the politics of following or why you lose followers on HubPages
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What good are fans? You can't eat applause for breakfast. You can't sleep with it.
Bob Dylan
American musician and songwriter
There was a time when I get depressed over losing followers - or fans, as we call them when I was a freshman hubber. I obsessed with finding out who the quitters were and more importantly why they upped and left. Needless to say, keeping an eye on my fanbase was a regular habit. A habit born out of my notions about what fans are for. For one, I used to think that the strength of the fanbase translates to the number of clicks/views. Like if you have say 400 fans, your newly published hub would accrue at least the same number of views in a couple of days - or in a week's time tops. I realized it was not the case however, and worse, it dawned upon me that half of the total views of my hubs was courtesy of my own mouse. For apparently, every time you respond to a comment individually (read: separate comment boxes) or come by for a visit, perhaps to reread or reedit, a click/view is added to the total count. Yes, every single time a hub page refreshes the click/view coffer grows bigger. A bitter pill that epiphany was but I consoled myself with the thought that surely not every fan who had read my hubs left a comment. And besides, there was, is, a world of readers outside of HubPages.
I also thought then that the bigger the number of your followers is, the higher you go in that scale which offers the most gratification to a writer - quality. So when I come across a hubber with gazillions of fans I thought to myself I want to be like that hubber - extremely popular and must be really really good at what he does. But over time, I became less the superstar hubber that I longed to be and more of the regular hubber who made me weep because of two tragic things: his confessions about his alcohol addiction and the fact that he only had a handful of followers (with majority of them called "Spam_A_Lot" or some other antiseptic alias) when he needs to be read! So in my sophomore year here, I have nurtured the belief that it's "who are following you" and not "how many are following you" that matters. But I have digressed too far. This is not about neutralizing the divide between hubbers wig big fanbases and hubbers with a more cozy coven, nor the absolute truth about the significance of followers to a hubber's hublife. What this is about is why followers leave you. With my "fanning/following spree" days way behind me, vis-a-vis my obsession with recruiting hubbers to my headquarters long been buried, I think I can discuss the subject with some amount of detachment. And detachment is like water if honesty's a bitter pill.
So based on my own experiences, keen observation and back alley talks, I have come up with some answers to the question why a hubber quits on you. Answers that might help you deal with desertions better if, like me, you are not one to go after a quitter for some enlightenment. Or at least not anymore.
Death
As the image on the right literally suggests, if there's death somewhere where any of your follower is based you just might lose a follower. I know it sounds morbid but we all still live in the real world despite our virtual existence so sh*t beyond our control happens. It's a Venn diagram, there are unconquerable spaces.
And there are other forms of death. Like death of a HubPages account. When a hubber who happens to be a follower of yours decides to leave the site, he closes his account and your follower count decreases by one. And if he decides to close the accounts of his alter-egos as well...and there are five of them and all of whom are in your fanlist...then the big bang theory happens to you my friend. Good thing though that HubPages does not require medals already bestowed for benchmarks met in the numbers game returned under any circumstance.
Finally, the death of a follower might also come in the form of the axe wielded by the HubPages Team. I needn't say more I think.
Sensitivity as a Landmine
Not all hubbers are made of the same stuff. We might like the same things but as the cliche goes, every individual is a snowflake. No two are exactly alike. Things that you said or did, or didn't say or do, no matter how trivial the subject matter is to you, might turn off a follower. And his quitting could either be an instantaneously random happening or an incident that has been begging to happen for the longest time. And again, you have no control over it.
The Waiting Game
Some hubbers have time frames when it comes to their fanning activity. Some would give you a day to follow them back while some are even more impatient. But regardless of the margin they give you, they would click on the quit button if they so decide you are so not going to return the favor. Hubber X is here today...Hubber X is gone tomorrow.
Growing Apart or Does Proximity Really Breed Contempt?
You met Hubber Y in the Forums, you hit if off instantly, you became each other's most loyal fan. Fast-forward to two months later ...You've been hanging out with Hubber Z whom you've just recently met in the Forums but is somebody who you think you'll get along well with famously and be a loyal fan to. Hubber Y has been missing from your clique for reasons that you either wish not to acknowledge or hope to comprehend. That, you are certain of. But was he the one who just delisted from you fan club? You will find out if you check. And you also might just show him what karma means. In this scenario, you can be "you", Hubber Y or Hubber Z.
