How to get your leapfrog approved
by Karon Brandt
All articles become stale with time; even reference books need to be updated once in a while. Newer material will leave your out-dated article anchored in the bottom of the Helium pond.
It's time for a leapfrog! Looking at your article with fresh eyes, you might notice some simple typos or grammatical errors. Perhaps some new information has come to light that makes your work outdated or irrelevant. You might notice a misspelled reference. Maybe you could use subheadings or numbers to make your points clearer.
You chose to write to the title because you felt you had something to add to the topic. Did you check out your "competition" to see what earned the top positions?
Some wit observed that there are very few new topics in the world; most are just recycled information about existing topics. The top ranks are awarded to those who can present "old" information in the clearest, most engaging way.
Readers search for topics of interest to them. (Raters are given selections from among the channels which they have written to, so they should have some knowledge of the topic.) Make sure your article is search-engine-optimized by using keywords in the first sentence or paragraph.
Helium is the place "where knowledge rules" because it's creating a web library of fact-based articles for a world-wide readership. Although Helium provides space for fiction, creative writings, politics, debates, memoirs, poetry and recipes, its reputation is maturing as a reference-worthy article directory.
Fact-based articles earn Upfront pay (for the first five submitted) and the larger portion of revenue shares so those are the articles you want to keep in the top quarter of the ratings. That's what earns you blue stars; that's where you want to prioritize your leapfrog time.
Content is of prime importance and presenting that content engagingly is the writer's challenge. A quality magazine bases its reputation on its content, its factual integrity, and its trustworthiness.
Reliable, oft-quoted magazines are fact-checked for accuracy and are vigilantly edited. Quality magazines are printed in standardized, pleasing formats. Helium aims to be the best and largest "virtual magazine" - with articles that can be updated as needed - which are constantly reviewed (edited/critiqued) by a self-monitoring community and staff.
Helium is like the "Reader's Digest" of the Internet; it wants well-written articles on topics of importance to a general population. All articles should be on-topic and condensed into easy-to-absorb chunks of information for time-crunched web readers. Remember who your audience is. Authors as young as 13 write to Helium; their siblings are probably reading their works, also. Write for a PG-13 audience.
Imitate the professionals. Say what you need to say and do it in an-easy-to-read manner. Errors in spelling, grammar, punctuation and paragraphing show carelessness and disrespect your readers. Poorly-written work is a turn-off and comes off as non-credible.
Helium has tested article word-lengths and has found that web readers prefer articles in the 400- to 1500-word range. Language, tone, and slant are also important. Use language on a 9th grade level for a fast-browsing web readership. (This article is written on a 9.7 level.)
Avoid using "I" in fact-based articles. (This is a major complaint from Helium's co-partners in the Marketplace; people become too personal and lose the audience.) Although you want a close "relationship" with your readers, don't become overly chummy or too didactic.
Helium will delete articles with profanity, inflammatory or adult content, many capitalized words (looks very unprofessional), self-promotion and obvious, substandard-written works.
If you're writing to a debate and wish to sway readers to your point-of-view, don't alienate them with sexist language or strongly connotative words. Use neutral language and stay objective. Rebut the "other side" point by point; present facts to back up your viewpoint. Don't resort to name-calling, or readers will never finish reading it.
In a leapfrog, you are, in essence, competing against yourself.
You should proof-read your article aloud or from a visual, editable printout. Use spell check. It will catch the most glaring errors you might have overlooked. If you have a grammar checker, use it. By using Helium's new "Word transfer" button, your work should format correctly, but double-check in Helium's preview pane before publishing. The best works can be ruined if the paragraphing, spelling, and punctuation don't transfer correctly.
It takes two readers to reject a leapfrog and three to "pass" one. You can only leap the same article once every seven days, which prevents raters from being overwhelmed with seeing the same "stuff" pass through multiple times.
Many raters will be annoyed if they cannot see a genuine difference between your original article and a leap. Many will be aggravated if they think a writer is simply trying to force another rating for a "better rank," as though the raters "got it wrong" the first time.
If you can create a better "hook" in the beginning of your article, do it. If your revision has included something recently learned or added, mention that early-on for your readers' knowledge. Many people emphasize the hook over the ending, which is equally important. Many inexperienced writers add an unnecessary "Hope you liked my article" or "Good luck" at the end, which gives an unprofessional feeling to the piece and immediately downgrades it.
Assuming a writer tried to improve his article, raters should give the "benefit of the doubt" and allow the revision through by choosing "same" in the ratings. The new version will still be subject to multiple ratings and must earn its new rank on its own merits. If an article was in the bottom 25%, it will re-start at the halfway mark, but it can quickly sink if readers can't notice improvements.
If you are at a complete loss about how to improve your article, ask for feedback in the community forums. For long-term, one-on-one help, Helium also offers a mentoring program; write to mentor@helium.com. Helium is very willing to work with any writer who asks for help.
Resuscitate your sinking frogs, as needed. Helium's balloon is powered by its writers. Keep it flying high.