Difference between revisions of "UniWiki:Manual of Style/Writing about fiction"

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== Real-world perspective ==
 
== Real-world perspective ==
  
Articles about fiction, like all Wikipedia articles, should adhere to the [[Real life (reality)|real world]] as their primary [[frame of reference]]. The approach is to describe the subject matter from the ''perspective of the real world'', in which the work of fiction and its publication are embedded. It necessitates the use of both [[#Primary information|primary]] '''and''' [[#Secondary information|secondary information]].
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Articles about fiction, like all UniWiki articles, should adhere to the [[Wikipedia:Real life (reality)|real world]] as their primary [[Wikipedia:Frame of reference|frame of reference]] to the greatest extent possible, as EVE remains, first and foremost, a game. The approach is to describe the subject matter from the ''perspective of the real world'', in which the work of fiction and its publication are embedded. It necessitates the use of both [[#Primary information|primary]] '''and''' [[#Secondary information|secondary information]].
  
 
Exemplary aspects of real-world perspective include:
 
Exemplary aspects of real-world perspective include:
  
* Careful differentiation between the work of fiction itself and aspects of its ''[[Product/process distinction|production process]]'' and ''[[publication]]'', such as the ''impact'' a work of fiction has had in the real world (see also [[#Contextual presentation|below]])
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* Careful differentiation between the work of fiction itself and aspects of its ''[[Wikipedia:Product/process distinction|production process]]'' and ''[[Wikipedia:Publication|publication]]'', such as the ''impact'' a work of fiction has had in the real world (see also [[#Contextual presentation|below]])
* Careful differentiation between ''narrated'' time and fictional chronology on the one hand, and ''narrative'' time and actual chronology of real-world events on the other (of particular relevance to all film and TV-related topics)
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* Careful differentiation between ''narrated'' time and fictional chronology on the one hand, and ''narrative'' time and actual chronology of real-world events on the other
 
* The ''presentation'' of fictional material
 
* The ''presentation'' of fictional material
** particularly for film and TV-related topics, this may include ''[[cinematography|cinematographical]]'' aspects
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** particularly for film and TV-related topics, this may include ''[[Wikipedia:cinematography|cinematographical]]'' aspects
** for literature, this may include ''[[writing style]]'' and ''[[literary technique]]''
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** for literature, this may include ''[[Wikipedia:Writing style|writing style]]'' and ''[[Wikipedia:Literary technique|literary technique]]''
* Description of fictional characters, places and devices as ''objects of the [[narrative]]''
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* Description of fictional characters, places and devices as ''objects of the [[Wikipedia:Narrative|narrative]]''
 
* Making (referenced!) mention of the author's ''intention''
 
* Making (referenced!) mention of the author's ''intention''
  
Real-world perspective is not an optional quality criterion but a general, basic requirement for all articles. See below for a list of [[#List of exemplary articles|exemplary articles]] which employ a consistent real-world perspective.
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Real-world perspective is not an optional quality criterion but a general, basic requirement for all articles.
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'''These guidelines are relaxed, but not completely ignored, in articles describing EVE lore. Use common sense when writing or editing such articles.'''
  
 
=== The problem with in-universe perspective ===
 
=== The problem with in-universe perspective ===
{{shortcut|MOS:INUNIVERSE|MOS:OUTUNIVERSE|MOS:IN-U|WP:UNIVERSE}}
 
An in-universe perspective describes the narrative from the perspective of characters within the [[fictional universe]], treating it as if it were real and ignoring [[WP:PLOT|real-world context and sourced analysis]]. The threshold of what constitutes in-universe writing is making ''any'' effort to re-create or uphold the illusion of the original fiction by omitting real-world info.
 
  
Many fan wikis and fan websites (see [[#Alternative outlets for fictional universe articles|below]]) take this approach, but it should not be used for Wikipedia articles. An in-universe perspective can be misleading, inviting [[WP:Verifiability|unverifiable]] [[WP:No original research|original research]]. Most importantly, in-universe perspective defies community consensus as to [[WP:What Wikipedia is not#Wikipedia is not an indiscriminate collection of information|what we do not want Wikipedia to be or become]].
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An in-universe perspective describes the narrative from the perspective of characters within the [[Wikipedia:Fictional universe|fictional universe]], treating it as if it were real and ignoring [[Wikipedia:WP:PLOT|real-world context and sourced analysis]]. The threshold of what constitutes in-universe writing is making ''any'' effort to re-create or uphold the illusion of the original fiction by omitting real-world info.
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Many fan wikis and fan websites (see [[#Alternative outlets for fictional universe articles|below]]) take this approach, but it should not be used for UniWiki articles. An in-universe perspective can be misleading.
  
 
Features often seen in an inappropriate, in-universe perspective include:
 
Features often seen in an inappropriate, in-universe perspective include:
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* A plot synopsis written like a historical account
 
* A plot synopsis written like a historical account
 
* [[wiktionary:fictography|Fictography]] – an article or section about a fictional character written like a biography, placing, for example, undue emphasis on titles or birthdates despite their being unimportant to the plot or interpretation. For example, instead of writing: "Gandalf was a powerful wizard" write: "Gandalf ''is characterised by Tolkien'' as a powerful wizard".
 
* [[wiktionary:fictography|Fictography]] – an article or section about a fictional character written like a biography, placing, for example, undue emphasis on titles or birthdates despite their being unimportant to the plot or interpretation. For example, instead of writing: "Gandalf was a powerful wizard" write: "Gandalf ''is characterised by Tolkien'' as a powerful wizard".
* Description of fictional places written like a geographical account; the same principles apply as for fictional characters. For example, (per [[WP:CYF]]), instead of writing: "Trillian is [[Arthur Dent]]'s girlfriend. She was taken away from Earth by [[Zaphod]] when he met her at a party. She meets Dent while travelling with Zaphod", write: "Trillian is a [[fictional character]] from [[Douglas Adams]]' radio, book and now film series ''[[The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy]]''. In the first book, Trillian is introduced to the main character [[Arthur Dent]] on a spaceship. In her backstory, she was taken away from Earth when the space alien [[Zaphod Beeblebrox]] met her at a party."
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* Description of fictional places written like a geographical account; the same principles apply as for fictional characters. For example, (per [[Wikipedia:Wikipedia:Writing better articles#Check your fiction|Wikipedia:Check your fiction]]), instead of writing: "Trillian is [[Wikipedia:Arthur Dent|Arthur Dent's]] girlfriend. She was taken away from Earth by [[Wikipedia:Zaphod|Zaphod]] when he met her at a party. She meets Dent while travelling with Zaphod", write: "Trillian is a [[Wikipedia:Fictional character|fictional character]] from [[Wikipedia:Douglas Adams|Douglas Adams']] radio, book and now film series ''[[Wikipedia:The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy|The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy]]''. In the first book, Trillian is introduced to the main character [[Wikipedia:Arthur Dent|Arthur Dent]] on a spaceship. In her backstory, she was taken away from Earth when the space alien [[Wikipedia:Zaphod Beeblebrox|Zaphod Beeblebrox]] met her at a party."
* [[WP:FICTENSE|Using past tense when discussing the plot or any of its elements]] (except backstory), rather than the [[historical present]] tense
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* [[Wikipedia:WP:FICTENSE|Using past tense when discussing the plot or any of its elements]] (except backstory), rather than the [[Wikipedia:Historical present|historical present]] tense
 
* Attempting to reconcile contradictions or bridge gaps in the narrative, rather than simply reporting them as such
 
* Attempting to reconcile contradictions or bridge gaps in the narrative, rather than simply reporting them as such
* Giving equal weight to a fictional topic's appearances in major works, and in obscure [[spin-off]] material
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* Giving equal weight to a fictional topic's appearances in major works, and in obscure [[Wikipedia:Spin-offspin-off]] material
* Placing [[spiritual successor]]s in the same continuity as the works that inspired them
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* Placing [[Wikipedia:Spiritual successor|spiritual successors]] in the same continuity as the works that inspired them
 
* Using in-jokes and references which require knowledge of the plot or characters of the work, its prequels or sequels
 
* Using in-jokes and references which require knowledge of the plot or characters of the work, its prequels or sequels
 
* Using [[#Infoboxes and succession boxes|infoboxes]] intended for real-world topics
 
* Using [[#Infoboxes and succession boxes|infoboxes]] intended for real-world topics
 
* Referring to the fictional events or dates which occur in the story, rather than the fictional works themselves. For example, instead of writing: "It is the year 34,500 AD, when the Trantorian Empire encompasses roughly half of the galaxy", write: "This story is set in the year 34,500 AD, when the Trantorian Empire encompasses roughly half of the galaxy", or similar.
 
