by David Skolnik

Created on: May 16, 2010

God's honest truth? I'm never too concerned about being rated low. No one is perfect and I'm not expecting a bunch of number 1's. Not even the great Yankee teams can go 162 for 162.

I understand I'm competing against professional and amateur writers from throughout the world. I know that God has given me a talent to write and share my messages with the world. I have a deep passion for what I do and I enjoy hearing from my fellow writers.

For me, Helium is not about earning the most money or getting the best scores. It's about getting on several times a week and learning something new about issues and topics I'm not very familiar with and revisiting old emotions and memories that were dormant for a while. Most of all, it's about having fun and getting to know some of my colleagues a little better.

I've had stretches where I hit 1 out of 10, 1 out of 80,  2 out of of 39, 7 out of 80, some 1 out of 4's. But I know the tide is bound to turn eventually.

Even when I knew a topic well, like multiple sclerosis, and felt I absolutely aced a submission, I ended up being rated a 10 out of 40, 5 out of 9 and so on. It's not the end of the world because I realize there are many others who are just as familiar with the topic as I. That's the beauty of competition and what makes the Helium site stronger.

More often than not, I'll choose an issue I'm quite comfortable with. If I have to do some research on a subject, so be it. A well written piece takes time to mold. Not everyone will feel or think the way I do. I have to respect that. That doesn't mean I'm terrible. About once a quarter, I'll review my story log to see how I've fared and if any trends, good or bad, have developed.

More than once, I've taken a break from writing and focused only on rating. It's good to see what others are talking about. Sometimes I'll read a few books and watch nothing but CNN or MSNBC to see what's happening in the world. After a while, I know it's time to write some more.

Me worry? I know God has my back. I just need to maintain the passion for my craft. The chips will fall where they may.

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