Wikipedia:Notability (fiction): Difference between revisions

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This is an essay on notability.

It contains the advice or opinions of one or more Wikipedia contributors. This page is not an encyclopedia article, nor is it one of Wikipedia's policies or guidelines, as it has not been thoroughly vetted by the community. Some essays represent widespread norms; others only represent minority viewpoints.

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This page in a nutshell: Fictional elements are expected to follow the same notability guidelines as any other topic.

There is no special guideline for the notability of fictional elements (such as characters and episodes) on Wikipedia. See other relevant policies and guidelines in order to determine which fiction-related articles are appropriate for inclusion on Wikipedia. In particular, editors should review:

The general notability guideline
The policy on what Wikipedia is not
The manual of style for writing about fiction

For starters, the main work must be notable to begin with. If the work itself is not notable, it may be pointless to discuss the notability of its characters or episodes.

History and rationale[edit]

Several attempts have been made to establish specialized guidelines to cover the notability of fictional elements within Wikipedia. Until there is a successful proposal to treat fiction in a specialized way, consult other policies and guidelines for guidance on a wide range of topics, including fiction. Existing policies and guidelines have wide acceptance among editors and describe standards that all users should normally follow.

Improving articles[edit]

Information that may help provide the real-world discussion necessary for an encyclopedia article about a fictional topic includes reception, analysis, significance, development, legacy and influence, and relationships with or comparisons to other media. Dedicated sections are good, though sometimes in less developed articles, such information is contained in the lead but not the body.

Bear in mind that content in such information should be referenced to reliable, independent sources.

If such sections do not exist, before nominating the article for possible deletion, please adhere to WP:BEFORE and check whether sources to improve the article exists. A possible solution in the spirit of WP:PRESERVE can also take the form of redirecting the article to a list of similar entities or the article about the related, notable work this fictional element appears in.

Relevant guidelines and policies[edit]

Notability guidelines[edit]

The Wikipedia's general notability guideline is appropriate and sufficient for demonstrating the notability of fictional elements. Specifically, fictional elements are presumed to be notable if there is significant coverage in independent secondary sources about the fictional element; when a fictional element is presumed notable, a separate article to cover that element is usually acceptable.

There are specialized notability guidelines for works of fiction which can be found in the following guidelines:

What Wikipedia is not[edit]

Articles on fiction are expected to follow existing content policies and guidelines, particularly Wikipedia is not simply plot summaries. Articles on fiction elements are expected to cover more about "real-world" aspects of the element, such as its development and reception, than "in-universe" details.

Manual of style[edit]

Editors interested in writing articles on fictional elements are encouraged to review Writing About Fiction and Wikipedia:Writing better articles#Check your fiction to understand the general approach and content of these articles.

Lists of fictional elements[edit]

Individually non-notable elements of a fictional work (such as characters and episodes) may be grouped into an appropriate list article. Advice for the appropriateness of these list articles can be found at the general notability guideline and at Stand-alone Lists and Topics.

Consult Wikiprojects[edit]

Editors should also review guidelines and recommendations made by WikiProjects that deal primarily with works of fiction. These include but not limited to:

A Wikipedia:Fiction/Noticeboard was created in 2009 but it was retired in 2010.

Previous proposals[edit]

User:Deckiller/Notability (fiction), the original attempted rewrite from c. 2007-2009
Wikipedia:Notability (fiction)/proposed-12-9-07, a previous failed proposal from 2007
User:Phil Sandifer/Fiction proposal, a previous proposal abandoned in 2008
Wikipedia:Plot-only description of fictional works, a previous failed proposal, in 2011 recategorized as an essay