* Referring to the fictional events or dates which occur in the story, rather than the fictional works themselves. For example, instead of writing: "It is the year 34,500 AD, when the Trantorian Empire encompasses roughly half of the galaxy", write: "This story is set in the year 34,500 AD, when the Trantorian Empire encompasses roughly half of the galaxy", or similar.
* Ordering works by their fictional chronology, rather than the actual order they were published. For example, although ''[[Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace]]'' was the fourth film released in the franchise, the story is a [[prequel]] that represents the beginning of the ''[[Star Wars]]'' narrative. As such it should be ordered as the fourth work in the series, not the first. It is acceptable to include both the fictional timeline and the real world timeline, providing that the distinction is not ambiguous; the real world time line should take precedence.
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* Ordering works by their fictional chronology, rather than the actual order they were published. For example, although ''[[Wikipedia:Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace|Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace]]'' was the fourth film released in the franchise, the story is a [[Wikipedia:Prequel|prequel]] that represents the beginning of the ''[[Wikipedia:Star Wars|Star Wars]]'' narrative. As such it should be ordered as the fourth work in the series, not the first. It is acceptable to include both the fictional timeline and the real world timeline, providing that the distinction is not ambiguous; the real world time line should take precedence.
  
These restrictions should and do hold for serious [[satire]] such as ''[[Gulliver's Travels]]'' or ''[[Candide]]'' (and many works for the stage) where the fictional elements are designed to camouflage the serious political or social criticism within the work. In such cases, it is legitimate to use reliable sources to examine the fictional elements and the design of the storyline when such sources attempt to decipher the author's original intent. The same exemptions might apply to other special forms of literature where the fiction/non-fiction categorization is disputed, such as the possibly historical elements of religious scripture.
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These restrictions should and do hold for serious [[Wikipedia:Satire|satire]] such as ''[[Wikipedia:Gulliver's Travels|Gulliver's Travels]]'' or ''[[Wikipedia:Candide|Candide]]'' (and many works for the stage) where the fictional elements are designed to camouflage the serious political or social criticism within the work. In such cases, it is legitimate to use reliable sources to examine the fictional elements and the design of the storyline when such sources attempt to decipher the author's original intent. The same exemptions might apply to other special forms of literature where the fiction/non-fiction categorization is disputed, such as the possibly historical elements of religious scripture.
  
See also the sections on [[#Fair use|fair use]], [[#Accuracy and appropriate weight|accuracy and appropriate weight]], and [[#Templates|templates]].
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See also the section on [[#Accuracy and appropriate weight|accuracy and appropriate weight]].
  
 
== Primary and secondary information ==
 
== Primary and secondary information ==
{{shortcut|MOS:PASI}}
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Where the [[#Real-world perspective|above section]] discusses the principal ''perspective'' from which an article is written and makes the distinction between ''real-world perspective'' versus ''"in-universe" perspective'', this section discusses the ''incorporation of information''. Please see also the related [[WP:PSTS|policy on the use of primary, secondary, and tertiary sources]].
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Where the [[#Real-world perspective|above section]] discusses the principal ''perspective'' from which an article is written and makes the distinction between ''real-world perspective'' versus ''"in-universe" perspective'', this section discusses the ''incorporation of information''. Please see also the related [[Wikipedia:WP:PSTS|policy on the use of primary, secondary, and tertiary sources]].
  
 
=== Primary information ===
 
=== Primary information ===
{{shortcut|MOS:BOOKPLOT|MOS:FICTIONPLOT}}
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The term ''primary information'' describes information that originates from [[primary source]]s about the fictional universe, ''i.e.'', the original work of fiction or an affiliated work of fiction (e.g., another episode of the same series). Even with strict adherence to the real-world perspective, writing about fiction always includes using the original fiction itself as a source. See also the sections on [[#Fair use|fair use]] and [[#Templates|templates]]. [[WP:PSTS]] says, "...a primary source may be used only to make descriptive claims, the accuracy of which is verifiable by a reasonable, educated person without specialist knowledge... Do not make analytic, synthetic, interpretive, explanatory, or evaluative claims about information found in a primary source."
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The term ''primary information'' describes information that originates from [[Wikipedia:Primary source|primary sources]] about the fictional universe, ''i.e.'', the original work of fiction or an affiliated work of fiction (e.g., another episode of the same series). Even with strict adherence to the real-world perspective, writing about fiction always includes using the original fiction itself as a source. See also the sections on [[#Fair use|fair use]] and [[#Templates|templates]]. [[Wikipedia:WP:PSTS|Wikipedia:Source policy]] says, "...a primary source may be used only to make descriptive claims, the accuracy of which is verifiable by a reasonable, educated person without specialist knowledge... Do not make analytic, synthetic, interpretive, explanatory, or evaluative claims about information found in a primary source."
  
 
Examples of information available in primary sources include:
 
Examples of information available in primary sources include:
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=== Secondary information ===
 
=== Secondary information ===
The term ''secondary information'' describes information external to the fictional universe, and is usually taken from [[secondary source]]s about the [[work of art]] or the [[Plot (narrative)|fictional world contained therein]], or from primary and secondary sources about the author and the circumstances of creation. Publications affiliated with a particular work of fiction (''e.g.'' fan magazines), are mostly ''not'' considered suitable secondary sources about the primary works. However, such publications may be suitable primary or secondary sources in an article about the fan publication itself or other related topics.
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The term ''secondary information'' describes information external to the fictional universe, and is usually taken from [[Wikipedia:Secondary source|secondary sources]] about the [[Wikipedia:Work of art|work of art]] or the [[Wikipedia:Plot (narrative)|fictional world contained therein]], or from primary and secondary sources about the author and the circumstances of creation. Publications affiliated with a particular work of fiction (''e.g.'' fan magazines), are mostly ''not'' considered suitable secondary sources about the primary works. However, such publications may be suitable primary or secondary sources in an article about the fan publication itself or other related topics.
  
The [[rule of thumb]] is to use ''as much secondary information as [[#The_problem_with_in-universe_perspective|necessary]] and [[#Real-world_perspective|useful]]'' to give the article a real-world perspective, '''[[WP:TRIVIA|not more]]''' and '''[[#The_problem_with_in-universe_perspective|not less]]'''. Another rule of thumb is that if the topic is [[Wikipedia:Notability|notable]], secondary information should be available and possibly already in the article.
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The [[Wikipedia:Rule of thumb|rule of thumb]] is to use ''as much secondary information as [[#The_problem_with_in-universe_perspective|necessary]] and [[#Real-world_perspective|useful]]'' to give the article a real-world perspective, '''[[UniWiki:Manual of Style/Trivia sections|not more]]''' and '''[[#The_problem_with_in-universe_perspective|not less]]'''
  
 
Examples of [[#Real-world_perspective|useful]] information typically provided by secondary sources about the original work, or primary and secondary sources about information external to the work:
 
Examples of [[#Real-world_perspective|useful]] information typically provided by secondary sources about the original work, or primary and secondary sources about information external to the work:
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== Contextual presentation ==
 
== Contextual presentation ==
 
=== Plot summaries ===
 
=== Plot summaries ===
{{shortcut|MOS:PLOT}}
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{{hatnote|For further information, see [[Wikipedia:Wikipedia:Plot summaries|Wikipedia:Plot summaries]] and [[Wikipedia:Wikipedia:How to write a plot summary|Wikipedia:How to write a plot summary]].}}
{{hatnote|For further information, see [[Wikipedia:Plot summaries]] and [[Wikipedia:How to write a plot summary]].}}
 
  
 
Generally there are two possible issues to be considered: the ''context of the production'' and the ''context of the original fiction''. Whenever the original fiction itself is the subject of the article, all out-of-universe (that is, real world) information needs to be set in the context of that original fiction (e.g., by including a plot summary). When the article concerns, e.g., a documentary about that original fiction, it is not necessarily important to discuss the content of the original source material.
 
Generally there are two possible issues to be considered: the ''context of the production'' and the ''context of the original fiction''. Whenever the original fiction itself is the subject of the article, all out-of-universe (that is, real world) information needs to be set in the context of that original fiction (e.g., by including a plot summary). When the article concerns, e.g., a documentary about that original fiction, it is not necessarily important to discuss the content of the original source material.
  
