First Hubpages article - almost

I've pretty much completed my first Hubpages article - one on The Fault in Our Stars by John Green and teen reading.  I haven't officially posted it yet - maybe later today.

Then it begins.

Pax et bonum

Dante is Divine

The John Ciardi translation of Dante's The Divine Comedy has been sitting on my bookcase for year, waiting to be read. I did start once, got a few cantos in, then wandered off to other things.

I always felt guilty about that. The poem is on many lists of works that well-read Catholics should read. When I was in college, a priest/chaplain whom I respected read and reread it, and promoted it to anyone who would listen.

And there's the added fact that Dante was a Secular Franciscan!

So after I finished the novel about Don Juan of Austria the other day, I dug out my The Divine Comedy, and began to read.

This time, I'm able to appreciate it more.

I'll be reading a canto or two a day for the next month or so. I wonder what delights await me. Maybe I should send a note to Father Trovato to left him know I'm finally following his example.

I think he would be happy to hear that.

Pax et bonum

Sex-trafficking, sex-discrimination, abortion, and $500m

Pax et bonum

Those were the days ... well,maybe

A post on a blog I used to write was mentioned in passing on another blog recently. Although I had ceased publishing that old blog of mine, I did not erase it: the posts are still out there in the ether.

So I went back and looked at the post in questions.

It got 46 comments!

I noted a number of other posts from around the same time that regularly got a number of comments. I used to be more controversial!

And there were a number of posts with an edge. What I've been writing on this blog seems so tame by comparison.

I don't know if I want to be controversial any more - but there's something nice about getting comments. You know then that people are reading what you write.

Pax et bonum

It begins - a hubbing I will go!

I wrote most of my first "hubs" for Hubpages. It's a piece about my slug haiku.

I haven't posted it yet - still have a few photos to find and a couple of side pieces to add. But it's about the right length. Its not the best piece, but it's a start.

I spent about 4 hour writing time on it. I think finding images and the side pieces will take another hour or so.

It gives me an idea of how long each piece will take.

Pax et bonum

June nears, and the future?

Still no official word on my job for next year. There are some hints that I might have weathered the storm and will be offered a contract, but nothing is certain yet. I do all the things I need to do to finish the year on a high note.

I continue to prepare just in case - I did set up a Hubpages account, though there are still parts of the setup I have to finish. And I have to start writing the articles. I have also begun to put out feelers for other positions. In addition, I'm looking at our finances to see what we can consolidate.

And I wait.

Pax et bonum

Good natural writers

I'm always amazed at good writers - the people who seem able to just pour forth witty, rich, engaging prose. My friend Rob, for example - probably the best writer I ever met. Even his Facebook posts are thought-provoking or laugh-inducing. Gifted fellow.

Chesterton also comes to mind as such a writer. Off the top of his head he could dictate over the phone an essay that will be read and appreciated for many years. He could do it with a drink in his hand. 

Me - I work slowly. I get easily distracted. I have to go back and revise and polish. Heck, I've been known to rewrite Twitter posts.

I'm teaching The Great Gatsby right now, and apparently F. Scott Fitzgerald was of the grinding-away-repeated-revising school.

I recognize that we each have our own way to work, and that both types of writers can produce great work.

But I must admit admiration - and maybe even a bit of jealousy - for those with the gift for seemingly effortless creation.   

Pax et bonum

Yes, more on Hubpages

As the school year winds down, I've been continuing my research on Hubpages - and compiling a list of potential articles.

A few things are becoming clearer.

The articles really do have to be of decent length - the number I've seen in a couple of spots is more than a thousand words. I knew that - it's just reinforced.

A couple of people estimated they can write an article in 1-2 hours. That may be possible if one really knows a subject - but I think with research and revising it's much more likely an article will take more in the 8 (or more) hours range. And I tend to work slowly and revise a lot.

A figure I've seen in several spots is that you really have to get a substantial number of pieces published before income starts - a catch phrases seems to be 10 hubs (articles) per month for 10 months before income kicks in - in other words, about 100 articles. At that point, the common income figure seems to be about $50 a month.

That's right: $50.

Or $600 a  year.

And that's not true for all writers. I suspect the majority make much less.


Clearly, supplemental income - not a living wage.

But there are are a few that do generate more income - a $1,000 a month among some of the big guns. That's still only about $12,000  a year, but certainly better than $600.

In addition, once they are up, and not get taken down for whatever reason (apparently Hubpages will eliminates some articles, for inappropriate content, for example), then they generate passive income for years to come.

SOOOOO ...

If I do start this summer, and do get up a substantial number of articles - I think 2-3 per week for the summer is realistic knowing me and the way I write, then one a week in the fall - then MAYBE by next spring I'll start to get a trickle of an income. Of course, if I don't have a job in September, and I really push the writing,  I may even begin to generate income by the fall. Unless, of course, I write a couple of articles that get a lot of traffic. (Dreamer.)

I'll go ahead and get started no matter what just to see what happens.

Right now I'm just trying to decide whether or not just to use my real name or a pen name.

Oh, and grading papers as there are still four weeks of classes in the school year!


Pax et bonum

Hubpages Update

Still some employment uncertainty - so in addition to looking around just in case, I've been thinking about my Hubpages idea.

I've already begun to do a little research on a couple of topics. Now I just need to start writing. Realistically, I won't have the time or energy to complete pieces until school gets out. There are three pieces that are relatively close to completion, so I may be able to get them up the first week after the school year ends.

I have a few more ideas percolating - but when I look at some of the folks who post a lot I'm amazed. They write about so many topics - and I have only a few ideas at this point.  

Pax et bonum

Ooops

It suddenly dawned on me that I'd forgotten to post for a couple of weeks.

My excuses - a lot of school work, some work-related issue, a broken tooth that put me in agony for two days (sharp edges digging into my tongue), out-of-town gests, exhaustion, too much time wasted on Twitter. etc. The usual.

Mea culpa.

Pax et bonum