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+{{Redirect|WP:FICTION|the style guideline|Wikipedia:Manual of Style/Writing about fiction}}
-{{failed|WP:FICT|WP:FICTION|WP:NFICT}}
+__NOINDEX__
-<!-- {{Wikipedia subcat guideline|notability guideline|Fiction|[[WP:FICT]]<br />[[WP:FICTION]]}} -->
+{{Notability essay|WP:FICT|WP:FICTION|WP:NFICT}}
-{{Nutshell|If a fictional topic has received significant  coverage in [[Wikipedia:Reliable sources|reliable sources]] that are [[Wikipedia:Verifiability#Sources|independent]] of the subject, and is [[Wikipedia:What Wikipedia is not#Wikipedia is not an indiscriminate collection of information|not merely a plot summary]], it is presumed to satisfy the inclusion criteria for a stand-alone article.}}
+{{pp-move-indef}}
-{{For|information about writing articles on fiction|Wikipedia:Manual of Style (writing about fiction)}}
+{{Nutshell|Fictional elements are expected to follow the same [[WP:Notability|notability]] guidelines as any other topic.}}
-{{For|specific examples of where you may be able to help|Wikipedia:Fiction/Noticeboard}}
 {{IncGuide}}
+There is no special guideline for the '''notability of fictional elements''' (such as characters and episodes) on Wikipedia. See other relevant [[WP:policies and guidelines|policies and guidelines]] in order to determine which fiction-related articles are appropriate for inclusion on Wikipedia. In particular, editors should review:
-'''Wikipedia:Notability (fiction)''' is a proposed guideline that defines the inclusion criteria for topics whose subject matter is [[fiction]]. The term "notability" is not a reflection of a topic's [[WP:IKNOWIT|subjective importance]]; rather it used in the sense that there it has been "noted" in the form of significant coverage from [[WP:RS|reliable sources]] that are independent of the [[WP:PSTS|primary source]].
+* The [[WP:GNG|general notability guideline]]
+* The policy on [[WP:NOT|what Wikipedia is not]]
+* The manual of style for [[WP:WAF|writing about fiction]]
+For starters, the main work must be notable to begin with. If the work itself is not notable, it may be pointless to discuss the notability of its characters or episodes.
-In accordance with the [[Wikipedia:Manual of Style (writing about fiction)|Manual of Style for fiction]], articles about fictional topics should [[WP:PLOT|not solely be a plot summary]]. Coverage of fictional topics should include both plot summary ''and'' coverage from the perspective of the [[Real life (reality)|real world]] in which the work or element of fiction is embedded.
+==History and rationale==
-Fiction distributed through other media such as print and film are also the subject of separate notability guidelines for [[Wikipedia:Notability (books)|books]] and [[Wikipedia:Notability (films)|films]] respectively. For the appropriateness of lists of fictional works or elements, please see [[WP:SALAT|appropriate topics for stand-alone lists]].
+Several attempts have been made to establish specialized guidelines to cover the notability of fictional elements within Wikipedia. Until there is a successful proposal to treat fiction in a specialized way, consult other policies and guidelines for guidance on a wide range of topics, including fiction. Existing policies and guidelines have wide acceptance among editors and describe standards that all users should normally follow.
-==General principles==
+==Improving articles==
+Information that may help provide the real-world discussion necessary for an encyclopedia article about a fictional topic includes reception, analysis, significance, development, legacy and influence, and relationships with or comparisons to other media. Dedicated sections are good, though sometimes in less developed articles, such information is contained in the lead but not the body.
-The general guideline for notability shared by most of the [[:Category:Wikipedia notability guidelines|subject-specific notability guidelines]] and [[Wikipedia:What Wikipedia is not#Wikipedia is not a directory|Wikipedia:What Wikipedia is not]], is that:
-:'' A topic is presumed to be notable if it has received significant coverage in [[Wikipedia:Reliable sources|reliable sources]] that are [[Wikipedia:Verifiability#Sources|independent]] of the subject.''
+Bear in mind that content in such information should be referenced to [[WP:RS|reliable]], independent sources.
