Wikinovel:Questions
From Wikinovel
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[edit] New to Wikinovel?
Glad you're here. But I bet you've got some questions. I'll try to answer them.
[edit] Q: What's a wiki?
A wiki is a Web site that anyone can edit. That means any content you create on Wikinovel can be edited, that is changed, by other users. You can also edit their content.
[edit] Q: So how do I edit?
Click edit at the top of any page. Here's some helpful formatting guidelines. When you do edit a page, be sure to summarize the changes you made in the "Summary" box at the bottom.
[edit] Q: How do I know what changes have been made to the page?
Each page is tracked. Click the history button to see who's edited it. You can even compare different versions.
[edit] Q: I don't live in the U.S., can I participate?
Definitely, but we're writing the novel in English. All content and contributions need to be translated to English if you first write them in another language.
[edit] Q: Can I contribute without creating an account?
Yes, but you lose the ability to claim those contributions as your own, under your own name. Creating an account is much better, and we'll give you access to more features on the site. If this privilege gets abused, we might change it in the future.
[edit] Q: Some say this won't work. Will it?
Those people aren't writers. Because, if they were, they'd understand that collaborative writing is almost as old as the craft itself--and a staple in nearly every writer's group, MFA program and the like. Technology like WikiMedia just makes it a lot easier. We can now collaborate on a world-wide basis, and that's something that we culdn't do before.
[edit] Q: What's with the Google Ads?
It costs a good bit of money to host Wikinovel, so the ads help to defray some of that cost.
[edit] The Project
[edit] Q: The end. Where is it?
We don't know yet. When a consensus is reached, well... you get the idea.
[edit] Q: So, there's no goal?
No, there is. A published, made from paper, trade paperback. That's a pretty high goal to shoot for, we know. Have faith.
[edit] Q: Is the content under a creative commons license or similar, like Wikipedia?
No. Be sure and read the Terms of Service. Because our end goal is a published, trade paperback, sharing the copyright or licensing the work for broad distribution is legally problematic. You do, however, have permission to edit anything on the site that isn't locked down by the administrators, provided the content stays on the site.
[edit] Q: Is this project related to Wikiworld?
Yes, it is. The story takes place in the Wikiworld, but the chracters are all unique to this story.
[edit] Q: Can we use Wikiworld's characters in Wikinovel?
Sure. They can make appearances, cameo's, etc., but they can't be major characters. Wikinovel's character's, though, can't appear in Wikiworld's stories.
[edit] The process
[edit] Q: Someone changed what I wrote.
We know. That's kind of the point. It will happen, again--and again and again. Every edit page has this disclaimer: "Please note that all contributions to Wikinovel may be edited, altered, or removed by other contributors. If you don't want your writing to be edited mercilessly, then don't submit it here." Please take that to heart. Wiki writing isn't for everyone.
[edit] Q: What happens if we can't agree on something?
The editor will step in and make the final decision. Sometimes, if things are floundering, the editor will also make a decision to keep things moving. It's the editor's job to watch over the entire project tomake sure we maintain continuity and stay on track.
[edit] Q: How do I keep up with all the changes?
You can visit the Special:Recentchanges page or use our recent changes RSS feed.
