and writing the articles, but it's my slow internet provider which causes me the most grief.
    
    But such is the price of living in the country.  I gladly pay it for the peace and quiet I enjoy, though!

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    1. 69

       Michael Willisposted 13 years agoin reply to this

       I live in the country also and have the dead-awful dial-up! It takes time to load pictures and can get frustrating.

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       1. 60

          Randy Godwinposted 13 years agoin reply to this

          I don't have dial-up anymore, but the distance from the sub-station still makes my connection slow. 

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11. 69

    Michael Willisposted 13 years ago

    One of the reasons I like to use an image at the beginning is that the image will inspire my writing. I have written many times a complete article just from seeing an image and my imagination runs with it.
    I have noticed that some of my best "intros" have come from spur of the moment writing without really thinking about it. The problem is then...to Not go back and change it. lol

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12. 73

    seanorjohnposted 13 years ago

    The types of writing I find most difficult are:
    Cheques I know will bounce
    writing off friends who have betrayed me
    apologies for my poor behaviour
    hubs that will make money
    
    and conclusions.

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    1. 69

       Michael Willisposted 13 years agoin reply to this

       Very detailed list! I like the first 5 especially.

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