User talk:Sm8900/draft notes

some ideas for an introductory page
I would like to suggest a new page to add to this editing area. it would be for a few roles: (A): to provide an introductory page for this area, In the news, for new editors who wish to edit in this area. (B) serve as a group workspace, similar to a WikiProject. (C) provide automated article alerts for this topical area.

I realize that the main page already provides a wealth of information. I feel that an introduction page might serve a useful purpose as well, in providing the introductory information, in a slightly more encouraging form, thereby encouraging and enabling new editors to feeel they can get involved in this area.

I would like to add this to a new page that could serve as introduction for editing this topical area. it could be either In the news/Introduction, or some variation thereof. We could add an informational notice to this talk page, encouraging editors to view this information.

Below is a draft of some of the basic text that I would like to propose for this page. this is fairly simple for now, just a few links to make this page useful as a reference page to make it easier to find information on editing articles in this topical area. I may have some more items to add, once I find further useful essays or pages to add. I will be glad to post any potential revisions here on this talk page for discussion beforehand. thanks.

I also would like to suggest that we place the informational box below on various talk pages related to this project.

DRAFT OF INTRODUCTION PAGE:

This page provides some resources and information to help provide an introduction for editors who wish to add or edit items pertaining to the section for In the news. This section is a permanent component of the Main Page of Wikipedia.

Important pages and resources
Below are some important resources for editing the areas of "In the news" and current events
 * Central pages for current events topics:
 * Main page: In the news
 * Portal: Current events
 * Template:In the news
 * Instructions or essays on editing current events:
 * How the Current events page works
 * In the news/Administrator instructions


 * Categories:
 * Category:Current events portal

draft message
Hi There Captain Eeek!! Avast and ahoy there!! coming alongside. mind the bosun's chair. step lively now, me hearties!!!! cheers!!

I can use your help on some things I've been working on. as noted below.


 * for one thing, how do i get WikiProject History to be more active. if you view the page there, I have made it as useful, as readable, as concise and as inviting as I could. the talk page openly invites people to get more involved. I have also placed various automated project resources at the top of page, such as eg, article alerts.
 * I am open to any input at all on this. how do I make this wikiproject more useful to people, more inviting, and more active? any idea is good. I've tried my own ideas; I'm fully open to other ideas to be tried as well.
 * how do we promote "community bulletin board" as a shared workspace and group resource? I am thinking of adding a prominent link to this page, somewhere at WikiProject History. I would like other projects to consider doing so as well.
 * Do you see any potential ways that I could reach out to other history-related wikiprojects, and start to promote some kind of shared discussion space, or other shared community page?
 * as you know, two of the most active wikiprojects are history-related, ie MILHIST, and Women in Red. I'd be interested in finding some way to promote some sort of page for group updates, discussions, discourse, etc.
 * One major idea that I had was to create another tab on the tab header for WP:HIST, and use it to link to some shared project space, or discussion forum, etc. I think this could have massive benefits. Wikipedia is a community. we are not a social network, but we are indeed a thriving, robust community, with multiple group efforts, discussions, etc, happening every day. So I would like to promote this idea for a shared workspace or shared community forum for wikiprojects, as one way to promote that.
 * lastly, I note you are quite active on editing drives, as well as several wikiprojects. what draws you to them. what are some ways to make them a good resource.
 * okay, one more question. there are editors who edit history-related articles, whose knowledge and activity is exponentially greater than mine. so they are intriniscally involved every day. Perhaps one role of mine is to make WP:History more inviting to them? in other words, if someone is already continually focused on this subject area, what are some good ways to make this wikiproject useful to them, given that they are already highly involved?

Ok, those are just some of the questions I've been thinking over lately. having you as a mentor is one great and positive way that perhaps I could start to look at some of these. I don't expect a highly detailed answer by the way, unless you would like to provide one, which would be very welcome. but any thoughts that you have would be greatly appreciated. thanks!! --Sm8900 (talk) 14:14, 9 March 2020 (UTC)