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== What's a Write-a-Thon? ==
<center><big><big><big><big>Wednesday August 10th, 2011<br /><br />
It's a bunch of people getting together on a wiki at a particular time to do a bunch of writing.  It's like an online party!  Heck no, it ''is'' an online party!  It's also an excuse for infrequent wikiers to show up and party hardy; to exchange ideas with people we might not "meet" otherwise.
<font color="red">
'''Food, history of food, we are all food experts'''<br />
</font color></big></big></big></big>


But hey, why not show up in between the write-ins, too!
'''Please enter your suggestions for the August topic [[CZ:Monthly_Write-a-Thon#New_Suggestions_and_Discussion|here]].'''</center>
----
The next '''Write-a-Thon''' will take place on Wednesday Aug 10, 2011!


== When? ==
We know that not everybody has Wednesday at the same time though, so to make it fair '''our''' Wednesday lasts 48 hours! Therefore, '''Write-a-Thon''' starts on
Write-a-Thons happen the first Wednesday of every month.  The next Write-a-Thon is '''Wednesday, October 1, 2008'''. Starts on September 30th, 1200 UTC, when it starts being Wednesday in New Zealand, and ends on October 2nd, 1200 UTC, when it finishes being Wednesday in Hawaii. Save The Date!  Put it on your calendar!  Set yourself a reminder!
[http://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/fixedtime.html?month=7&day=5&year=2011&hour=12&min=0&sec=0&p1=0 Aug 10th, 1200 UTC], when it starts being Wednesday in New Zealand, and ends on  
[http://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/fixedtime.html?month=7&day=7&year=2011&hour=12&min=0&sec=0&p1=0 Aug 11th, 1200 UTC], when it finishes being Wednesday in Hawaii.


Any new article you create, and any edit you make to somebody else's Write-a-Thon article during that time period will count, though to be a ''bona fide'' partier, you have to write your new articles when it's that day in your part of the world.
== What's a Write-a-Thon? ==
It's a bunch of people getting together on a wiki at a particular time to do a bunch of writing.  It's like an online party!  Heck no, it ''is'' an online party!  It's also an excuse for infrequent wikiers to show up and party hearty; to exchange ideas with people we might not "meet" otherwise.


Our first Write-a-Thon took place Wednesday, August 1, 2007 and was considered a roaring good time--we had about 30 partiers creating something like 50 articles, and editing lots.
But hey, why not show up in between the write-ins, too!
 
== What are the rules? ==
Rules?  This is a party!  There are no rules!
 
Well, OK, maybe there are a couple rules:
* We'll have a Write-a-Thon the first Wednesday of every month.
* To participate, you only have to do two things: (1) start a ''new'' article (even just a stub will qualify, if not ''too'' short - and please remember to include the [[CZ:Subpages|subpages template]]!), and (2) make a substantive edit (not just a copyedit) to somebody else's ''new'' article.  Then you can list your name here as a partier.  Until then, sign in as a porch-sitter, party-crasher, or total party poop.
 
==This month's Party Theme==
 
Wednesday, October 1, 2008 --
<center><font color="red"><big><big><big><big>'''[[Spring]] Cleaning!'''</big></big></big></big></font></center>
Or “housekeeping”, for those of you for whom it’s not Spring.
 
Let’s mass-attack some of our outstanding chores, particularly “lists”, such as:
* ''Common words with multiple uses'' (in need of disambiguation), e.g. as in [[CZ:List of words with multiple uses]]
: Done with [[Primary]] till [[Spring]]. [[User:Daniel Mietchen|Daniel Mietchen]] 10:43, 1 October 2008 (CDT)
* Further suggestion: [[Special:Wantedpages|Wanted pages]]
* [[List_of_people_who_made_conceptual_breakthroughs_in_computer_science|computer science biographies needed]]
* Redirects
* Write a subpage
* [[:Category:Need def|Definitions]]
* Some form of metadata needs to be added; see [[:Category:Metadata_to_finish]].  For those sorting alphabetically might need a workgroup.  Those after Z might need an abc field. Beware these categories take time to update and many may have already been fixed but not removed from the list due to slow update.  The talk page will have the To Do list if some spring cleaning is still required.
* [[:Category:Articles_with_Ambiguous_Status|Articles without status]].  A status needs to be added to the metadata but has the same caveat as a bove, categories are slow to update.
* [http://en.citizendium.org/wiki?title=Category:CZ_Live&from=Z abc field required] for those pages not listed under a letter.  i.e. those that come after Z in the link, but, again, same caveat as a bove, categories are slow to update.
* [[:Category:Needs_Workgroup]] with the usual caveats for a category.
* (feel free to add in your own pet peeves)
 
''(You can also be inspired by some of the theme suggestions, below.  Or propose one yourself--just scroll down. Or write about something that takes your fancy--or the first thing that comes into your head--JUST DO IT!)''