It's Not So Complicated
Like I said, as in all social networks (HubPages having a "slash writing site" aside) cliques, posses, gangs, whathaveyou, exist. And if you so much as slight a pinky in any imaginable way, a whole hand might get back at you with, well, you are familiar with the term "mass resignation" I suppose.
Bad News: It's Spring Cleaning Time And...
...you didn't make the cut. Some hubbers treat HubPages as an entirely different world with their accounts as their homes. I know you too see nothing wrong with this, until they spring clean that is. Spring cleaning in hubspeak means keeping stock of anything or everything concerning a hubber's account - retweaking of hubs, adsense and views monitoring, modifying profile pages etc. And oh updating that portion in the Accounts section (right under the FAVORITES banner) that says "Hubbers You Follow". I can think of two reasons why you would be pruned out, if pruning proved to be the order of the day for your follower: (1) Inactivity - your last hub would be celebrating its first anniversary tomorrow, (2) There's just too many of you on the list and out of respect - your follower can no longer keep up with tons of unread hubs by you - parting of ways, after a stringent (de)selection process or an enie minie mo session, is necessary and practical.
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Something Amiss This Way Comes
Like waking up from a bad dream, a follower suddenly realizes he followed you for the wrong reason - you're not the kind of writer he initially thought you were or you followed him and he (now thinks he) unthinkingly followed you back and is now correcting it.
That, or your follower has a hidden agenda. He wants a big fan club for himself but doesn't like the responsibility that belonging to many entails. So once he made a fan out of you after signing up on yours (I know, you just returned the favor) he quits. After a considerable length of time has passed of course, for good measure.
******
I believe I have covered everything and this is getting to be a long-winded affair. If I missed out on anything, please feel free to fill me in thru the comment boxes below. Although the discussion might appear too light and a trifle casual, I
know that the issue of following is a serious business to some, hence, this parting shot:
I am certain that if you take pride in your writing and find enjoyment in the works of others you know that being followed, as well as following another hubber, is not just about having a good-looking profile. It's about fostering a cycle of appreciation and encouragement. And quitting somebody's fan club doesn't have to happen if just before clicking on the follow button you put yourself in the place of the hubber you are about to follow and imagine how it would feel like if you quit on him. We might be snowflakes but being snowflakes is the one thing that makes us exactly alike.
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The most difficult instrument to play in the orchestra is second fiddle.
Leonard Bernstein
American composer, conductor, and pianist
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Create a Following: Just a Few Simple Points by Rebecca E.
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Well for me I am just very busy right now taking care of mom and I haven't had time for writing. Nicely done hub Cris, but that is nothing new...cuz you are Awesome..Thanks...:O) Hugs G-Ma
Cris,
I am certain that losing fans may very well be for the reasons you have listed above, or not. Finding a true 'fan' or 'follower' is worth its weight in gold. That is something that the numbers cannot replace, a true 'fan' is worth 10 for the loss of 1. Loyal readers/followers are what matters. I agree with you. I truly believe you cannot place a number on that fact.
Nice job of analyzing a subject we all face.
I've stopped following several Hubbers not because they aren't talented writers but because they tend to write about topics that I am not interested in. My email box has become so full of notifications of hubs by people I'm following that it's becoming a chore to deal with. So, I'm paring the list of Hubbers that I'm following. I hesitate to do it because I don't want to hurt anyone's feelings, but I just don't have time to read hubs on topics that hold little interest for me--child care, food recipes and the like.
Cris,
I feel you have covered the topic with a fine analytical perspective. There does seem to be many variables to the issue of followers. At one time I found myself being more aware of the numbers rising and falling. Having a couple hubbers I've followed with multiple accounts continually appearing and disappearing.. :) Oi vey..
Anyway, I had done a spring cleaning under my other account namely due to many I had added were part of a fanning fun spree last year. Many of those I was following, I noticed never really produced much of anything ever in year. I checked who I was following after reading a statement by Paul Edmondson that folowing a hubber with a near zero score ultimately affects our score, though I have not noticed a differece since. Being a hubber with a high score also helps others too by following.
I do believe that out of the hundreds or thousands of followers one may have, time says a lot. We know who we read regularly, and it is often clear when one has been offended. I actually read and rate up hubs more than I comment.
I think, as you say, we all change and that includes how much time we have to invest being on hubpages.
