by C J Jackman Zigante

Created on: February 18, 2009   Last Updated: March 02, 2010

How to rate a Helium article

We should all know by now the technical aspects of the rating system, however I do think some things need to be taken into consideration when weighing the importance of that against the articles actual substance. For example let's say the work is technically perfect, good sentence structure, punctuation, grammar, paragraphs clearly defined, all spell checked and ready to roll, yet the article itself is lacking any merit. Do we stick with the technical and rate it solely on whether it meets those standards? In other words, do we rate the technically correct article higher then the creative or substantially more informative one, or do we take all those things into account, shaving off or adding points to each column as deserved?

I try depending on the type of article, to adhere to the rules, but when it comes to my poetry and stories, many times they fly right out the window. For example in my poem Sistah, I take creative license in the spelling of certain words to demonstrate accents. Does that invalidate it, or render it not as good as the one next to it with every word spelled perfectly but perhaps less story impact? Over the last few days I have read some amazing works and some not so amazing. What I base my vote on is an amalgamation of both. Is the article interesting, does it touch me, is it easy to read, did it capture my interest and hold it, if it did why and if it didn't why not?

If it is a case of one or two words misspelled here and there, while I may not rate it with the highest option, I will still choose it over the other piece if it meets the other things I look for. I also find myself sending a little note to the author to let them know that I did like their work but spotted possible errors they may want to correct. [I try and refrain from going off point], then I keep my eye out for a revised version so I can vote higher than the first time.

Lastly consider one more point that I feel should be looked at closely during this process and that's your personal motives when it comes to casting your vote. While I know we are not put in the position of directly rating our work against another it is a factor, especially when a category you know you've written to comes up. So are you rating the article fairly and with the best interest of the author, Helium and yourself in mind? Tough question I know, but the answer is important and should be considered each time you click submit.

Taking all of these things into consideration will hopefully make each and every one of us not just better at rating a story, but better at writing them as well. Honesty and integrity are just two of the attributes to strive for, since it sets us apart from those who use writing merely as a means to an end and those who write because it truly feeds their soul.

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