Business 2 CommunityWikipedia Is Frustrating – Never Give Up
I offer many posts that contain advice on how you can get help creating a Wikipedia page; however, looking through some of my old posts, I realized that I never really offered much encouragement to those having issues with editing or creating a page. Well, first I want to apologize as I have taken for granted the fact that although I have been able to come to grips with the issues of Wikipedia, many of you reading these posts have not. I do it for a living which is why it comes easy to me. For others, this is something that you are not doing on a full-time basis and the frustration of trying to do a simple edit can often become overwhelming. So, with that in mind, here are a few things to keep in mind that may be of use to you and hopefully provide help creating a Wikipedia page.
Creating a Wikipedia page can be like quitting smoking:
If you are a smoker (or former smoker like myself), you understand how difficult it can be to stop. There are people telling you that it is easy (like my posts have been) while at the same time you are trying everything you can to no avail. I can tell you as a former smoker and an experienced Wikipedia editor that you will find a method that will work. Help creating a Wikipedia page can come in many forms and it simply takes you finding the right combination of writing in order to succeed at your goal. So, it is not that easy to simply create an account on Wikipedia and post an article. But, with persistence and educating yourself on the various guidelines you will eventually succeed.
Getting the hang of Wikipedia can be almost as difficult as quitting smoking.
Don’t let Wiki-idiots discourage you:
Wiki-idiots are the editors who have been editing the website for years and have formed their own little bureaucracy that dictates what guidelines are enforced and which ones aren’t. Many people who make edits for the first time come across these idiots who may leave a welcome message on the user’s talk page (actually, a template that says welcome, nothing too personal that actually makes someone feel welcome) but may follow it up with a stern warning about an edit they made. There are some edits on Wikipedia that are obvious vandalism, but many times edits that look like vandalism are done in good faith by editors.
Wiki-idiots are hiding behind every corner of Wikipedia. Don’t let them frustrate you to the point that you give up.
New editors who run into Wiki-idiots are often so discouraged that they fail to try any further and seek help creating a Wikipedia page from professionals such as myself. These idiots have created a profitable business for me, but it shouldn’t be that way. If you truly want to create a Wikipedia page without hiring a professional, do not let a simple run-in with other editors discourage you from continuing in your goal. Continue to educate yourself and take the advice that I will give you in the next section.
Take baby steps and never look back:
No one is an expert at anything without practice and determination. The same goes for Wikipedia. Do not expect to be able to create a masterpiece until you first learn the ins and outs of the website, including the guidelines on editing and how to perform simple edits. It has become a difficult site to edit and is nothing like it was a few years after it was co-created where anyone could edit freely without worrying about running into others who disagree with other people’s point of view and interpretation of Wikipedia guidelines. So, continue to read up on how to perform various edits (adding citations, information boxes, categories, etc.). Familiarize yourself with all the guidelines you can (notability, conflict of interest, reliable sources, etc.). Once you learn what you’re doing, go forward with your project and never look back.
This article was syndicated from Business 2 Community: Wikipedia Is Frustrating – Never Give Up
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