How to Write Freelance Articles and Get Published Online With Helium

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Build and earn a recurring and residual income online

Welcome to one of my writing lenses, which is dedicated to helping you make the most of the fast growing writers' website Helium - and that includes earning some cash from it too.

Together we'll explore the site, discover the many advantages of writing for and getting published on Helium, and look at a wide range of tactics you can use to earn more for your writing.

I'll also be sharing my own personal experiences of Helium (I joined the site way back in May 2006, when it was called the Helium Exchange), so you can benefit from what I have learned - and continue to learn from it. I don't write so much for it at the moment, as I have too much other writing work to do (deadlines, always deadlines!), but the money at Helium still continues to add up for me, and that's the great thing about it.  Bookmark this lens now, as I will be updating it regularly with new tips and hints, and together we can learn a lot more.


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Please do share your experiences in the guestbook, as I will be updating this lens regularly - if I know what questions or issues you have about writing for Helium, I can then address them as best I can, and together we can learn more about what makes Helium tick!

Helium is a great site - not only have I made money from it, I have also found a lot of new writing sites recommended by its members. It's really a no brainer! There is a lot more to being a member of this site than just writing for it.


By the way, if you click on the link to the left of this column (the one that says 'lenses by Allison Whitehead') you can also see some of my other writing related lenses.


CLICK HERE to add Writing for Helium to your favorites!


CLICK HERE to add Writing for Helium to your Lensroll!


So if you're ready, let's get going...

What does Helium offer its writers? 

(Hint - there is more than one answer to this question...)

Helium is an addictive place to browse and write for. Be warned - once you join you'll find yourself spending a lot of time on the site. This lens will help ensure you put that time to good use, ensuring your earnings increase and climb higher over time.


Whatever stage you're at with your writing, you'll get many rewards from Helium. If you're new to writing and you want to get some publishing credits, you can quite simply click on the banner above, sign up for your free Helium account, write your first article and see it live on the site in just a few minutes time. Really - it's that simple. You can be a published writer in just a few minutes from now.


But there are many other benefits of being a Helium writer.


Firstly, the site is a hive of information. I found one of my favourite websites - Constant Content (affiliate link) - mentioned in an article on Helium; a connection that's since earned me several hundred dollars worth of article sales.


Helium also keeps your writing muscle well toned. A few minutes a day on Helium is usually enough to get you through most instances of writers' block, and every article you write has the potential to start earning you a residual income from the moment it's published.


Keep reading for some in depth tips on making sure every article you contribute to the site earns the best revenue for you over time.

Start reading my writing blog today! 

"... earning a living one word at a time..."

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Examples of some of my Helium articles 

Helium articles can take on many different forms. I've highlighted some of my articles below and added a few notes on each - these are just a few from the 400+ articles I had on the site at the last count.

Starting a Business - how and when to start paying yourself

At the time of writing, this article was in second place. I wrote from personal experience here, and this angle always seems to do well in helping you get quite highly ranked.


The higher the ranking you can get, the more likely it is for your articles to get read more frequently. Try and aim for the top five if you can.

Home Repair - how to fix common house paint problems

I'll admit I'm in last place with this one at the moment. I still like the article, and it's about the same length as the first placed article (at the time of writing), so I guess it's just down to mine not being liked as much.


Hey ho. You can't win 'em all - but the more you write, the more you'll win...

Couple Communication - expressing heartfelt love to your mate

This is one of my favourites - and it's currently top of nearly sixty articles.


Why? Maybe because it tells a personal story, and because it highlights a simple but effective way to express love to your partner.


When writing an article for Helium, always make sure you tackle the subject as best you can, and don't go off on a tangent. Rewrite and edit before publishing to get the best results.

Fantasy and Sci-Fi - Theories on what will happen in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

Don't worry - there will be no spoilers here if you're one of the few who hasn't read the final book yet!


I've included this one to show there are plenty of topics on Helium that play to your interests and strengths - the Harry Potter books being one of my favourite subjects, especially at the moment.

Helium = Residual Income 

One of the best things about writing for Helium has to be the potential to earn a residual income.


What this means is that every single article you write will earn you a cent or two every time it gets read. Every day, every week, every month and onwards ad infinitum. The articles you write today by clicking on the banner above and joining for free will still be earning you cash years from now.


Helium rewards those who put in regular effort and write well. You can learn an enormous amount from this site, and enjoy a cash reward at the same time.


At this stage it's important to think of a residual income as a longer term goal. If you're serious about this side of earning money with Helium, you need to have a strategy firmly in place.


Haven't got one? No worries. Just keep on reading - there's a strategy for you coming right up.

The Helium Rating System 

You might be wondering who decides what articles get ranked where in the Helium system.