Details of creation, development, etcetera, relating to a particular fictional element are more helpful if the reader understands the role of that element in the story. This often involves providing plot summaries, character descriptions or biographies, or direct quotations. By convention, these synopses should be written in the present tense (known in this use as the [[narrative present]]), as this is the way that the story is experienced as it is read or viewed (see also [[WP:FICTENSE]]). At any particular point in the story there is a "past" and a "future", but whether something is "past" or "future" changes as the story progresses. It is simplest and conventional to recount the entire description as continuous "present".
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Details of creation, development, etc., relating to a particular fictional element are more helpful if the reader understands the role of that element in the story. This often involves providing plot summaries, character descriptions or biographies, or direct quotations. By convention, these synopses should be written in the present tense (known in this use as the [[Wikipedia:Narrative present|narrative present]]), as this is the way that the story is experienced as it is read or viewed (see also [[Wikipedia:Wikipedia:Writing better articles#Tense|Wikipedia:Tense]]). At any particular point in the story there is a "past" and a "future", but whether something is "past" or "future" changes as the story progresses. It is simplest and conventional to recount the entire description as continuous "present".
  
 
Plot summaries and similar recaps of fictional works (like a character's fictional biography) should be written in an out-of-universe style, presenting the narrative from a displaced, neutral frame of reference from the characters or setting. While an in-universe style may be more engaging for prose, it may also bias the work and be overly wordy. For example, instead of starting a plot summary with "It is 2003," (which puts the reader in the frame of reference of the work), start with "In 2003, ..." (which extracts the reader from that frame).
 
Plot summaries and similar recaps of fictional works (like a character's fictional biography) should be written in an out-of-universe style, presenting the narrative from a displaced, neutral frame of reference from the characters or setting. While an in-universe style may be more engaging for prose, it may also bias the work and be overly wordy. For example, instead of starting a plot summary with "It is 2003," (which puts the reader in the frame of reference of the work), start with "In 2003, ..." (which extracts the reader from that frame).
  
Plot summaries can be written from the [[WP:Real world|real-world]] perspective by referring to specific works or parts of works ("In the first book", "In Act II") or describing things from the author or creator's perspective ("The author introduces", "The story describes"). This gives the summary a grounded tone that is accessible to those unfamiliar with the source material. Real-world perspective is the preferred style for plot summaries that encompass multiple works, such as broadly describing a series of novels, describing key events that might have happened in earlier works that impact the present work, or the biography of a fictional character over multiple works. Such conventions are not as important for plot summaries of single works that are not part of a series; nevertheless, real-world language at the beginning of summaries is often good style. A long singular work that has natural divisions (for example, the three Books within ''[[A Tale of Two Cities]]'', or the acts of a play or musical) can be used to create subheadings under the plot to provide real-world framing without introducing it in text. A singular work itself might necessitate a real-world perspective due to its structure.  Summaries written in a real-world perspective do not need to stay true to the fiction's chronological order if going out of order improves the summary. A work with two concurrent running storylines where the narrative switches back and forth between them (for example, the film ''[[Memento (film)|Memento]]'') is likely better told by summarizing one storyline in full, followed by the second storyline, as long as this narrative structure is explained to the reader.
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Plot summaries can be written from the [[#Real-world perspective|real-world perspective]] by referring to specific works or parts of works ("In the first book", "In Act II") or describing things from the author or creator's perspective ("The author introduces", "The story describes"). This gives the summary a grounded tone that is accessible to those unfamiliar with the source material. Real-world perspective is the preferred style for plot summaries that encompass multiple works, such as broadly describing a series of novels, describing key events that might have happened in earlier works that impact the present work, or the biography of a fictional character over multiple works. Such conventions are not as important for plot summaries of single works that are not part of a series; nevertheless, real-world language at the beginning of summaries is often good style. A long singular work that has natural divisions (for example, the three Books within ''[[Wikipedia:A Tale of Two Cities|A Tale of Two Cities]]'', or the acts of a play or musical) can be used to create subheadings under the plot to provide real-world framing without introducing it in text. A singular work itself might necessitate a real-world perspective due to its structure.  Summaries written in a real-world perspective do not need to stay true to the fiction's chronological order if going out of order improves the summary. A work with two concurrent running storylines where the narrative switches back and forth between them (for example, the film ''[[Wikipedia:Memento (film)|Memento]]'') is likely better told by summarizing one storyline in full, followed by the second storyline, as long as this narrative structure is explained to the reader.
  
The length of a plot summary should be carefully balanced with the length of the other sections. Strictly avoid creating [[WP:PLOT|pages consisting only of a plot summary]]. For some types of media, associated guidelines may offer advice on plot length; for example, [[WP:Manual of Style/Film#Plot]] suggests that plot summaries for feature films should be between 400 and 700 words.
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The length of a plot summary should be carefully balanced with the length of the other sections. Strictly avoid creating pages consisting only of a plot summary. For some types of media, associated guidelines may offer advice on plot length.
  
The plot summary for a work, on a page about that work, does not need to be sourced with in-line citations, as it is generally assumed that the work itself is the primary source for the plot summary. However, editors are encouraged to add sourcing if possible. If a plot summary includes a direct quote from the work, this must be cited using inline citations per [[WP:QUOTE]]. Sometimes a work will be summarized by secondary sources, which can be used for sourcing. Otherwise, using brief quotation citations from the primary work can be helpful to source key or complex plot points.
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The plot summary for a work, on a page about that work, does not need to be sourced with in-line citations, as it is generally assumed that the work itself is the primary source for the plot summary. However, editors are encouraged to add sourcing if possible. If a plot summary includes a direct quote from the work, this must be cited using inline citations. Sometimes a work will be summarized by secondary sources, which can be used for sourcing. Otherwise, using brief quotation citations from the primary work can be helpful to source key or complex plot points.
  
Presenting fictional material from the original work is allowed, provided passages are short, are given the proper context, and do not constitute the main portion of the article. If such passages stray into the realm of interpretation, per [[WP:PRIMARY]], secondary sources must be provided to avoid [[Wikipedia:No original research|original research]]. Plot summaries '''cannot''' engage in interpretation and should only present an obvious recap of the work. For example, we cannot state anything about whether the top remains spinning or topples at the end of ''[[Inception (film)|Inception]]''. Even small details that might be clear on a word-by-word or frame-by-frame analysis – steps well beyond the normal act of reading or watching a work – should be considered original research and excluded from such articles. If a vague plot element is later clarified by the work's creator, this can be included in the summary as long as a citation to this clarification is provided. Independent secondary sources that make analysis or interpretation of a work  but without any correlation with the creator should be discussed in a separate section outside of the plot summary and not confused with the presented plot summary.
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Presenting fictional material from the original work is allowed, provided passages are short, are given the proper context, and do not constitute the main portion of the article. Plot summaries '''cannot''' engage in interpretation and should only present an obvious recap of the work. For example, we cannot state anything about whether the top remains spinning or topples at the end of ''[[Wikipedia:Inception (film)|Inception]]''. Even small details that might be clear on a word-by-word or frame-by-frame analysis – steps well beyond the normal act of reading or watching a work – should be considered original research and excluded from such articles. If a vague plot element is later clarified by the work's creator, this can be included in the summary as long as a citation to this clarification is provided. Independent secondary sources that make analysis or interpretation of a work  but without any correlation with the creator should be discussed in a separate section outside of the plot summary and not confused with the presented plot summary.
  
 
=== Summary style approach ===
 
=== Summary style approach ===
{{details|Wikipedia:Summary style}}
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{{hatnote|For more details on this topic, see [[Wikipedia:Wikipedia:Summary style|Wikipedia:Summary style]]}}
  
Sometimes, when an article gets long (see [[Wikipedia:Article size]]), a section of the article is made into its own article, and the handling of the subject in the main article is condensed to a brief summary.  This is completely normal Wikipedia procedure; see for example [[Wikipedia:Summary style]], which explains the technique. The new article is sometimes called a "spinout" or "spinoff" of the main article.  For fictional works, these spinout articles are typically lists of characters or other elements that usually rely on the coverage of the parent topic, and may lack demonstration of real-world coverage through sources dedicated specifically to those elements (see [[Wikipedia:Lists]]). ''Very rarely should such spinout articles be about a singular topic (e.g., character, plot item); either that topic has demonstrated its own notability, or should be merged into the main article or existing spinout articles.''
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Sometimes, when an article gets long (see [[Wikipedia:Wikipedia:Article size|Wikipedia:Article size]]), a section of the article is made into its own article, and the handling of the subject in the main article is condensed to a brief summary.  This is completely normal wiki procedure; see for example [[Wikipedia:Wikipedia:Summary style|Wikipedia:Summary style]], which explains the technique. The new article is sometimes called a "spinout" or "spinoff" of the main article.  For fictional works, these spinout articles are typically lists of characters or other elements that usually rely on the coverage of the parent topic, and may lack demonstration of real-world coverage through sources dedicated specifically to those elements (see [[Wikipedia:Wikipedia:Lists|Wikipedia:Lists]]). ''Very rarely should such spinout articles be about a singular topic (e.g., character, plot item); either that topic has demonstrated its own notability, or should be merged into the main article or existing spinout articles.''
  
