Template:Welcome

(Revision as of 15:23, 4 Jul 2005)

To get rid of this message, hit the "edit" button above and remove the code that says "{{welcome}}".

93 and Greetings, Welcome! Welcome to Thelemapedia...

Since you've decided to become an editor, we're all assuming that you want to contribute to the site. There are many ways to do so, and you are welcome to dive right in. Here are some first steps to take:

The Really Simple Tutorial—It is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED that you go through this Tutorial...it's quick and easy, and really will save you a lot of headaches.
Join the coversation (http://www.scarletwoman.org/lounge/index.php?showforum=35)—You can sign up for the Thelemapedia Yahoo! e-list (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/thelemapedia/) to get important announcements from Stewards; you can read/post to the blog at LiveJournal (http://www.livejournal.com/community/thelemapedia/); or visit in The Lounge Forum (http://www.scarletwoman.org/lounge/index.php?showforum=35).
Projects page—This is a great place to find out what contributions the site really needs. The recent changes page can also be very useful (it even has an RSS feed).
Help & How-To files—Boring? Yeah, a little, but like the Tutorial, will help you create better Thelemapedia articles.
Change your preferences—you can always do this in the black menu bar at top right whenever you are signed in.

Other tips

Rule #1: Your contributions do not have to be explicitly about Thelema. If you know about history, philosophy, astrology, tarot, mythology, alchemy, other religions, etc., then write about that. Thelemapedia needs it all.
When creating or editing an article, remember to avoid the first person and signing your name. Write in a concise, straightforward way—avoid romantic, poetic, or speculative language. Articles should reflect two things: the knowledge base (i.e. stuff in print) and common knowledge. When taking info from print, cite your sources! Try to think of Thelemapedia articles as short high school research papers.
To sign your posts on Discussion Pages, use the '~' symbol. To insert just your name, type ~~~ (3 tildes), or, to insert your name and timestamp, use ~~~~ (4 tildes).
Consider putting something on your User Page—just hit your name in the black box at the top right and start typing.

Contribution strategies

There are many ways you can contribute to Thelemapedia:

Begin a new topic. Find a red link or create a brand new topic and get writing. The beauty of the wiki is that you don't have to write a complete article. Just write as much as you know or have time for.
Edit existing topics. Many articles are too short, have missing information, or need a Thelemic perspective. Such articles really need your help. There is a link to lists of articles that fall in these categories right on the Main Page in the box called "Editor's Corner".
Fact-checking. Comb through articles and make sure that things stated as facts really are.
Correcting spelling and grammar. Pretty self-explainetory, huh?
Formatting. You don't need to change content to make it more legible. Take what's there, move it around, add headers...do what you must to make it easier to read (please!).
Adding citations and links. If you see quotes or statements that you know come from specific sources, help the article out by putting in a citation and links to relevant materials.

The Zen of Wiki

Being a Thelemapedia editor is an exercise in emotional detachment. Always keep in mind that everything you add is open to editing, changing, mangling, and even deletion. This is the nature of a wiki, and if you take too much ownership of what you write here, you will end up angry or disappointed. However, if you can get into the groove of knowledge evolution as you watch articles take on a life of their own, then you can expect to be quite happy here.

Now go explore, edit, and collaborate

Okay, that's all from me. To get rid of all this blabbering, just hit the Edit button on the silver toolbar and erase the template code that says "{{welcome}}". Explore, be bold in editing pages, and, most importantly, have fun!

If you need assistance, please contact me or one of the other Stewards by leaving a note...you do this by going to our user page (just click our name) and hitting the "discussion" link in the silver bar, and editing that page. You can also ask questions in The Lounge (http://www.scarletwoman.org/lounge/index.php?showforum=35).

93 93/93
Fr. Ash

PS. A final note: Thelemapedia really needs your help in growing. If you would like to help promote Thelemapedia, please consider doing some or all of the following:

Put a link or banner on your homepage, LJ user page, or other web interface you have access to.
Create links: If you come across a site that has a links page, and seems suitable for Thelemapedia, you can write a polite email to the webmaster telling them about this site, and requesting a link.
Write about Thelemapedia in other online discussion forums and blogs.
Put up your very own "Thelemapedia Editor" seal on your homepage.

To find out about links, banners, and more strategies, read our Promotions page.

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