It is good that you wrote on the topic, being a seasoned hubber that you are. It may help many others understand. I sense much familiarity in how you approached the process you went through and felt about the issue as time has evolved.
I love your analytical mind, and you display how deeply it works here. Nice job!
It used to bewilder me when people left me...why did they leave me? What did I do? What didn't I do? Did I say something--not say something? lol! I never figured everything out on the scale that you have here (it would have been nice though!), but I eventually realized it's not worth worrying over. :)
I love your closing sentence in saying we are all like snowflakes--different yet the same. Lovely. :)
@diana
We all have our reasons for following and/or quitting and there's no need to explain our actions. I just presented here, for the bewildered hubber, the possible reasons why s/he lost a follower.
Apparently, there are people who get bothered by a "loss" of a fan. I see postings about it in the Forums.
@G-Ma
Haha True, this topic could be very insignificant for people who's spending less and less time on HP and/or are already uh "veterans".
@Sandy
Agreed. It's not the size of the company you keep but who are in it. And I'm glad you're in mine and I'm in yours. :D
@Ralph
And I think what you're going to do is actually fair for both parties. At least no more false hopes going around. :D
@Jodi
What's this? A hub for a comment? Haha I think I've told you this, that I feel like a veteran already. That every nook and cranny of this site are familiar to me. It's like I have this "I've been there, done that" mentality all the time - specially when I see the kinds of issues that populate the Forums. Good thing that I am not alone in this state and fortunately the others are more proactive in teaching the ropes to the bewildered hubber.
Yes I've been through sleepless nights (okay, I exaggerate) thinking about decreases in my fan count but like you implied my experiences over time have been a good teacher for me. Things do fall into their proper places eventually no matter how problematic they appear at the onset.
@Pam
And I'm glad I we have each other when we were both starting out here on HP. It sure did make things a little easier - or at least there's somebody to laugh at your problems with!
Howdy Chris I'm with Pam's expression here. I came into hubs to read hubbers who have topics that I have an interest in, like Ralph Deeds hinted, why bother reading something you haven't the slightest connection with, there are too many other hubs that I prefer to read, so I tend to pass up hubs by leaving a comment, however if I read them I generally will give them a rating. I don't expect tons of followers nor do I care, for those who like what I hub or have an interest in what I wrote, then the choice is theirs. Having said that I will scoot right over and start to read more of yours. hah before you delete me, if you haven't already. ha...Peace brother.
It was De Greek who introduced me to so many others on here and for that I am truly grateful. There are some very good writers on Hubpages. I'm interested in lots of things and it really depends on my mood at the time. For me, good writing is what counts. If I follow someone, it's because I like what I read and have left a comment and/or fan mail. I may not get to each and every hub as it's published, but I like having the option to visit and catch up. It really hadn't occurred to me that I should be watching the numbers! I was just kind of using it like bookmarks - you know, an address book of sorts for people who's work I enjoy. I've never deleted anyone and can't see why I'd need to but I've only been here 8 weeks so there's still a lot to learn.
Well, you've certainly made me think about this and rant on here in the comment box. I see Pam up there and I adore her writing - just haven't made it over there this week but I will :-) Thank you for the analysis of the system.
Very good hub, I've found out that I really don't care much about whose following. I don't give myself the title of writer and after reading some of the hubs on here others should rethink their titles. Also, have you tried to leave a comment that isn't in agreement with the author? OMG WWIII, folks have a very hard time with truth. Nice work!! Peace!!
cris - just keep writing unusual and original hubs like this and you need never worry about fans. Like the book titled, "Don't Sweat the Small Stuff."
Many thanks for the link to my hub, Comments and Traffic. I'm happy to be one of your "snowflake" followers.
hi, cris. it's been quite some time i haven't visited. and what an interesting topic. i find it funny though that you were once bothered by fans who are leaving. for someone who is popular or had become very popular, it can really give one an uneasy feeling that your total number of fans diminished. if it is dramatic, it can be depressing. deducing the causes could help appease but at the end of the day, you are still popular. you had created a mark and i think that is what is important.
Young-un I treat hubbers the same as I do life. I simply do not follow or comment on a fan if they did not write something that I am interested in---I tend to look for variety and a lot of people only have one subject--so the delete button on the e-mail works for me.
I also tend to lean towards positive thinkers and don't give a dam about fame and glory. JUST BE YOUR SELF FIRST!
