Rant Alert: Looks Like eHow Is Pulling Crap On It's Writers
By pyewacket
@pyewacket (43903)
United States
April 14, 2009 11:07pm CST
Okay here comes a rant. First I know a lot of you writers out there write for eHow. I don't have to many articles, I just had three. eHow works in page views, that is you earn money every time a person views you're articles, so it's not like one is earning oodles of money.
Anyway I just got this email from them:
[i]Hi pyewacket,
As you may have noticed, we have been making great strides to clean up the eHow article library. An email was sent a week ago to notify our members about the actions that would take place in order to maintain the content quality of the site. In addition to this email, we've also communicated to our members through our forums, blogs, and on member profiles, explaining this ongoing initiative. This email in particular has been sent to you because 3 of your article(s) have been removed from your account. Article(s) that were removed from your account more than likely fell into one or more of the following categories:
* SPAM articles; articles that read like advertisements.
* Articles that do not fit the How To format.
* Articles that are cloned. This essentially means creating replicas of articles with the same or similar body of content and using different titles.
* Plagiarized articles.
* Articles that are inadequately written-- this can range from severe grammatical errors to incomprehensible How Tos.
* Articles that are search optimized for financial gain but offer little or no useful information for the reader
* Articles promoting click fraud on web advertisements.
eHow.com is known for its reliable online solutions and in order to protect the brand, as well as the reputation of our highly regarded community, we must ensure we are not housing articles that do not follow the eHow submission guidelines. Also, if you happen to discover member articles on the site you feel do not match these standards, please understand that these articles have simply not yet gone through the system.
To get a thorough understanding of what kind of articles are not allowed on the site, please click here for more information.
-The eHow Team [/i]
What the fricking hell are they talking about??? This was my response to them
[i]Dear eHow
I'm most disappointed to hear that you have removed my articles and still would like to know the reason why, as NONE of my articles fit into the category of why articles are removed. I made sure they followed the guidelines and format that eHow uses, they were NOT spam, they were NOT inadequately written and they certainly above all they were NOT plagiarized articles. I'm asking you to give me a better explanation of why they were removed and if possible to reinstate them. If not, then I'll delete my account as it's not as if I'm earning thousands of dollars at eHow.
[/i]
Any of you others who write at eHow get this crap? Did they delete any of your articles? What's with these writing sites anyway? It seems almost all of them are pulling a fast one on us. If you haven't experienced this type of crap at eHow has it happened to you elsewhere?
I'm so pissed I could spit nails
8 people like this
23 responses
@Lakota12 (42600)
• United States
15 Apr 09
awww so sorry that they got removed do you copywrite your aticles?
Hope so sounds like they might be wanting to steal them for their own use.
I dont write so I really dont know what you go thru but that is ashame that they wopuld do this and all 3 of them at that grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr
5 people like this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
15 Apr 09
I just wish they would write back to me an explain to me why. At a discussion forum there about 70 other writers are complaining about the same thing, and had many of their articles zapped. And eHow has suddenly gone quiet and not answering anyone...cowards!!!!
3 people like this
@celticeagle (168327)
• Boise, Idaho
15 Apr 09
I think alot of people who utilize ehow have at some point received a letter like the one you have. I wondered at first why I received such a letter as I also believed that mine did not fit any criteria they had listed. As I continued to read both their information and my article I began to see why it happened. I hope you are able to resolve this issue and go back to ehow. It is a great site.
4 people like this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
15 Apr 09
Well nothing seems to be resolved yet. And I did email them but they aren't writing back it seems, not only me but others. There is that forum there and oh, boy, are people irrate....near 70 people in the one section are lashing out at eHow about how their articles were deleted...many of the writers old timers, not relative newbies like me. The worse? The admin/moderators there have suddenly gone silent
3 people like this
@celticeagle (168327)
• Boise, Idaho
16 Apr 09
Hmmm. That just doesn't sound like Mylot at all. I have been a member along time and I have never had a problem. I hear about these things happening but I am never in the midst of it. Luck? Or stupidity I am not sure which. Teehee. Good luck to you. Hope it all turns out okay. Can't understand why or what or how or anything else. Maybe, in the long run, it pays to be alittle ditzy.
