User talk:Jmactron
Welcome!
Hello, Jmactron, and welcome to Wikipedia! Thank you for your contributions. I hope you like the place and decide to stay. Here are some pages that you might find helpful:
- The five pillars of Wikipedia
- Tutorial
- How to edit a page and How to develop articles
- How to create your first article (using the Article Wizard if you wish)
- Manual of Style
I hope you enjoy editing here and being a Wikipedian! Please sign your messages on discussion pages using four tildes (~~~~); this will automatically insert your username and the date. If you need help, check out Wikipedia:Questions, ask me on my talk page, or ask your question on this page and then place {{help me}} before the question. Again, welcome! JohnCD (talk) 23:05, 18 November 2011 (UTC)
Advice[edit]
See User:JohnCD/Not a noticeboard for some background.
Wikipedia is selective about article subjects: the criterion used is called Wikipedia:Notability, and is not a matter of opinion but has to be demonstrated by showing "significant coverage in reliable sources that are independent of the subject." Significant means more than just listing-type mentions; reliable excludes Myspace, Facebook, blogs, places where anyone can post anything; independent excludes the subject's own website, affiliated ones and anything based on press releases. See WP:42 for how that is interpreted. The test is, have people independent of the subject thought it significant enough to write substantial comment about?
For bands, see WP:BAND for a guide to the requirements.
As you are connected with the band, you have from Wikipedia's point of view a WP:Conflict of interest. That doesn't stop you editing, but you need to be very careful not to seem promotional, and your edits will be viewed with suspicion - see also WP:BESTCOI.
You must not copy in material like Myspace or Facebook pages, because (a) that is a copyright violation unless you follow the procedure explained at WP:DCM, and (b) the sort of way people write there is totally unsuitable for an encyclopedia article, which should not have any WP:Puffery, just plain facts, neutrally stated and backed up by references to reliable sources.
If you want to go ahead,
- Read WP:Your first article
- Make a draft article in your user space by going to Help:Userspace draft
- Be very careful not to be promotional - the quickest way to deletion. For every claim, imagine a hostile critic saying "Who says? Can you prove that?" The WP:Verifiability policy requires that "any material challenged or likely to be challenged must be attributed to a reliable, published source." Don't think of yourself as writing for the band: you are writing for Wikipedia, about the band. Include references to verify what you say and to confirm notability.
- When you have finished, submit the article at WP:Articles for creation. Either it will be accepted, or you will be given feedback