De Greek sent me here, too. And, had it not been my somehow finding Shadesbreath and asking him to read one of my hubs, I would not have found De Greek. Right now, I am simply fascinated by the process. I still cannot figure out how hubs are scored. I have read wonderful posts with low scores and mediocre posts with high scores. Thanks for an interesting hub!
Cris: I have had maybe two or three folloewrs leave, one because she left Hubpages altogether (Pam Grundy whom I follow in her blogs), and the other two, I have no idea who they were. I find that out of the folks I follow, we tend to form a bond with a small group of hubbers whom we share an affinity with and develop a friendship of sorts.
I have unfanned three hubbers in my two years in Hubpages because they censored my comments, meaning, they didn't approve them, and that's a pet peeve of mine, censorship because the writer doesn't like a harmless perspective. As everyone who knows me by now, I never in real life or in the Internet leave unkind or controversial comments, its just not me. I would make a terrible politician as I don't like drama or controversy.
Thumbs up!
I'm guilty of spring cleaning occasionally! I sometimes quit following a hubber who hasn't published a hub in almost a year, not for any other reason than that it allows other hubbers to show up on the 'Hubbers I Follow' list (which, incidentally I discovered thanks to you, Chris - and it's a great way of keeping track of new hubs). This doesn't mean that I would stop reading that person's hubs if he were to start writing again! :)
@saddlerider
Howdy er cowboy! Thanks for dropping by. Yeah, it does take effort and time to get updated with your favorite hubbers specially if you follow tons of them. And I guess it takes time too to get settled down and find out for yourself what kind of a hubber you are. :D
@SilverGenes
I like your principle and I just hope that the ones we follow understand that, like you said, we're not on here 24/7. And that sometimes, we just have nothing to say.
@justom
No, I haven't gone that route but I have encountered snarky comments on my hubs. They're still there. I find arguing stressful so... Haha
@drbj
The days that I worry about having and losing fans are long gone. But I was a newbie then... Haha
@bingskee
Yes, it's nice to see you. Yeah, I went through that but I think I never let anyone in on my secret dilemmas - Oh the torture! Haha But anyway, I think I'm in a better, stressless place now :D
@Ginn
I know Ms Ginn, you can't be bullied into anything you think as petty. And if they know you, they wouldn't try! Haha
@mysterylady
When I was a newbie it was all about the numbers - scores, fans, comments, clicks, etc. You can I've mellowed down...times does that to you. Even on HP Haha :D
@marie
Like I said, we all have our own principles when it comes to following or deffolowing. And we don't need to explain ourselves. However, if we get "bound" to certain people, it is by choice.
Btw, can't believe you of people got censored! Haha What in God's name did you say woman?! :D
@FP
Not poetry, lengthier comment! Haha Yes, nothing should be taken personally in virtual environments. Or it's like fighting the devil you don't know and that's a lost cause even before it begins :D
Cris (just noticed that FP keeps calling you 'Chris' haha!) - that's a very analytical, incisive look at the way fans/followers behave. I've wondered too how that number keeps going up and down and put it down to people quitting HP - too lazy to try figure it out! Well, now I know - thanks!
Well I used to wonder a lot but like I said, not anymore. They come and they go. And that's what life is about isn't it? Comings and goings....Oh well. Anyway, thanks for the visit :D
Well, I'm into building a big network. Remember the old adage, "It's not what you know...etc.."
SO, I follow people in hopes that they will, in turn, follow me. Hopefully, I'll write about a wide enough variety of topics that they'll find something to enjoy; I certainly don't expect all of my followers to read everything I write, but I still like to know they're there.
Let me respond with an example: Gypsy Willow is my friend, so when she wrote a story about women's bras, I was stumped as to what to write in her comments section, as I have no interest in bras at all. But friendship is king, so I wrote something tongue in cheek. It took me five minutes.
Having written it though, I realised that I could make that comment into a hub, with just a few additions, so I did, and called it "Women’s Breasts". I also added some photos of bridges. The whole effort took me a total of 10 minutes. That story has had about 6000 views and the slideshow of the bridges 7,300 views!!! Comments? Just 91!!! :-)))
My point is that people who will visit a site because they think they will be titillated (pan intended) are not really worth knowing. I have done my spring cleaning by erasing all the people I used to follow whose writing does not give me pleasure. I have kept some people who do not visit my site but who write things I am interested in. I have also given notice that I have done this, so that thsoe I have removed may be aware of it and remove me in response.