The spinout article should [[WP:PLOT|concisely provide details]] of the topic or topics covered in the work – just because the spinout article is given more space to grow does not mean that [[WP:PLOT|excessive plot summaries or fictional character biographies]] are appropriate.  As with other fictional works, the spinout article should be written in an "out-of-universe" style.  As with all other Wikipedia articles, the spinout article needs to be [[WP:V|verifiable]], must possess [[WP:NOR|no original research]], and must reflect a [[WP:NPOV|neutral point of view]].
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The spinout article should concisely provide details of the topic or topics covered in the work – just because the spinout article is given more space to grow does not mean that excessive plot summaries or fictional character biographies are appropriate.  As with other fictional works, the spinout article should be written in an "out-of-universe" style.  As with all other UniWiki articles, the spinout article must reflect a neutral point of view.
 
 
== Notability ==
 
All fictional topics must meet the [[Wikipedia:Notability|notability guidelines]] to warrant articles specifically about them. As mentioned [[#Secondary information|earlier]], the rule of thumb is that if the topic is sufficiently notable, [[WP:PSTS|secondary sources]] will be available and will ideally be included on article creation.
 
  
 
== Accuracy and appropriate weight ==
 
== Accuracy and appropriate weight ==
Articles must be written from a [[WP:neutral point of view|neutral point of view]] and must give due weight to all aspects of the subject. They should also give appropriate weight to all elements of the article page, including, e.g., [[#Infoboxes and succession boxes|infoboxes and succession boxes]] as well as images and the text. The goal is to attain the greatest possible degree of accuracy in covering the topic at hand, which is also the basic rationale behind discouraging e.g., [[WP:PLOT|disproportionately long plot summaries]] and in-universe writing.
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Articles must be written from a [[Wikipedia:WP:neutral point of view|neutral point of view]] and must give due weight to all aspects of the subject. They should also give appropriate weight to all elements of the article page, including, e.g., [[#Infoboxes and succession boxes|infoboxes and succession boxes]] as well as images and the text. The goal is to attain the greatest possible degree of accuracy in covering the topic at hand, which is also the basic rationale behind discouraging disproportionately long plot summaries and in-universe writing.
 
 
== Fair use ==
 
{{shortcut|MOS:FAIR USE}}
 
As the Wikimedia Foundation is based in the United States, Wikipedia articles must conform to U.S. copyright laws.<!--[[WP:Copyrights#Governing copyright law]]--> It has been held in a number of court cases that any work which re-tells original ideas from a fictional source, in sufficient quantity without adding information about that work, or in some way analysing and explaining it, may be construed as a [[derivative work]] or a copyright violation. This may apply irrespective of the way information is presented, in or out of the respective fictional universe, or in some entirely different form such as a quizbook or "encyclopedia galactica".
 
 
 
Information about copyrighted fictional worlds and plots of works of fiction can be provided only under a claim of [[fair use]], and [[Wikipedia:Non-free content criteria|Wikipedia's non-free content policy]] requires '''minimal extent of use'''. Many works of fiction covered by Wikipedia are protected by copyright. Some works are sufficiently old that their copyright has expired, or the rights may have been released in some way, such as under the [[GFDL]], or into the [[public domain]].
 
  
 
== Conclusions ==
 
== Conclusions ==
Line 126: Line 118:
 
* The principal frame of reference is always the real world, in which both the work of fiction and its publication are embedded: '''write from a real-world perspective''';
 
* The principal frame of reference is always the real world, in which both the work of fiction and its publication are embedded: '''write from a real-world perspective''';
 
* Both primary and secondary information is necessary for a real-world perspective: '''maintain a balanced use of both primary and secondary sources''';
 
* Both primary and secondary information is necessary for a real-world perspective: '''maintain a balanced use of both primary and secondary sources''';
* Unpublished personal observation and interpretation of the article's subject and primary sources are [[WP:NOR|not acceptable]] on Wikipedia: '''avoid original research''';
+
* All relevant aspects must be given [[Wikipedia:WP:UNDUE|due weight]] in all elements of the article page, including text, images, elements of layout and even the article title: '''give weight where weight is due''';
* All included information needs to be [[WP:V|verifiable]] and derive from and be supported by [[WP:RS|reliable sources]], and all sources (including the primary sources) need to be appropriately [[Wikipedia:Citing sources|cited]] in the article: '''reference all information and cite your sources''';
 
* All relevant aspects must be given [[WP:UNDUE|due weight]] in all elements of the article page, including text, images, elements of layout and even the article title: '''give weight where weight is due''';
 
 
* Readability and comprehensibility: '''put all information into context with the original fiction''';
 
* Readability and comprehensibility: '''put all information into context with the original fiction''';
* Check with [[Wikipedia:Image use policy|the image use policy]] before adding images to any article;
+
* Avoid creating lists of [[UniWiki:Manual of Style/Trivia sections|trivia]]; instead, incorporate relevant information into the body of the article;
* Avoid creating lists of [[WP:TRIVIA|trivia]]; instead, incorporate relevant information into the body of the article;
 
* [[Wikipedia:Fair use criteria|Wikipedia's fair-use policy]]: '''the amount of copyrighted work used should be as little as possible'''.
 
  
 
== List of exemplary articles ==
 
== List of exemplary articles ==
{{see also|Category:FA-Class novel articles|Category:FA-Class Fantasy fiction articles|Category:FA-Class Comics articles|Category:FA-Class science fiction articles|Category:FA-Class video game articles}}
+
{{hatnote|For a partial list of articles about fiction or elements from fiction that follow [[#Real-world perspective|real-world perspective]], see [[Wikipedia:Manual of Style/Writing about fiction#List of exemplary articles|Wikipedia:Fiction#List of exemplary articles]].}}
The following is a partial list of articles about fiction or elements from fiction that follow the [[#Real-world perspective|real-world perspective]]. These are good examples to follow for editors seeking to cover fictional subjects on Wikipedia. For other good examples, see the lists of articles that have been rated at [[WP:GA|Good]] and [[WP:FA|Featured]] status.
 
  
: ''Note: Keep in mind that the content in these articles may have changed since the time of their original listing here.''
+
== Infoboxes ==
 +
[[Wikipedia:Wikipedia:List of infoboxes|Infoboxes]], usually placed in the upper-right portion of an article, give key data about the article's subject in tabular format. For entities within fiction, useful infobox data might include the creators or actors, first appearance, an image, and in-universe information ''essential'' to understanding the entity's context in the overall fiction. What qualifies as essential varies based on the nature of the work. Where facts change at different points in a story or series, there may be no appropriate in-universe information at all to add. By contrast, an infobox on a character in a [[Wikipedia:Fantasy|fantasy]] work with multiple warring factions may warrant data such as allegiance.
  
<!-- change these wikilinks to link to specific revisions instead -->
+
As with all infoboxes, trivial details should be avoided. An infobox for a real-life actor would not contain items such as ''favorite food'' and ''hobbies''; these details do not aid the reader in understanding the ''important'' characteristics of the subject. In the same way, infoboxes about fictional entities should avoid delving into minutiae, such as information only mentioned in supplementary backstory. For this reason, infoboxes meant for real-world entities should not be applied to their fictional counterparts, since, for example, information important to a description of a real-world company may be tangential to a fictional one. It is important to identify the revenue of [[Wikipedia:Microsoft|Microsoft]], whereas the fact that fictional MegaAcmeCorp makes 300 billion GalactiBucks in 2463 is probably unimportant.
{{col-begin}}
 
{{col-break}}
 
;Complete works
 
 
 
:'''Novels'''
 
* ''[[The General in His Labyrinth]]'' {{Classicon|FA}}
 
* ''[[Halo: Contact Harvest]]'' {{Classicon|FA}}
 
* ''[[The Illuminatus! Trilogy]]'' {{Classicon|FA}}
 
* ''[[The Sun Also Rises]]'' {{Classicon|FA}}
 
* ''[[Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell]]'' {{Classicon|FA}}
 
* ''[[Mary: A Fiction]]'' {{Classicon|FA}}
 
* [[Pattern Recognition (novel)|''Pattern Recognition'' (novel)]] {{Classicon|FA}}
 
* ''[[Starship Troopers]]'' {{Classicon|FA}}
 
* ''[[To Kill a Mockingbird]]'' {{Classicon|FA}}
 
 
 
:'''Films'''
 
* [[300 (film)|''300'' (film)]] {{Classicon|FA}}
 
* [[Alien vs. Predator (film)|''Alien vs. Predator'' (film)]] {{Classicon|FA}}
 
* [[Battlefield Earth (film)|''Battlefield Earth'' (film)]] {{Classicon|FA}}
 
* ''[[Bride of Frankenstein]]'' {{Classicon|FA}}
 
* ''[[E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial]]'' {{Classicon|FA}}
 
