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Four Parts:Setup a Custom FormatUse TemplatesWorking OfflineShare Your Knowledge Online

Do you have an idea for a wikiHow article, but aren't quite sure how is best to format it for your need to explain what you want others to do, to achieve the goal your trying to teach them? We have many fine tools that can help you do it at wikiHow (some will be listed within this article), but if you're finding that they don't seem to meet your needs, try customizing your own wikiHow format using these steps and suggestions!


In the meantime, it's suggested that you use the "Guided Editor" or "Advanced Editor" article writing tools to format your article until you are familiar with wiki text (also known as wikiCode) and the basics of formatting. Please write an article or two with the current tools before attempting to taking these steps. That said, are you ready to give it a try? Good! Let's get started!

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Part 1 of 4: Setup a Custom Format

  1. 1
    Start writing the article offline on ‘'using your local system tools’’ in a simple text editor for Windows[1]or SimpleText for Mac[2]
  2. 2
    Don’t worry too much about applying the wiki text formatting on your local copy yet. And, it’s not a very good idea to try to use automated bullet points or numbers. It will make it more difficult to format correctly on wikiHow.

Part 2 of 4: Use Templates

  1. 1
    There is a template similar to the Barnstar template and a page with a whole range of templates. (That link is in text view. It make it easier to see).
    • The one to look at using first is called the inuse template. You may place it on your article, until it's ready to be released for other editors to edit and make better. You might even get a star for your article eventually! ★
  2. 2
    The inuse tag is like saying it's "Under Construction", so changes by others should be minimal until it's removed. It allows for up to two weeks until it's removed.
  3. 3
    If two weeks go by and you're still not finished, you may edit the date, though it's preferred to take the tag off as soon as possible to improve wikiHow's efforts at quality, but if you have to update the date, try not to do so more than once, if you need to give yourself more time.
    • Just be sure to follow the exact same format as the template has placed on it which looks like this: {{inuse|date=yyyy-mm-dd}} if you must change the date. The tag will automatically have the date you first placed it there without adding the date.
    • The wikiHow system will insert the date the first time.
    • The tag's name is simply called the "inuse" tag. To use it, simply add this template tag to the very top, first line of the article {{inuse|date=2014-09-30}}.
    • The page will display a yellow box that looks like this, right after the introduction, at the top of the article:
  4. 4
    Check under the "Research Tools" part of this article (further down) for a list of helpful wikiHow Articles.
    • They can help you format the article correctly and find other helpful wikiHow resources including links to get help from others, the wikiHow Help Team, or even an Admin. They are all about wikiHow!
    • The methods described here have been tested for efficiency and found successful, but by no means is this the only way to write articles. It is outside the scope of this article to show other ways that are available on other articles.
  5. 5
    Make a custom formatted article using these ideas:
    • The default starting mode when using the "Article Creator" will be with different steps only. You can add different sections from the "Guided Editor".
  6. 6
    After setting up the basic format with the "Guided Editor" one can always delete parts or steps, or move them around later to be cohesive, change sections and subsections, etc.
    • All formatting options aren't available in the "Guided Editor". One must use the "Advanced Editor". It has a black bar on the top of the edit window and most of the time when you switch to it, you can't (and probably won't want to) switch back to the "Guided Editor". It's probably because the "Advanced Editor" changes formatting options.
  7. 7
    If your setting it up with the "Guided Editor be sure to put something in all the fields under each section, like a placeholder line or else the formatting template your making won't save the first time you click "Continue" or "Publish" and you'll have to go to the "Advanced Editor" to fix things..
    • Put a placeholder note in any sections (parts or methods) of the article you have thought of with simple notes on what you what you intend to write there.
    • Example: under the Methods to (different methods) type something like "This is a placeholder for method one", which is but only one way to do it.
  8. 8
    Type in the 3 equals signs and a space for the next method (another way), followed by a space and press ↵ Enter.
    • Now type a placeholder for yourself: "This is a placeholder for method two", a second way to do it.
    • These are only suggestions. You can think of your own methods (or maybe different parts) to put in the custom template for your article.
    • For different parts (different parts are what you would need to do first, second, third, in groups of steps.
    • For now just call each placeholder parts line something like "These parts need to be taken in order". Your “custom format placeholder lines’’ should ‘’be deleted as soon as you start editing that section.’’

Part 3 of 4: Working Offline

  1. 1
    • Also note that some word processors like MS Word™ will mess up wiki text format due to it's "Autoformat". You can turn it off, or select the part it messed up and then select "Remove Auto-format" to fix it.
    • That's why a simple, no frills, text editor is usually easier, so as to not lose wiki text formatting.
  2. 2
    Compile information into as few parts as possible and move steps from one part to another part so you can delete unnecessary parts, or use sub-section formatting.
  3. 3
    The reverse is true also. You can always add another part, or replace a part, if you find one of the parts getting too long and wordy.
  4. 4
    While the number of steps has no limits, the least possible number will make the article appear cleaner and easier for others to follow.
  5. 5
    Make the correct formatting possible by starting off with making it all steps under one part, then add a heading for the other parts, then changing the steps that should be bullets by just typing the * sign before the # sign on them, and wallah! The format should be perfect!
  6. 6
    Don't forget to: edit, edit again, and continue to reedit, proofread for format issues and typos, then repeat until you have it looking the way you want it!

Part 4 of 4: Share Your Knowledge Online

  1. 1
    Next, once the article has been formatted and written, edited, and copy-edited by you there's a point at which you will want to publish it.
  2. 2
    Once the article is completed to your satisfaction using the offline methods or you start on it directly from the wikiHow website to be published to immediately, take a few other steps carefully so your work isn’t lost.
  3. 3
    At the bottom of the “Edit” window is a “Summary” line. Just place simple text there stating exactly what you are doing. Example: “this is the first draft into wikiHow of my new article” works great.
  4. 4
    Look at the very top. It should only have the tag {{inuse|date=2014-12-09}} on it right now (if you chose to use it), giving you at least two weeks to copyedit the article, move things around, and fix formatting and Source and Citation errors, bad links, etc.
    • If you intended to use it and forgot, just put it into the very first line of the “Introduction” area at the top.
    • See the articles list in “Research Tools” to find out how to clean it up. You can always do a search on wikiHow with wikiHow’s Google Search engine found at the top, with the light green text field.
  5. 5
    Enter everything your looking for after a “How To”: statement. Example: “fix cite errors”.
    • If you start with a few words, then add more to “drill down” it’s easier to find what you want.
    • If you saw what you are looking for from another article, just go to that article and find it.


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Tips

  • Start by writing other articles first with the "Guided" and "Advanced" Editor
  • Template your format offline first before placing it on wikiHow as an article.

Warnings

  • Do read the wikiHow Title Policy to avoid being nominated for deletion!

Sources and Citations

  1. ↑ Info on a Text Editor program for Windows
  2. ↑ on a SimpleText Editor for Mac.
  3. ↑ LibreOffice details at Wikipedia.org
  4. ↑ [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Text_editor#Types_of_text_editors A Wikipedia article about different types of editors,
  5. ↑ wikiHow’s This is wikiHow’s Creative Commons License, accessed from the small links along the bottom of any window while on this site.


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