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As soon as anyone signs up to Helium they should immediately head to their 'About Me' page. Simply click 'My Helium' and then 'Edit About Me' and get the information filled out. If a reader finds your writing style or a particular article attributed to you to be interesting the chances are they will want to know more about you.

Use a real name - Many people prefer to use an alias and that is fine but the point to remember is making it sound real. If a publisher sees a cute or funny name they are not likely to want to put that as a byline on their publication. Equally, people want to connect with the writer and a real name is the first step in that process. Yes, 'I luv writing' may describe your passion but it also makes you sound childish and unprofessional.

If you choose not to use your real name there are various strategies you can use to choose a good pen name. A married woman can use a variation of her given name. Mixing up the letters of your name is another option. Try using words that mean something to you. An example might be Lily Gardener; brilliant if home and garden is your information forte. Whatever you choose, make it simple.

Writing your Biography - Of course people want to know personal details. The human race is nosy by nature. The important thing to remember is the reason you joined Helium. Whether for fun or profit, you joined to give yourself the opportunity to write. The fact that you are a writer must be the main focus of your biography.

One option is to write two separate paragraphs. The first should contain details of published work, places where examples of your writing can be found and what your aspirations in writing are. The second can be dedicated to anything you want to say about who you are as a person. This might include details of family and interests that show the other side of your personality.

It is completely possible to allow your personality to come through in your biography provided you keep to a professional base and use your 'writer's voice' to show your style.

Upload a picture - We all have favorite pictures that we love to display. This is fine for forums, chat-rooms and messengers but not for your homepage on Helium. Upload a clear and recent photograph of yourself. The picture can be professional or one taken at home but it should not be 'silly' and should not contain other people, if possible. This is you presenting your best face to the writing world and potential employers. Make the most of it.

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