== The Partiers ==
=== When? ===
*[[user:Aleta Curry|Aleta]] could not believe the length of the cleanup lists, above.  Started with [[fantasy]] on the requested articles page and edited [[liver]], which she hopes will help make up for missing the Biology Workgroup week (I was travelling). [[User:Aleta Curry|Aleta Curry]] 18:09, 30 September 2008 (CDT) Decided that even relatively poor starts to [[food]] and [[Tanzania]] were better than nothing at all.  Need medicine.  Will be back to tackle [[poodle]] and other stuff on the list.  [[User:Aleta Curry|Aleta Curry]] 18:55, 30 September 2008 (CDT) Okay, I got carried away with this cleanup bizzo and now I'm achy and regretting it.  Did some definitions and a few requested articles, which led to a few more, so ended up with [[coat]], [[coat (animal)|animal coat]], [[dog grooming]] (thanks to a nudge from Howard) and of course [[infection]], given my present level of misery and discomfort.  That's all folks, need antibiotics and a lie down.  Party hearty, see you all tomorrow, I hope! [[User:Aleta Curry|Aleta Curry]] 02:17, 1 October 2008 (CDT)
Write-a-Thons happen the first Wednesday of every month. It starts on Tuesday 1200 UTC, when it starts being Wednesday in New Zealand, and ends on Thursday 1200 UTC, when it finishes being Wednesday in Hawaii. Save the next month's date! Put it on your calendar!  Set yourself a reminder!
*[[User:Supten Sarbadhikari|Supten]] was busy with [[CZ:Biology_Workgroup/Workgroup_Week|Biology Week]] for the preceding week and did write in quite a few [[definition]]s. Then he found that the page [[:Category:Need def|Definitions]] was not up-to-date. Nevertheless, he decided to continue his ''defining'' spell. Finally, to earn the [[mantle]] of a true partier, he started [[Calcium]] and edited [[liver]].
*:That bug is a pain.  The categories are very slow to updated.  Sometimes I wonder if they ever update. But note once you create one it will disappear very quickly from the list. [[User:Chris Day|Chris Day]] 00:48, 1 October 2008 (CDT)
*[[User:Chris Day|Chris Day]] wrote a "Move Cluster" template to help everyone move their favourite article with a not so favourite name to a better home. I guess some homes just cannot be cleaned up. Find link on talk page top left, called, wait for it......,  Move Cluster. :) And i added some subpages to [[liver]]; but its related articles page still needs some help.
::A 'move cluster' function?  Cool!
*[[User:Jitse Niesen|Jitse]] made a start on [[recurrence relation]] because he taught this yesterday. And he also uploaded a map for [[Tanzania]], courtesy of some country which likes its soldiers to go places. &hellip; And to get the house in order, Jitse decided to do a spring clean of the Proposals system. He's already written to some people to take care of their proposals, and more spam will follow! Jitse says: "There is no better way to clean up than telling other people to clean up."
*[[User:Daniel Mietchen|Daniel]] started a few [[:Category:Disambiguation|disambiguation]] pages (including one for [[Spring]]) to help structure the [[CZ:List of words with multiple uses|list of words with multiple uses in Core Articles]]. I also started {{tl|Years}} to help getting rid of the years on the [[Special:Wantedpages|most wanted]] list and edited [[Tanzania]] as well as the [[Food]] cluster.
*[[User:Gareth Leng|Gareth]] added a few definitions and contributed a whimsical list ([[Black week]]).
*[[user:Bruce M.Tindall|Bruce Tindall]], who did some work related to East Africa for [[Amnesty International]] ... uh ... many years ago, did a little bit of editing on Aleta's [[Tanzania]] article and hopes to do some more tomorrow. But it's not Wednesday in California yet? It is by [[Coordinated Universal Time]], one of the "wanted" articles that he hopes to begin when it really is Wednesday in his home town (which is infested by invasive Aussie eucalyptus trees, who probably also think it's Wednesday already). By the way, I hope the capitalization on Coordinated Universal Time is OK; if not, somebody tell me! [[User:Bruce M.Tindall|Bruce M.Tindall]] 20:16, 30 September 2008 (CDT)
::Yeah, sure that's okay; creativity counts at CZ! But to be a ''bona fide'' partier, you have to start an article when it's Wednesday your time--or get amnesty from ye olde M.C. [[User:Aleta Curry|Aleta Curry]] 23:13, 30 September 2008 (CDT)
:::OK, been there, did that, on Pacific Daylight Time! [[User:Bruce M.Tindall|Bruce M.Tindall]] 13:17, 1 October 2008 (CDT)
*[[User:Hayford Peirce|Hayford]] decided not to drink his can of [[Drano]] after all, or at least not before dinner, and, after a little searching, found an old WP article he had originated and wrote the first couple of edits for about a fabulous British spy-thriller author of the 1960s named [[Desmond Skirrow]]—his tough-guy hero, who narrates his three novels in a witty, Raymond Chandler-like tone, is probably the most unlike protagonist in the field: a London advertising executive-secret agent for The Fat Man. After expanding and rewriting the original article, he then did the same for Aleta's article about [[Fantasy]], thereby fulfilling his Partier's citeria. Now for that can of Drano -- or how about a nice cold [[Samuel Adams Boston Lager|Sam Adams]] instead? [[User:Hayford Peirce|Hayford Peirce]] 18:25, 1 October 2008 (CDT)