3 people like this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
16 Apr 09
No the discussion is at a community forum at eHow not here....LOL And it's the admin/moderators at eHow that haven't mentioned anything further
3 people like this
@AnythngArt (3302)
• United States
15 Apr 09
How frustrating. I have never written for eHow, but I suspect that they think because you only have 3 articles, they will just delete them because you are not really paying attention to what's happening over there. I think they are doing the same thing at Helium, but they are using a word count to do it, instead (deleting articles with less than 400 words).
I will be curious to see how they respond to your email. Certainly they should reinstate your articles. I guess you can publish them elsewhere, but I can see how you would be mad at such nonsense.
Let us MyLotters know what happens!
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
15 Apr 09
I may not have been a regular writer there, but I do check in to see "what's happening" on a daily basis, like check messages to me and so forth. Wow just was reading over at their forum and OH BOY are people pissed off big time as it seems it's happening to a lot of people there. What really annoys us, is that they should have at least kept the articles we wrote that are now deleted in our private profile section, so we could either re-write them or remove them completely OURSELVES and that way give us the chance to publish them elsewhere. Instead they are completely gone. Gonna have to see if I have copies of them in my document folder...just might..LOL
Yes I had some articles near next to being deleted at Helium since they were under 400 words but they at least notified me so I could change them and lengthen them and do a "leapfrog"--that's what eHow should do.
5 people like this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
15 Apr 09
Okay great...I just looked and I managed to find two of my articles in my document folder...trying to remember the other one I wrote...LOL
5 people like this
@AnythngArt (3302)
• United States
15 Apr 09
Glad that you at least have some copies. I would be in the same boat with Helium. I don't always keep copies, but I am going through them now (re-posting some to AC) and have made copies as I come across them or have to expand the word count. So aggravating with eHow!
5 people like this
@tamarafireheart (15384)
•
15 Apr 09
Hi pye,
I don't know much about these writers' sites but I don't blame you for getting angry as all the work you put into them and to be removed accusing you of this that and the other, I wouldn't use them again, it is so hurtful too.
Bright Blessings.
Tamara
4 people like this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
16 Apr 09
There's a community forum there and oh, my goodness...about 70 people have said the same thing has happened to them...and many are "old timers" that worked their buns off writing articles for them
2 people like this
@alicia812 (646)
• Australia
16 Apr 09
Hi Pye. I would also be pissed off if I were in your situation. Hopefully they will put your articles back. Reading those categories they mentioned, and knowing that you will never do any of those things, was so annoying. I am curious how they will respond to your email to them.
4 people like this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
16 Apr 09
well I know about your experience with that "other" place. Seems a lot of the writing sites are pulling some kind of crap all save for AC which is the better site to write for. Well I did email them, nada haven't heard from them yet.
3 people like this
@scheng1 (24649)
• Singapore
15 Apr 09
I suspect that someone copied your articles and post them somewhere. In this case, when ehow checked the articles, they would see the articles appearing somewhere else.
Even then, they should inform you and ask you to explain. If they did not provide a good reason, there is no way to know the problem and no way to clarify.
I just hope that if anyone copied my articles and post in ehow, ehow will delete the articles. I guess it's not too difficult to check the date of original posting to clarify which is the original article and which is the plagiarized article.
4 people like this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
15 Apr 09
Well I know how to check to see if my articles were copied...but even if they were, all writing sites usually have the date when the article was submitted so IF someone copied articles the date would be later, a simple check that would mean my articles were copied. Luckily I have copies of my articles in my document folder so I can make a check of it
2 people like this
@nishdan01 (3051)
• Singapore
15 Apr 09
I have written few articles there and I received a mail from them too. I am a non-US resident and hence will not be earning from them. I haven't earned a penny from them after writing about 4-5 articles and so I ignored the mail. Now I am not writing for them too.
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
15 Apr 09
A lot of people seem to be giving up on them since many have been affected by having articles deleted, not just me
2 people like this
@cwilson26 (2735)
• United States
15 Apr 09
I am sorry they did this to you. I would be mad too! I have 5 articles on there but haven't received this email yet. I am going to sign in and make sure my articles are still there. They don't pay me enough to pull this crap on us writers. I hope you get it straightened out soon. Good luck! :)
4 people like this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
15 Apr 09
I sent you a PM...I think I have you on my friends list there. Nope I haven't earned much there either, but I'm imagining the little I did get there will be zapped too, so far it doesn't look like it though
3 people like this
@scarlet_woman (23463)
• United States
15 Apr 09
hmm..that almost sounds like you were accused by somebody in a way.
at any rate,that's total bull.you don't plagurize-i'd make them prove it.
