This page documents an official Avatar Wiki policy.
It is a widely accepted standard that should normally be followed by all editors.
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Content
Fanon • Fanon standards • Images • Categories • Templates
Guides and advice
Creating a fanon • Fanonbenders
There are a few tips and tricks regarding starting a new fanon on the Avatar Wiki, and so we've put together a handy guide for those who are new to fanon, new to the wiki, or who just want to brush up on the best code of practice for publishing on the wiki.
If you encounter any issues, don't hesitate to contact an administrator and they'll help you get right back on track.
Creating a fanon[]
Pre-production[]
The easiest way to edit[]
Before starting a fanon, it is useful to know the special code that every page on FANDOM uses. If you're a new user, you probably use the RTE (Rich Text Editor), which is designed to work similar to a word processor. Unfortunately, the RTE has a number of issues and glitches, especially on pages that contain more complex code. To save yourself a big headache, it's best to use the source editor. You can set this up by clicking on 'my preferences' at the top-right side of the page, click on the 'editing' tab, and uncheck "Enable Rich Text Editor". Make sure to hit "Save Changes" before leaving the page! Whenever you edit a page from then on, you'll do so in "source mode," which enables you to view the coding on a page directly. This minimizes the chance of any glitches to occur and mess up your page's layout. In case of any troubles, leave a message on the administrator noticeboard. Don't worry about messing anything up, either! We can always undo any change, no matter how big or small, if the coding doesn't work as expected.
Policies[]
Another indispensable step before actually starting to write is to make yourself familiar with the fanon policies we have on Avatar Wiki. By knowing and following the rules, you exclude the chance that your story pages will ever be moved to your userspace. This means that your page will not be categorised, and it is unlikely to be viewed by people looking to read a fanon. It has not been deleted – only moved from the mainspace. The most common reason for a fanon page to be moved is it is too short. Try to fill in as much detail as you can before publishing!
A second useful tip is to plan out your story beforehand. This doesn't mean that you should have every detail worked out before putting it on the wiki, but having a list of the major characters and/or locations the story will be in, and some major points in the fanon's plot will help you to ensure the page meets our length requirements and you will have a general idea of what the story will be about to prevent future writer's block.
A trick to see how a page would turn out without officially posting it is to create a sandbox. To do this, you simply go to your userpage and add the name of your sandbox behind the url given there. For example, if Fruipit wanted to create a sandbox, they might type in https://avatar.fandom.com/wiki/User:Fruipit/Sandbox into the URL. Next, follow the link to that page. The page will have a title, but be completely empty; and, instead of an 'edit' button in the top right-hand side, it will simply say 'create'. All you have to do then is start adding content to the page. After you're done, just click "Publish" and you have created a sandbox.
- e.g. If Fruipit wanted to make a sandbox for their fanon, named "Fanon:Avatar Fruipit", the sandbox's link would be
http://avatar.fandom.com/wiki/User:Fruipit/Fanon:Avatar_Fruipit
- Once this page is complete, they may want to message an administrator on the administrator noticeboard to move it to the main fanon space. The link would then remove the 'User:Fruipit', becoming
http://avatar.fandom.com/wiki/Fanon:Avatar_Fruipit
Main Page[]
- Main article: Create fanon page
To start off your new fanfiction, it's best to create a main page, which will act as the hub of the fanon by containing links to chapters and characters, providing information on the story, and show news and updates.
There are two ways to make a page: either go to the fanon portal, which may be easier for newer users, or go here. If you use the second option, however, remember that whenever you create a fanon article, the prefix Fanon:
should be added in front of the name.
- E.g. Fanon:Eyes of Katara
Type in the name of your fanon story and choose whether you want to create a page with the "standard" layout or a "blank page." Either way is fine to create a page, but the blank page is easier to work with.
- To make sure that people know that the created page is a fanon page – and thus fiction – and that it belongs to you, you add a {{Property}}. Go here and copy and paste the code found at the top of that page to your fanon, and fill it in according to the guideline given at the bottom of the template page. Note that when you leave a parameter blank or delete it from the coding on your page, it will not show up. Another important thing to remember is that if you wish to alter the template's color by filling in the "nation" parameter, all words need to be lower-case.