==Keen-as-mustard and jumped the gun==
Any new article you create, and any edit you make to somebody else's Write-a-Thon article during that time period will count!
While we might not be speaking of the same sort of gun to jump, some of the conditions described in [[Safety and survivability of naval vessels]] call for a great deal of cleaning-up. (See also the existing [[Safety of Life at Sea]]) [[User:Howard C. Berkowitz|Howard C. Berkowitz]] 00:02, 1 October 2008 (CDT)


== Porch sitters--article creators who didn't edit a new article ==
Our [[CZ:Monthly_Write-a-Thon/August_1%2C_2007|first Write-a-Thon]] took place Wednesday, August 1, 2007 and was considered a roaring good time--we had about 30 partiers creating something like 50 articles, and editing lots.


*Porch-sittin' until someone joins her for the party, Louise starts off the party by fulfilling a criteria of Wanted Pages--the [[Liver]]--which ironically, also fulfils the criteria of spring cleaning, in a way ;) Good morning and happy Write-A-Thon, everyone! Let's make this a big one for our Mistress of Ceremonies, Aleta! [[User:Louise Valmoria|Louise Valmoria]] 16:00, 30 September 2008 (CDT)
=== So how do I join in? ===
:Still porch-sitting as she's as work, [[User:Louise Valmoria|Louise]] chips away at another wanted page by (re)starting [[Potassium]]. Looking up the biochemical functions is distracting her--she ought to have been around more (or at all) during Biology Week ...[[User:Louise Valmoria|Louise Valmoria]]
Joining in is really easy:
* First of all, show up on the first Wednesday of the month!
* Start a new article. Any new article is fine, although a suggested theme is given each month. Even just a stub will qualify, although the more substantive the article the better. Come back to this page and let everyone know you've started it! The earlier in the day you do this step, the better.
* Make a substantive edit (not just a copyedit) to somebody else's ''new'' article! You might need to come back a little bit later in the day to do this, once people have had chance to make all those new articles. Then come back to this page and reply to the person who made the article.
* Optionally, but preferably, mention Write-a-thon in the Edit summary of any pages you create or edit for the party! It lets others who may have forgotten know it is here.
* Congratulations, you are an official Write-a-thon partier!


*Saddened to realize he missed band month last time around, [[User:Ian Johnson|Ian]] stopped by and created [[Crowded House]]. Spring cleaning would likely make it less crowded he surmised...
==Join the fun!==
When you've created your new article (or improved an existing article, for that matter) on Wednesday 6th July, come and list it here! Don't forget to sign your name so everyone knows you've joined in. Then, when you've edited someone else's article come and let them know!
===<big><big><big>List your new articles here!</big></big></big>===
*[[History of pie]] - [[User:Mary Ash|Mary Ash]]
*[[Doenjang jjigae]] - [[User:Chunbum Park|Chunbum Park]]
:::The Greatest Contribution of All Time. (Why is everyone so apologetic?)
*[[Natural_Gourmet_Institute]] - [[User:Pat Palmer|Pat Palmer]]
** Sorry to miss the date--Wednesdays are too busy for me. I've create an article one day later.  It is just a stub; it would have been more, but instead, I drained all my energy battling the article creation template.[[User:Pat Palmer|Pat Palmer]] 14:18, 11 August 2011 (UTC)
*[[Haggis]] - also late, sorry [[User:Gareth Leng|Gareth Leng]] 16:21, 11 August 2011 (UTC)
*[[Mozartkugel]] -- Rather small (and late) contribution. --[[User:Peter Schmitt|Peter Schmitt]] 18:27, 12 August 2011 (UTC)


*Marcelo came by, did some definitions (it's quite easy, but sometimes I forget to do it in one sentence) and [[Puntland]]. These days he noticed that CZ doesn't have a lot of countries... if CZ were an atlas, it would be full of ''[[terra incognita]]'' (oh no... another red link). [[User:Marcelo B. Barata Ribeiro|Marcelo B. Barata Ribeiro]] 19:05, 1 October 2008 (CDT)
==Upcoming!==
 