-A fictional work&mdash;including but not limited to a book, movie, television show, radio program, video game, or graphic novel, or an episodic elements of a works such as an individual television episode or issue of a graphic novel&mdash;is presumed to be notable if it either meets the appropriate media-specific notability guideline (such as [[WP:BK]] for books and [[WP:NF]] for films), or otherwise meets the [[WP:N|general notability guideline]].
+If such sections do not exist, before nominating the article for possible deletion, please adhere to [[WP:BEFORE]] and check whether sources to improve the article exists. A possible solution in the spirit of [[WP:PRESERVE]] can also take the form of [[WP:REDIRECT|redirecting]] the article to a list of similar entities or the article about the related, notable work this fictional element appears in.
-An element of fiction&mdash;including but not limited to a character, location, object, or aspects of a work's [[myth|mythos]]&mdash;is presumed notable if it satisfies the [[WP:N|general notability guideline]].
+==Relevant guidelines and policies==
-Sources to demonstrate notability should derive from published works such as books, television documentaries, full-length featured newspaper articles from large circulation newspapers, full-length magazine reviews and criticism '''excluding''' the following:
+===Notability guidelines===
-* Media reprints of press releases, trailers, and advertising for the work itself or elements thereof.<ref>Self-promotion and product placement are not the routes to having an encyclopedia article.  The published works must be ''someone else'' writing about the element.  (See [[Wikipedia:Autobiography]] for the verifiability and neutrality problems that affect material where the subject of the article itself is the source of the material.)  The barometer of notability is whether people ''independent'' of the subject itself (or of its creator or producer) have actually considered the element itself notable enough that they have written and published non-trivial works that focus upon it.</ref>
+{{main|Wikipedia:Notability}}
-* Trivial coverage, such as newspaper listings of screening times, "capsule reviews", plot summaries without critical commentary or analysis, or listings in comprehensive guides such as "Leonard Maltin's Movie Guide", [[TV.com]] or [[Gamespot]].<ref>Many of these sources can provide valuable information, and point to other sources, but in themselves do not indicate a notable subject.  Similar cases of "trivial" publications may include: reviews that are part of a comprehensive review of all films in a particular festival, that don't assert anything regarding the notability of individual entries; other forms of comprehensive, non-selective coverage; and some web based reviews by amateur critics who have not established their own notability as critics.</ref>
+The [[WP:GNG|Wikipedia's general notability guideline]] is appropriate and sufficient for demonstrating the notability of fictional elements. Specifically, fictional elements are presumed to be notable if there is significant coverage in independent secondary sources about the fictional element; when a fictional element is presumed notable, a separate article to cover that element is usually acceptable.
+There are specialized notability guidelines for works of fiction which can be found in the following guidelines:
-=== Real-world notability ===
+* [[Wikipedia:Notability (books)]]
-[[WP:NOT#PLOT|Coverage of fiction on Wikipedia needs to be more than a plot summary of the work]]. Notability of fictional works and elements within should be based on their impact in the real world as opposed to what occurs within the work. Even if a character plays a highly significant role within a notable work, this does not necessarily make them notable for the purposes of Wikipedia.
+* [[Wikipedia:Notability (films)]]
+* [[Wikipedia:Notability (video games)]]
+===What Wikipedia is not===
-Most commonly, a notable work or element's impact is shown through commentary, criticism, and reception specific to the work in which they appear. Because this is a part of the impact of the work or larger series, the advice at [[Wikipedia:Summary style]] applies. Less commonly, individual fictional elements may be more notable for their impact in multiple works or media, such as the character of [[Superman]].
+{{main|Wikipedia:What Wikipedia is not}}
