by Carol Gioia

Created on: October 09, 2009   Last Updated: January 21, 2012

Which type of articles do not fare well with Helium raters is a question every writer on the site might ponder. Occasionally we all write an article that is not well received, but when your articles consistently plummet in the ratings, perhaps there is a reason of which you are unaware.

There are certain styles of writing, formatting issues and other subtle infractions to the Helium writer guidelines that will be an immediate turn-off to raters.

Types of articles that do not fare well with Helium raters:

• First person

The titles in some Helium channels are conducive to writing in first person. For example, the creative writing channel where one can post a memoir, reflection piece or poetry. Most of the channels on Helium are designed for articles that impart knowledge, share expertise or render facts about a particular subject. Articles posted to those channels should be written in magazine-style third person. Using first person to make a point in the midst of the article is acceptable. Making the article all about you will potentially get your article rated down.

• Too opinionated

Articles that stress a personal opinion in a very strong voice are generally rated poorly. If you are reporting on a political subject, human rights, environmental concerns or any other societal interest, as a good writer you will adopt an objective tone and present both sides of an issue without attempting to sway readers to your personal point of view. To do so is to risk receiving a low rank in that title.

• Excessively long

Helium allows 400 - 1500 word articles. If the subject you are presenting is not complicated enough to justify going to the 1500 word limit and your article is rambling, repetitive and tangent-prone, the reader/rater will become bored and your rating will suffer as a result. Use all the words it takes to write a well-developed piece, but do not become too wordy just to increase the length of the article.

• Too short

Ensure your subject is well-developed and leaves the reader/rater satisfied with the content. If after reading your article, the rater has unanswered questions on the subject, your article will not rate well. Once you decide upon a subject to write to, make an outline of the highlights of the subject. This will guide you into ensuring all the points of the topic are covered.

• Poor formatting

If the raters see at a glance that your article contains huge blocks of print with no white space interspersed for ease of reading,

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