Star changes on Helium
By mrtimharry
@mrtimharry (1180)
July 29, 2009 9:14am CST
Just received an email to say that those with four and five stars are very unlikely to ever lose their stars in the future. Unless of course articles in the future no longer meet the writing standards of the site.
In theory therefore it is great as can write to as many open titles as I like without worrying about competitiveness. I guess though it is more of an incentive for those with less than four stars knowing that once they get there, there will be no worries about having to keep working to hold on to them.
4 people like this
4 responses
@scheng1 (24650)
• Singapore
29 Jul 09
Hi mrtimharry, that's great! Good to hear that they are putting great idea into practice. I have three writing stars at the moment, and need more than a hundred articles to get another writing star.
I haven't received the email, wonder if they will send to all, or just to the current five and four writing stars writers.
2 people like this
@scheng1 (24650)
• Singapore
29 Jul 09
Hi mrtimharry, there's nothing in the forum in Helium.
Do you think you can copy and paste, and let us take a look at the email body? I am really curious to see what the new change is.
The title splitting is really a problematic project. My friend wrote an articles about singleness, and due to title splitting, her article shifted to single parenthood.
2 people like this
@mrtimharry (1180)
•
29 Jul 09
Hello Tim,
You’ve worked hard on Helium – you don’t need us to tell you that! You’ve earned either four or five writing stars, and that ain’t hay.
You’re the superstars of Helium, the writers who impress our publishing partners the most and who work hardest for us.
So we want to add an extra privilege to your star status. Starting immediately, we have introduced “tenure” for your writing stars. What does that mean? It means that you won’t lose those stars. If you have four writing stars, you can increase to five stars, but you won’t lose stars.
2 people like this
@AnythngArt (3302)
• United States
30 Jul 09
This is really good news, although I am not there yet. I only recently earned a 2nd star for writing, and I am just crossing my fingers that I am able to hold on to it. I need to go back and Leapfrog a bunch of articles, but I prefer to write new things rather than tinker around, trying to make perfectly good articles more appealing.
I applaud Helium and hope this decision works out for everyone and that people don't abuse it. I think if you've been working that hard, it would be strange to throw your reputation away.
Thanks for sharing the information with your pals here on MyLot!
@mrtimharry (1180)
•
30 Jul 09
Always a pleasure to talk about the positive elements of Helium.
Personally I hate leapfrogging what I consider to be a good article. I tend not to do that much leapfrogging, if I am satisifed with what I have written then it doesn't particular matter to me whether it is ranked first or last,
3 people like this
@Sandra1952 (6047)
• Spain
13 Feb 10
Art, Tim, I was always anti-leapfrogging, but now I'm a convert! In the last 10 days, leapfrogging has raised my writing score by 11 points and gained me 2 stars. 
I was nagged into doing it by a friend who has just joined Helium and was disgusted that I was starless, but I'm glad I made the effort now.
I was nagged into doing it by a friend who has just joined Helium and was disgusted that I was starless, but I'm glad I made the effort now. @babostwick (2036)
• United States
9 Aug 09
I got the same thing. I like that fact and I'm going to have to continue to do what is necessary to maintain the stars I have earned. It took a while to get to five and it really makes it seem great that I don't have to worry about losing them. That doesn't mean I won't try to keep it that way but this was good news to hear.
@Canellita (12029)
• United States
30 Jul 09
This is great news! I am still working toward my 4th and I decided to give the contests a try.
@mrtimharry (1180)
•
30 Jul 09
I had just started to do some of the competitions again to try and keep my competitive writing score up, and promptly won forty dollars in the first one. No luck though in the second and third ones.
2 people like this
@Canellita (12029)
• United States
30 Jul 09
Good for you! The last time I checked my first entry was at #3. I haven't checked on the second one yet. I hope to enter a few more.