At the end of the day, it is worth having just 30 or so followers who actually LIKE TO READ and who understand what one is doing with one's writing.
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@FCEtier
Ah so you are. Well good luck on that endeavour of yours.
Yeah, eventually it's what you write that will lure them in and mak them stay :D
@DG
Well I'm happy for you my friend. Many get lost during their first few months here on HP. I for one didn't have an idea of what I'm about as a wannabe writer. I went with the flow - hopped into each and every bandwagon that came.
And thanks for sharing your story. It only goes to show that sometimes the number of clicks/views is nothing to be happy about specially when you know where they came from and why they happened. Haha
Oh does that mean you're following me? How cool's that?! Thanks :D
The other day a Hubber friend mentioned that I had more fans than she, and even though her fan base seemed to be growing, she felt she'd never catch up. I had to chuckle, because although hers was growing, mine was stagnating. I quickly realized that although I get new followers often, apparently existing followers are dropping off the radar in more or less equal numbers.
I bring all this up, because I know what I did to effect this new pattern: after more than two years here, I have become more selective about whom I follow, and so I no longer follow someone just because they choose to follow me. Like some who have commented here, I find that there are just simply some subjects that don't interest me.
On the other hand, I've been more active about seeking out Hubbers I would like to follow because of their topics, writing ability, or writing personality.
The net result of this change is that I truly look forward to that daily email notifying me of new Hubs published by my favorite authors, whereas in the past that list would be just too overwhelming.
I'm enjoying this gathering of snowflakes I have now, but also realize that with a change I make or a change I have no control over, some snowflakes will melt or blow away, while others will land upon or drift into or be taken in to this little climate that is my corner of HubPages.
"...you know that being followed, as well as following another hubber, is not just about having a good-looking profile. It's about fostering a cycle of appreciation and encouragement." Well said, Cris.
By reading some hubs about getting high scores on HP, I understood that an impressive number of followers makes a difference. Since it is viewed as a courtesy to follow the ones who are following you, many hubbers just press the button and feel good about it.
As far as I am concerned, numbers alone are totally unimportant; what I am looking for is quality followers, the ones who have something to say and are able to say it well (I wrote a hub “There are Hubbers and than…there are hubbers”, making exactly this very point.
@Sally
Thanks for sharing your story. It just goes to show how we see following/fanning differently and how it changes over time (yeah I admit, I used to be like your friend - always keeping an eye on my fancount! Haha)
The objective of this hub is to let all hubbers know, specially those who take fanning seriously (and I'm not saying that they shouldn't), that most of the time they have nothing to do with why a follower quits.
Thanks for the visit and the lovely comment. I appreciate it :D
@Petra
True that. And that's why I didn't declare fanning/following as something entirely useless. It has its merits specially on the commercial aspect of writing on this site.
Oh thanks for mentioning your hub. I must check it out. Thanks for dropping by :D
Thank you for writing this Hub ! Very interesting approach. Nice work !
Ron
as always also a2z50
Sorry, I've been gone for 11 days . I didn't abandon your work.
Thank you Chris for clarifying a few points for me. I have lost a couple of followers and they were writers I respected. Reading your hub made me feel better. At least, I don't rack my brains out wondering if I wrote something wrong in the comment section or if one of my hubs was offensive. I appreciate your hub amigo.
Very informative and provocative and heartwarming at the same time. How do you do that? I identify with the newbie part and probably have lowered my score often by helping newborn hubbers get a fan base without regard to their scores. I have seen some blossom with a little encouragement and it makes it all worthwhile. I am always impressed with the graciousness of comments coming my way and it's only fair that I reciprocate. I believe the fan system is for mutual support and inspiration and if they are great writers that thrill you, you get a bonus. Thank you Cris for a very pleasant read. =:)
Good article...I think writing is an emotional thing...and the emotions change...somedays I don't care and other days it is important if I am read and people comment and follow me...what perplexes me is when people follow me, don't make comments...and I wonder how they became my fan...especially if their profile seems like someone who would have nothing in common with me...therein lies a mystery I haven't solved.
You have well over a thousand fans, As one of them, I feel small and insignificant all of a sudden.
@rprcarz50
Thanks for the visit. AndI'm glad to see you back :D
@Internetwriter62
I'm glad this hub has offered you some answers. At least on less thing to stress about. :D
@Winsome
Well we make mistakes, we learn. And good intentions are never lost whatever the outcome. Thanks for dropping by and commenting. :D
@Enlydia
Very emotional - I mean for most of us, it's our heart and soul that we bare and share in our hubs.
