How To Write A New Article On Wikihow

If we already have an article on the topic you want to write, but it’s incomplete, inaccurate, or messy, feel free to completely rewrite it from scratch! If you’re not sure whether the article you want to write is the same as an article we already have, take a look at the Merge Policy or ask the Help Team.

If you don’t feel ready to write an article at this level of detail, that’s totally okay. You can write a basic outline for others to build on, or you can spend time improving existing articles on wikiHow instead.

Is there anything other people do that repeatedly frustrates you, and makes you think: If only they had the right guide or information, they could avoid that pitfall? Is there anything you’ve had to do in the past that was difficult or challenging for you? What did you learn from that experience? How did you adapt? Is there any advice you could share with others going through the same thing?

Maybe you have a dream of visiting London, so you create an article titled “How to Visit London. ” Or, maybe you’re going skydiving for the first time, so you write an article called “How to Skydive for Beginners. ”

What kind of emotions is my reader feeling? What does my reader want to learn? How can I provide the information my reader wants?

Keep an open mind when you Google your topic. Your audience might not always be who you expect!

Avoid using blogs, web forums, and sites that seem primarily advertisement-driven. In particular, do not use sources like: aol ask ehow howstuffworks livestrong Wikipedia

In general, a “Parts” article covers sequential steps, while a “Methods” article covers a topic that has multiple different methods to choose from. You’ll indicate whether the article should be Parts or Methods at the very bottom of the article, with either __ Parts __ or __ Methods __ (note: this is 2 underscores on each side of the word).

An article with at least 10 steps. Each step has at least 4 sentences. The article tells the reader something that other articles on the web don’t.

For instance, if you’re writing about “How to Walk a Dog,” you might have headers like, “Gathering Supplies” and “Walking Around the Block. ” Format your headers like this: === Gathering Supplies ===

This first sentence will automatically be bolded to draw the reader’s attention to it. Use a # in front of each step (the numbers are automatic). For example, if your article is about planting succulents, one step might start with, “# Fill a pot with potting soil. ” Or, if your article is about walking a dog, a step might start with, “# Buy a harness and leash. ” Avoid steps starting with “Research this. ” They are researching; that’s what they’re doing on wikiHow.

For instance, in “# Buy a harness and leash. ” your wrap text might say, “A well-fitting harness will give you extra control over your dog and help you lead them as you walk. Be sure to pair that harness with a sturdy leash that’s made for your dog’s size. ” Try to stay away from “robot language. " This is when you don’t provide an article or possessive like a/the/your. It’s pretty common for writers to do this in the step title (the bold part of the step), but it makes your writing seem a little stilted/impersonal. For example, “Place chicken in water” should be “Place the chicken in the water”; “Express feelings” should be “Express your feelings. ”

Use a #* to make a sentence into a substep. To continue the example from above, you might use a substep to include additional information about harnesses or leashes, like, “#* Most harnesses come in sizes small, medium, large, or extra-large. Be sure to follow the size guide to get the right one for your dog. ”

Format the Tips and Warnings like this: == Tips == and == Warnings == Use a * before each tip and warning to automatically make it a bulleted list.

A list of existing articles on similar topics will come up. If there’s already a title that means the same thing as yours according to the Merge Policy, click on it. This will allow you to edit (or rewrite) the existing article to make it better. Otherwise, select “None of these are exactly the same” and then click “Write My Article. ”

“Have you ever been super excited to go to a party where all your friends will be, and maybe some crushes too, only to show up and freeze the second you walk through the door?” “Do you ever wonder how astronauts get ready to go into space?” “Are you wondering what to do with that big chunk of top round steak you found on sale at the grocery store?” Avoid referring to the article with phrases like “follow these steps” or “here are 3 methods” or “see below. ” Instead, the introduction should be able to stand alone as an introduction to the topic at hand.

It’s okay if you don’t catch everything right away—you can still edit your article after it’s been published.

Don’t be surprised if your work gets edited or rearranged at any point. Since anyone can edit on wikiHow, other readers may add to your work.

Be sure that you have permission to use the images that you are uploading. This means that you either need to own the image (meaning you created it or took it), or you purchased the image from a stock photo site or similar.

Don’t be afraid to briefly teach readers why something works. Often, background information on why something is the case enriches the step. Try including “why” information in your wrap text after you’ve adequately explained the how.

Similarly, we’ve found that readers prefer to have “Preparing” sections at the end of the article (even when it seems out of order to do it that way). The bottom line is to answer the reader’s “question” (How do I do something) as quickly as possible. When you start with “Understanding the Thing” or “Preparing to Do the Thing,” you’re delaying giving the reader the information they’re here for.

Try not to over-promise, either. You don’t want to tell readers that you have a miracle cure for an ailment, when actually, it’s just an herbal supplement that may or may not work.