I usually have quite a few hubs that I'm working on at the same time. When I think I have a good idea for a hub, I start a new one, do some research and see how it's going to work out. I do keep a special notebook to jot down further ideas etc.But I tend to start typing up, collecting phots etc. At the same time.
I know that this approach works best for me, but other hubbers, I'm sure will have their own unique ways of working.
Currently, I do not have any unpublished hubs, but I do sometimes have some saved on Hubpages without publishing. I have the most free time on the weekend, so I will often write about 3 or 4 hubs in a day. I learned the hard way not to publish all the same day.My hubscore would drop from that.
So now, if I write a number of hubs at once, I space out when I "release" them to the public. I usually space a day or two between each one.
Right now I do have an idea about a hub I would like to write and I have been thinking about it for about a week. I just have not written it yet.
Yes, I sometimes have a hub that I start and then have to brood about for a bit. Often the longer it is unpublished the more I realise that my thinking is too woolly on the subject. That one usually ends up getting deleted.
I can always start again once my thoughts are clearer.
Otherwise if the subject is weighty or I need more research and have little time, a hub may sit there for a couple of days before being published.
That reminds me ... I have one to delete ...
I think the 'best' approach all depends on your personality and temparament.
As for myself, I do a little bit of both the approaches you mentioned... First I write the bulk of it in MS word or Notepad, adding to it over time. When I am at the point that the text is finally mostly written down (i.e. About 90% of it is there), then I put it on Hubpages unpublished.
Then I read over it and make minor changes and additions as needed while it's still unpublished (I do this part in a few short sessions over a few days). During this time I also play around with the layout using 'preview' mode to make sure it looks good (move the pictures around, etc etc). Then I publish it.
I really like the *process* of writing Hubpages articles and having control of the layout, so my incremental approach feels like 'play' to me rather than 'work'. So basically, I do it this way because it feels like a fun way of doing it.
I usually have a few hubs unpublished (3 at the moment). However, as & when a idea (those light bulb moments), I create a title for that hub and base my decisions on whether to proceed with the hub. For example, if the hubscore starts around the late 40's, chances are I would delete that hub.
If the hubscore is around the late 50's, then I would proceed and do further research to increase the hubscore.
I know that hubscores a highly subjective but starting with a higher hubscore motivates me to write a better hub, ie, well reseached & useful.
I cant really gove you an answer,but what I can give you is a way to a solution, that is you have to find the anglde that you relate to or peaks your interest. A good paper is one that people get drawn into because it reaches them ln some way.As for me WW11 to me, I think of the holocaust and the effect it had on the survivors, their families and those who stood by and did nothing until it was too late.