Helium’s Community forums complement the writing work of members by providing support and by cultivating relationships among writers. Here you can find lively discussions about many Helium topics. Ask questions here, too — our moderated boards are known for being supportive communities.

Writers participate actively in providing and soliciting critiques in several forums on the boards, such as Writer’s Workshop and Open Members’ Feedback Forum.

Members also discuss issues of the day and those of particular interest to specific Helium channels in our appropriately named Channel Forums. Members and Helium staff form a community of helpful voices throughout these forums.

You can access the Community forums through the Community link in the left-hand navigation bar on your My Helium page. A link to the community forums can also be found in our site footer, available at the bottom of most Helium pages. Be sure to read the Community Board Policies first. We strive to be a compassionate and constructive site for writers.

Like many Internet forums, we reward your participation with a defined number of stars based on your participation. These stars are listed under “Board Status” below your name when you post on the forums. Here is the breakdown:

• 1 star: 0-50 posts
• 2 stars: 50-100 posts
• 3 stars: 100-400 posts
• 4 stars: 400-1,000 posts
• 5 stars: 1,000+ posts

Fancy-colored stars mark Helium staff, forum administrators and forum moderators.

Remember, the stars for “Board status” represent the number of posts you have in the forums. There are separate stars for your writing and rating prowess on Helium. For more information about badges, writing and rating stars, read our Stars and Badges page.