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Getting started as a contributor How to write an article Pick something current? Use two independent sources? Read your sources before writing the story in your own words?. Do choose a unique title? before you start. Follow Wikinews' structure? for articles, answering as many of who what when where why and how? as you can; summarised in a short, two- or three-sentence opening paragraph. Once complete, your article must be three or more paragraphs. If you need help, you can add {{helpme}} to your talkpage, along with a question, or alternatively, just ask? Use this tab to enter your title and get a basic article template. [RECOMMENDED. Starts your article through the semi-automated {{develop}}—>{{review}}—>{{publish}} collaboration process.]

Welcome! Thank you for joining Wikinews; we'd love for you to stick around and get more involved. To help you get started we have an essay that will guide you through the process of writing your first full article. There are many other things you can do on the project, but its lifeblood is new, current, stories written neutrally. As you get more involved, you will need to look into key project policies and other discussions you can participate in; so, keep this message on this page and refer to the other links in it when you want to learn more, or have any problems. Wikipedia's puzzle-globe logo, © Wikimedia Foundation   Used to contributing to Wikipedia? See here.

All Wikimedia projects have rules. Here are ours. Listed here are the official policies of the project, you may be referred to some of them if your early attempts at writing articles don't follow them. Don't let this discourage you, we all had to start somewhere. The rules and guides laid out here are intended to keep content to high standards and meet certain rules the Wikimedia Foundation applies to all projects. It may seem like a lot to read, but you do not have to go through it all in one sitting, or know them all before you can start contributing. Remember, you should enjoy contributing to the project. If you're really stuck come chat with the regulars. There's usually someone in chat who will be happy to help, but they may not respond instantly.

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Places to go, people to meet Wiki projects work because a sense of community forms around the project. Although writing news is far more individualistic than contributing to Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, people often need minor help with things like spelling and copyediting. If a story isn't too old you might be able to expand it, or if it is disputed you may be able to find some more sources and rescue it before it is listed for deletion. There are always discussions going on about how the site could be improved, and your input is of value. Check the links here to see where you can give input to the running of the Wikinews project.

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Write your first article for Wikinews! Use the following box to help you create your first article. Simply type in a title to your story and press "Create page". Then start typing text to your story into the new box that will come up. When you're done, press "save page". That's all there is to it! It is recommended you read the article guide before starting. Also make sure to check the list of recently created articles to see if your story hasn't already been reported upon.

--Pi zero (talk) 11:41, 3 September 2012 (UTC)

Totally NOT...........

....wanting to wade off into any of the previous dialogue, may I share with you some bulleted advice for reporters I have on my user page?

Absolutely free advice for any new writers here:

• Within the first 3 sentences of any article you're writing, ask yourself, "Would a school teacher in Manila care about this?" The answer should be a quick yes, or you're wasting your time.

• I live by this about articles/submissions here: Get it, write it, submit it, move on. You'll be helping yourself if you adopt that motto too.

I read, at length, the discussion you et al had about the Asia article (the article had a good feel to it content-wise, but it needed a spot of tweaking here-and-there). If you want to be a reporter, get the news then come here and report it. I assure you, the "old salts" here love good news and they love good reporting.....I PROMISE YOU THAT! While there's a bit of a learning curve, if you stick with it, you'll get it. There are many ways in which Wikipedia and Wikinews are very different, but one thing that makes them highly similar is that one of the easiest ways to get a feel for things, is to start out doing VERY BASIC copy editing....a comma here, fix a typo there. Spend a few weeks doing that, and you'll start to pick up on the choreography that gets used 'round these parts, I promise. --Bddpaux (talk)

On the topic of reasons not to walk away

• We need reporters here. As mentioned, get the story then come here and report it. You'll see your name (well, pretty much your name) in lights!!
• Personally, my writing OVERALL in all facets of my professional life has radically improved during my tenure here. Through perseverance, I can nearly guarantee you'll achieve the same result.
• The admins, reviewers etc. here really are some nice people. Being a good reporter and doing good reporting is ALWAYS valued here. We take ourselves and what we're doing here seriously [but not too much so ;) ]!!
• I assure you, you'll get the groove if you'll stick with it. Oddly, some of the best learning I've done re: news reporting has been via my rejected articles here.

Y'know, the wiki world is kinda weird.....it's almost TOO egalitarian sometimes! I hope you stick with it. --Bddpaux (talk)