Wikipedia:Stop writing
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{{nutshell|When drafting a new article, concentrate on finding sources, not on writing.}}
When drafting a new article in Articles for Creation, you should write just one small paragraph that neutrally describes the topic, then concentrate only on finding at least three independent, reliable, secondary sources that significantly discuss the topic.
If you have found at least three good sources, then your draft may have a chance and you can start writing again, perhaps by adding a paragraph or two. Make sure to cite your sources, and be careful not to veer into original research, synthesis or fancruft.
If you are unable to find three sources, don't panic. Although a draft can be deleted if it hasn't been edited in over six months, there is no deadline for it to be submitted. Keep on searching for sources from time to time while you contribute in other areas of Wikipedia.
But wait, it got declined again!
If you submit a draft and a reviewer declines it despite it being supported by multiple sources, you may be tempted to spitefully assume that they may be part of an evil conspiracy to stop you from contributing to Wikipedia. Whether or not that is actually the case, you should assume that the draft was declined in good faith and research these questions:
- Is the draft's text really neutral?
- Are the draft's sources really independent and reliable?
- Do all these sources really significantly discuss the topic?
If you're not sure what to do, you may post a polite request at the Help Desk for assistance before submitting your draft again. If you want to be sure if any source you're using is reliable, you may ask about it at the reliable sources noticeboard.
A useful way to keep track of sources and whether or not they would help an article topic meet the general notability guideline is to create a source assessment table.
Keep in mind that some topics have different notability criteria from other topics. An amount of coverage that may be enough to help one article stay around may not be enough to prevent another article from being deleted.
See also
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