Wikipedia requires you to edit an existing article first, then request a new page through the Articles for Creation process

You cannot create a Wikipedia page directly. Wikipedia's system requires you to build a history of edits on existing articles before you can start a new one. This prevents spam and ensures new pages come from people who understand Wikipedia's rules. The process takes weeks, not hours, because volunteer editors review your work before it goes live.

The fastest route is to edit at least one existing Wikipedia article, wait a few days, then submit your new page as a draft through Articles for Creation. An editor will review it against Wikipedia's notability standards — the page must be about a topic that has been covered in reliable sources outside Wikipedia itself. If your draft is rejected, you get feedback and can revise it.

Key Takeaways

  • You must make at least one edit to an existing Wikipedia article and wait several days before you can create a new page.
  • New pages go through Articles for Creation, where volunteer editors check that your topic meets Wikipedia's notability standard — coverage in reliable sources outside Wikipedia.
  • Wikipedia notability is not the same as being real or important; it means the topic has been written about in newspapers, books, academic journals, or other published sources that Wikipedia considers reliable.
  • Rejected drafts receive specific feedback, and you can revise and resubmit your page multiple times.
  • The entire process from first edit to published page typically takes four to eight weeks.

Make your first edit to an existing article

Go to any Wikipedia article and click the "Edit" or "Edit source" button at the top. You do not need to register first, but creating an account takes two minutes and makes your edits easier to track. Make a real change: fix a typo, add a citation to a sentence that needs one, or expand a paragraph with information from a reliable source.

Do not add spam, promotional text, or unsourced claims. Wikipedia editors will notice and may revert your change. A genuine edit — even a small one — shows you understand the site's basic rules. Wait at least four days after this edit before you submit a new page request. Wikipedia's system checks your edit history, and pages submitted too soon are often rejected.

Understand Wikipedia's notability standard

Wikipedia's notability rule is straightforward: your topic must have been covered in reliable sources that are not Wikipedia itself. Reliable sources include published books, academic journals, newspapers, and magazines. A company website, a personal blog, or a social media post does not count. If your topic is a person, they need coverage in multiple independent sources — not just a mention in one article.

Notability is not about whether something is real or matters to you. A local business, a small nonprofit, or a niche hobby may be real and important, but if no newspaper or journal has written about it, Wikipedia will not have a page for it. Before you write your draft, search Google News and Google Scholar for your topic. If you find nothing, your page will be rejected.

Write your draft in the Articles for Creation space

Log into your Wikipedia account and go to the Articles for Creation portal. Click "Start a new article" and choose "Draft article in your user space." This creates a private sandbox where you write your page without it appearing on Wikipedia yet. Use Wikipedia's article format: an opening paragraph that defines your topic, then sections with headings, and citations for every factual claim.

Citations are required. At the end of each sentence or paragraph that states a fact, add a citation tag with the source. You can cite a book, a news article, or an academic paper. Wikipedia has a citation template system — type <ref> and the source details, then </ref>. If you are new to this, Wikipedia's citation help page walks you through the syntax. An article with no citations will be rejected when ready.

Submit your draft for review

Once your draft is written and cited, go to the Articles for Creation portal and click "Submit an article for review." Choose your draft from the list and add a brief note explaining why this topic meets Wikipedia's notability standard. Link to the sources you used — show the reviewer that your topic has real coverage. Then submit.

Your draft enters a queue. A volunteer editor will review it within two to four weeks. They check whether your sources are reliable, whether your writing follows Wikipedia's neutral point of view (no promotional language), and whether the topic actually meets notability. You will receive a message on your talk page with the decision.

Respond to feedback or resubmit

If your draft is accepted, it moves to Wikipedia's main namespace and becomes a live article. If it is rejected, the editor will explain why. Common reasons include: sources do not support notability, the writing is promotional, or citations are missing. Read the feedback carefully. Most rejections are not permanent — you can revise your draft and resubmit it.

Fix the problems the editor identified. Add more sources if notability was questioned. Remove promotional language if the tone was the issue. Add missing citations. Then resubmit through the same portal. You can submit the same draft multiple times. Some pages are accepted on the second or third try after revision.

Know when to stop and try a different approach

If your draft is rejected multiple times with the same feedback, the topic may not meet Wikipedia's standards. This does not mean your topic is not real or important — it means Wikipedia's rules do not fit it. If you have exhausted your sources and cannot find more reliable coverage, a Wikipedia page may not be possible right now.

An alternative is to get your topic covered in a reliable source first — a newspaper article, a journal, or a book — and then return to Wikipedia later. Another option is to add information about your topic to an existing related article instead of creating a new one. For example, if you are writing about a local business, you might add a paragraph to your city's Wikipedia page instead.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to be an informed to create a Wikipedia page?

No. You need to understand Wikipedia's citation system and notability standard, but both are learnable in a few hours. You do not need credentials or special knowledge. You do need reliable sources — books, news articles, or academic papers — that cover your topic.

Can I create a page about myself or my business?

Wikipedia discourages this. Pages about living people or businesses written by the person or business involved are often seen as promotional and rejected. If you want a page about yourself or your business, have someone else write it based on reliable sources. If no independent sources exist, Wikipedia will not have a page.

How long does the whole process take?

From your first edit to a published page, expect four to eight weeks. Your initial edit must age several days. Writing and citing your draft takes one to two weeks. Review by an editor takes two to four weeks. If rejected, revision and resubmission add more time.

What if my page is deleted after it is published?

Published pages can be deleted if editors later decide the topic does not meet notability or if the page becomes promotional. You can appeal a deletion by requesting a review, but the original decision stands unless you provide new evidence that the topic meets Wikipedia's standards.

Can I use Wikipedia's editing tools to create a page on a different wiki site?

Wikipedia's process is specific to Wikipedia. Other wiki platforms like Fandom, Miraheze, or Notion have different rules and creation systems. Some allow you to create pages when ready without review. Check the specific site's documentation for how to start a new page there.