Wikipedia requires you to create an account, write your article in a sandbox first, and follow their notability rules before publishing

You cannot straightforward write an article and post it to Wikipedia. The site has strict rules about what topics deserve a page, and new articles go through a review process before they appear publicly. Most rejected articles fail because they describe something too small or too promotional — a local business, a personal project, or a person without significant public recognition. If your topic passes the notability test, you write in a private workspace called a sandbox, follow Wikipedia's formatting rules, cite reliable sources for every claim, and submit for review. Editors then decide whether to publish, request changes, or decline it.

The entire process takes time and requires patience. You are not paying for publication, and Wikipedia volunteers do the reviewing without compensation. Understanding what Wikipedia actually accepts before you start writing saves you weeks of wasted effort.

Key Takeaways

  • Wikipedia only accepts articles about topics that have received significant coverage in independent, reliable sources — not just any person, business, or idea.
  • You must create a Wikipedia account and write your article in a sandbox (a private draft space) before submitting it for review.
  • Every factual claim needs a citation to a reliable source, and Wikipedia editors will reject articles that lack proper sourcing.
  • The review process can take days or weeks, and editors may request changes, delete unsourced sections, or reject the article entirely.
  • Promotional language, conflicts of interest, and self-promotion are common reasons articles are declined or removed.

Understanding Wikipedia's notability standard

Wikipedia's core rule is that a topic must have received significant coverage in independent, reliable sources before it gets its own page. This is called notability. It does not mean the topic has to be famous worldwide — it means journalists, researchers, or established publications have written about it in a way that is separate from the subject itself.

For a person, notability typically means they have been the subject of multiple articles in newspapers, magazines, academic journals, or other established media. A local business owner, even a successful one, usually does not meet this standard unless they have been featured in regional or national press for something beyond just running their business. A company needs to have been written about by independent sources, not just have a website or social media presence.

For events, organizations, or creative works, the same principle applies: has independent media covered this thing? If the only sources are the subject's own website, press releases, or social media, it will not pass review. Wikipedia editors check this before they even look at how well you wrote the article. You can search Wikipedia's existing articles to see what kinds of topics have pages — that gives you a sense of the bar you need to clear.

Creating an account and setting up your sandbox

Go to Wikipedia.org and click "Create account" in the top right corner. You will need a username and password. Your username does not have to be your real name, but Wikipedia discourages usernames that look promotional or like a business name. Avoid usernames like "JohnSmithAuthor" or "XYZ Company" — use something neutral instead.

Once logged in, you can create a sandbox — a private draft space where you write without publishing to the public site. In the search box at the top, type "User:YourUsername/Sandbox" (replace YourUsername with your actual username). Click the red link that appears, and you now have a blank sandbox page. This is where you write your article before submitting it. Editors can see your sandbox, but it does not appear in Wikipedia's main article space, so you can edit and revise without affecting the live site. You can have multiple sandboxes if you are working on several articles at once.

Writing your article with proper citations

Wikipedia articles follow a specific structure. Start with a short opening paragraph that defines the topic in plain language — not promotional language. Then add sections with headings like "History," "Notable work," or "Controversy," depending on what your topic is. Each section should be 2 to 4 paragraphs. Look at existing Wikipedia articles in your topic area to see how they are organized.

Every factual claim needs a citation. Wikipedia uses footnotes: you put a number in brackets after a sentence, like this[1], and then list the source at the bottom of the page. You can cite news articles, academic papers, books, government documents, and other established sources. Do not cite Wikipedia itself, blogs, social media, or the subject's own website as your main sources. If you cannot find independent sources backing up what you want to say, that section will be deleted during review.

Avoid promotional language. Do not write "John Smith is an innovative entrepreneur who revolutionized the industry." Write "John Smith founded XYZ Company in 2010. The company reported $5 million in revenue by 2015, according to a 2016 article in Business Journal." The second version is factual, sourced, and neutral — the way Wikipedia expects articles to sound. Stick to what you can prove with citations.

Submitting your article for review

When your sandbox article is complete and cited, you submit it for review through a process called Articles for Creation. Go to the Articles for Creation page on Wikipedia, click "Submit an article," and follow the form. You will paste your article text, add a brief description of what it is about, and explain why you think it meets Wikipedia's notability standard. Include links to the sources you used so reviewers can check them.

The review usually takes between 3 and 14 days. A volunteer editor will read your article, check your sources, and decide whether to publish it, request changes, or decline it. If they request changes, they will tell you what is missing or what needs to be fixed. You can revise your sandbox and resubmit. If they decline it, they will explain why — usually because the topic does not meet notability, sources are missing, or the article reads as promotional. You can resubmit after making improvements.

Common reasons articles are rejected

The most common rejection reason is lack of notability. If you cannot point to independent news coverage or academic sources, your article will be declined. The second most common reason is conflict of interest: if you wrote about yourself, your business, or a close associate, editors assume bias and scrutinize the article more heavily. They may still accept it if the sourcing is strong and the tone is neutral, but they will flag it and watch it closely.

Promotional tone is another frequent reason. Phrases like "innovative," "leading," "best," or "revolutionized" signal bias. So do superlatives and marketing language. If your article sounds like a press release or a website bio, it will be rejected or heavily edited before publication. Wikipedia wants neutral, encyclopedic language — the kind you would find in a reference book, not a company website.

Missing citations cause rejections too. If you make a claim and do not cite a source, an editor will either delete that sentence or mark it with a tag asking for a source. If too much of the article is unsourced, the whole thing may be declined. Every number, date, quote, and claim needs backing.

What happens after your article is published

Once your article is live, other Wikipedia editors can edit it, add sections, or remove content they think is unsourced or biased. This is normal — Wikipedia is a collaborative project, and articles change over time. You can continue to edit your article and improve it, but you cannot control what other editors do. If you disagree with an edit, you can discuss it on the article's talk page.

If your article is tagged with warnings like "This article needs more citations" or "This article may contain original research," that means editors found problems but did not delete it outright. You can address those tags by adding sources or revising the text. If an article is repeatedly edited to remove promotional language or unsourced claims, it may eventually be deleted through a formal deletion process called Articles for Deletion.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I write a Wikipedia article about myself?

You can, but Wikipedia discourages it and editors will scrutinize it carefully for bias and self-promotion. If you do write about yourself, disclose the conflict of interest on the article's talk page, use only independent sources, and keep the tone neutral and factual. Many self-written articles are rejected or heavily edited by other editors.

What counts as a reliable source for Wikipedia?

Reliable sources include published books, academic journals, established newspapers and magazines, government reports, and news websites with editorial standards. Wikipedia generally does not accept blogs, social media, press releases, or the subject's own website as primary sources. Check Wikipedia's "Reliable sources" page for a full list of what does and does not count.

How long does it take to get an article published?

The review process typically takes 3 to 14 days, though it can be longer if editors request changes or if the queue is backed up. If your article is declined, you can revise it and resubmit. Some articles go through multiple rounds of review before being accepted.

What if my article is deleted after it is published?

Articles can be deleted if editors determine the topic does not meet notability or if the article becomes a target for spam or vandalism. If your article is deleted, you can request a review of the deletion decision. You can also revise the article to address the reasons it was deleted and resubmit it through Articles for Creation.

Do I need to be an informed to write a Wikipedia article?

You do not need to be an informed, but you need to find reliable sources that cover your topic. Wikipedia values accurate information backed by citations, not personal informed. If you know a lot about a topic but cannot find published sources to cite, your article will not pass review.