User talk:Stephen Keller

Hi,

It is generally not advised for people directly involved in a subject to create an article on that subject. Product articles also can get a rough ride if there is even a hint of "advertising". I would suggest reviewing Wikipedia guidelines on creating articles first (see for example Your_first_article). You could then develop your article in a sandbox within your user page. Getting feedback from other editors while the potential article is still contained within your userpage would be preferred over introducing the article into the encyclopedia cold. Hope this helps a bit. Taroaldo (talk) 19:24, 10 March 2009 (UTC)


 * Thanks for the speedy reply, Taroaldo. That's more or less what I'd gathered. It's acceptable, then, to create a draft of the page in my user area and ask people for feedback? What is the mechanism for asking for that feedback? Stephen Keller (talk) 19:41, 10 March 2009 (UTC)


 * Hi. Glad to help. Yes it is preferable to develop a new article within your userpage. I have seen many beginning articles go right up in article mainspace and end up getting deleted or proposed for deletion in short order.  Developing the article in a userpage first -- making it as thorough as possible including valid sources, links, NPOV, etc. -- gives it a much better chance of succeeding.  Independent sources are important because it allows other editors to verify material.
 * As for getting feedback, there are a number of different ways. You can check out WP:HAU to start.  Keep in mind that there are thousands of editors who all function at different levels.  Some may have more thorough knowledge or give better advice than others. Seeking more than one opinion is crucial.  (Even among administrators, some are more reliable than others.)  My best suggestion would be to explore Wikipedia a bit and try a few small edits on different articles.  Very quickly you will start to notice some editors who are very active and diligent with their work.  You can approach them on their talk pages and see if they would be willing to provide some advice.  Hope this helps.  I'd be happy to help with any additional questions. Cheers. Taroaldo (talk) 20:04, 10 March 2009 (UTC)