Unlike the New York Time's motto "all the news that's fit to print" (or was that, "all the news that fits, they print"?), Helium does not have reporters out culling the latest developments around the world. Rather than getting first hand news, we get filtered news. And, how can these timely reports contribute to a timeless bank of knowledge? What best guides Helium writers in crafting news-oriented articles is the term "filter." Facts contribute; but, the filter you provide gives those facts lasting value.

What doesn't work for news-oriented articles involves just reporting a time-bound event. If your entire article just retells some news, the article adds limited value to the site. Helium archives and sorts articles by quality, not timeliness. Given the lag time between when an article is published and rated, the article becomes old before it's really found a resting place in the knowledge bank.

How can you take a kernel of time-bound news and make it timeless? Filter that news through an experiential and/or analytical lense. Instead of telling about a bomb scare, reflect on the implications this event has in relation to other trends or policy discussions. Share a relevant experience. Compare this newer event with a previous event. It may take a little research or reflection; but it's worth the effort. People read the newspaper to get quick news. We are hopeful that people will read Helium to get a variety of perspectives, enriched by study, work experience, research, or other wisdom-gathering mediums, to get a fuller reflection on an issue.

As always, make sure that you tell the facts too. While a hot news topic today seems obvious in everyone's mind, the details will be lost in the march of history. Write your article thoroughly; and write it for people who know nothing about what you are discussing. This ensures that you've written a sustaining piece that has lead potential.

But filter those facts through more thoughtful processes. Add something insightful to the facts, in a way that transforms a time-bound piece into a timeless article.

Learn more about this author, Barbara Whitlock.
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