by Mark Dykeman

Created on: August 30, 2007   Last Updated: May 17, 2009

I don't think that Helium writers should be forced to post both a picture and bio statement on their Helium homepage. There are a lot of benefits to allowing your audience to get to know you better, but I really think it depends on what a writer hopes to achieve by posting their work on Helium. I think we have to allow for individuals to be able to maintain some level of anonymity or privacy when they participate on a website like Helium.com.

There are a couple of ways of looking at Helium. You can look at Helium as a potential source of income and therefore you'll want to maximize your revenue opportunities. After you've written a few Helium articles, you'll come to realize that while it is possible to make some income from Helium articles, the money doesn't just find you by magic - you have to take steps to draw attention to your writing. Thus, it's helpful to have a bio and photo for those reasons - they are ways to promote yourself and your work on Helium. You can use links to your Helium biography page, which includes your photo, in your E-Mails, on social media websites and so on. An attractive, or at least professional-looking, photograph can be a small step towards marketing yourself.

The other way to look at Helium is as a hobby or creative outlet without regard to income. Maybe you want to improve your writing skills through practice and critiques. If that's the case, there's no need for a bio or a picture, particularly if you wish to be judged solely on the merits of your work. After all, merit-based feedback, which grades you on the quality of your work, not who or what you are, is the principle behind Helium's rating system. Given this second purpose and use of Helium, it would be unnecessary, and potentially unfair, to make the picture and bio mandatory features of Helium.

There are other writing markets which both permit and encourage the use of pictures and bios. At the same time, I don't believe any of these markets make these two pieces of information mandatory. I don't see any reason why Helium should buck the trend. By all means, offer the bio/picture option, but don't force it upon someone who might not be ready for that kind of exposure. Amateur writers should be made to feel welcome and secure in an environment like Helium, so putting minimal pressure on authors is a good way to do that. Don't make the photo mandatory, Helium!

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