* [[Fritz the Cat (film)|''Fritz the Cat'' (film)]] {{Classicon|FA}}
 
* ''[[Gremlins]]'' {{Classicon|FA}}
 
* [[Jaws (film)|''Jaws'' (film)]] {{Classicon|FA}}
 
* [[Tenebrae (film)|''Tenebrae'' (film)]] {{Classicon|FA}}
 
 
 
:'''Television series'''
 
* ''[[Animaniacs]]'' {{Classicon|FA}}
 
* [[Arrested Development (TV series)|''Arrested Development'' (TV series)]] {{Classicon|FA}}
 
* [[Buffy the Vampire Slayer (TV series)|''Buffy the Vampire Slayer'' (TV series)]] {{Classicon|FA}}
 
* ''[[Carnivàle]]'' {{Classicon|FA}}
 
* ''[[Cold Feet]]'' {{Classicon|FA}}
 
* ''[[Degrassi: The Next Generation]]'' {{Classicon|FA}}
 
* ''[[Doctor Who]]'' {{Classicon|FA}}
 
* [[Firefly (TV series)|''Firefly'' (TV series)]] {{Classicon|FA}}
 
* ''[[Joking Apart]]'' {{Classicon|FA}}
 
 
 
:'''Television episodes'''
 
* [[200 (Stargate SG-1)|"200" (''Stargate SG-1'')]] {{Classicon|FA}}
 
* "[[Abyssinia, Henry]]" {{Classicon|FA}}
 
* "[[Cape Feare]]" {{Classicon|FA}}
 
* [[Damien (South Park)|"Damien" (''South Park'')]] {{Classicon|FA}}
 
* "[[The Other Woman]]" {{Classicon|FA}}
 
* "[[Hell Is Other Robots]]" {{Classicon|FA}}
 
* "[[Homer's Enemy]]" {{Classicon|FA}}
 
* "[[Meet Kevin Johnson]]" {{Classicon|FA}}
 
* "[[The Last Temptation of Krust]]" {{Classicon|FA}}
 
* "[[The Stolen Earth]]" {{Classicon|FA}}
 
 
 
:'''Comics'''
 
* ''[[The Adventures of Tintin]]'' {{Classicon|FA}}
 
* ''[[Bone Sharps, Cowboys, and Thunder Lizards]]'' {{Classicon|FA}}
 
* ''[[Halo Graphic Novel]]'' {{Classicon|FA}}
 
* ''[[Roy of the Rovers]]'' {{Classicon|FA}}
 
* "[[Sinestro Corps War]]" {{Classicon|FA}}
 
* ''[[Tokyo Mew Mew]]'' {{Classicon|FA}}
 
* ''[[Watchmen]]'' {{Classicon|FA}}
 
 
 
:'''Video games'''
 
* ''[[Agatha Christie: And Then There Were None]]'' {{Classicon|FA}}
 
* ''[[Age of Empires]]'' {{Classicon|FA}}
 
* ''[[Halo: Combat Evolved]]'' {{Classicon|FA}}
 
* ''[[Kingdom Hearts]]'' {{Classicon|FA}}
 
* ''[[The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time]]'' {{Classicon|FA}}
 
 
 
:'''Other'''
 
* ''[[The Country Wife]]'' {{Classicon|FA}}
 
* [[The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (radio series)|''The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy'' (radio series)]] {{Classicon|FA}}
 
* ''[[Red vs. Blue]]'' {{Classicon|FA}}
 
* ''[[True at First Light]]"" {{Classicon|FA}}
 
* "[[Indian Camp]]" {{Classicon|FA}}
 
 
 
{{col-break|gap=2em}}
 
;Characters or character lists
 
 
 
:'''Novel characters'''
 
* [[The Hardy Boys]] {{Classicon|FA}}
 
* [[Nancy Drew]] {{Classicon|FA}}
 
 
 
:'''Film characters'''
 
* [[Jabba the Hutt]] (''Star Wars'') {{Classicon|FA}}
 
* [[Jack Sparrow]] (''Pirates of the Caribbean'') {{Classicon|FA}}
 
* [[Jason Voorhees]] (''Friday the 13th'') {{Classicon|FA}}
 
* [[Khan Noonien Singh]] (''Star Trek'') {{Classicon|FA}}
 
* [[Palpatine]] (''Star Wars'') {{Classicon|FA}}
 
 
 
:'''TV characters'''
 
* [[Bernard Quatermass]] (''Quatermass'') {{Classicon|FA}}
 
* [[Characters of Carnivàle|Characters of ''Carnivàle'']] {{Classicon|FA}}
 
* [[Martin Keamy]] (''Lost'') {{Classicon|FA}}
 
* [[Michael Tritter]] (''House, M.D.'') {{Classicon|FA}}
 
* [[Pauline Fowler]] (''EastEnders'') {{Classicon|FA}}
 
 
 
:'''Comic book characters'''
 
* [[Anarky]] (DC Comics) {{Classicon|FA}}
 
* [[Batman]] (DC Comics) {{Classicon|FA}}
 
* [[Captain Marvel (DC Comics)]] {{Classicon|FA}}
 
* [[Superman]] (DC Comics) {{Classicon|FA}}
 
 
 
:'''Cartoon characters'''
 
* [[Bart Simpson]] (''The Simpsons'') {{Classicon|FA}}
 
* [[Homer Simpson]] (''The Simpsons'') {{Classicon|FA}}
 
* [[List of Naruto characters|List of ''Naruto'' characters]] {{Classicon|FA}}
 
* [[Sideshow Bob]] (''The Simpsons'') {{Classicon|FA}}
 
* [[Troy McClure]] (''The Simpsons'') {{Classicon|FA}}
 
* [[List of Tokyo Mew Mew characters|List of ''Tokyo Mew Mew'' characters]] {{Classicon|FA}}
 
 
 
:'''Video game characters'''
 
* [[Characters of Final Fantasy VIII|Characters of ''Final Fantasy VIII'']] {{Classicon|FA}}
 
* [[Cortana (Halo)|Cortana (''Halo'')]] {{Classicon|FA}}
 
* [[List of characters in Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow and Dawn of Sorrow|List of characters in ''Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow'' and ''Dawn of Sorrow'']] {{Classicon|FA}}
 
* [[Master Chief (Halo)|Master Chief (''Halo'')]] {{Classicon|FA}}
 
 
 
{{col-break|gap=2em}}
 
;Elements of fictional works
 
 
 
* [[Dunder Mifflin]] (''The Office'' company) {{Classicon|GA}}
 
* [[Flood (Halo)|Flood (''Halo'')]] (''Halo'' species) {{Classicon|FA}}
 
* [[Three Laws of Robotics]] (fictional ethics) {{Classicon|FA}}
 
 
 
 
 
{{col-end}}
 
 
 
== Templates ==
 
;{{tlx|In-universe}}
 
If you notice an article that predominantly describes a fictional topic from an in-universe perspective, or even provides no indication that a fictional subject is fictional, preferably rewrite the article or section yourself, or use the {{tlf|In-universe}} template to bring the issue to the attention of others. Be sure to leave a note on the article's talk page explaining your objections. The template looks like this:
 
 
 
{{In-universe}}<br>
 
;{{tlx|Cleanup tense}}
 
One of the most frequently occurring errors associated with an in-universe style of writing is incorrect use of past tense when discussing elements of the plot. [[WP:TENSE|Works of fiction are generally considered to "come alive" when read]]. As with all other article issues, preferably fix it yourself, or alternatively you may use the template to supplement and specify the {{tlf|In-universe}} template's call for a consistent real-world perspective.
 
 
 
{{Cleanup tense}}<br>
 
;{{tlx|Primary sources}}
 
If you notice an article featuring only primary sources and sources affiliated with the subject, preferably find and add suitable sources yourself, or use the {{tlf|Primarysources}} template to bring the issue to the attention of others.
 
 
 
{{Primary sources}}<br>
 
;{{tlx|Plot}}
 
A plot summary should be succinct and focused on the main plot. [[Wikipedia:How to write a plot summary#What to cut|What to cut]] can sometimes be a difficult decision. If you have the time and energy, please consider tightening overly long and overly detailed plot summaries yourself. Alternatively, use the template:
 
 
 
{{Plot}}<br>
 
;{{tlx|All plot}}
 
If you come across an article which consists entirely or almost entirely of a plot summary, you may use the {{tlf|All plot}} template to raise the issue. Since this is a crucial article issue which may eventually lead to the article being nominated for deletion, consider improving the article yourself.
 
