by charlotte sometimes

Created on: January 31, 2008   Last Updated: October 18, 2009

HELIUM'S WRITING STANDARDS?

As a Helium member, I check in five or six times a month to see my standings and to read articles. I am continually confused, perplexed, and bewildered....

What has happened to the intelligence of the American public? Some may say that this question is rhetorical, or perhaps the words intelligence and American are an oxymoron. I am frustrated having to repeatedly review weak attempts at writing on Helium; most articles have atrocious grammar and elementary concepts. It is not worth one's time to have to sort through all the muck to find a decent piece. I recently joined goodreads.com and found a bounty of book reviews and discussions written by actual thinkers. Readers, it appears, make better writers. The anonymity that Helium offers appeals to our inner critics but also encourages incompetent writers. The current rating system does little to advance decent writing; just because an article is topical does not make it well written.

I love the concept and strategy of Helium, but I am really sick of all the ineptitude. Perhaps the solution lies in making Helium more competitive; articles with little response could go straight to the bottom and not resurface. This way, writers would be encouraged to leap frog their articles and better their abilities. A little criticism goes a long way, but having your article in a lesser standing than one with outrageously ignorant construction is insulting. I shrug this off but wonder how it happens. Do Helium members actually read what they review?

I have always harbored a secret yearning to be an author, a "writer." My heroes include many literary figures, my writing role models.

What if Helium had guest authors? Perhaps each month Helium could invite published authors and journalists to choose a subject and write an article. They could help show us how it's done!

In all, something must be done to raise the quality of Helium. If the intelligence of our community remains below par we won't see much advancement of the earnest concept of Helium.

Here's my advice to the Helium community:

Good writing is done from the heart and head, not just the fingertips. A handy grammar website nearby might help.

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