3 people like this
@scarlet_woman (23463)
• United States
16 Apr 09
yikes.that's not right at all.
i hate sites that pull stuff like that.
i won't say the name,but 1 site used the excuse "invalid email address" to kick me off.wouldn't even answer me to explain themselves,the address was valid and working.
pretty suspicious as they were due to pay me.
2 people like this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
17 Apr 09
You're not talking about a site that has RS in it are you? I've heard horror stories about this place, such as the site suddenly saying reviews weren't suitable after all, even though they had approved them and just right before payout deleted a person's account
1 person likes this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
16 Apr 09
It's not just me. At the community forum there's a discussion there and about 70 other very irate writers had their articles removed too. A lot are asking for their accounts to be deleted. The one kicker is that all of a sudden eHow is quiet and NOT giving us any explanations.
3 people like this
@sierras236 (2739)
• United States
16 Apr 09
I got this same email but my article was never deleted. To me it sounded like they were doing some housecleaning that I actually agree with. Especially, the part about utilizing the articles to sell products. Still, it is not right that they did this without giving you fair warning. The Ehow admin should look at each article on a case by case basis and give the author a chance to respond. I don't agree with the mass deletion progress. It may be convenient for the admin but causes a ton of anger for authors.
I am really sorry this happened to you. I really hope they respond to your email soon. Definitely, start saving everything in your word processor before posting anything online. That simple act has saved me more than once.
3 people like this
@sierras236 (2739)
• United States
16 Apr 09
I am sorry. I never meant to imply that your articles were anything less than stellar. I was just posting my thought on the subject. By the way, check your back up files for that third article. I have had my computer crash and those recovery files were life-savers.
2 people like this
@skysuccess (8858)
• Singapore
15 Apr 09
pyewacket,
That's some housekeeping there @ eHow.
I hope that they will reply you and that your posts be given due considerations. It is just not fair to generalize with you especially when they want to administer a demerit.
Do keep us posted on the developments of this unfortunate incident of yours.
Have a nice day.
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
15 Apr 09
It's not just me that this has happened to. There's a forum there and a LOT of very irate writers who had the same thing happen to them...many are asking for their accounts to be deleted.
2 people like this
@skysuccess (8858)
• Singapore
16 Apr 09
pyewacket,
I suppose the administrators must have overlooked their job and hence this upheaval in this website. I felt that these review sites are having a big headache and mess within their quarters.
Hope that your issues will be resolved and your earnings recovered. Take care.
2 people like this
@zigzagbuddha (4601)
• United States
16 Apr 09
I've had eHow stuff come up all the time when I'm looking for how to do something, and have always found them very useful and well written. If I knew how to do anything I might submit a few myself! What were your articles telling 'how to' do?
3 people like this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
16 Apr 09
Well it wouldn't do any good to try to find my articles there as they were completely deleted from the system...not only mine, but about 70 other people are complaining about this crap. Several of the old timers there said their best and most popular articles that got a LOT of page views were zapped...something is definitely wrong here.
2 people like this
@zigzagbuddha (4601)
• United States
16 Apr 09
I wasn't planning on going there and looking for your articles... I do know what the word 'deleted' means. Nor am I interested in the 70 irate members. I simply was asking you what the subject matter of your articles was. Your comment here was just about as rote as the reply from responder #13!!!
2 people like this
@zigzagbuddha (4601)
• United States
16 Apr 09
Oh, well, I bet they are trying to establish/maintain a more professional image.
2 people like this
@dreamweaverjan (3471)
• United States
19 Apr 09
HI Pye; I'm sorry they did that to you; I never received one of those emails myself but then again I may have missed it as that is under one of my gmail accounts and I just haven't had much time lately to keep up with stuff;
I did log into EHOW and my stuff is still there even though I am minus one article
from a couple of months ago, someone got their panties in a wad over a recipe,
Geez I bet lots of us have similar recipes the idiot, anyway most of my stuff is just that basic recipes and a couple other things but so far they are all there still
slowly earning me some cash, nothing to brag about but I may reach payout by the end of the year...LOL!!!