*August 2011 - (theme still to be chosen--anyone?)
== Party crashers--article contributors who didn't create a new article ==
**Please enter your suggestions for the August topic [[CZ:Monthly_Write-a-Thon#New_Suggestions_and_Discussion|here]].
*[[user:Aleta Curry|Aleta's]] here, sort of.  Contributed to [[liver]] and started metadata page cleanup while thinking of something to start.  [[User:Aleta Curry|Aleta Curry]] 17:37, 30 September 2008 (CDT)
 
*[[User:Yuval Langer|I'm]] a little [[Chinese room]], short and stout... Yuval went through a bit of Citizendium's [[metadata]] in a [[blind]] and [[mechanistic]] way for the [[Southern hemisphere]]'s spring cleaning, but it's [[Rosh Hashana (judaism)]] so he wants to rest. Maybe if [[CZ:Monthly Write-a-Thon|MWaT]] isn't over when he wakes up he'll continue with the cleanup.
 
==The shy ones, absent-minded profs, and other modest creatures==
 
== The total party poops ==
 
==Special Requests==
I've been testing a new<big> '''semi automated "Cluster Move"'''</big> template. In theory it should walk you through the process. You can test it out on that cluster you always wanted to move but were to afraid to try. The link (called <font color="blue">Move Cluster</font>) is top left of the ''talk'' subpage navigation bar. It hyperlinks you to a page to move the metadata page.  Replace the old article name with the ''new article'' name in the entry box and create the new metadata page.  Then follow the instructions at the top of the page. <small><small>There may be some surprises, if so let me know</small></small> :)  [[User:Chris Day|Chris Day]] 00:31, 1 October 2008 (CDT)
:I had some surprises with [[Snake]] but will test more and report then. [[User:Daniel Mietchen|Daniel Mietchen]] 06:03, 1 October 2008 (CDT)
::I note you moved the snake talk page before the snake approval page.  That is a surprise to me given the order those moves should have been offered to you. [[User:Chris Day|Chris Day]] 09:20, 1 October 2008 (CDT)
:::Well, somewhere you said "move the approval page last", and so I did. I was mainly confused about the permanent mentioning of "green links" which were not there. I just gave it another try and moved [[Set]] to [[Set (mathematics)]], starting with the article page, as is probably intuitive. It was confusing, then, to see the option "Move Article and Talk Page" not disappear even after the two pages had been moved. [[User:Daniel Mietchen|Daniel Mietchen]] 10:09, 1 October 2008 (CDT)
::::Thanks for the feedback.  I see how snake would have no green links. One problem is I am trying to write a catch all for every scenario and unfortunately I can't have a separate template for each case.  Actually, I might be able to have a separate tempalte, but I have not thought about it right now.  I'll think about trying to have it less ambiguous.  I can see how moving the article and then not seeing the link disappear  might be a problem. I'll work on customising it for each scenario. [[User:Chris Day|Chris Day]] 10:15, 1 October 2008 (CDT)
 
::::Re: Starting with the article move.  While I agree it is intuitive, and I tried to accomodate that action, it is impossible to know where that page cam from and so any automation requires the user moves the template too. This explains the "whats link". Can you think of a better way to determine the location of old article name, it would certainly help. This is the reason why the "''Move Cluster''" link starts with the metadata template.  In that scenario, from the moved metadata template, the new location (BASEPAGENAME) and the old location (pagename field) are both available. Any move should be less complicated doing it that way.  [[User:Chris Day|Chris Day]] 14:14, 1 October 2008 (CDT)
 
:* Another surprise:  I thought [[Rosh Hashanah]] should stand alone and didn't need to be qualified Rosh Hashanah (Judaism) -- because I couldn't think what else Rosh Hashanah would related to.  Well, I redirected Yuval's link--and look!  Cluster move--''why''??? [[User:Aleta Curry|Aleta Curry]] 17:20, 1 October 2008 (CDT)
 
:[[User:Joe Quick|Joe]] went to the library to start an article on [[Little Golden Books]] only to learn that his library privileges have been disabled for no apparent reason.  This was the third major frustration of the day and he gave up and fumed for a while.
::Oh, gosh!  Do you want me to beat someone up?  I will, I will, I'm just in the mood.
::'''Little Golden Books''' is that the children's set, like, ''The Pokey Little Puppy''?  Oh, yes, we *should* have an entry on those!
::[[User:Aleta Curry|Aleta Curry]] 18:05, 1 October 2008 (CDT)
:::Yup. I loved them when I wuz a kid, both pre-reader and post. [[User:Hayford Peirce|Hayford Peirce]] 18:28, 1 October 2008 (CDT)
 
== Questions ==
''You ask, we answer.  Ask anything.''
 