There's a nice article (see link above) about why some hubbers choose not to make a comment. Maybe you'll find the answer to the thing that boggles you :D
@RB
Like I said my sexy friend, it's not anymore about the numbers... :D
Cris you definitely brought up some very good points. I used to really get bummed because I did not have a bigger fanbase or my hubscore was not what I had hoped for. Alot of my email is from Hubpages hubs that have been published. I cannot possibly keep up with all of it and I am not really big on certain subject matter. And I am sure they feel the same way about some of my hubs. However I am glad to see that many who follow me regularly show up all the time. But no matter what I am grateful to HP for allowing me to say what I have to say and am also grateful it resonates with people. But DUDE , you know I will always be a member of your fanbase !
I think you covered the subject quite well, thanks!!!
I appreciate your writing this, Cris, because I'm something of a loner at heart who has never been much into cultivating popularity and who prefers to try to do my best and enjoy the process for its own sake. When others seem honestly to key into it and appreciate it, I truly am thrilled, and am equally thrilled to discover and follow good writers' good hubs with the same joy as I get from producing something I can respect and value.
I suppose I've noticed the politics of which you speak but it's just not the be-all of any of this to me, and apparently it's not to those I truly admire either, including yourself - and those who have commented before me here! This sentence you wrote sums it up well for me:
"I am certain that if you take pride in your writing and find enjoyment in the works of others you know that being followed, as well as following another hubber, is not just about having a good-looking profile. It's about fostering a cycle of appreciation and encouragement."
Kudos for helping some of us who are newer here to better understand that there IS a contingent who live and breathe on their 'traffic' and stash of names of followers/fans. It's ok if that's all it takes to ring their brassy chimes.
But what is really good to know is that seasoned hubbers like yourself and several others who have commented here and who have my highest regard, have not become jaded and have not lost your preference for quality over quantity, any day of the week!
Thanks! Voting you up, useful and awesome!!
@tony
You and I Tony, we're tied at the hips (what's that movie). If you quit, I quit. On second thought... Haha :D
@cm
I did? Yeah...I think I did! Haha Thanks for dropping a line :D
@Nellieanna
Yes, what will you do with a thousand spoons when what you need, and all you need, is a knife? (as the song goes..)
It's always a pleasure to read your comments (as well as your hubs). You are eloquence personified. As far as the subject of this hub goes, I think I've said enough and I'm glad I have offered you some enlightenment on the issue (and yes politics) of following.
Thanks for dropping by :D
Cris, reading your hubs, I can see why you were recommended! Really enjoyed the thought and energy that went into this - it is an important topic here on HubPages. Creative expression of any kind, writing, art, music, dance, needs an audience and when a fan or follower leaves, it is like someone from the audience getting up and walking out.
We don't always know the reasons but we assume that there was something they didn't like. But, as you so rightly pointed out, there are so many reasons. It just supports the idea that we (should) largely do this for ourselves and when we get fans, it's nice but it is not why we write.
This reminds me of an interview with Elton John. He had a period where he had nearly fallen off the radar with his fans. Then, he came back with a vengeance and was better than ever, back at number 1 in the charts. The interviewer asked him what happened, what had made the difference. Elton John answered that during that low period, he was trying to write songs he thought people would like. He only came back and rose back to the top when he returned to writing what he wanted to write, where the inspiration led him. I think sometimes we get too caught up in what we think is going to be hot rather than being led by inspiration.
Anyway, thank you for a great hub!
Best wishes,
Margit
Margit, I like your anecdote about Elton John - and I agree wholeheartedly that honesty to oneself and our readers (in our case) pays off. And I'd like to think that that made our "followers" follow us in the first place. They're not looking for someone to please them but for something that should/might please them.
Thanks for reading and leaving a wonderful comment. I should be thankful for the hubber who pointed you my way. Thanks again :D
I really like that Bob Dylan quote, simply because its so true. Still, I think whether or not Bob Dylan would ever have made a dime writing and playing music he'd have done it anyway. And so too would Picasso have painted. Actually, didn't he die broke? And writers? Well, we're no different. We'll write and keep writing whether or not someone actually reads any of it.
Or whether we get paid to do it.
Though having people that DO read it, or getting any monetary gain FROM it is always a plus. Never a focus—well, not for me anyway—but simply a bonus.
