by Glory Lennon

Created on: December 11, 2008   Last Updated: March 28, 2009

Helium, being a rather eclectic place for sundry topics, has perhaps by design or out of necessity lured an audience of similarly eclectic writers. As these writers are also the ones doing the rating, articles have to appeal to a vast audience. No two raters will rate an article with the same outlook. Our articles therefore are at the mercy of these writers. With this in mind we can see the rating system can have its flaws.

There is no need to beat around the bush. Some writers are just awful. That is the plain, hard truth and some of them post on Helium with impunity. We all have read articles on Helium that have made us cringe in horror, scoff aloud in disgust or stare incredulously at our computer screens wondering about the state of education in the world. If we are honest with ourselves, hopefully leaving our own egos behind, we can agree we were one of those awful writers when we posted our first articles on Helium.

On the other end, we have read brilliant articles on Helium. They are concise, informative, well written and professional. In short they are everything we wish our own to be. It is after reading one of these that we can either breath easy knowing the art of the written word won't die after all or panic and hide under the covers vowing never to write again.

Unfortunately, those that have the ability to write well are not the only ones rating. That fact alone may make us quiver in fear and may explain why some horribly written articles climb to the top. No one wants to be rated by a moron but there's nothing to be done about it.

So what do we have to do to stay afloat at Helium? How can we reach for the stars, grab them and actually get to keep them? The obvious answer is to start by reading Helium's Writing Standards. They alone will tell you most of what it takes to put out the best product possible but we should also go over certain aspects which may not be as obvious.

Professionalism.

First thing Helium strives for is quality and that means people taking care to write something they wouldn't be ashamed of if it were to appear on a billboard in their own hometown with their name and picture beside it. If you are not proud of your work why should anyone read it? Fill out your bio page and stand behind your work. These are the people that get recognition from publishers. If in fact that is your goal to eventually become an Earnest Hemingway, William F. Buckley Jr. or Jane Austin then it behooves you to do this as a professional would.

Helium may be

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