User:Wobblywatch/sandbox

Practice article
This article exists to allow the Wikipedia user Wobblywatch to practice using the various tools involved in the Wikipedia editing process, and learn how to write effective articles to contribute to Wikipedia.

User qualms
This user would like to here express several concerns they have regarding their ability to contribute effectively to Wikipedia.

So much of the promotional material describing how people engage with the encyclopedia pushes us towards creating our own articles. The reason I came here was because I wanted to do all I could to contribute to this wonderful project that has done so much good in the world, but I cannot help but question how much I can personally do here.

To be more specific, I am nervous regarding:


 * the ability to effectively create new articles in a neutral way
 * the relevance of the subjects I am interested to the encyclopedia
 * whether the subjects I am interested in have had articles written already
 * if these articles have been written, whether I can contribute significantly to them in a truly constructive fashion.
 * whether I as an individual am capable of effectively editing and contributing to the Wikipedia community as a whole

Self Criticism
The above concerns are certainly legitimate, however, they do not provide any real reason to cut my experience here short. If anything these qualms are an invitation. As the union song says: "Drops of water turn a mill - Singly none, singly none". We all have something to contribute to Wikipedia as a whole, and if we shy away from our individual potential we deprive the world of this wonderful resource. We must not belittle our contributions as mere drops, but think of ourselves as members of a mighty stream forever turning the encyclopedic mill.

Wikipedia can be an example to the world of what people collaborating to build something bigger than themselves can do; not for private gain or out of some competitive will, but for its own sake, and for the sake of the world.

Conclusion


This page has clearly become less of an effective article than a short piece of practice using the source editor with some motivational speech thrown in. All the same what has been said so far is significant. I intend to begin doing small edits on various articles to gain experience, and work to improve my writing so as to become fully ready to write my own articles. This is the first step of that journey, and to again quote the union song, "Step by Step" sung by Pete Seeger:

"Step by step the longest march - Can be won, can be won".

Criticism of article
This sandbox article most definitely does not stand as an encyclopedic work and has the glaring flaw of rather weak sources. Much work must by done by this user(myself) to ensure they will be capable of effective article writing in the future. This in essence being a venting space, we can let this one pass.