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So you have an idea for an article. Excellent! To make your article writing
experience a smooth one here is a little advice:
Before writing the article
- Before you start churning out the content, take a few minutes to
search Bugzilla to make sure the subject is not already being covered.
All requested, proposed, and in-progress articles are listed in the
Community project, Articles component.
This is also a good way to find out what articles people want if you're
trying to decide what to write.
If someone else is working on a similar article, consider joining them
as a co-author, or adjusting the focus of your article so they don't overlap.
- Next, write down a short outline of your article and the main topics
you intend to cover.
Open a new bugzilla entry for the article if there's not one already and
put your outline in the comments there.
Indicate a rough idea of when you expect the article to be completed.
- Once your outline is entered in the system, interested parties will
provide you with additional ideas and feedback.
Writing the article
Assuming the feedback on your outline is positive, then it's time to write the
content.
- To get you started you can extract the following document
template . Be sure to read the readme.txt in its root
directory.
- Try and keep it fun and lively, after all, you probably wouldn't want
to read a boring article.
- Keep your article practical and if you have code snippets always
have your article link to a zip file containing a plug-in with the code.
- The last tip is to aim for maximal content with minimum words. Forty
page articles could better be published as paper back novels.
After finishing the article
- When you have finished your draft article, zip it up and
attach the zip to the bugzilla entry.
- The Articles Editor and one or more reviewers
will work with you (via bugzilla comments and/or email) to finalize the article.
As you come up with new revisions, attach them to the bugzilla entry.
- Don't be discouraged if you get lots of feedback.
Most articles require at least two drafts before they are finalized.
Remember, the reviewers are trying to help you make the article the best
thing since the invention of those tiny umbrellas they put in drinks.
Posting the article
- After all the kinks are worked out and the final draft is in bugzilla,
the article will be posted on the site and the bugzilla entry marked as closed.
Stand back and watch as the masses come running to read it.
Please direct any question on submitting an article to (Editor).
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