Help:Tutorial

This tutorial is aimed at helping new users begin editing on the wiki. Please remember that if you read or edit Fanlore, you agree to the Fanlore Terms of Service.

Some Basics

Do I need an account on the wiki?

To make edits on Fanlore, you must have a user account and be logged in.

To read Fanlore, you do not need an account. Fanlore content is public.

Learn how to create an account on the wiki.

How do I edit an existing wiki article?

Log in.
Go to the article you wish to edit.
To access the Visual Editor, select Edit.
- In the default skin, you should find the Edit option between the Read and Edit Source tabs. If you are not logged in, you will not have an Edit option.
- You will be taken to an editable preview of the page.
To access the Source Editor if you prefer to edit the page using wiki markup, select Edit source.
- You will be taken to an edit box where you can make changes. Check out Help:Cheatsheet for quick and easy formatting tips!
When you finish making changes, select Save page below the edit window, and you're done.

Refer to Help:Editing pages for more detailed editing guidance.

How do I create a new article?

There are a few ways to do it. This is one of the easiest ways:

Enter the title of the article you want to create into the Search box.
Hit the enter or return key.
You will see a bold notice: Create the page "whatever" on this wiki!
Click on the red-linked "whatever"
A blank edit window will open
Write stuff, then click Save page.

Note: New users have a time delay of four hours after registering before they can create new pages in order to protect Fanlore from spam and bots.

Refer to Help:Starting a new page for more ways to create a page, as well as for guidance on what to add.

So, what kind of information should I include on a Fanlore article?

While many fan wikis collect canon information -- plot summaries, character biographies, production/publishing history, in-universe glossary terms (like tricorders), etc. -- Fanlore is interested in documenting the fan communities that form around those canons. The limited canon information on the wiki is intended to provide context for fan discussions, communities, activities, etc. In essence, we are an encyclopedia of fannish culture.

Fanlore's category structure can give you a sense of what types of things editors like to write about -- fan activities, fannish terms, fanworks and fanwork tropes, fannish communities, individual fans, significant events in fandom, and commentary and commentators on fandom.

You might also find Fanlore's FAQ and What Fanlore is not helpful.

Special Topics

We suggest you follow the articles in this order:

For any other questions, you can use the Talk page or contact the Fanlore Committee.