The answer to that is - you decide.


The more articles you rate, the more your own articles will be rated, which in turn will ensure your best work rises through the ranks every time you write for Helium.


This means that people who try and get away with short, one or two line articles that are badly spelled with no real content - just to try and earn money - fall to the bottom of the rankings and earn less as a result.


TOP TIPS FOR RATING ARTICLES:


- Do it regularly. Your own articles will then stand a better chance of being rated more highly.


- Build it into your daily writing schedule. It's a good activity to do while stopping for a quick coffee.

Helium competitions... and the Helium marketplace 

Helium competitions are becoming very addictive for many Helium writers. One recent competition had a top weekly prize of $300, so it's not surprising that they are hotly contested.


Competitions such as "Write to Win" and "Channel Champions" are fantastic for us writers for two very good reasons.


Firstly they allow us to see if our writing skills are worthy of some big prizes, and secondly all the articles we write for these competitions tend to be read a lot, as people naturally want to see what others are writing about. You will see plenty of your articles become widely read and earn more as a result.


Meanwhile, the Helium Marketplace is a fairly new and regular addition to the site. It allows you to submit articles to Helium on a variety of topics requested by publishers of magazines and websites.


Not only will you get the regular reward for people reading your articles, you will also receive a further fee if they get selected for publication by the publisher. This could be into three figures - the amount given is shown next to the subject matter on the Marketplace page. It's undergone a recent revamp as well, so check it out to find out more.


For my money, this is an excellent addition to the site, and gives writers another shot at publication. More publishers are jumping on board all the time, so be sure to check for new topics regularly.

Some of my writing related articles on Helium 

Being as writing provides me with a useful second income, I've written extensively on the subject for Helium.


Here are some of the articles I've written.

Spring cleaning for writers - organise your office

A hotly contested topic among writers methinks - tidy desk or messy desk?


Which is better for the creative mind?

How to recycle your writing...

...and get away with it. Nothing illegal or immoral here - this article explains how you can do this quite readily to earn more money as a writer.

Want to know the number one biggest mistake all new magazine writers make?

Here it is.


And yes, I made it too.

The four point strategy for earning money with Helium 

So here we are. The crux of this lens, which will reveal some techniques and tips for earning more with Helium as time goes by.


There are two important things I want to say here before we go any further. First off, I am constantly tweaking and experimenting with my own articles on Helium, so as and when I find something new that works, I'll reveal it here. Bookmark this lens now as a favourite so you can come back and see what I've been up to.


Secondly, don't forget that earning with Helium is a long term prospect. Make the most of it now and reap the rewards in months to come. Even when I'm not writing for Helium the pennies still continue to mount up.


Okay, here goes:


- Put in regular effort. This is a given. Even half an hour or so a day - every day - will get you good results over time. Make a timetable if necessary, and make sure you can stick to it.


- Write for different categories. This stretches you as a writer and increases the chance of your articles being found. Some categories also pay better than others - finance topics seem to do well, for example. Don't become a one topic writer.


- Become an expert in a specific category. Pick one you love. Mine's writing. I've answered dozens of questions in this area and they're among my best rated (and biggest earning) articles. As people find your topic, they'll click on your name to see what else you've written on that issue.


- Remember this - starting your own topic pays double. All new topics suggested need to be approved by Helium (articles on existing topics are published instantly), but it's worth doing as you'll earn more from them in the long run. Submit new topics on a regular basis as part of your overall strategy.


This section will expand as and when I try new strategies that work well, so stay tuned for new updates!


Here's another thought - don't be afraid to experiment. Don't get stuck in a rut as a writer - Helium provides an excellent place to experiment with new ideas and tactics, not to mention different styles of writing. Why not try it?

Helium in a nutshell 

So there you have it. Helium is a hugely popular site, experiencing huge wads of traffic on a daily basis. You can sign up for free and be writing your first article in minutes.


Don't underestimate the huge audience you will be writing for. Can you see how many hits your articles will start getting? Just imagine what a little regular effort will do - several hundred articles is achievable much sooner than you might think.


Time for me to go and write a couple more articles for Helium. Click on the button above and join me!


Call back soon - and have fun. Oh and by the way, you might find other lenses on this topic at Squidoo Directory.

Extra writing advice, tips, techniques and markets 

If you're looking to expand your online writing, check out some of my other writing related lenses. They're updated frequently, and I share some of my hard earned market information with you.


Psst! Don't tell anyone else...



Don't be shy... 

... share your writing experiences here!

Have you got your own tips and techniques for earning more on Helium? Share them here!

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by Allison_Whitehead

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If you want to know a little bit about me, here are the main bits - I'm a writer, working mainly for online c...

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