Yes, hitting two birds with one stone is great. But hitting just one, but the one you really wanted, is not bad at all :D
i rarely notice how many fans i have now it is not important to me........ You have a prestigious personality on here, as far as i can see, and if i were you, i would never worry. Just keep on keeping on..... I will always read your work, and love your thought process. I understand why you wrote this, some do get so upset about this subject i believe.
I do not worry - not anymore. Now that I think I know what I want and need from this site.
Thanks for the vote of confidence on my writing, I appreciate it very much :D
What a gracious reply to my comments, Cris! Thank you!
Recently i was thinking about how fickle "popularity" is. Throughout my life I didn't actively seek it, feeling that it would only be "real" if it were spontaneous and if not real, what's the point? But then, it really could be in effect one moment and gone the next, - so how real is it at any given moment? It's spontaneously fickle at best! LOL.
Anyway, after getting online a bunch of years ago, - at first, popularity seemed to be necessary in order to be present, in other words, to be "there"! Otherwise, one's fingers get stiff from not typing much.
But it was still fickle, & it occurred to me that I really am present either way, same as in so-called "real life"! LOL. So net distillate of all this useless thinking about it was that both popularity and thinking about it alter little, so I quit - thinking about it, that is. Since I normally don't think much about it in real life either & hadn't since I could remember it was a nice feeling.
Now HubPages, & I guess the fan/follower setup is so ever-present that it could get me thinking about it again, but, naw . . . it's better to just do my thing and enjoy others doing theirs. (After all that thinking now, I may have to sign out just to let my eyes uncross! But the fingers are nice and limber! - LOL) '-)
hey cris do you like my avatar?
@Nellieanna
Know what, I could just piece your comments here and there and come up with several hubs. They are so thorough, introspective and complete, and like I said, beautifully sewn together. And I enjoy reading them. Thanks, for another great one! :D
And yeah, just enjoy what you enjoy doing. Leave the following thing-y to those who are into it :D
@brenda
of course I do! it's a work of art I must say! Haha :D
I never gave followers/following so much thought. Very detailed hub btw.
Good for you as they sometimes prove to be just some form of distraction from the writing :D
Thank you, Cris! But I truly am into following other Hubbers very enthusiastically. My point was intended in reference to popularity by futilely trying to please everyone. I know better than to seek universal approval, but I very much enjoy following and exchanging ideas and opinions and they need not always be in perfect accord! I like a spirited discussion if it really qualifies as discussion rather than captive audience and pontification. ;-)
Wow.
This was brutal to read.
Dare I ask to call someone. LOL.
But
Dude.
It's not that serious.
I mean really.
I love to write and that's enough for me.
Are you doing it for the fans or are you doing it because you believe in what you write.
Life is like that.
Isn't it.
Self esteem is a whim given by God and God alone, to the purposes of our own divine hearts.
Are we not sometimes petrified to leave out from our own doors because of the chaos of the world.
Do not doom yourself for accolades.
And now I'm one of your followers.
Smile.
We all use different methods to gauge ourselves as well as our writing. Being relatively new to Hub Pages I have tended to be guided by the numbers. Never having written for the public, I wanted and still want to know if my writing is of high enough interest and quality to attract and keep readers. Over the last few days I have come to realize that looking at hub scores and other numbers does not give one the total picture. This hub has been very helpful to me and I thank you for sharing.
Enjoyed this hub!
As a new hubber, I am not sure what is a reasonable number of hubbers to follow. On some of the writers I am following, I like only some of their topics.I thought it was okay to pass over a few topics that do not interest me, like stocks, European travel, etc.But I STILL want to follow them.
I'm not much on sports, either. So I rarely read those hubs.I want to continue following. I like their writing in general.
My reasons for not following would be if they only write a few hubs a year, write unkind remarks frequently to other hubbers, frequently use profanity,or ridicule God.
Just as I will not choose books that are distasteful to me at the library, I have that option with hubs.
So far, the writers that I am following are AWESOME!
voted up & useful! thanks Cris for this enlightening hub. Being new I find myself in the same mindset as to followers and why one day you have 'x' number then next day you have only 'z'?