Hmmm...cleaning isn't a bad topic in some of the technology groups. For Computers, [[defragmentation]] (separate for disk and memory), [[garbage collection (computers)]]. For Health Sciences, [[Hemodialysis]], [[Peritoneal lavage]]. For Engineering, [[Clean room]], [[Laminar flow]], [[Electrostatic precipitator]], [[High Efficiency Particulate Air filter]].
 
I've been meaning to write about biosafety containment labs (should this be under [[Biosafety Level]] or something else?) Is this biology or health sciences? [[User:Howard C. Berkowitz|Howard C. Berkowitz]] 11:41, 30 September 2008 (CDT)
 
Any things come to mind? Aleta, when she recovers, might take on [[Dog grooming]] or the subset [[Dog bathing]], to say nothing of [[Cat grooming]].  The dog of my boyhood, when told he was to receive a bath, would look up (most intelligent dog I ever met), and Terry would clearly communicate "It is a good day to die." [[User:Howard C. Berkowitz|Howard C. Berkowitz]] 11:43, 30 September 2008 (CDT)
 
 
A great deal of Wanted Pages appear to be chemical elements. I know there must be a template somewhere for this, but could someone who regularly writes for the chemistry section please point me in that direction so any willing Write-A-Thon participants can help out? Or is this to be saved for a future Chemistry Week? [[User:Louise Valmoria|Louise Valmoria]] 17:12, 30 September 2008 (CDT)
:Well, that's a good question that I don't know the answer to....[[User:Aleta Curry|Aleta Curry]] 18:47, 30 September 2008 (CDT)
::There is a good reason for there being many elements on the wanted articles list. There is one template that exists on every element pages that depicts the [[Template:Elem_Infobox|periodic table]]. Each cell in the table links to the element at that location, consequently every element page we have links to every element in the periodic table. Does that make sense?  [[User:Chris Day|Chris Day]] 20:25, 30 September 2008 (CDT)
:Yes, makes sense.  I think part of Louise's question though is whether or not she should go ahead and start filling these in, or will it be part of another initiative?  [[User:Aleta Curry|Aleta Curry]] 00:56, 1 October 2008 (CDT)
::Louise, don't let a hypothetical chemistry week stop you writing some element pages. In fact, you should write as should write as many of those articles as she can! <evil grin> Are we having a chemistry week soon?  I have not heard.  And David Volk broke his hand so he will be out of action for a while. [[User:Chris Day|Chris Day]] 01:03, 1 October 2008 (CDT)
:::Excellent. Thanks, Chris (and Aleta for knowing what I was trying to ask!). I feel like getting a lot of element pages out of the way but I need to build a reference list--cheers for the link to the periodic table! [[User:Louise Valmoria|Louise Valmoria]] 17:39, 1 October 2008 (CDT)
 
*Could Hayford please make me a [[martini]]?  Please?  I'm so miserable!  Would that interfere with the antibiotics?  Supten?  Robert?  Anybody?  HELP!!! [[User:Aleta Curry|Aleta Curry]] 02:23, 1 October 2008 (CDT)
:*I made some great martinis last night, 5 parts chilled Plymouth Gin to 1 part Noilly-Prat, no olives (ugh!), no pickled onion, no twist of lemon zest.  Just straight to the old circulatory system, along with some great Kettle-brand potato chips (crisps).... Here, wait a sec, [runs down to the kitchen], hands [[User:Aleta Curry|Aleta]] a frosty glass -- yes, the glass has to be kept in the freezer, also, right beside the gin. Hope it makes you feel better!  As fer me, I drink them along with any occasional antibiotic, pain-killer, or other pill that the bonesetters are telling me to take -- it's never killed me so far, nor prevented me from getting pregnant or operating heavy machinery or doing any of the other stuff I'm not supposed to while combining these activities.... [[User:Hayford Peirce|Hayford Peirce]] 18:35, 1 October 2008 (CDT)
 
* Is there a way to '''display the [[Special:Wantedpages|Wanted pages]] by [[CZ:Workgroups|workgroup]]?''' If so, it could be incorporated into {{tl|Workgroup}}, which I think would be pretty handy. [[User:Daniel Mietchen|Daniel Mietchen]] 06:02, 1 October 2008 (CDT)
 