- E.g. To make your template red, you must type in
nation = fire
, notnation = Fire
, which will not work. It will instead turn your template to the default color of the site, brown.
- E.g. To make your template red, you must type in
- Go to {{Infobox series}} to copy the code there and paste it on your page. Fill it in like you did with the property template above. For more information about the usage of template, read the fanon templates guide. With the addition of this template, your fanon main page will have an infobox with all the main facts about your story.
- Next, you can start adding the actual content by writing things in. To neatly organize your page, you can divide your text in different part by putting in "headings"; they're made with equal signs like this:
== Heading Name ==
. By adding two "=" you'll create a main heading. To create a sub-heading, add three "=", and to create and even smaller sub-heading, add four "=".- Commonly used headings are:
- Plot - Under this heading you write in the plot, letting the reader know what your story is about. Make sure you don't give away any big spoilers or ruin any surprises!
- Characters - Here you put in the characters, including a short description. This could include gender, weapons, political position, and/or profession. As your story grows, you can create character pages, to which you can link to from the characters list you have on your main page. To link to your character's page, add {{F|the character's page's title}}. Note that you don't have to include that
Fanon:
prefix when using this type of linking.
- E.g.
{{F|Kaibi (Eyes of Katara)}}
shows up like Kaibi (Eyes of Katara). - E.g.
{{F|Kaibi (Eyes of Katara)|Kaibi}}
links to the same page as above, but shows up like Kaibi.
- E.g.
- Chapters - You can also make a list of all published chapters, with a link to the actual chapter, and the unpublished ones.
- Commonly used headings are:
- As you reach the end of your page, you are obligated to add the {{Author}} template. This will provide a heading and a single sentence with a link to your user category, which will hold all the works you've ever created. This is so readers can find out if you've written other stories they may be interested in!
- Next you'll have to add the {{DEFAULTSORT}}. More information about its usage can be found here.
- Last but not least, you have to add categories to your fanon page. For a complete explanation about categories, you can read the fanon categorization guide. For the specific categories that are to be added on a fanon main page, you can just skip to this part.
- Hit "Preview" to see how your page has turned out, and if it is to your liking, hit "Publish".
Chapters[]
Chapters are going to be the most important part of your fanon. After all, they actually tell the story. It is advised to first create several chapter pages before starting to create pages for characters, battles, and locations. Create a new page, add the prefix Fanon:
then your chapter name, and you can get to work.
Title[]
You'll notice that some authors prefer to specifically state the chapter number and/or their fanon's title between parenthesis in their title (E.g. "Chapter 1: Two Separate Lives (When Air Nomads Walked the Earth)"). There is no set format for this and it is left to the authors preference. Note that if you use this format, it is easier for passersby to immediately notice the chapter number and the fanon series it is a part of.
Content[]
To start your chapter off, first put a {{Property}} template at the top of the page, so the readers know who wrote the chapter, and what the rating of the content is. This part is mandatory, so make sure you don't forget it. Next we put in another clean-looking infobox, the {{Infobox chapter}}. Click the link, copy the code, paste it onto your page, and fill out the right info.
Now that your page is equipped with the necessary templates, the actual content can be added. There is no set length requirement for a chapter page, but make sure that there is sufficient content so the reader has actually something to read. Try to vary your wording usage, in order to bring color to your writing and avoid being repetitive, and use proper grammar, not many readers will be interested in sitting out a chapter that is packed with spelling and/or grammar mistakes. If you know that this isn't your strongest side, consider asking another person to be your editor.
Please note that this is an English-language wiki, and as such, written English conventions are expected. In fanon pages, we do not enforce American spelling conventions; however there are other punctuation and grammar points that must be followed, including:
- Ensuring you capitalize the first letter of proper nouns (names of people and places) and the first letter of a new sentence.
- Separate your sentences by using appropriate punctuation, usually full stops.
- Divide your text in paragraphs. It is tiresome to read a whole wall of text, so make sure to make it lighter by dividing it up regularly.
