Accepted submissions policy[]
As requested, and quite important. What do we allow to go on the wiki?
The first point made was only completed works. I agree with this.
Next, the debate over fan fiction. I'll repost my thoughts from the other talk page.
"I personally would like to see some fanfic material included. However, I totally understand the pandora's box perspective. If we did have any, some sort of policy would be needed. What I'd like to see is - spinoff material by (or fully sanctioned by (?)) audio and video producers. Novels/novellas going by a word count definition - so 17,500 plus. It would include things like the Shada novelization. Published collections such as Missing Pieces. Full Length comics (ie not comic strips). This should help sort the wheat form the chaff so to speak. As I think there are worthwhile things to be found there. I wouldn't be interested in a wiki for all fanfic. Would appreciate opinions on this."
Simple as that. We'll see where this goes. They'll be a minimum of a week before any decision is made. Probably longer.
All comments welcome.
--Botcherby 20:37, 4 September 2008 (UTC)
I really don't know where I come down on this issue. It's easy for fan productions. If it isn't actually "produced", then it shouldn't be included. Half-hearted attempts, "planned for the future", or productions that die in the middle should not be included. Now, we can make some exceptions to this rule if we want to be brave. If someone well established like the DWADs come out and say "Next year we are introducing a new Companion named Jack Robinson.", it's a pretty good bet that is going to happen and so a page for Jack Robinson would not be out of line. The downside to that is, "Who is well established"? If Joe Blow Productions makes one story, should they be allowed to make new pages regarding future characters? What about BTR who has not produced anything in years? Should they be allowed to start making pages about future characters, plots, etc?
Now e-Books are a different and more dangerous black hole. There are literally thousands of these animals running around. Just try wading through alt.drwho.creative. Should we really catalog these? Wiki would come crashing down under the weight! The Companion page alone would run megabytes! It would clog up this Wiki to the point that it would become unusable.
So for e-Books, should a line be drawn? Where? 17,500 is a nice number. It certainly would show that someone put an effort into it rather than just threw a drabble together.
I do agree that anything that is officially sanctioned by a production or legitimate publisher (so Missing Pieces can be included) can be included. But for simple e-Books that are posted to various message boards or UseNet, we do need some sort of criteria before allowing it to be listed in this Wiki.
At this moment, for non-sanctioned e-Books, I may be comfortable with a minimum word count, posted to a public forum.
The Supreme Dalek 21:56, 4 September 2008 (UTC)
I don't think I'd be too brave about allowing future production info up for anyone. My gut feeling is that if a group has made at least one production, then it's fair enough for them to put a red link for their next production on their group page. Anything more would be too much. After all, if there are re-writes then it's a waste of their own time - let alone the inaccuracies.
--Botcherby 23:37, 4 September 2008 (UTC)
- Assuming, of course, that someone comes along and corrects the inaccuracy. How many times will we see a future character or plot page be posted, something change and the character not be introduced, and the page just lives in inaccurate limbo? Maybe we should limit it to items that have actually been produced and eliminate the "wish list" altogether. Even the big Wikipedia has a problem combating this. The Supreme Dalek 22:10, 5 September 2008 (UTC)
I'm bumping this for any further comments. I know of one other persons thoughts from the original discussion page. The wiki is young so obviously not many people involved. I'll wait a day or two more. If nothing more is said I will go ahead with my original suggestion and see how it works out. Anyone can suggest changes in future by posting here.
--Botcherby 17:39, 12 September 2008 (UTC)
Been a bit busy, but I will instigate this policy as it is above soon. One thought - is there room for the occasional exception when an unfinished project is of such interest that it deserves a page. I'm thinking of the film Devious, which a lot of people would like to read about, and I expect one or two others may surface. Or may test the definition of unfinished.
--Botcherby 23:08, 19 September 2008 (UTC)
- I think anything that achieves a certain level of notoriety deserves a page. What about Season 27's undone fourth story who's name escapes me at the moment? Or the DWAD's Abomination? Both those productions deserve a page for them. So yes, if it is interest to the general public, it may (note I said "may") deserve a page. But wish-lists and projects that are known only to the author himself or a small circle of people do not deserve a page. 72.173.58.89 04:09, 20 September 2008 (UTC)