Wikipedia articles start with a Wikipedia account, then a draft in your user space, then a request for review
You cannot straightforward write on Wikipedia's main pages. You create an account, write your article in a private area called your user space, and then ask established editors to review it before it moves to the public site. The whole process usually takes weeks or months, not hours. Wikipedia's rules exist because the site is read by millions of people — the bar for what gets published is high, and the process is designed to catch errors, bias, and unsourced claims before they reach readers.
The hardest part is not the writing. It is proving that your topic is notable enough to deserve its own article, and that you can back up every claim with a published source that Wikipedia editors can check. If you are writing about a person, company, or event, Wikipedia has specific notability guidelines. A local business owner, a small nonprofit, or a niche hobby usually will not pass. A person who has been written about in major newspapers, a company with significant market presence, or a historical event covered in reliable sources usually will.
Key Takeaways
- Create a Wikipedia account using an email address, then navigate to your user space to write your draft article in a private area.
- Every fact in your article must come from a published source — a book, newspaper, academic journal, or other reliable outlet — that you cite by name and link.
- Wikipedia has notability guidelines that determine whether a topic deserves its own article; check these before you spend weeks writing.
- Submit your draft for review using the Articles for Creation process, where volunteer editors will check your sources and suggest changes.
- Expect the review to take two to eight weeks, and be prepared to revise your article multiple times based on editor feedback.
Setting up your account and finding your user space
Go to Wikipedia.org and click "Create account" in the top right corner. You will need an email address and a username. The username is public — it appears next to every edit you make — so choose something professional if you plan to edit beyond this one article. Wikipedia will send you a confirmation email; click the link to set up your account.
Once you are logged in, click your username in the top right corner and select "User page" from the dropdown. This is your user space — a private area where only you can edit. Create a new page called "User:YourUsername/Article Title" by typing that in the search box and clicking the red link that appears. This is where you will write your draft. Keeping it in your user space means other editors cannot accidentally change it while you are working, and it signals that the article is not ready for the main site yet.
Understanding Wikipedia's notability guidelines before you start
Wikipedia has specific rules about what topics deserve their own article. These are called notability guidelines, and they exist to keep the site focused on subjects that have real public significance. If your topic does not meet these guidelines, your article will be rejected no matter how well you write it.
For people, the guideline is usually that they have been the subject of significant coverage in reliable published sources — newspapers, magazines, books, academic journals — that are independent of the person (meaning the person did not write or pay for the coverage). A local business owner or a social media personality with a large following usually does not meet this bar. A scientist who published groundbreaking research, an athlete who competed at a national level, or a public figure who has been written about in major outlets usually does.
For companies and organizations, Wikipedia looks for significant coverage in reliable sources and real impact on their field or community. A small local business does not may have access to. A company with national or international presence, or an organization that has shaped policy or culture, usually does. For events, the same rule applies — local events rarely may have access to unless they had broader historical significance.
Before you write, search Wikipedia for similar articles and read the talk page (click "Talk" at the top of any article) to see what kinds of sources editors expect. If you are unsure whether your topic qualifies, post a question on the Notability noticeboard, where experienced editors will give you honest feedback.
Gathering sources and structuring your article
Every single fact in your Wikipedia article must come from a source you can cite. This means books, newspaper articles, academic journals, government reports, and other published materials that are not Wikipedia itself. Blog posts, social media, and websites without editorial oversight do not count as reliable sources. If a fact is not in a source you can name and link, it cannot go in your article.
Start by collecting sources about your topic. Read them carefully and take notes on the key facts, dates, and claims. As you write, you will cite each source right next to the claim it supports. Wikipedia uses a citation format that looks like this: <ref>Author Name, "Article Title," Publication Name, Date</ref>. The exact format varies by source type, but the principle is the same — readers and editors must be able to find the source you used.
Structure your article with a short introduction paragraph that explains what the topic is, then sections that cover different aspects of the topic. For a person, you might have sections for early life, career, major achievements, and personal life. For a company, you might cover founding, growth, products, and controversies. For an event, you might cover background, what happened, and aftermath. Keep each section focused and well-sourced.
Writing in Wikipedia's style and avoiding common mistakes
Wikipedia has a specific tone: neutral, factual, and free of opinion. You cannot write "X is the best" or "Y is obviously wrong." You can write "X won the award" or "Critics have argued that Y is flawed." If two sides of a debate exist, both belong in the article, with sources for each.