==It's a wrap!==


==Previous shindings==
{{CZ:Monthly Write-a-Thon/Previous shindigs}}
{{CZ:Monthly Write-a-Thon/Previous shindigs}}
== Official libations==
===2007===
* Inaugural - [[beer]]!
* September - [[champagne]]
* October - we were refurbishing the [[bar]] and only had [[coffee]]!
* November - made up for last month with more [[vodka]] than was good for us and plenty of [[rum]].
* December - [[eggnog]] and [[wine]]
===2008===
* January - [[Whisky]] and the ''Cocktail of the Month'', a [[pharisee (beverage)|pharisee]]
* February - [[schnapps]] and the ''Cocktail of the Month'', the [[caipirinha]] (considered the national drink of [[Brazil]])
* March - [[port wine]] (which should probably live at [[port (wine)]], no?  (Someone put that on their list, please....Oh, *someone* did--thanks, Ro) and the ''Cocktail of the Month'', a [[Dead Aunt]]
* April - [[Akpeteshie]] hot and fresh from Ghana.  And cool [[shandy|shandies]] and [[spritzer]]s if that took your fancy.  Lotsa staggering around the bar after this party!
* May - Was it [[champagne]]? ''No, we were dry, I think.''
* June - Were we abstaining yet again?
* July - [[Sherry]]
* August - [[pineapple]] [[juice]]  Well, that's all right, I guess!
* September - Given the music theme, i assume it was [[pop music|pop]]?
* October - [[Drano]]? How about [[wine | red wine]], which is the subject of about 50% of all questions submitted to newspapers' house-cleaning columns? [[Cranberry]] juice would do nicely, too.
:::''Drano''??  What did I miss???
::::It's about spring cleaning, or housecleaning, right? What cleans better than Drano?
:::Ohhhhh!  Duh!!
==Bonus point winners==
*[[user:Louise Valmoria|Louise]] for a) getting the party started (10 pts) b) combining housekeeping with Biology. (100 pts)  (Current total; 110)
*:I'll throw in another 20 pts for noticing that we need a lot of elements ;) [[User:Chris Day|Chris Day]] 00:39, 1 October 2008 (CDT) (Now 130)


== Write-a-Thon Theme Suggestions==
== Write-a-Thon Theme Suggestions==
===New Suggestions and Discussion===
===New Suggestions and Discussion===
''Go ahead and propose one!''
* History of food/foods.  [[User:Anthony.Sebastian|Anthony.Sebastian]] 22:59, 7 July 2011 (UTC)
 
* What about red links in [[Special:Random|Random pages]]? --[[User:Daniel Mietchen|Daniel Mietchen]] 10:15, 4 December 2008 (UTC)
* '''National Parks''' - most countries have them but Citizendium doesn't...yet.
*I suggest "Numbers".  [[User:Richard Pinch|Richard Pinch]] 07:21, 15 December 2008 (UTC)
 
* "Hometown Heroes" - write about someone famous from your part of the world (either where you're from, or where you are now).
* I had a thought the other day - why don't we have a Subpages day - either separate or as a Write-A-Thon theme? There's tons of them Bibliographies, Related Articles and Definitions that need writing. --[[User:Tom Morris|Tom Morris]] 11:48, 4 July 2008 (CDT)
* "Poles Apart" - find the spot directly on the other side of Earth from you, and write about someone or something in the vicinity. (Contributors on other planets, follow a similar procedure for whatever planet you're on. Contributors not on planetary bodies permitted to write about whatever they feel like.)
 
* Fill in an item from [[French_republican_calendar#Months_and_days|this interesting list of natural objects]]. Or [[Positivist_calendar#Commemorations|this interesting list of people]].
::It's a good thought, Tom, and I can see where the subpages need doing.  Trouble is, whenever the Write-a-Thon has been too narrowly restricted, particularly when the suggested 'theme' is really a codename for 'work', it doesn't go over well.  The WaT's great success is the fun, ''write-what-you-want'' atmosphere.
* All articles must start with the same letter of the alphabet, allowing for diacritics and transliteration (so Å, Á, and あ would all count if A were the letter, for instance).
::Maybe a separate subpages initiative?
* Photo stubs - no minimum word length, no theme requirement, but must contain an image.
::[[User:Aleta Curry|Aleta Curry]] 18:25, 4 July 2008 (CDT)
* Choose a random number from 1 to 500, then go to [[Special:WantedPages]] and start an article on the topic currently at that rank.[[User:Petréa Mitchell|Petréa Mitchell]] 19:15, 1 January 2009 (UTC)
:::''Edited to add:'' Actually, why don't I add this in to October's spring clean?  The more options, the more likely people will find something they like doing. [[User:Aleta Curry|Aleta Curry]] 18:33, 4 July 2008 (CDT)
*What will people most enjoy writing that could lead many different contributors to a short, but complete and interesting article that links to larger articles? Maybe "Events" could be a theme - pen-portraits of memorable sporting moments (see [[try]], or notable historical events - including tsunamis, eruption of Krakatoa, comet collision with Jupiter, the birth of Dolly the sheep, freeing of Nelson Mandela, the sinking of the Titanic, assassination of Martin Luther King, the Mutiny on the Bounty, the discovery of the Americas? Can I suggest asking that every new article should have at least one external link and links to other articles here?[[User:Gareth Leng|Gareth Leng]] 12:31, 14 January 2009 (UTC)
 