 
 
{{All plot}}<br>
 
;{{tlx|No plot}}
 
Conversely, the {{tlf|No plot}} template can be used in the rather atypical case that a plot summary is missing from an article. If you feel qualified to write a basic plot summary, consider giving it a shot. [[Wikipedia:How to write a plot summary|Succinctly summarizing a plot]] and deciding which elements to mention and how to describe and weight them can be a challenge, but it's also a rewarding experience; plot summaries can be entirely based on primary sources and in many cases no complicated cross-reading between various sources is required.
 
 
 
{{No plot}}
 
 
 
== Alternative outlets for fictional universe articles ==
 
 
 
Some other Wikipedia-like projects prefer the in-universe perspective. These provide a good alternative for editors interested in writing as fans, for fans. The following is a partial list:
 
<!-- please use EXTERNAL LINKS ONLY in this list please -->
 
* [http://24.wikia.com 24 Wikia]—Describes the universe of the ''[[24 (TV series)|24]]'' television show.
 
* [http://alphanex.alphaflight.net/index.php/Main_Page Alphanex]—A wiki concerning the Marvel Comics team Alpha Flight
 
* [http://james-camerons-avatar.wikia.com/wiki/Avatar_Wiki James Cameron's ''Avatar'']—at [[Wikia]]
 
* [http://en.battlestarwiki.org/wiki/Main_Page Battlestar Wiki]—A ''Battlestar Galactica''-related encyclopedia.
 
* [http://buffy.wikia.com/wiki/Buffyverse_Wiki Buffyverse Wiki]—A wiki dedicated to the [[Buffyverse|fictional universe]] of ''[[Buffy the Vampire Slayer]]'' and its spin-offs.
 
* [http://bulbapedia.bulbagarden.net/wiki/Main_Page Bulbapedia]—Describes the ''Pokémon'' universe.
 
* [http://www.comixpedia.org/index.php/Main_Page Comixpedia's Webcomic Encyclopedia]—A wiki about webcomics.
 
* [http://www.dcdatabaseproject.com/wiki/index.php/Main_Page DC Database]—An unofficial DC Comics wiki.
 
* [http://dcanimated.wikia.com/wiki/Main_Page DC Animated Universe Wiki]—An unofficial [[DC animated universe]] wiki.
 
* [http://www.dragonballencyclopedia.com/wiki/Dragon_Ball_Encyclopedia Dragon Ball Encyclopedia]—A wiki about the ''Dragon Ball'' multiverse.
 
* [http://www.wikia.com/wiki/Dungeons_%26_Dragons Dungeons & Dragons] and [http://www.dandwiki.com/wiki/Main_Page Dungeons & Dragons]—wikis devoted to the [[Dungeons & Dragons]] game.
 
* [http://egamia.com/wiki/Main_Page Encyclopedia Gamia]—A wiki about computer and video games, board, card and pen and paper games.
 
* [http://inheritance.wikia.com/wiki/Main_Page Eragon]—Eragon
 
* [[wikiasite:familyguy|Family Guy wiki]]—''Family Guy''
 
* [http://finalfantasy.wikia.com/wiki/Main_Page Final Fantasy]—A wiki dedicated to the ''Final Fantasy'' franchise.
 
* [http://foreverknight.wikia.com/wiki/Forever_Knight_Wiki Forever Knight wiki] - A wiki concerning ''[[Forever Knight]]'' and its [[fandom]].
 
* [http://www.gamewikis.org/ GameWikis]—Community fansite/wiki for several computer games such as: ''Guild Wars'' and ''The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion'' and ''Warhammer Online''.
 
* [http://www.canonfire.com/wiki/ Greyhawk wiki]—a wiki devoted to the world of [[Greyhawk]].
 
* [http://harrypotter.wikia.com/wiki/Main_Page Harry Potter wiki]—a wiki devoted to the ''[[Harry Potter]]'' universe
 
* [http://heroeswiki.com/Main_Page Heroes Wiki]—a wiki devoted to ''[[Heroes (TV series)|Heroes]]'' universe
 
* [http://theinfosphere.org/Main_Page The Infosphere]—A ''[[Futurama]]'' wiki.
 
* [http://www.lostpedia.com/wiki/Main_Page Lostpedia]—A wiki dedicated to the ''[[Lost (TV series)|Lost]]'' universe.
 
* [http://www.marveldatabase.com/wiki/index.php/Main_Page Marvel Database]—An unofficial Marvel Comics wiki.
 
* [http://www.marvel.com/universe/Main_Page Marvel Universe]—The official Marvel Comics wiki.
 
* [http://www.maxpayne.wikia.com/wiki/Max_Payne_Wiki Max Payne Wiki]—An unofficial ''Max Payne'' Wiki.
 
* [http://www.memory-alpha.org/en/wiki/Main_Page Memory Alpha]—Describes the ''Star Trek'' universe.
 
* [http://phineasandferb.wikia.com/wiki/Phineas_and_Ferb_Wiki Phineas and Ferb]-A ''[[Phineas and Ferb]]'' wiki
 
* [http://prowrestling.wikia.com/wiki/Main_Page Pro Wrestling Wikia]—[[Professional wrestling]] wiki
 
* [http://runescape.wikia.com RuneScape Wiki]—A wiki devoted to the MMORPG RuneScape.
 
* [http://www.simpsonswiki.com/index.php/Main_Page SimpsonsWiki]—A ''Simpsons''-related wiki.
 
* [http://www.ssbwiki.com/ SmashWiki]—A [[Super Smash Bros.]] wiki
 
* [http://tardis.wikia.com/wiki/Doctor_Who_Wiki Tardis Data Core] - a ''[[Doctor Who]]'' wiki.
 
* [http://www.tfwiki.net/ Transformers Wiki]—A wiki dedicated to the ''Transformers'' toylines, cartoon series, comics and movies.
 
* [http://www.tenchiintokyo.org/ Tenchi in Tokyo]—A wiki dedicated to the ''Tenchi'' anime series.
 
* [http://tolkiengateway.net Tolkien Gateway]—A wiki dedicated to J.R.R. Tolkien and his works.
 
* [http://tviv.org/ The TV IV]—A user-edited compedium of television knowledge.
 
* [http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Main_Page The Unofficial Elder Scrolls Pages]—A wiki dedicated to ''The Elder Scrolls'' series.
 
* [http://info.sonicretro.org/ Sonic Retro]—A wiki dedicated to the ''[[Sonic the Hedgehog (series)|Sonic the Hedgehog]] '' franchise.
 
* [http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Main_Page Wookieepedia]—Describes the ''Star Wars'' universe.
 
* [http://www.wowpedia.org/Portal:Main Wowpedia]—A wiki for the ''World of Warcraft'' videogame.
 
 
 
{{see also|List of wikis}}
 
 
 
== Infoboxes and succession boxes ==
 
{{shortcut|MOS:WAF-INFO}}{{anchor|Infoboxes}}
 
[[Wikipedia:List of infoboxes|Infoboxes]], usually placed in the upper-right portion of an article, give key data about the article's subject in tabular format. For entities within fiction, useful infobox data might include the creators or actors, first appearance, an image, and in-universe information ''essential'' to understanding the entity's context in the overall fiction. What qualifies as essential varies based on the nature of the work. Where facts change at different points in a story or series, there may be no appropriate in-universe information at all to add. By contrast, an infobox on a character in a [[fantasy]] work with multiple warring factions may warrant data such as allegiance.
 
 
 
As with all infoboxes, trivial details should be avoided. An infobox for a real-life actor would not contain items such as ''favorite food'' and ''hobbies''; these details do not aid the reader in understanding the ''important'' characteristics of the subject. In the same way, infoboxes about fictional entities should avoid delving into minutiae, such as information only mentioned in supplementary backstory. For this reason, infoboxes meant for real-world entities should not be applied to their fictional counterparts, since, for example, information important to a description of a real-world company may be tangential to a fictional one. It is important to identify the revenue of [[Microsoft]], whereas the fact that fictional MegaAcmeCorp makes {{Nowrap|300 billion}} GalactiBucks in 2463 is probably unimportant.
 
 
 
Another common type of template, [[Template:S-start|succession boxes]], should not be used to describe in-universe relationships in articles about fictional entities. Succession boxes assume continuity, which may not exist. Furthermore, they may invite the creation of non-notable articles that fall under the fictional succession. For articles about works of fiction themselves, the story that each work of fiction depicts does not change despite the continuation of stories across serial works or sequels, and as a consequence, the events within one work of fiction are always in the present whenever it is read, watched, or listened to. In-universe temporal designations such as "current" or "previous" are therefore inappropriate. For character articles (which cannot be bound temporally), it may be acceptable to use customized templates to summarize information from the perspective of the real world, such as connections between articles describing the same fictional world. Such templates should not invite the creation of articles about non-notable subjects.
 