Avoid writing about yourself or people you know personally. Wikipedia editors are skeptical of articles written by the subject or their friends, because bias is hard to spot in your own writing. If you are writing about your own work or organization, disclose that on the talk page and expect extra scrutiny.
Do not copy text from other websites, even if you rephrase it slightly. Wikipedia uses plagiarism detection tools, and copied text will get your article rejected. Write in your own words, using your sources as reference material, not as text to rewrite.
Do not include external links to websites you own or have a financial interest in. Do not add promotional language. Do not include information that is not in your sources, even if you know it is true. Wikipedia is built on verifiability, not truth — if it is not in a source, it does not belong.
Submitting your draft for review through Articles for Creation
When your draft is complete and well-sourced, you submit it for review using the Articles for Creation process. This is a system where volunteer editors read new articles and decide whether they meet Wikipedia's standards.
To submit, go to your draft article and click the button that says "Submit your draft for review" (or navigate to the Articles for Creation page if you do not see the button). You will be asked to write a short summary of your article and explain why you think it meets Wikipedia's notability guidelines. Be honest and specific — mention the reliable sources you used and explain why your topic is notable.
Your article will then appear in a queue of submissions waiting for review. An experienced editor will read it, check your sources, and either accept it, request changes, or decline it. This process usually takes two to eight weeks, depending on how busy the volunteer reviewers are.
Responding to feedback and revising your article
When an editor reviews your article, they will leave comments on the talk page explaining what needs to change. Common feedback includes: sources are not reliable enough, the article reads like promotion rather than neutral description, key facts are not cited, or the topic does not meet notability guidelines.
Read the feedback carefully. If an editor says a source is not reliable, they are right — Wikipedia has specific standards for what counts as reliable, and blogs and self-published websites do not may have access to. If they say the article is promotional, look for language that sounds like marketing and rewrite it in neutral terms. If they say a fact needs a source, add one.
You can revise your article and resubmit it for review. Most articles go through multiple rounds of feedback before they are accepted. This is normal and not a reflection on your writing — it is how Wikipedia maintains quality. If your article is declined because the topic does not meet notability guidelines, you cannot resubmit the same article. You would need to find new sources that establish notability, or accept that the topic does not may have access to for Wikipedia.
What happens after your article is accepted
Once an editor accepts your article, it moves from your user space to the main Wikipedia site. It now appears in search results and can be read by millions of people. Other editors can now edit it, add sources, and improve it. This is normal — Wikipedia is a collaborative project, and articles change over time as new information becomes available and editors refine the writing.
You can continue to edit your article after it is published. You can fix errors, add new sources, and improve the writing. However, you cannot add promotional language or unsourced claims. If you make changes that other editors disagree with, they may revert your edits and start a discussion on the talk page. This is also normal — disagreement and discussion are how Wikipedia maintains accuracy.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does it take to get an article published on Wikipedia?
The review process usually takes two to eight weeks, depending on how many submissions are waiting and how much revision your article needs. If your article requires multiple rounds of feedback, it can take several months. There is no way to speed this up — Wikipedia relies on volunteer editors who review submissions in their spare time.
What if my article is rejected?
If your article is rejected because the topic does not meet notability guidelines, you cannot resubmit it. If it is rejected because of sourcing or writing issues, you can revise it and resubmit. Read the editor's feedback carefully to understand what needs to change. If you disagree with the decision, you can ask for a second opinion on the Articles for Creation talk page.
Can I write about myself or my business?
You can, but Wikipedia discourages it and editors will scrutinize your article more carefully. Disclose your connection on the talk page. Your article must still meet notability guidelines and be sourced entirely from independent, reliable sources — not your own website or press releases. Many articles about the author or their business are rejected because they cannot meet this standard.
What counts as a reliable source on Wikipedia?
Reliable sources are published materials with editorial oversight: newspapers, magazines, academic journals, books from established publishers, and government reports. Blogs, social media, self-published websites, and forums do not count. If you are unsure whether a source is reliable, check Wikipedia's Reliable Sources noticeboard or look at how other articles cite similar sources.
Can I copy text from other websites and rewrite it?
No. Even if you rewrite it in your own words, Wikipedia considers this plagiarism if the structure and ideas come directly from another source. Write in your own words using your sources as reference material. Wikipedia has plagiarism detection tools and will catch copied text, which will result in your article being rejected.