- When depicting a conversation between people, make sure to start a new line whenever a new person begins speaking.
- Refrain from using abbreviations, but rather write everything in full.
- E.g. Write "See you later," not "c u l8r."
Mandatory additions[]
Once you've added the content to the page and you're satisfied by the form and layout, you add the {{Author}} template and the {{DEFAULTSORT}} at the bottom of the page. More information about its usage can be found here. Don't forget these two things, as they are mandatory to add to every fanon page.
Categories[]
In the end, you add the appropriate categories to your chapter page, which would be the Category:A to Z (fanon)
and the Category:<Fanon name> chapters (fanon)
. After you've added the chapter category for the first time, you still have to create the actual category. For more information about categories in general, read the fanon categorization guide.
Publish[]
You can click the "Preview" button to overview the layout of your page one last time and if you are completely satisfied, you can publish the page by clicking the "Publish" button.
In order to maintain a clean layout, it is advised that all the chapters after your first chapter following the same format you've chosen on that one. This doesn't not mean, however, that you can't alter the infobox's color on each chapter.
Other fanon pages[]
Beside the main page and chapter pages, there are still a multitude of other pages you can create for your fanon. These pages include: character pages, battles, locations, events, organizations, and even governments, all of which have their own infoboxes, being {{Infobox character}}, {{Infobox battle}}, {{Infobox location}}, {{Infobox event}}, {{Infobox organization}}, and {{Infobox government}} respectively.
Don't forget to add the prefix Fanon:
and note that when you create such a page, the {{Propertyother}}, the {{Author}}, and the {{DEFAULTSORT}} are mandatory to add.
Title for characters[]
For the page title, the name of the character – without honorifics, e.g. Aang instead of Avatar Aang – is usually the chosen title. Just as with the chapter titles, some authors prefer to include their fanon's name, or an abbreviation, between parenthesis at the end of the title. This is just author's preference, so you're free to chose whether or not you want to follow that format. The only time you are obligated to include your fanon's name between parenthesis is when you're creating a character page with the same name as a character that appeared in the series, or already appeared in another fanon series.
Tips[]
These are the same as before when creating a chapter page:
- User correct spelling and grammar. If you can't do it by yourself, there are always people willing to help out, so don't be afraid to leave someone a message asking for their help. Even the best fanon authors have had some sort of help.
- Divide your text by using the aforementioned headings. Commonly used headings are:
- For characters: history, abilities, personality, and relatives.
- For locations: history and geography.
- For battles: history and aftermath.
- The appropriate category should be added to each page. More detailed information can be found in the fanon categorization guide.
- At the bottom of the page, a navbox can be added. For more information about this template, see here.
Images[]
It is always nice to provide some visual aid to accompany your words. This is where the images come in. In order to keep the images on the site organized, there are some rules and guidelines to follow.
- Read the image policy, specifically the parts concerning fanon images.
- If you want to use an image, peruse the wiki's image database of already uploaded images that can be found here. It is preferred to use an image that is already uploaded and used elsewhere instead of uploading a new image.
- Note that if you want to use an image that is made by a user, usually an image that can be found in the Category:Art (fanon), make sure that you contact the artist of that particular image first before you use it.
- When you upload an image, make sure to properly license it. If you fail to do so, the image may be deleted. You can read the policy about licensing here and more information about filling in the required parameters here. Note that you're only allowed to upload up to three new images for any fanon page you have. This does not mean, however, that you should. Always try to use existing images first.
- When licensing a fanon image, the "license" parameter should be "fanon", or in the case you've created an image yourself "fanon-self" or "self".
- fanon: for any image taken from a TV series or movie that is used solely on a fanon page
- fanon-self: for fanart based on elements from the Avatar series used on fanon pages
- E.g. A fan-made image of someone bending, even if the person does not resemble a known character.
- self: for fanart that has nothing to do with the Avatar series
- E.g. A fan-made image of a tree
- When licensing a fanon image, the "license" parameter should be "fanon", or in the case you've created an image yourself "fanon-self" or "self".
