Often new members of Helium are confused about how to submit a Helium article. They are unsure of what to write about, how to present it and how to go through the process of submission. This article is written with those members in mind, as once you learn how to submit at article, the rest is easy. The article covers all the things you need to think about within that process in easy to follow steps, so that you gain the most reward you can from the experience of being a Helium member.
• Looking for titles
This is the very first process. If you press your My Helium area of the site, you have a neat layout on the left hand side which gives you different areas of interest to a member. The title finder is the most useful tool of all. Here, you can type in words which reflect your interests, and try different searches to find out if something you wish to write about already has a title. If it has, then you can keep this page open while you write your article. If it hasn't, go back to My Helium, and press Suggest a title. Remember when writing your title other members will be writing to the title you chose as competition is the name of the game at Helium and any suggested title should be clear so that others will understand what the article is to be about.
• Looking for an original angle
This bit is the fun bit. Often people write from a very narrow perspective, using first person in their articles instead of looking at the broader possibilities. It is far better to write it from a neutral stance, though the angle you approach the topic from can be unique. Think of the title for a while and work out how you are going to approach it, taking little notes to guide you so that you don't miss anything out. Think of beginning, middle and end, as all great Helium articles need an introduction, clear paragraphs and a conclusion.
• Avoiding bad practices against Helium guidelines
The guidelines are quite clear. No names in articles, no swearing. Helium want writers above the age of 13 years old to write articles which give information to readers. This isn't a blog, and articles should be as informative as they possibly can. Guidelines are there for a purpose. Many people ignore them and are disappointed with the results of their work. Grammar, layout, keeping on topic and presenting your work in a professional manner count. Don't publicize your website. It isn't a recommended course, and avoid trying to write series, as there is no way in which articles can be linked together. Each article should be a stand alone article which addresses the topic at hand. Another point to avoid is talking about other member's articles. This is against site guidelines. Present your work neatly avoiding over-use of capital lettered headings, and above all, enjoy producing quality work.
• Marketplace entries
If you are thinking of writing to a Marketplace, paste the guidelines into the top of your word processor program before you start to write. These must be adhered to as all entrants who do not adhere will suffer the disappointment of having their articles deleted.
• Laying out your article
Try to use subheadings and bullets. These help readers on the Internet to find the section of your article they are looking for more easily. For example, when writing on pet care, one part of your article may be more relevant to a reader than another, and clarity means that your article will give them a clear indication of the answers they are looking for. Always use double spacing between paragraphs, and avoid using indentations, as often these throw the layout of the article out when submitted. Do not use any fancy HTML codes as these are not used on Helium at the present time.
• Pressing the "Write Now" button
All over the site, you will see Write Now buttons, or perhaps pencil markers which show up in the left hand corner of each article. When you press this, it takes you to the field where your article can be submitted. Be careful and do read your topic to ensure that you have the correct subject for your article.
• Pasting your article to the site
Often members do not know how to paste their articles. This is a simple procedure and much more professional than trying to type an article directly into the article submission box. If you try the latter, what happens is that the site can time out and you can lose all your valuable work. Pasting is simple. Open your word processing document and place the cursor at the top of your work. Press and keep pressed the left hand button of your mouse. Sweep the cursor over the whole work keeping that mouse button pressed until all the text you wish to add to the site is black.
Then let go of the left hand button of the mouse. Place the cursor onto the blackened text and press the right hand button of your mouse. Press the word "Copy". Open up the submission page on Helium and place your cursor into the submission box, clicking once to take out the words "Write your article here". Then right click and press paste.
Voila! Your work shows up on the site.
• Using the tool-bar tools
Always scroll down through your article and ensure that your article has double spacing between neat and fairly short paragraphs. Then press the spell-check. This doesn't always work, so try to ensure that you do spell check during your writing into your word processing program. When it works, it highlights areas which need correction. Press on a word to be corrected and the site will offer you a possible replacement word. Choose the word you want and the spelling will be replaced.
To add embedded links into an article, this really is easy. Supposing you want readers to look at another website in support of something you say. Highlight a few words where you feel the link should be placed and a blue link button shows on the tool-bar. Press this, and it gives you a pop-up where you can paste your link. If you have a pop up blocker, press Control as you press the link tool to enable the pop up to work.
When all of your editing is done, press preview, as this gives you an idea of what your article will look like on the site, which is a wise move.
• Submitting the article
To submit the article, press the tick box and then the submit button. Sometimes if you are posting many articles in a short period of time, you will be asked to enter a code. This is normal and straightforward. For blind users, if this happens then try again later, since your software may not recognize the letters shown in the coding box.
It's great to see your articles live on the website and never too late to edit at a later date. It is better, however, if you go through all the motions of checking your article before submission to save extra work later on, not only for yourself, but for raters who will be asked to rate any leapfrogs you make. You can make a difference. You can add your voice. Helium is all about people from different backgrounds coming together to write articles. Now you know how, go ahead and submit your first article, and amaze yourself at how easy it really is.