Helium has become a part of the everyday lives of its writers. It's a website which encourages the individual to express their opinion in magazine style. Whether you are a creative writer or one who wishes to write advice articles on any subject matter under the sun, Helium has room for you, and wants your point of view. The reader matters every bit as much as the writer, and this article covers Helium from both viewpoints, examining the different aspects of the site, to give a reader an insight of Helium basics from all perspectives.
Getting started.
You may come across Helium by accident, and wonder what the site is all about. How do you get paid for writing? What do you write about? What kind of presentation is expected? Where can I go for help? These are all questions which are normal during the starting process, and which can be answered easily. What happens on sites like Helium is that advertising revenue is shared with writers of good quality articles. The nearer to the top your article is rated, the more you are likely to earn, since top rated articles tend to get the most reads. You can write about any aspect of your life or knowledge, though be careful. Testimony or first person type articles are only encouraged if the title asks for it, or if contributing to the creative writing area of the site. There are good reasons for this, as Helium wish to provide content for its readers which is similar to that found in magazines or newspapers, rather than the more personal blog style of writing.
Once you have signed up, you can start writing straight away, or fill out your bio, as this acts as a great front page to all the articles you will produce. Since publishers frequently browse the site for content to buy, it is always preferable to have a pen name which sounds real, and a professional looking profile.
Choose your subjects from the title finder which you will find easily from your My Helium page. This allows you to browse areas of interest. When you find one you like, read the contents and write better. It's as simple as that. Try to cover any topic you write on in an informative and original way as this helps you to create your style of writing.
Can I make my own topics?
Yes, you can. The way to do this is to first look through existing titles. If you cannot find the topic you wish to write about press Suggest a title, on the left hand side of your My Helium page. Remember when suggesting titles that these should never be too personally tailored for yourself and that other writers will be encouraged to write to those topics you propose.
Can I earn extra money on some writing?
Yes, you can. There are always promotional areas on the site. The current up front payments mean that the first five articles into a title get a bonus. Other areas to look out for are the Marketplace and contests, since these are popular areas. Do read Marketplace guidelines and be sure to adhere to them, as this will up your chances of selling your work to publishers.
What else can you do on Helium?
One of the nice aspects of Helium is its diversity. Why not create your own Zone. Betaville was created to cater for those members who want their own page. Here, you can gather up items you love and showcase them. Add links to Amazon purchases or even your favorite music from the Internet.
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Want to form a group? Whatever your needs, Helium caters for it all on one site. Groups can be formed of people with similar interests. Writers for example join up to form forums where they can develop ideas or talk about things which interest them. Whatever your interests or whatever you want from Helium, cater the experience to your requirements and Helium becomes that site you love to log into.
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What about the readers?
Readership of Helium is on the up. One only needs to look at the success forums in the Community to know about the successes of members. From those fans who enjoy your style, to the high earning potential of Helium articles, Helium is a reader's paradise. Simple to navigate and easy to hone in on interest areas from the front pages, split into different channels, the reading material on Helium is limitless and every day new information is added.
Staff feedback and assistance.
Add to all the benefits named above the positive interaction of staff on the site, and what you get is a complete package. Helium staff members give great feedback and listen to members and readers alike. What they provide in the way of opportunities is amazing, with technical help offered at help@helium.com, content problem help offered at content@helium.com, and a free mentor service for those writers who wish to develop at mentor@helium.com, no site offers a more comprehensive range of services to its membership.
Rating of articles.
All of the articles on the site are rated. What this means is that members sort those articles into an order which makes sense where readers can find top articles easily. The rating system on Helium is unique. Every rate is performed by members who do not know the identity of those writers they are rating. One of the benefits of this as opposed to open rating is that there are no favorites, no elite, and everyone has the same chances of becoming a No. 1 writer from day one.
The basics of Helium are simple to grasp, and the greatest benefit of all is that if you have trouble grasping anything at all, whether it is as simple as loading an article, or as complex as becoming a part of the steward or help teams, your needs are catered for by a team who are keen to please, and will do everything in their power to make your stay an enjoyable one.