- There is no set limit on the usage of images on a fanon article, but add images in good faith. You don't want to overload readers with images, as they divert attention away from what's truly important: the story itself. Make sure that when you add images to to a page, that page will still be "writing with images" and not "images with some writing." If the latter is the case, chances are that an administrator will come by and delete some of the excess images.
- The preferred image sizes are:
- 300px for images used in the {{Infobox series}} on the main page.
- 250px for images used in infoboxes other than the {{Infobox series}}.
- 200px for images used on the page itself.
- You can also ask the Fanon Illustrator Insignia create an image for you.
A final word of caution[]
Before you start your fanon, know that the policies are held in high regard on Avatar Wiki, so make sure that you've read them all before starting your fanon. This means that when you violate the policies by making a page that does not reach the set fanon standards and/or if you publish an incomplete page, that page is subject to movement to your userspace by any user on the wiki. To avoid this, ensure that when you publish a page it is completely finished. This doesn't mean that you can't edit it any more after its publication, but it does mean that your page should have enough content, and decent spelling and grammar, to be considered 'complete'
When your page is moved to your userspace, you'll get a message, {{Fanonmoved}}, alerting you that your page has been moved and provide you with a link to its new location. Having your page in your userspace means that it is no longer considered to be part of the fanon portal. The page is to remain there until you've expanded it enough or fixed any other issue for what it was moved. When you think you've brought your page up the standard, you should contact an administrator by leaving a message on the administrator noticeboard, inviting them to review your page's quality before they -and only they- can move it back to the fanon portal.
Continuity[]
Making a fanon[]
You should know, it's not easy to make a fanon. You have to write out chapters, and maybe character pages, battles, events, etc. You have to organize it, and hope that people like it, and keep reading it. It is a lot of work, so think it through before you begin. Please don't just make one and leave it to die.
Fanon standards[]
Make sure you read the fanon standards and the rest of the policy pages. If your fanon gets moved to your userspace, don't get angry. Just improve the page and request one of the the administrators on the administrator noticeboard to review it. Only they are meant to move a page back to the fanon portal, so please refrain from doing this yourself.
Fanonbenders[]
The Fanonbenders is a usergroup that is specifically created to aid users with their fanons by helping out with the spelling and grammar, template fixes, and/or rewrite the story -without altering the message of the tale- to bring it to a higher standard. So if you feel you need help with your fanon articles, feel free to contact the Fanonbenders.
Readers[]
One of the hardest parts to get your fanon to be successful is to attract readers, as this is the one thing that you cannot do yourself. You cannot force anyone to read your fanon, but there are some things that you can try to shed some more light on your story and bring it to people's attention.
- Alter your signature to include a link to your story. This way, whenever you leave your signature somewhere, people will be provided with a link to your story as well. If you don't know how to do this, just ask another user and they'll be glad to help out.
- Ask the Fanon Review Squad, a user group founded for the sole purpose of reviewing fanon stories, to review your story. People can read the reviews they've made and if you have a good score, there is a chance that people will start to read it.
- Ask the Fanon Fact Finders for an interview to draw more attention to your fanon and to yourself as an author.
- Sign up for the Fanon Advertisement System to get word about your story out there.
- Read other fanons and leave comments. Under the motto of "you scratch my back, I scratch yours," this might get you some more readers.
- Meet the fanon community by joining our Discord.
- Never give up without a fight. Even when you have few readers, keep making those chapters to the best of your abilities, keep the story flowing and one day, those readers will come.
- Keep the standard of your fanon high, so one day it may even win some awards. The possible awards are:
- Become featured fanon or fanon article of the month and have your fanon of article displayed on the fanon portal's main page.
- Win an award in the official site-wide Fanon Awards, somewhat like the Oscars but for fanon stories hosted on Avatar Wiki.
- Participate in the Fanonbending award system, on which users can nominate a fanon to get "Fanonbending status." Nominating and voting can be done here.
Leaving messages on user's talk pages, or in comments on their fanons, or even on canon pages, asking people to read your fanon is not the way to gather more readers, as those messages are often considered to be spam and are subject to deletion for said reasons. Just keep working hard and the recognition of the fanon community will come.