By Michael Brezin^*

Create A New Article

Steps

1. Conduct an Article Search. Choose a topic carefully—one that is not already covered on GolfBizWiki. Check How to Search for an Article to make sure.
2. Decide how to enter the article. There are two ways to create your article on GolfBizWiki.
   • Use the GolfBizWiki text editor. Once you're in the text editor (directions are in the next steps), you will get instructions to enter your article's text. Basic text entering is very easy.
   • Use a standard work processing program, such as MSWord. If you use the word processing program, you will copy the text, then paste it into the GolfBizWiki text editor. Although using the text editor is easy, some people prefer to do the initial article writing with a word processing program. Note: The text editor strips out word processing program formatting, so don't bother with formatting as you type in your word processing program.
3. Prepare GolfBizWiki for Article. Follow these steps to start the new article:
   • In the Member Navigation section of the left column, under the Post New button, click "Article".
   • When the next screen appears, type the article's title and a short statement to summarize its content.
   • Type the article's introduction. (This paragraph will be used as a lead-in to attract readers.)
   • Select an article type from the dropdown menu that best matches your article.
   • Click the "Create Article" button.
4. Enter Article in Text Editor. You are now ready to actually "write" the article in GolfBizWiki. (You won't see the Introduction you typed on the "Create an Article" page. Don't worry -- it's in the wiki. You'll see it when you are ready to view your article.)
   • There is a message at the top of the text editor about typing your introduction in the Form tab; if you've already typed your introduction, you can ignore this message.)
   • There is a preset second level heading code. If you are using subheadings in your article (recommended), this shows you how to format them. Simply delete "second heading" and type the your heading in its place. When you use subheadings at other places, use the three dash and two plus signs space format command before the subheading or simply click the H2 button in the editing toolbar at the top of the text editor. If you are not using subheadings, delete the whole line of code.
   • If the article is in a word processing program, open that file. Copy the article (except for the introduction) and then paste it into the editor.
   • If you are using the text editor to enter the article, type away (except for the introduction)!
   • Follow the suggestions in the Writers and Editors Guide.
   • After getting the "raw" text into the editor, format your article. Use the text formatting icons in the editor or the direct formatting commands (click the Show Edit Help box in the top right of the screen in the text editor for some useful formatting instructions).
   • To add pictures or video, see these instructions.
5. Categorize the Article. Golfbizwiki categorizes articles by theme and function -- this makes it easy for users to find your article. Click the Form tab at the top left of the text editor page. You'll see the article's title and summary. Scroll down to the Theme field in the middle of the table. Click the "+" beside "Top" category. Two options will appear: function and theme. Click the "+" by Function. Then, click on those functions to which your article applies. Your choices will become highlighted. Repeat the process for theme.
6. Save your work. The buttons to use are at the bottom of the text editor:
   • Save and Continue -- saves your file and returns you to the text editor for more text entering or editing.
   • Save -- saves your file and displays it. To return to the editor, click the edit icon in the top right of the screen.
   • Preview -- allows you to see how your edits will be displayed in the article, but doesn't save the additions or changes you've just made. Use the edit button at the top of the article to return to the text editor to either make more edits or save your work.
   • Cancel -- cancels any changes you've made in the current "session" in the text editor and returns you to the article.

Tips

• Be prepared to narrow your topic. One of the beauties of the wiki is that a user can jump from one topic to another easily. Therefore, it’s best to write short, focused articles that satisfy readers searching for specific information. It’s easy to write a number of related articles and link them, so keep that in mind. For example, rather than writing an article on running a golf shop, you may write a number of articles on golf shop operations, merchandising, and inventory control. You may decide to break down the topics even further. For example, writing merchandising articles on setting financial goals, developing a purchase plan and buying strategy, pricing philosophy, and selling.
• Research facts and techniques from other books, periodicals, or websites. You are encouraged to use facts that you learned elsewhere so long as you credit those sources and don't plagiarize.
• Don't enter a title or introduction when typing your article in the text editor. The title and introduction are added automatically from the title and introduction you entered in the screen before going to the text editor.
• It's generally easiest to get all the text for an article entered first, save the file, then format the article.
• Pictures, videos, tables, etc. can add important information to an article -- and make it more enjoyable to read. To add them, use the "Attach" command in the top right of the article's page (when the article is displayed, not in the text editor). Directions to attach and format pictures, etc. are here.

Warnings

• When entering an article, you are depending on your computer, internet connection, and server to be working. Just to be safe, save your work periodically.

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Credits

Originally posted by MichaelBrezin on 28 Aug 2008.
All contributors: LynnwoodBrown, MichaelBrezin,

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