Wikitravel:Writers' Expedition

From Wikitravel

The Writer's Expedition is a Wikitravel Expedition to help attract professional and non-professional writers to contribute to and benefit from Wikitravel articles.

[edit] Rationale

Wikitravel needs writers at least as much as it needs editors, map makers, and photographers. Developing a stronger community of writers would be a mutually beneficial endeavour since 1) a focus on writing is needed to turn more guides into stars with the required "prose [that]is not only near-perfect grammatically but also tight, effective, and enjoyable." 2) many freelance and just-starting-out writers and journalists are looking for ways to increase the size and diversity of their portfolios. An additional goal is community outreach to help the professional travel writers communnity understand how Open Content, much like Open Source Software, is not a threat to their profession.

[edit] Goals

1. Invite travel writers to contribute to Wikitravel
2. Welcome travel writers and journalists
3. Address policy & guideline issues specific to professional/semi-professional writers

[edit] Strategy

• Answer questions specific to writers:
  • Introduce our style
  • Explain the "wiki way" (i.e. their work will be edited, changed, etc)
  • Explaining our current copyleft policies
    • Contributing previously published works
    • Republishing Wikitravel content
    • Including Wikitravel content in their portfolio (i.e. copying or linking to history)
• Present specific examples of "well-written" articles.