Jenny

As I said before, my post is an analysis of a particular situation, not meant to judge your company specifically, but the Helium metaphor is apt and unavoidable. Here’s another metaphor: Like Wal-Mart, Helium succeeds through massive sales volume of deeply discounted products, products which they purchased wholesale from indigent manufacturers at an unfair wage. And like Wal-Mart, I can only assume that many of Helium’s customers (publishing partners) are financially threatened or fiscally irresponsible and could not survive without those deep discounts. It seems to me that Helium has found its niche in a cycle of poverty—but who am I to judge? As I said before, I plan to publish something on Helium in the near future, because I think it’s unfair for me to criticize something that I have not experienced for myself—and I think it’s time someone conducted a little scientific observation from the inside. If I find that I’m wrong, I’ll rescind all of my aforementioned analyses.

In any case, if Helium is staffed by a group of individuals like you—as determined, thorough, and relentlessly driven to wipe clean bad press and support their company at any cost—I’m certain that your non-exclusive publishing community will one day rule the written world.

Best of luck to you, Barbara. Thanks for the comment.

It’s very hard to talk concretely about what flies in the air or through the web. But Helium is more than a website. It is a vast community, and some have had the privilege to build close relationships that form expansive parachutes to support. Each member’s experience is authentic. Those that stand the test of time are most telling.

Some writers look to make connection and form community. Others are lone rangers and rely on their own jet-packs to move speedily throughout the Internet. Different patterns available for each to create.

Which writers are in the best financial shape, positioned well for future trends:

* Those who remain with their feet planted on print newspapers and magazines, in hopes of an ongoing livelihood.

* Those flying solo through the Internet, dipping in, not staying long enough to get all you can out of a website.

* Those deeply connected, who have formed networks that are solid across many Internet venues.

Here’s my preferred answer: All of the above.

Helium’s looking to fill a niche in the publishing world — several niches actually. Our non-exclusive content site looks different and spawns a different breed of community than many “content aggregate sites.” Our Marketplace of 500 publishing partners from print magazines, newspapers and web publishers is unique. Our newspaper Community Gateway partnership program is also unique.

Helium offers a multi-platform publishing opportunity, still evolving, still rising. We offer lots of opportunities for writers now, with the infrastructure laid to offer much more down the pike.

Father time is keeping watch, and we’ll see if the the fire-proofing holds.

Thanks for the opportunity to read and contribute to this discussion.

Barbara