Help:Starting a new page

Shortcut H:NEW

As the Pokémon franchise is always expanding, there is often a need for new articles to be added to Bulbapedia. When you create an article for the wiki, you help fans around the world discover and learn more about Pokémon.

Starting your first article may feel challenging, but this guide is here to make the process simple and approachable. As you write, remember:

• Take your time
• Ask questions when you need help
• Collaborate with others in the community

Getting started

Before creating a new article, please follow these steps:

• Search first: Use the search bar to see if the topic already exists. In some cases, the topic may be covered in a page section, rather than on its own solo page. Consider searching for related topics to make your search more thorough. For example: for a game mechanic, try searching the game it is from.
• Review existing pages: Edit other articles to see how they are structured and written. Articles on similar topics can often be useful as models for new articles.
• Ask questions: If something is unclear, post on a talk page or contact a staff member.

Understanding namespaces

Namespaces help organize different types of pages on Bulbapedia. They appear before the page title, followed by a colon. For example:

• Main namespace: Pages about Pokémon (no prefix needed), often abbreviated to "mainspace"
• User: Your personal pages (example: User:YourUsername)
• Draft: Where new articles are worked on before being published
• Template: For special formatting tools

Creating a new article

To create a new article, you must first be autoconfirmed. This means your account must have existed for a certain period of time, and you must have made a specific number of edits to the mainspace. You can check to see if you are autoconfirmed on Special:Preferences under "Basic information", or by entering your username on Special:UserRights.

When to make a new article?

• You see a red link in an article or on the Bulletin Board.
• The topic is notable and not yet covered.
• It is listed on our wanted pages list.

How to make a new article?

There are a few different ways to create a new page on Bulbapedia:

• Using Special:CreatePage - Go to Special:CreatePage, type your new page name into the input box, and click 'Submit' to create it.
• Using the search bar: Type the desired name of the page into the search bar and click "Search." If the page doesn't exist, a prompt will appear at the top of the search results, allowing you to create it.
• Using a red link: Red links (which appear in red text) show that a page doesn't exist yet on Bulbapedia. Type the desired name of the page into any editing form, put double square brackets around it like this: [[Page Name]], and preview the edit. Click on the newly created red link to start the page.
• Editing the URL: Directly edit the URL of the current page, appending the desired page name after "/wiki/."

Regardless of the method, remember:

• Use the correct namespace (e.g., "User:" or "Template:").
• Refer to the guidelines on naming new articles in the manual of style.
• If the natural title is already taken, and that page is covering another subject with the same name, refer to Help:Disambiguation for guidance on choosing a unique title for the new page (or renaming the existing one).
• If an article otherwise cannot be created for the chosen title, there is a chance that the particular name might be protected, in which you may need to contact a staff member for assistance.

Methodology

It is generally a good practice to use the following approach when putting together a new article:

Step 1: Draft

New articles may be created in the mainspace, or they may be created in the Draft namespace and moved to the mainspace later. If you're looking for additional help with completing an article, you may want to create the page in the Draft namespace so that it may be reviewed by other editors before it's moved to the mainspace. To do so, just add "Draft:" before your page's title.

Step 2: Standard layout

Much of the work of creating a new page involves writing out the details relevant to the topic and organizing them. If an existing page covers a similar topic, it can be useful to structure new pages in a similar way, especially if that page uses a complex template such as an infobox. This makes the experience for readers more consistent, and can help clarify elements or details that ought to be included or excluded.

• For example: if making a page about a new Pokémon move, it can be helpful to look at existing move pages, such as Thunderbolt. This can give a sense of how those pages are usually structured, and what sorts of information they usually include (infobox, then a TM list in the intro, then a section about the move's effect, etc).

Below is an example layout:

== Introduction ==
A short summary of your topic.

== Main Section ==
Key details (e.g., gameplay, plot, notable features).

== Additional Section ==
Further details that relate to your topic.

== Trivia ==
Fun or unusual facts.

== References ==
List your sources here.

Step 3: Basic wikicode

• Internal links: [[Viridian City]]
• Templates for Pokémon: {{p|Pikachu}}
• Section headings: Use == for main sections (example: == In Animation ==), and === for subsections (example: === In Pokémon Concierge ===).

For additional information and examples, see Help:Wikicode. For a list of other link templates, see Help:Link templates.

Step 4: Add references

Main article: Help:References

Whenever possible, make sure to cite the sources of your information.

Cite them with:

<ref>[https://example.com Title of Source]</ref>

Then display them in the "References" section by adding:

{{reflist}}

For longer works such as books, videos, or games, it can sometimes be helpful to cite specific page numbers, timestamps, or quotes to more clearly show the information the source is providing. Readers who want to double-check the source can then find the information quickly and easily, without having to look through the entire work.

Example of a quote from a book:

<ref>Interview with [[Game Freak]] in ''[[Pokémon Sun & Pokémon Moon: The Official Alola Region Pokédex & Postgame Adventure Guide]]'', pp. vi-vii: '''Ohmori:''' ''"...When I read about [invasive species], I wondered if we couldn't express invasive species in the Pokémon world as well, and the idea we came up with was the Ultra Beasts..."''</ref>

Before publishing

• Use the "Show preview" button to check your work before saving; proofread your article for spelling and grammar errors and review the formatting.
• If images are relevant to the article, check the Bulbagarden Archives to see if a suitable image has already been uploaded. If you can't find an appropriate image there, you can upload an image there. Images can be added to a page by using: [[File:ImageName.png|thumb|Description]]
• At the bottom of the page, append whichever categories are relevant to the topic, as well as a notice for the appropriate Bulbapedia project if applicable.
• If you feel like the article is missing something significant that you aren't able to add, you can add a stub template or {{sectionstub}} to denote its incomplete status.

Step 5: Submit

• Tag it with {{stub}} or other relevant templates where applicable.
• Work with other editors to refine the article.
• You may want to add the newly created page to your watchlist to help track edits made by other users. Someone else may add something you've missed, and you can remember this for making future pages.
• After publishing the page, search for other pages that mention or should mention your topic and add links to the page you've just created. If the new page should appear on a navigation template, edit that template to include the new page, then add the navigation template to the newly-created page.

Advice

• Avoid copying content: Always use your own words.
• Follow Bulbapedia's style guidelines: Follow the manual of style to ensure your page is consistent with Bulbapedia's writing style.
• Include citations whenever possible: Cite sources for important facts.
• Use appropriate templates: Templates can be very helpful for certain tasks, such as getting tables or infoboxes to appear just right. However, try not to overdo it - use templates that fit your topic.
• Ask for feedback: Use talk pages for questions or suggestions. Collaborating with other editors is core to the wiki editing experience.
• Be bold: Mistakes can be fixed. Pages don't need to be perfect right out the gate - edits from yourself and other editors can improve the page over time.
• Take breaks: Step away if you need time to think.

Glossary

• Edit: Changing or adding details to a page.
• Revision: A specific saved version of a page.
• Stub: A short article that needs more content.
• Talk page: The discussion page linked to each article.
• Template: A reusable format or design block.

Resources

• Bulbapedia policies
• Help:Wikicode
• Manual of style
• Sandbox

See also

• Help:Contents – Additional help pages
• FAQ – Frequently asked questions
• Messages from the Editor – Stay updated on major announcements

Thank you!

By creating articles, you help Bulbapedia grow. Each new page supports Pokémon fans everywhere. Thank you for contributing!

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