::*I like this idea.  Further, definitions and other subpages are preferable, even for stubs. [[User:Chris Day|Chris Day]] 17:01, 14 January 2009 (UTC)
* Could fall under the category of 'Attractions', and 'National Parks' also covers some of these too. Most countries also have at least one UNESCO Heritage Listed location--could well be worth a shot, as these locations would have a rich history as well as artistic/cultural significance. [[User:Louise Valmoria|Louise Valmoria]] 20:16, 6 August 2008 (CDT)
:::Dare I suggest that even stubs can and should be non-orphans? Basic criteria: [[User:Howard C. Berkowitz|Howard C. Berkowitz]] 18:00, 14 January 2009 (UTC)
 
:::*Reachable from the front page or a core article/workgroup page
===Future Theme Schedule===
:::*Link to at least three other articles, even if they are redlinks in a Related Articles subpages
*November - '''National Parks''' - most countries have them but Citizendium doesn't...yet.
:::*Have at least three other articles link to them
* I propose "childish things" as a topic. --[[User:Larry Sanger|Larry Sanger]] 15:51, 6 May 2009 (UTC)
::Er...you talkin' 'bout me again???  You can always tell who's got a toddler at home, huh, Larry? [[User:Aleta Curry|Aleta Curry]] 02:57, 7 May 2009 (UTC)
*For this revival, to open it to lots of partiers, suggest theme: '<font color="darkred">Topic of Your Mind's Desire</font>', or, '<font color="darkred">Whatever</font>', or something in that vein, with the proviso that article be consistent with CZ standards. [[User:Anthony.Sebastian|Anthony.Sebastian]] 02:28, 30 June 2011 (UTC)


::May I suggest a separate theme for each workgroup, and a campaign to obtain a commitment from each member of each workgroup to start a new article, however stubby, but thoughtfully and excellently stubby.  A rhetorical question. Incidentally, CZ has no article on [[Rhetoric]], a fascinating subject with roots in antiquity and above-ground branches and fruit in the 21st century. --[[User:Anthony.Sebastian|Anthony.Sebastian]] 19:31, 19 August 2008 (CDT)
:: Kinds of [[Phobia]]s, or [[mammal]]s, or [[insects]]s or [[arachnid]]s or [[butterfly]]s or [[flower]]s or [[medication]]s or [[symmetry group]]s or [[legends in sports]]. But wait, there are many [[tree]]s and [[automobile]]s and [[computer program]]s, and [[ice cream]] flavors. Sooo many choices, so little time. [[User:David E. Volk|David E. Volk]] 23:48, 11 July 2011 (UTC)


== See also ==
== See also ==
Line 170: Line 78:
* [[CZ:Weekly Wiki|Weekly Wiki]]
* [[CZ:Weekly Wiki|Weekly Wiki]]
* [[CZ:Article of the Week|Article of the Week]]
* [[CZ:Article of the Week|Article of the Week]]
* [[CZ:New Article of the Week|New Article of the Week]]
* [[Archive:New Draft of the Week|New Article of the Week]]


{{initiatives}}
{{initiatives}}

Latest revision as of 05:02, 8 March 2024

Wednesday August 10th, 2011

Food, history of food, we are all food experts

Please enter your suggestions for the August topic here.

The next Write-a-Thon will take place on Wednesday Aug 10, 2011!

We know that not everybody has Wednesday at the same time though, so to make it fair our Wednesday lasts 48 hours! Therefore, Write-a-Thon starts on Aug 10th, 1200 UTC, when it starts being Wednesday in New Zealand, and ends on Aug 11th, 1200 UTC, when it finishes being Wednesday in Hawaii.

What's a Write-a-Thon?

It's a bunch of people getting together on a wiki at a particular time to do a bunch of writing. It's like an online party! Heck no, it is an online party! It's also an excuse for infrequent wikiers to show up and party hearty; to exchange ideas with people we might not "meet" otherwise.

But hey, why not show up in between the write-ins, too!

When?

Write-a-Thons happen the first Wednesday of every month. It starts on Tuesday 1200 UTC, when it starts being Wednesday in New Zealand, and ends on Thursday 1200 UTC, when it finishes being Wednesday in Hawaii. Save the next month's date! Put it on your calendar! Set yourself a reminder!

Any new article you create, and any edit you make to somebody else's Write-a-Thon article during that time period will count!

Our first Write-a-Thon took place Wednesday, August 1, 2007 and was considered a roaring good time--we had about 30 partiers creating something like 50 articles, and editing lots.

