Hubpages content on Textbroker?

1. 94

   Daughter Of Maatposted 11 years ago

   I just found a posting on textbroker that dumbfounded me. Someone has ordered an article of 500-750 words be writting for client website to be posted on hubpages. It also requests that a bio be written for the client.
   
   Seriously? People are paying writers crap to write articles for a website that they (most likely) already right for? I'm in utter shock... I probably knew this was happening, but didn't give it much thought until now. So, how real are the profiles on hubpages? How do you know who is legit? This is a level four request, so the writing will be good (at least decent).
   
   Isn't this a violation of hubpages TOS? or should it be if it isn't already? What are your thoughts? (No, I'm not writing the article!)

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      janesixposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Utter shock? Dont you think thats a bit dramatic for the situation?

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   2. 88

      Marisa Wrightposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      I'm not sure I see why this is a problem.  Writing Hubs to promote your business or website is a legitimate use of HubPages.  Every single one of my dance Hubs promotes my dance websites, for instance. 
      
      The only difference here is that the business owner has recognised they're not a writer, and wants to hire a proper writer to create the Hub for them.  They clearly understand HP's requirements because they're asking for a long article, not a short blog post. 
      
      So I can't really see the problem, except that you say they're offering cr@p money. That's honestly the only bit I'd have an issue with.

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      1. 76

         Sally's Troveposted 11 years agoin reply to this

         I can't speak to the client's request that the OP saw, but I can say that clients who want articles written on HP sometimes do not understand HP's requirements. I've had this happen to me, where a business wanted hubs written to promote their aims, under my account but under their copyright. They had no idea that anything written under my account was subject to my copyright. When I informed them of that, they offered to reduce the pitiful amount they offered while they set up their own account. The business owner does not always understand HP's requirements, nor the agreement an HP member has with HP. Anyone writing at HP who wants to write for such clients needs to be aware of this.

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   3. 75

      Ann1Az2posted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Hubpages is unique in that when you write an article, it's yours. No one owns the right to it. I like that. I also write for Textbroker, but my articles for them are not mine - they purchase them from me (at a very low price, unfortunately) and they can use them as they wish. I give up my right to them. I like writing for Hubpages because there are endless ideas to write about. Web sites like Textbroker and others limit the writing to what their clients want. I don't think the articles should be mixed, paid for or not. I would not post a hubpage on Textbroker, even if it was on a subject listed on their website. Neither have I ever posted an article I wrote for Textbroker on Hubpages. Seems to me like that would be a total conflict of interest.

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2. 76

   Reality Bytesposted 11 years ago

   As long as it is original content, what is the problem?

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   1. 76

      Reality Bytesposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      @Daughter Of Maat, if my post came across as "telling you off" I apologize for the misunderstanding.
      
      I genuinely did not understand how there would be problems with buying content from others.  If I had the resources, I would. 

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      1. 76

         Sally's Troveposted 11 years agoin reply to this

         I would, too, if I could find those excellent writers whose expertise measured up to my standards. I'd rather be the boss.

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3. 71

   relacheposted 11 years ago

   How would you prove or disprove that people on this site have or have not written their own content? (barring outright plagiarism, of course)
   
   Several site members here have been open about how they've had their content ghostwritten.  How is this scenario different from what has been happening in the world of publishing (print or otherwise) since the dawn of writing?
   
   How do you think this is a TOS violation?  (Have you even actually read the HubPages TOS?)

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   1. 96

      Bedbugabscondposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      I am asking this because I an new and really don't understand the issue fully. But, why is ghostwriting considered a bad thing? If the content is quality, relevant and useful (and not just hub pages, but in an e-book or recipe book or anything) why do people dislike it so much? I am too poor to hire anyone to write for me, but I still want to understand the issue itself.

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4. 87

   Len Cannonposted 11 years ago

   If you are already writing for Textbroker, where do you think your articles are going?  They certainly aren't be attributed to you.

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5. 94

   Daughter Of Maatposted 11 years ago

   First of all, why is everyone jumping down my throat, I simply asked a question?
   
   This is the first time I've seen someone actually list the terms hubpages content in the title and description.
   
   No I don't think utter shock is a bit dramatic, especially since I've never seen it before and never considered it.
   
   I don't think any of you had the right to be as belittling as you were. I'm not an idiot and do not deserve to be treated as such. Just because you think the question is stupid doesn't mean it is.
   
   How rude. I don't need to be "told off" just because I posted something I was curious about. That doesn't really make me feel part of the so called community we have here.

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   1. 96

      Bedbugabscondposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      i am sorry. I was not trying to belittle you. I really don't understand the controversy. I was hopping to learn more about it.

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   2. 76

      Sally's Troveposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Your question about HP content being solicited via textbroker is valid.
      
      I've never seen HP mentioned in a textbroker request, but it doesn't surprise me that you did. It was just a matter of time.
      
      Ghost writing is a solid profession and an incredibly valuable skill. It's really not too different from being a professional writer in the corporate world, or a speech writer for politicians and government officials, where the writer's identity is never published or acknowledged. Ghost writers are mouth pieces, and very well paid.
      
      Please don't take any responses here personally. You have a lot to offer, and being negatively affected by others' quippy styles of forum posting won't let you add the richness you can to these discussions.

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   3. 71

      relacheposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      I asked some questions in response to your questions.  It's your choice if you chose to interpret that as being rude or being told off.

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6. 94

   Daughter Of Maatposted 11 years ago

   Thanks Sally, you make a good point. I think just reading all of the reponses in the same tone at the same time kind of made me go on the defensive.
   
