by Dawn Hawkins

Created on: May 19, 2009   Last Updated: March 04, 2011

Writing for Helium can get you to places that you never imagined. There are many reasons why you should present the most professional side of yourself on the site. Some of the reasons include being featured on the homepage, selling to Marketplace and those outside of Helium buying your work aside from Marketplace.

Guidelines for achieving the most professional appearance on Helium:

Pen Name

You should choose a name that sounds as though it is a real name. Samuel Clemens became Mark Twain. The name had meaning for him but it still sounded as though it were his real name. Choosing a pen name such as Daddy's Little Girl is cute, but that should be reserved for online forums such as Myspace. There is nothing wrong with using your real name but if you choose not to do that, choose something that is believable as a real name.

Biography

Make your biography sound like you are a serious writer. Your audience doesn't want to see that your toddler went to the potty for the first time today. Your biography should be written as though it were a resume' of sorts. It is important to tell about yourself in a light that others will look at as professional.

Writing Skills

This is the most important aspect of them all. Your writing skills need to be at the very top. There are many writers on Helium that have great skills. Making your work appear professional is of utmost importance. That doesn't mean that you have to use big words. It just has to be successful in getting the point across without to much junk in between. Also keep in mind that spelling, grammar and structure are all important aspects to make your work appear professional.

You should also be able to write informative articles that give the information necessary while making it interesting. This is the trickiest part to some articles. Making a how to article can be quite boring. The best of writers know how to grab your attention though. What was once boring has now become interesting.

By all means, double check your work. None of us is perfect and therefore we need to make sure that our work is as error free as possible. Mistakes happen when we are typing. Word processors don't catch everything. Such instances include the misuse of words such as there for their. It is very important proof read your work before uploading it. If you find a mistake later, leapfrog it and get it fixed. An easy mistake to make is to leave out the word not. For instance: " He's not going to do it" takes on an entirely different meaning if you inadvertently leave out the word not. "He's going to do it" makes the reader think differently about what is happening in your article.

Confidence

If you are confident about your work, it will show in your writing. If you are not, find a way to confidence. There are articles on the site that can help you find the confidence that you need. It's a very competitive world and writing is getting more competitive everyday. There is very little about the Helium site that isn't competitive. If you do not have confidence in your writing, it will show up loud and clear to anyone who reads your work.

It isn't difficult to present a professional appearance on Helium. These guidelines should help you along the way. If you have any doubts, don't fear. There are always people willing to help you along the way. Go to the forums and ask questions. You may be surprised at the number of people that will jump in to help you.

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