Welcome to Wikinews

A nice cup of coffee for you while you get started

Getting started as a contributor
How to write an article
  1. Pick something current?
  2. Use two independent sources?
  3. Read your sources before writing the story in your own words?. Do choose a unique title? before you start.
  4. 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.
  5. 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
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.

The core policies
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.

Find help and get involved
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.

Tempodivalse [talk] 21:01, 9 June 2009 (UTC)Reply

Re: Your article edit

Well, i just had a look at your article, and it's very good, you've got the hang of the "news-style" of writing very quickly. I see you've taken a very thorough read through our policies. The story has just passed its peer review and has been published as well, congratulations. Welcome once again. If you need any help or have questions, don't hesitate to ask me.   Cheers, Tempodivalse [talk] 21:38, 9 June 2009 (UTC)Reply

Generally, after a story has been published for 24 hours it should no longer be updated or altered for content (see WN:ARCHIVE). Thus, if updates happen within the next few hours, then it is okay to update the current article. If new information becomes available after a day or more, however, then a new article should be created instead. Hope this helped. Tempodivalse [talk] 21:59, 9 June 2009 (UTC)Reply
You can create a separate header in the new article (right below the main article text but above the sources) under the title of "Related news" and then use the {{wikinews}} template to help link to previous articles. Cheers, Tempodivalse [talk] 19:25, 10 June 2009 (UTC)Reply

This article has now been published. Cheers, --SVTCobra 00:49, 11 June 2009 (UTC)Reply

TY. And thanks for your help in cleaning it up! --Jayron32.talk.contribs 01:52, 11 June 2009 (UTC)Reply
Please see Talk:San_Diego_State_University_pitcher_taken_first_in_baseball_draft#Good_job. Calebrw (talk) 06:31, 11 June 2009 (UTC)Reply

Sources edit

Please remember to format sources as June 12, 2009 not any other way, including 2009-06-12 or 12 June 2009, etc. Thanks, Calebrw (talk) 02:12, 13 June 2009 (UTC)Reply

No, the article looked good. I have done a copyedit and if you'd like, just take a look at the changes I've made to it. They are all minor corrections as no major ones are needed. Also, please single-space your sentences. You could do a thousand (spaces between sentences) and only one would show up, so more than one is pointless. Calebrw (talk) 02:26, 13 June 2009 (UTC)Reply
In regards to spacing, it's not really a big deal, but it drives me crazy when I see it printed in profession documents. I do try to fix when possible, otherwise, you can run a fix if you have the proper gadget enabled, hit the one with the two checkmarks and that ought to take care of the problem and other problems you might have. Calebrw (talk) 04:00, 13 June 2009 (UTC)Reply

your good with sports news edit

the penguins have won the stanley cup i started the article it needs A lot of work... care to lend a hand??? thanks --72.73.118.252 (talk) 05:02, 13 June 2009 (UTC)Reply

I'll take a look at it. Thanks for the heads-up! --Jayron32.talk.contribs 17:44, 13 June 2009 (UTC)Reply
You missed one fix: one date was not fixed. Dates in related news apply too. Calebrw (talk) 23:47, 13 June 2009 (UTC)Reply
Nobody's perfect. Least of all me. --Jayron32.talk.contribs 23:48, 13 June 2009 (UTC)Reply

Barnstar edit

 
I, Tempodivalse, hereby award Jayron32 the Exceptional Newcomer Award for creating so many great articles in his first few days here. Keep it up!   Tempodivalse [talk] 23:51, 13 June 2009 (UTC)Reply
Mooch ass grassy ass! --Jayron32.talk.contribs 23:54, 13 June 2009 (UTC)Reply

Editor status granted edit

I have promoted you to the Wikinews:Editor class, as I feel you can be trusted to mark revisions of articles as sighted (review). Please take a moment to read:

If you have any questions don't hesitate to ask for help on my talk page, and thank you for contributing to Wikinews! Tempodivalse [talk] 22:36, 7 August 2009 (UTC)Reply

My account edit

Hi there,

I know I'm not the greatest contributor to the Wikipedia world but I like to think I do make a difference if only a small one. So imagine my surprise when, as I went to correct a spelling mistake on the page of WWE wrestler Vladimir Kozlov, I found that I had been blocked from editing.

I believe there has been some confusion recently as I have started using a Vodaphone internet connection and my have been mistaken for someone name Robert Taggart. The message I recieved on attempting to edit advised me to quote WP:IPBE

The reason I have contacted you via Wikinews is because, as I've already said, I'm blocked on Wikipedia and am not very clear on the appeals process.

Anyway I look forward to hearing from you soon. Mccarry85 (talk) 12:54, 21 May 2010 (UTC)Reply

privs edit

 
Busy elsewhere? We understand, but this is a notice of privilege expiry!

Note! Your privileges on English Wikinews have been reduced.

Under the Privilege expiry policy (enacted October 13, 2012) the rights held by your user account have been reduced due to inactivity, or lack of privilege use. You can view your user rights log here.
The privilege reduction is in no way intended as a reflection on your past work, or to imply you are unwelcome. The aim in curtailing privileges is to address security risks, and concern that a long period of inactivity means you may not be up-to-date with current policy and practices.

--Pi zero (talk) 00:36, 20 December 2012 (UTC)Reply