Cris ~ Y and Z let me see and think about it :) Yup happened to me but there Y & z are friends which happens to be double betrayal :) Anyways you can add to that not having enough time to be loyal to those you follow for example, i am going to college (HAPPY HAPPY HAPPY Face here) but i know i won't have time for Hubpages anymore. Dilemma is :
1- I don't want to close my account
2- That means low ratings
3- That means not being a loyal follower and checking out my buddy's hubs
4- That means people will leave my hubs unread and just forget about Uriel
5- Priorities?
See what i mean? i am already grounded & not supposed to check my facebook account already (though i'd give up facebook just to have enough time for hubpages :( )
LOVE THE HUB THOUGH :)
Thanks for the great Hub Cris. When I started with HubPages I had no idea what a follower was but joined the game anyway. Now as another 'snowflake' comes play with me I get so excited and yet here you are telling me they could leave at any minute. I'm mortified.
Young-un there is no way you will ever lose me. As you know Jerilee wei (my kid) introduced me to hubpages and I have found many great friends here and I'm sure I probably shock some of them with my out-spoken ways and stories but so be it. (when you get my age it's expected)
1. Those numbers that some find important---well lets just say I have never been good at MATH.
2. I read and follow, comment on only what interest ME.
3. A hubber that can write on a wide VARIETY of subjects will keep me coming back for more.
REMEMBER--"I MAY DISAPPROVE OF WHAT YOU SAY, BUT I WILL DEFEND TO THE DEATH YOUR RIGHT TO SAY IT"---voltaire
Great hub.
Great hub! I feel better. I am fairly new to hub pages and have noticed a few fans had left. I didn't know why. But now thanks to you I don't care! I am not real good at putting my words in writing so it takes me a while to do a new hub.Maybe that is why I lose them.
Thank you all for the wonderful comments - writing this hub proved to be not only helpful to newbies but ultimately to myself as well. I guess it's fair to say that respect should be the rule of thumb here - why we write what we write is our business alone and not anybody else's. Write and let write - the freedom to choose and follow is ours anyway :D
Again, thanks for all the responses :D
Thanks for the great hub! I'm still relatively new to hubpages, and learned some good stuff. For example, I had no clue that my own page views were included on the totals. Yikes! I'm a compulsive typo-checker...meaning LOTS of views.
Haha I myself learned about it after five months on here. Thanks for reading, glad you found this useful. And good luck on your stay here :D
I don't pay much attention to my followers/fans, but will read their stuff because of a comment they made on another's hub or I just like their name.
I am with the person whom stated that people don't like truth and delete all comments made on some hubbers hubs.
Haha I hear yah LG! Thanks for reading this - it should mean you like me somehow...right? :D
I found, I read, I like, I now will follow! Don't go too fast though I tend to stray from here to there every once in a while only to wander back again and away again and............................... good read, thanks!
Haha you should have made "wanderer" as your hubber name. Thanks for dropping by to read...if you're still there that is! Haha :D
Cris, you are my 38th fan out of 255. I double checked my fan list just now to be sure. Thank you, I haven't lose you yet. Hahaha!
Only recently, I took a good look at my list because I wanted to get something out of it for my first year hub anniversary. I realize, I haven't been very loyal to some of them if regularity of visits is to be used as gauge. My first year hasn't taught me everything I need to know yet. But I reciprocate every comment I receive by reading and commenting back. I can't remember all names, but when I discovered that my fans' names (3 at a time) started popping out in my side bar, I pay each a visit and most often leave comments, too. That's how I came to you today. Hahaha! This hub is an eye-opener, love it. Thank you for sharing this.
Yep, still there! And I have no plans of moving! Haha
I agree, keeping up with the hubbers we follow requires vigilance - it's a tough job if you want to stay true to the concept behind it. But we try to be faithful and loyal regardless. Thanks for dropping by :D
WOW, didn't realize I'd have to wait in a queue but really well done, well illustrated, and I just love those smileys
Thanks katy! :D
Shockingly, I found this hub because someone
i follow whose work I respect started following you and I wanted to see who she thought was worthy of following! She was right. A great hub and I am going to choose to be a follower...;O)
And I must say, you chose the right path in choosing to follow me! Haha Thanks for reading and commenting :D
dianacharles 23 months ago
Shucks Cris, I add on people because I like what they write or they come highly recommended.If I add on someone and then later on realise that I dont much enjoy their hubs, I just delete the intimations that I get of their published hubs, but I haven't as yet deleted any fans/followers...whatever.
Do people really think so much about all of this...your hub was an eye opener. Will look forward to reading other people's views.