   I have no problem with ghostwriting, or even that this was posted on textbroker (although seeing "hubpages content" was a bit of a shock). From the perspective of being a writer for both sites, I found a moral dilema in the issue.
   
   Since I write for hubpages, would accepting the job at textbroker (to write for a hubpages article) be morally acceptable? I would essentially be writing an article that would be in competition with my own work, and I wrote it! This is why I didn't accept the article, but it's interesting to think about what someone else may do. That's why I asked if it was against the TOS, or if it should be. It's kind of a conflict of interest I would think. Obviously, if you don't already write for hubpages it's not an issue.

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   1. 76

      Sally's Troveposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      I don't see a moral dilemma here, although I recognize that you do. There's work that belongs to you and is copyright protected, as you are an HP account holder, but then there's work you may contract out for on someone else's HP account (work for hire). Which way to go is completely your decision, based on your needs and goals.

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   2. 76

      WriteAngledposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Why do you see it as a moral dilemma or conflict of interest?
      
      If the article being bought is very close to topics you already cover here, yes you might end up competing against yourself. However, that's up to you to decide.
      
      If you think you will gain more in the upfront payment for the article you are ghosting than you will lose from potentially having less views on your articles (if the ghosted article goes above articles from your personal domain in search results), then it will be a win-win situation for you.
      
      Thus there is no conflict of interest, because you are free to make your own decision.
      
      You, or whoever writes this, will be getting paid for the work. Again, it is up to you to decide if the fee offered is worth your time and effort or not. There is no moral dilemma here either.
      
      As for the bio: I think there are millions of pseudonymous bios on the Internet. The only moral aspect that would enter here, in my opinion, would be if someone was pretending to be a different person to defraud people, groom minors and other nasty stuff like that.

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         Sally's Troveposted 11 years agoin reply to this

         Exactly, and I'll add that if the ghosted article soars, then you've learned something valuable about choosing the content and format of your next personal domain hub writing.

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   3. 88

      Marisa Wrightposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      I don't think that's an issue.  The client doesn't care about your other article competing.  In fact, if you can offer to link to the new Hub in your existing Hub, that would be a selling point for you.  They're not seeking to compete with other Hubs to make money, they just want a quality backlink for their business website. 
      
      From your perspective, it's not an ethical concern but a practical one - do you really want to create more competition for yourself?  But if you don't write it, someone else will, so the competition will still exist, and you've missed the chance to earn some income.

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7. 75

   jacharlessposted 11 years ago

   +1
   Have been approached by several parties, with regard to ghosting, in two categories, based on their reading/scaling of my articles here for both Technology and Food. And why not? If the business is going to offer upwards of $200 per "follow" article, it certainly does not harm Hub Pages, their business nor my income probability. And for good measure, it could lead to ghosting for print/e books. Which is where my ultimate desire rests.
   
   James

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   1. 94

      Daughter Of Maatposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      yes at $200 per follow article I would agree with you, but this was for about $7.50

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      1. 75

         jacharlessposted 11 years agoin reply to this

         Yeats & Keating! That is just insulting. Minimum wages for relevant content?
         Unless they are paying per paragraph {summary} or paying basic wage for a trial period, that number is way off. Posting that number is embarrassing, for them. No true-to-life writer would give it a second glance.
         
         From what I know of, True Crime is the highest paying, right now. Someone mentioned she was offered a flat $500, and credence, for a two-page opener to a story. Some kind of promo thing...
         
         James.

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      2. 76

         Sally's Troveposted 11 years agoin reply to this

         The beauty of contracting through textbroker.

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         1. 94

            Daughter Of Maatposted 11 years agoin reply to this

            Now, does my moral dilema make more sense? lmao!! I'd have no problem if it was $200, let it give my hubs a run for their money, but a one time payment of $7.50, to me that's just not worth the risk.
            
            

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8. 94

   Daughter Of Maatposted 11 years ago

   Wait, my bad it was $7.00 to $10.00 depending on how many words were written... lmao!!

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   1. 76

      Sally's Troveposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Glad to see your good sense of humor is taking over.

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9. 92

   Pamela99posted 11 years ago

   I saw this listing also for the first time today. I thought it was strange, but if it is original material I see no problem. I wouldn't take that job and I like to think the writers I follow on Hubpages are writing their own material. It seems kind of insincere, as so many write poetry or articles from their life experiences.

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   1. 76

      WriteAngledposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      I don't think you need to worry that any of those are ghost written! Many people have said that they do not earn much, if anything, from creative writing here.
      
      As to the payment being offered on Textbroker or wherever, this is the sorry effect of the globalisation of the writing market. It means you will always be competing against people in countries where $7 is worth maybe ten or more times what it is worth to you.
      
      The same is potentially happening in my industry, namely translation. I'm lucky though, because I stick to the medical field, where quality is essential. Also I offer a couple of more obscure East European languages, but since I translate into English, I'm not competing with people living in those countries (because the rule is that you have to translate into your mother tongue). Thus I can hold out and tell people who offer me low rates where they can stick them, because I get offered more work than I can accept anyway.
      
      It is probably more difficult for writers, because there are countries with English as an official language and a poor economy. Also, web site owners who only want original, but not necessarily well-written, content, do not give a toss about the style and grammatical accuracy of the articles they commission.
      
      So the dilemma is not moral, but financial. Do you have the luxury to say no, because you have other income or someone supporting you? If not, are you prepared to continue starving in your garret until you find clients willing to pay what you think you are worth?

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