I do need to get busy on there like I need to get busy on about 10 other places too;
just never enough time to do anything;
I hope you hear something back from them, and do let us know ok?
3 people like this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
21 Apr 09
I need to get back into serious writing too. Haven't touched my blog in awhile, have you? I've been sort of having writer burnout and having a hiatus, but really do need to get to writing again. Nope, the staff at eHow seems to have gone very quiet and doesn't seem to be answering any of us who have written to them
@neerajpandey_13 (1765)
• India
16 Apr 09
Putting cap on the hands of writer is not good at all. It is very frustrating news for me as well.I am not writing for this site but now even I don't want to visit this site.
3 people like this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
17 Apr 09
There are a lot of writers over there who been affected by this, not just me, and everyone is really ticked off about it
2 people like this
@BarBaraPrz (47670)
• St. Catharines, Ontario
15 Apr 09
I've never even heard of eHow and can't remember you mentioning it before. Don't know what to say.
2 people like this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
15 Apr 09
Thank goodness I didn't spend too much time with them and only had three articles there
2 people like this
@kykidd (6812)
• United States
20 Apr 09
I just had this happen for the first time to me last week also. If it's an article that is making me money, then you know it is making them money. So I can't understand why there is a problem.
I have written so many, I haven't had time to sit down and go through them all to figure out which ones they deleted. They deleted 3, and my earnings have gone down significantly. I am earning about half as much each day.
That really concerns me, because I don't think that 3 articles was really making that much on their own.
I haven't written another article yet, but suppose I will go back to it today or in the next couple of days at least.
Thanks for starting this discussion, and letting me rant. Good luck to you with your articles!
2 people like this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
21 Apr 09
To be honest I just don't think I'm going to bother with them anymore. I do so much better at Associated Content so think I'll stick with them. They don't even have the courtesy to reply to their members at the forum discussions
@snowy22315 (182198)
• United States
18 Apr 09
I havent written for ehow, but I just had a similar experience with textbroker. I wrote many articles for them. I am talking about over 40 which all but one were accepted by the clients. They rated my last articles too low and now I can't write for them. This was a big portion of my income and now I have been hung out to dry.
I am going to try writing for Constant Content who pay alot better anyway. Textbroker can take a hike.
2 people like this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
21 Apr 09
It seems a lot of writing sites are pulling some kind of crap. I've heard a lot of negative things about Reviewstream, where people are close to the payout, then suddenly Reviewstream suddenly says the articles that were accepted are no longer valid
@Chevee (5905)
• United States
15 Apr 09
I write articles for Ehow too. I got at least 8 of mine deleted. I got a letter in my email telling me how many they had deleted they didn't give me a reason why they were deleted nor did they tell me which ones, was deleted.
I have a feeling this is coming from the confusion that was going on in the forum recently. I go to the forum and observe but I don't participate. I really don't care for the negativity of some of the other members. It is a few there that act as if Ehow was just designed for them. And the rest of us there is just greedy and have no right to be there.
I just go with the flow.
3 people like this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
16 Apr 09
Well I've never come across any negative members there and everyone seems genuinely nice, I too put my two cents in though at the one discussion topic at the forum...many of us are really pissed off about articles being zapped.
2 people like this
@o0Tora0o (355)
• United States
19 Apr 09
I joined eHow a while ago, but I never bothered finishing the one article I started for them. They sent me the same message that they sent you, minus the part about entries being removed from my account.
Did you follow the link in the email? It leads to a FAQ page, where it goes into a bit more detail about what they apparently want from their writers. If your articles contained any "opinion pieces" or "personal observations" that might be why. They also apparently want you to write to the dumbest audience imaginable, since leaving readers to make "intellectual jumps" is not allowed.
Reading this discussion has definitely made me rethink my decision to write for eHow!
2 people like this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
21 Apr 09
Nope, my articles followed the guidelines and what eHow was looking for. A lot of members have had scores of articles pulled off and deleted and to put it mildly people are really ticked off about it and we're talking about "old time" writers that have been there awhile