So how do I join in?

Joining in is really easy:

  • First of all, show up on the first Wednesday of the month!
  • Start a new article. Any new article is fine, although a suggested theme is given each month. Even just a stub will qualify, although the more substantive the article the better. Come back to this page and let everyone know you've started it! The earlier in the day you do this step, the better.
  • Make a substantive edit (not just a copyedit) to somebody else's new article! You might need to come back a little bit later in the day to do this, once people have had chance to make all those new articles. Then come back to this page and reply to the person who made the article.
  • Optionally, but preferably, mention Write-a-thon in the Edit summary of any pages you create or edit for the party! It lets others who may have forgotten know it is here.
  • Congratulations, you are an official Write-a-thon partier!

Join the fun!

When you've created your new article (or improved an existing article, for that matter) on Wednesday 6th July, come and list it here! Don't forget to sign your name so everyone knows you've joined in. Then, when you've edited someone else's article come and let them know!

List your new articles here!

The Greatest Contribution of All Time. (Why is everyone so apologetic?)
  • Natural_Gourmet_Institute - Pat Palmer
    • Sorry to miss the date--Wednesdays are too busy for me. I've create an article one day later. It is just a stub; it would have been more, but instead, I drained all my energy battling the article creation template.Pat Palmer 14:18, 11 August 2011 (UTC)
  • Haggis - also late, sorry Gareth Leng 16:21, 11 August 2011 (UTC)
  • Mozartkugel -- Rather small (and late) contribution. --Peter Schmitt 18:27, 12 August 2011 (UTC)

Upcoming!

  • August 2011 - (theme still to be chosen--anyone?)
    • Please enter your suggestions for the August topic here.

Previous shindings

empty form

Write-a-Thon Theme Suggestions

New Suggestions and Discussion

  • History of food/foods. Anthony.Sebastian 22:59, 7 July 2011 (UTC)
  • What about red links in Random pages? --Daniel Mietchen 10:15, 4 December 2008 (UTC)
  • I suggest "Numbers". Richard Pinch 07:21, 15 December 2008 (UTC)
  • "Hometown Heroes" - write about someone famous from your part of the world (either where you're from, or where you are now).
  • "Poles Apart" - find the spot directly on the other side of Earth from you, and write about someone or something in the vicinity. (Contributors on other planets, follow a similar procedure for whatever planet you're on. Contributors not on planetary bodies permitted to write about whatever they feel like.)
  • Fill in an item from this interesting list of natural objects. Or this interesting list of people.
  • All articles must start with the same letter of the alphabet, allowing for diacritics and transliteration (so Å, Á, and あ would all count if A were the letter, for instance).
  • Photo stubs - no minimum word length, no theme requirement, but must contain an image.
  • Choose a random number from 1 to 500, then go to Special:WantedPages and start an article on the topic currently at that rank.Petréa Mitchell 19:15, 1 January 2009 (UTC)
  • What will people most enjoy writing that could lead many different contributors to a short, but complete and interesting article that links to larger articles? Maybe "Events" could be a theme - pen-portraits of memorable sporting moments (see try, or notable historical events - including tsunamis, eruption of Krakatoa, comet collision with Jupiter, the birth of Dolly the sheep, freeing of Nelson Mandela, the sinking of the Titanic, assassination of Martin Luther King, the Mutiny on the Bounty, the discovery of the Americas? Can I suggest asking that every new article should have at least one external link and links to other articles here?Gareth Leng 12:31, 14 January 2009 (UTC)
  • I like this idea. Further, definitions and other subpages are preferable, even for stubs. Chris Day 17:01, 14 January 2009 (UTC)
Dare I suggest that even stubs can and should be non-orphans? Basic criteria: Howard C. Berkowitz 18:00, 14 January 2009 (UTC)
  • Reachable from the front page or a core article/workgroup page
  • Link to at least three other articles, even if they are redlinks in a Related Articles subpages
  • Have at least three other articles link to them
  • I propose "childish things" as a topic. --Larry Sanger 15:51, 6 May 2009 (UTC)
Er...you talkin' 'bout me again??? You can always tell who's got a toddler at home, huh, Larry? Aleta Curry 02:57, 7 May 2009 (UTC)
  • For this revival, to open it to lots of partiers, suggest theme: 'Topic of Your Mind's Desire', or, 'Whatever', or something in that vein, with the proviso that article be consistent with CZ standards. Anthony.Sebastian 02:28, 30 June 2011 (UTC)
Kinds of Phobias, or mammals, or insectss or arachnids or butterflys or flowers or medications or symmetry groups or legends in sports. But wait, there are many trees and automobiles and computer programs, and ice cream flavors. Sooo many choices, so little time. David E. Volk 23:48, 11 July 2011 (UTC)

See also


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