Thanks for the honest review, and that’s all you can do. Keep up the good blog!

Freelance Writing Is Hards last blog post..Freelance Writing in Recession

You can contact me if you would like. I love talking to other fellow writers.

Good luck!
Kim

I agree about directories and places like hubpages or squidoo leading to writing gigs. It’s pretty common, although there are better ways to get writing gigs, I think.

@thingywhatsit (Rachelle) You’re definitely an inspiration when it comes to Helium. In fact, it was your words in the community forums that got me started at Helium, and your example that I’d often cite when I was defending Helium.

However, I’d be surprised (astounded, actually) to hear you say that your recursive earnings didn’t drop in May and June to a fraction of what they were back in March and April. That’s what troubles me the most.

@ Karen – Positivity is one thing, and it’s a good thing. I’ve been positive about Helium for months. I just feel very let down, and I think it’s OK to talk about it.

http://www.helium.com/users/show/41973

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@ Eve – I’ve noticed a slight increase in my earnings this past week, but we’ll see how long it lasts. It’s still a fairly small increase at this point.

@ Jamie – You’ve got a good point. And I’ve never been one to personify a company – they just changed a business model. Will that keep me from writing for them? Yeah. Their loss, though.

You know, I never had any illusions about earning a full-time income from Helium. I did, however, see the potential for a nice low-maintenance recursive income. Over time, it would have been nice.

I like my eHow earnings. They’re a better model for the recursive payments. I’ve got an article that took me 10 minutes to write in February. It’s earned earned me $9 so far. That’s not bad pay (it’s not great, but not bad), and it looks like the thing is going to continue to earn more money over time.

Jamie Grove – How Not To Writes last blog post..How I Almost Started Writing: Paris

The earnings thing does seem to be turning around a bit at present but it will never be a place to earn a living from writing.

BTW they are advertising for paid editorial staff at present.

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@ Magnolia – Oh, I understand that, too. Sometimes, you’ve just got to write about something and need a medium to do so. I just have a big problem with the bait-and-switch Helium seemed to do when it comes to earnings.

@ Karen W – I hadn’t thought of it from that angle. I have no problem with Helium as a writing club. Like I just said to Magnolia, though, Helium shouldn’t pretend to pay well when it doesn’t.

@ Karen S – Thankya. I just hope that talking about it now makes a difference for some folks.

Incidentally, I have it on good authority that there are folks who work at Helium who read this blog. I’m thoroughly surprised I haven’t heard from them, either in the comments or via email.

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But Helium is clearly a site for aspiring writers rather than for polished professionals. It’s more of a writer’s club, where the members are helping each other along, than a place for pro’s to earn income.

I’m a long-time editor, and I offered to help Helium for a nominal fee, as I often found myself comparing one article in dire need of help with another such one in the rating process. I was informed that Helium is a community where writers help each other (out of the kindness of their hearts and for the sake of learning, presumably.) That’s fine. An online writer’s club is as good as the ones I attended for years as I learned my craft, I’m sure.

In my book, Helium is providing an important function. It’s still young, finding its footing, and a great concept, but it’s not a place where many of us will earn our gas money.

Magnolias last blog post..I am……..

Like you, the whole idea of peer review and also having the challenge of writing on diverse subjects had huge appeal but, I am not dissimilar to most and am required to put food on the table each evening so efforts have to be expended where the rewards can be found.

It is to your absolute credit that you have come back to us and have been willing to talk about what a dear Australian friend of mine would call ‘the dead possum under the table’.

The fact that you are willing to talk about the not so good notches you a whole load more brownie points on my score card!!!!

I am not a fan of Hubpages – but I do enjoy Squidooing!! Shall we Squidoo together!!

D

@ Donetta – It did work, at least for a while. The changes they made, just about the time I released the report, changed the whole game.

@ Dave – Thanks for the encouragement. You’re good people.

@ Kameron – you’re right about the time sink/ROI connection. Article directories are always a bit of a gamble, as you can’t be sure which articles will pay off. Still, I don’t mind earning $10 a year for a 300-word article that took 15 minutes to write. When directories work correctly, that’s what happens.

@ Jack – thank you. As far as the “club” aspect that both you and Donetta mentioned, I think Helium consciously projects a handful of people to the front pages. Those folks come across as especially successful. I’d wager they’re having the same frustrations, though, when it comes to these abysmal earnings.

@ Magnolia – Part of the draw, for me, was to write in areas I otherwise might not write it. Helium has potential to help a writer improve their craft. At the same time, I can improve my craft in other ways that do make money. I recommended Helium especially for the people you describe – those that want to get their feet wet. But the stark drop in pay makes me wonder if that aspect is even worth it.

@ Meryl – That’s a good question. The other directories don’t have the versatility Helium does. That trifecta of the marketplace, contests and residuals made it unique. But Helium’s pay has dropped exponentially lower than any of the rest, and that’s what is so frustrating.

@Everyone – Is this the end of article directories? Heck if I know. Maybe Hub Pages or Squidoo are the answer. Still, I love the idea of peer review, which is unique to Helium. It’s something I’d like to incorporate into my writers’ mentoring program once it gets going.

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There are some really good writers there however and I’ve run across more than one or two in the rating process at times.

There are some excellent fiction writers and more than a few that crank out some excellent poetry.

I’ve not rated much of anything else because I tend to write in the essay channel, or lifstyle and health type stuff.

For me, Helium is a great place to get your feet wet and get some writing experience.

It is not a place to expect bit $$. I would expect that most people who make their living at writing aren’t spending a lot of time at Helium.

I signed up for Helium, wrote a couple articles and repurposed a few articles I’d previously written, but found the process for “proving” I owned them was more effort than it was worth. I agree with Donetta that it felt like a club I never quite joined.

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