 
 
==Categories==
 
A number of [[:Category:Fiction by topic|categories]] exist to sort works of fiction by their major themes and narrative elements which can help readers find related works. For example, works on ''Harry Potter'' should be categorized in [[:Category:Fictional characters who use magic|Fictional characters who use magic]]. However, editors should be careful to use an excessive number of categories, and should only use the categories that primarily cover the work, where it would be nearly impossible to concisely describe the work or topic of fiction without broadly mentioning the category. While [[:Category:Blood in fiction]] may readily apply to stories where blood is a major element such as works about vampires, the work should not be categorized into this category just based on the appearance of blood in the work. Overzealous sorting can diffuse the usefulness of these categories, as well as over-categorize certain works.
 
  
 
== See also ==
 
== See also ==
* [[Wikipedia:What Wikipedia is not#PLOT|Wikipedia is not an indiscriminate collection of information]], see Summary-only descriptions of works
+
* [[Wikipedia:Wikipedia:Guide to writing better articles#Check your fiction|Wikipedia:Guide to writing better articles#Check your fiction]]
* [[Wikipedia:Manual of Style]] sub-guidelines:
+
* [[Wikipedia:Wikipedia:How to write a plot summary|Wikipedia:How to write a plot summary]]
** [[Wikipedia:Manual of Style/Anime- and manga-related articles|Anime/Manga]]
+
* [[Wikipedia:Wikipedia:Naming character articles|Wikipedia:Naming character articles]]
** [[Wikipedia:Manual of Style/Comics|Comics]]
 
** [[Wikipedia:Manual of Style/Film|Films]]
 
** [[Wikipedia:Manual of Style/Novels|Novels]]
 
** [[Wikipedia:Manual of Style/Television|Television]]
 
* [[Wikipedia:Article titles|Article titles]] for: 
 
**[[Wikipedia:Naming conventions (books)|Books]]
 
**[[Wikipedia:Naming conventions (comics)|Comics]]
 
**[[Wikipedia:Naming conventions (films)|Films]]
 
**[[Wikipedia:Naming conventions (television)|TV]]
 
**[[Wikipedia:Naming conventions (video games)|Video games]]
 
* [[Wikipedia:Essays|Wikipedia Essays]] on:
 
** [[Wikipedia:Fancruft]]
 
** [[Wikipedia:Guide to writing better articles#Check your fiction]]
 
** [[Wikipedia:How to write a plot summary]]
 
** [[Wikipedia:Naming character articles]]
 
** [[Wikipedia:Notability (fiction)]]
 
 
 
=== Related wikiprojects ===
 
 
 
These are some of the larger [[Wikipedia:WikiProject|wikiprojects]] that deal with fiction material. They may have additional [[WP:PROJPAGE|suggestions]], article templates and styles with which you might wish to make yourself familiar.
 
* [[Wikipedia:WikiProject Anime and manga|WikiProject Anime and manga]]
 
* [[Wikipedia:WikiProject Books|WikiProject Books]]
 
** [[Wikipedia:WikiProject Children's literature|WikiProject Children's literature]]
 
** [[Wikipedia:WikiProject Comics|WikiProject Comics]]
 
** [[Wikipedia:WikiProject Novels|WikiProject Novels]]
 
* [[Wikipedia:WikiProject Films|WikiProject Films]]
 
* [[Wikipedia:WikiProject Television|WikiProject Television]]
 
* [[Wikipedia:WikiProject Video games|WikiProject Video games]]
 
There are also numerous genre-specific and even franchise-specific wikiprojects; see [[WP:WikiProject Council]] for listings.
 

Latest revision as of 02:05, 22 January 2017

This page is a part of the UniWiki's Manual of Style. It is a general guideline intended to harmonize article style across the UniWiki, though it is best treated with common sense, and exceptions may apply. Any substantive edit to this page should be approved by the Wiki Manager. When in doubt, discuss first on the talk page.

The UniWiki is almost entirely comprised of articles on fiction-related subjects, fictional worlds, and elements from them.

If a topic warrants inclusion in UniWiki, editors should consider what to write about the subject, and how to best present that information. Because these questions are complementary, they should not be interpreted in isolation from one another, and editors should address both these questions simultaneously to create a well-written article.

This page is a guideline, not policy, and it should be approached with common sense and the occasional exception. Following the basic notions laid out in this guideline is generally a good way to improve articles on fictional topics.

Real-world perspective

Articles about fiction, like all UniWiki articles, should adhere to the real world as their primary frame of reference to the greatest extent possible, as EVE remains, first and foremost, a game. The approach is to describe the subject matter from the perspective of the real world, in which the work of fiction and its publication are embedded. It necessitates the use of both primary and secondary information.

Exemplary aspects of real-world perspective include:

  • Careful differentiation between the work of fiction itself and aspects of its production process and publication, such as the impact a work of fiction has had in the real world (see also below)
  • Careful differentiation between narrated time and fictional chronology on the one hand, and narrative time and actual chronology of real-world events on the other
  • The presentation of fictional material
  • Description of fictional characters, places and devices as objects of the narrative
  • Making (referenced!) mention of the author's intention

Real-world perspective is not an optional quality criterion but a general, basic requirement for all articles.

These guidelines are relaxed, but not completely ignored, in articles describing EVE lore. Use common sense when writing or editing such articles.

The problem with in-universe perspective

An in-universe perspective describes the narrative from the perspective of characters within the fictional universe, treating it as if it were real and ignoring real-world context and sourced analysis. The threshold of what constitutes in-universe writing is making any effort to re-create or uphold the illusion of the original fiction by omitting real-world info.

Many fan wikis and fan websites (see below) take this approach, but it should not be used for UniWiki articles. An in-universe perspective can be misleading.

Features often seen in an inappropriate, in-universe perspective include:

  • Disregarding all or most aspects of a work of fiction as a creative endeavour
  • A plot synopsis written like a historical account
  • Fictography – an article or section about a fictional character written like a biography, placing, for example, undue emphasis on titles or birthdates despite their being unimportant to the plot or interpretation. For example, instead of writing: "Gandalf was a powerful wizard" write: "Gandalf is characterised by Tolkien as a powerful wizard".
  • Description of fictional places written like a geographical account; the same principles apply as for fictional characters. For example, (per Wikipedia:Check your fiction), instead of writing: "Trillian is Arthur Dent's girlfriend. She was taken away from Earth by Zaphod when he met her at a party. She meets Dent while travelling with Zaphod", write: "Trillian is a fictional character from Douglas Adams' radio, book and now film series The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. In the first book, Trillian is introduced to the main character Arthur Dent on a spaceship. In her backstory, she was taken away from Earth when the space alien Zaphod Beeblebrox met her at a party."
  • Using past tense when discussing the plot or any of its elements (except backstory), rather than the historical present tense
  • Attempting to reconcile contradictions or bridge gaps in the narrative, rather than simply reporting them as such
  • Giving equal weight to a fictional topic's appearances in major works, and in obscure Wikipedia:Spin-offspin-off material
  • Placing spiritual successors in the same continuity as the works that inspired them
  • Using in-jokes and references which require knowledge of the plot or characters of the work, its prequels or sequels
  • Using infoboxes intended for real-world topics
  • Referring to the fictional events or dates which occur in the story, rather than the fictional works themselves. For example, instead of writing: "It is the year 34,500 AD, when the Trantorian Empire encompasses roughly half of the galaxy", write: "This story is set in the year 34,500 AD, when the Trantorian Empire encompasses roughly half of the galaxy", or similar.
  • Ordering works by their fictional chronology, rather than the actual order they were published. For example, although Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace was the fourth film released in the franchise, the story is a prequel that represents the beginning of the Star Wars narrative. As such it should be ordered as the fourth work in the series, not the first. It is acceptable to include both the fictional timeline and the real world timeline, providing that the distinction is not ambiguous; the real world time line should take precedence.

These restrictions should and do hold for serious satire such as Gulliver's Travels or Candide (and many works for the stage) where the fictional elements are designed to camouflage the serious political or social criticism within the work. In such cases, it is legitimate to use reliable sources to examine the fictional elements and the design of the storyline when such sources attempt to decipher the author's original intent. The same exemptions might apply to other special forms of literature where the fiction/non-fiction categorization is disputed, such as the possibly historical elements of religious scripture.

See also the section on accuracy and appropriate weight.

Primary and secondary information

Where the above section discusses the principal perspective from which an article is written and makes the distinction between real-world perspective versus "in-universe" perspective, this section discusses the incorporation of information. Please see also the related policy on the use of primary, secondary, and tertiary sources.

Primary information

The term primary information describes information that originates from primary sources about the fictional universe, i.e., the original work of fiction or an affiliated work of fiction (e.g., another episode of the same series). Even with strict adherence to the real-world perspective, writing about fiction always includes using the original fiction itself as a source. See also the sections on fair use and templates. Wikipedia:Source policy says, "...a primary source may be used only to make descriptive claims, the accuracy of which is verifiable by a reasonable, educated person without specialist knowledge... Do not make analytic, synthetic, interpretive, explanatory, or evaluative claims about information found in a primary source."

Examples of information available in primary sources include:

  • the birth and death dates of fictional characters;
  • performance statistics or characteristics for fictional vehicles or devices;
  • history of fictional locations or organizations;
  • background information on fictional creatures; and,
  • the plot itself

Secondary information

The term secondary information describes information external to the fictional universe, and is usually taken from secondary sources about the work of art or the fictional world contained therein, or from primary and secondary sources about the author and the circumstances of creation. Publications affiliated with a particular work of fiction (e.g. fan magazines), are mostly not considered suitable secondary sources about the primary works. However, such publications may be suitable primary or secondary sources in an article about the fan publication itself or other related topics.

The rule of thumb is to use as much secondary information as necessary and useful to give the article a real-world perspective, not more and not less

Examples of useful information typically provided by secondary sources about the original work, or primary and secondary sources about information external to the work:

  • the author or creator
  • other key figures of the creation process, e.g., the cinematographer for films or notable translators for novels
  • the film or software company or publishing house
  • the design
  • the development, both before its first appearance and over the course of the narrative
  • real-world factors that have influenced the work or fictional element
  • for a fictional character in a dramatic production, the actor who portrayed the role and their approach to playing that character
  • foreign translations
  • its popularity among the public
  • its sales figures (for commercial offerings)
  • its reception by critics
  • critical analysis of the work of fiction, including discussion of themes, style, motifs and genre
  • the influence of the work on later creators and their projects

Contextual presentation

Plot summaries

For further information, see Wikipedia:Plot summaries and Wikipedia:How to write a plot summary.

Generally there are two possible issues to be considered: the context of the production and the context of the original fiction. Whenever the original fiction itself is the subject of the article, all out-of-universe (that is, real world) information needs to be set in the context of that original fiction (e.g., by including a plot summary). When the article concerns, e.g., a documentary about that original fiction, it is not necessarily important to discuss the content of the original source material.

Details of creation, development, etc., relating to a particular fictional element are more helpful if the reader understands the role of that element in the story. This often involves providing plot summaries, character descriptions or biographies, or direct quotations. By convention, these synopses should be written in the present tense (known in this use as the narrative present), as this is the way that the story is experienced as it is read or viewed (see also Wikipedia:Tense). At any particular point in the story there is a "past" and a "future", but whether something is "past" or "future" changes as the story progresses. It is simplest and conventional to recount the entire description as continuous "present".

Plot summaries and similar recaps of fictional works (like a character's fictional biography) should be written in an out-of-universe style, presenting the narrative from a displaced, neutral frame of reference from the characters or setting. While an in-universe style may be more engaging for prose, it may also bias the work and be overly wordy. For example, instead of starting a plot summary with "It is 2003," (which puts the reader in the frame of reference of the work), start with "In 2003, ..." (which extracts the reader from that frame).

Plot summaries can be written from the real-world perspective by referring to specific works or parts of works ("In the first book", "In Act II") or describing things from the author or creator's perspective ("The author introduces", "The story describes"). This gives the summary a grounded tone that is accessible to those unfamiliar with the source material. Real-world perspective is the preferred style for plot summaries that encompass multiple works, such as broadly describing a series of novels, describing key events that might have happened in earlier works that impact the present work, or the biography of a fictional character over multiple works. Such conventions are not as important for plot summaries of single works that are not part of a series; nevertheless, real-world language at the beginning of summaries is often good style. A long singular work that has natural divisions (for example, the three Books within A Tale of Two Cities, or the acts of a play or musical) can be used to create subheadings under the plot to provide real-world framing without introducing it in text. A singular work itself might necessitate a real-world perspective due to its structure. Summaries written in a real-world perspective do not need to stay true to the fiction's chronological order if going out of order improves the summary. A work with two concurrent running storylines where the narrative switches back and forth between them (for example, the film Memento) is likely better told by summarizing one storyline in full, followed by the second storyline, as long as this narrative structure is explained to the reader.

The length of a plot summary should be carefully balanced with the length of the other sections. Strictly avoid creating pages consisting only of a plot summary. For some types of media, associated guidelines may offer advice on plot length.

The plot summary for a work, on a page about that work, does not need to be sourced with in-line citations, as it is generally assumed that the work itself is the primary source for the plot summary. However, editors are encouraged to add sourcing if possible. If a plot summary includes a direct quote from the work, this must be cited using inline citations. Sometimes a work will be summarized by secondary sources, which can be used for sourcing. Otherwise, using brief quotation citations from the primary work can be helpful to source key or complex plot points.

Presenting fictional material from the original work is allowed, provided passages are short, are given the proper context, and do not constitute the main portion of the article. Plot summaries cannot engage in interpretation and should only present an obvious recap of the work. For example, we cannot state anything about whether the top remains spinning or topples at the end of Inception. Even small details that might be clear on a word-by-word or frame-by-frame analysis – steps well beyond the normal act of reading or watching a work – should be considered original research and excluded from such articles. If a vague plot element is later clarified by the work's creator, this can be included in the summary as long as a citation to this clarification is provided. Independent secondary sources that make analysis or interpretation of a work but without any correlation with the creator should be discussed in a separate section outside of the plot summary and not confused with the presented plot summary.

Summary style approach

For more details on this topic, see Wikipedia:Summary style

Sometimes, when an article gets long (see Wikipedia:Article size), a section of the article is made into its own article, and the handling of the subject in the main article is condensed to a brief summary. This is completely normal wiki procedure; see for example Wikipedia:Summary style, which explains the technique. The new article is sometimes called a "spinout" or "spinoff" of the main article. For fictional works, these spinout articles are typically lists of characters or other elements that usually rely on the coverage of the parent topic, and may lack demonstration of real-world coverage through sources dedicated specifically to those elements (see Wikipedia:Lists). Very rarely should such spinout articles be about a singular topic (e.g., character, plot item); either that topic has demonstrated its own notability, or should be merged into the main article or existing spinout articles.

The spinout article should concisely provide details of the topic or topics covered in the work – just because the spinout article is given more space to grow does not mean that excessive plot summaries or fictional character biographies are appropriate. As with other fictional works, the spinout article should be written in an "out-of-universe" style. As with all other UniWiki articles, the spinout article must reflect a neutral point of view.

Accuracy and appropriate weight

Articles must be written from a neutral point of view and must give due weight to all aspects of the subject. They should also give appropriate weight to all elements of the article page, including, e.g., infoboxes and succession boxes as well as images and the text. The goal is to attain the greatest possible degree of accuracy in covering the topic at hand, which is also the basic rationale behind discouraging disproportionately long plot summaries and in-universe writing.

Conclusions

When writing about fiction, keep the following in mind:

  • The principal frame of reference is always the real world, in which both the work of fiction and its publication are embedded: write from a real-world perspective;
  • Both primary and secondary information is necessary for a real-world perspective: maintain a balanced use of both primary and secondary sources;
  • All relevant aspects must be given due weight in all elements of the article page, including text, images, elements of layout and even the article title: give weight where weight is due;
  • Readability and comprehensibility: put all information into context with the original fiction;
  • Avoid creating lists of trivia; instead, incorporate relevant information into the body of the article;

List of exemplary articles

For a partial list of articles about fiction or elements from fiction that follow real-world perspective, see Wikipedia:Fiction#List of exemplary articles.

Infoboxes

Infoboxes, usually placed in the upper-right portion of an article, give key data about the article's subject in tabular format. For entities within fiction, useful infobox data might include the creators or actors, first appearance, an image, and in-universe information essential to understanding the entity's context in the overall fiction. What qualifies as essential varies based on the nature of the work. Where facts change at different points in a story or series, there may be no appropriate in-universe information at all to add. By contrast, an infobox on a character in a fantasy work with multiple warring factions may warrant data such as allegiance.

As with all infoboxes, trivial details should be avoided. An infobox for a real-life actor would not contain items such as favorite food and hobbies; these details do not aid the reader in understanding the important characteristics of the subject. In the same way, infoboxes about fictional entities should avoid delving into minutiae, such as information only mentioned in supplementary backstory. For this reason, infoboxes meant for real-world entities should not be applied to their fictional counterparts, since, for example, information important to a description of a real-world company may be tangential to a fictional one. It is important to identify the revenue of Microsoft, whereas the fact that fictional MegaAcmeCorp makes 300 billion GalactiBucks in 2463 is probably unimportant.

See also