+Articles on fiction are expected to follow existing content policies and guidelines, particularly [[WP:NOT#PLOT|Wikipedia is not simply plot summaries]]. Articles on fiction elements are expected to cover more about "real-world" aspects of the element, such as its development and reception, than "in-universe" details.
-==Derivative articles==
+===Manual of style===
+{{main|Wikipedia:Manual of Style (writing about fiction)}}
-Wikipedia articles tend to grow in a way which lends itself to the [[Wikipedia:Summary style|natural creation of new articles]]. However, the consensus at Wikipedia is that articles about fictional works should not be split and split again into ever more minutiae of detail treatment, with each split resulting in [[WP:WEIGHT|undue weight]] being given to insignificant details or trivial coverage. This means that while a book or television series may be the subject of non-trivial real-world coverage, care should be taken when creating separate articles about individual characters or episodes by providing evidence that the subject matter is notable in its own right, and that the new article does not [[WP:PLOT|comprise nothing more than a plot summary]].
+Editors interested in writing articles on fictional elements are encouraged to review [[WP:WAF|Writing About Fiction]] and [[Wikipedia:Writing better articles#Check your fiction]] to understand the general approach and content of these articles.
+==Lists of fictional elements==
-For this reason, it is not normally advisable to set out from the start with the intention of creating derivative articles for every fictional character, episode, scene or chapter derived from it. Rather, [[WP:AVOIDSPLIT|avoid splitting articles]] if the new article cannot meet inclusion criteria for topics about fiction. Such splits may give rise to the creation of an [[WP:Content forking#Accidental duplicate articles|unintentional content forks]] whose subject matter is already be featured in a related article that does provide evidence of notability.
+Individually non-notable elements of a fictional work (such as characters and episodes) ''may'' be grouped into an appropriate list article.  Advice for the appropriateness of these list articles can be found at [[WP:N|the general notability guideline]] and at [[WP:SALAT|Stand-alone Lists and Topics]].
+==Consult Wikiprojects==
-== Articles that do not meet the inclusion criteria ==
+Editors should also review guidelines and recommendations made by WikiProjects that deal primarily with works of fiction. These include but not limited to:
-Articles that do not meet the inclusion guidelines above may be [[Wikipedia:Redirect|redirected]] and/or [[Wikipedia:Merging|merged]] with a related article that does provide evidence of notability.  Whilst this guideline is intended to be used by Wikipedia editors to decide whether a fictional topic should or should not have an article on Wikipedia, it should '''not''' be used as a set of deletion criteria. Although satisfying these notability guidelines generally indicates a fictional topic warrants an article, failing to satisfy them is '''not''' a [[Wikipedia:Criteria for speedy deletion|criterion for speedy deletion]].
+* [[Wikipedia:WikiProject Television]]
+* [[Wikipedia:WikiProject Soap Operas]]
+* [[Wikipedia:WikiProject Film]]
+* [[Wikipedia:WikiProject Novels]]
+* [[Wikipedia:WikiProject Anime and manga]]
+* [[Wikipedia:WikiProject Comics]]
+* [[Wikipedia:WikiProject Video games]]
+* [[Wikipedia:WikiProject Fictional characters]]
+A [[Wikipedia:Fiction/Noticeboard]] was created in 2009 but it was retired in 2010.
-Before proposing that an article is to be [[WP:AFD|deleted]], it is important to not just consider whether the existing article meets these inclusion criteria, but whether it's subject has the ''[[WP:POTENTIAL|potential]]'' to do so. All Wikipedia articles are [[WP:IMPERFECT|unfinished]], and an article can be notable if sources exist but have not yet been used in the article.
+==Previous proposals==
-Editorial decisions on content selection and presentation may override this guideline in some cases; for example, a topic may meet all the criteria, but editors may decide by [[WP:Consensus|consensus]] to merge the article with an article on the work of fiction itself instead of retaining a separate article if there is limited information available, in the belief that this presentation of the information best serves the readers.
+* [[User:Deckiller/Notability (fiction)]], the original attempted rewrite from c. 2007-2009
+* [[Wikipedia:Notability (fiction)/proposed-12-9-07]], a previous failed proposal from 2007
+* [[User:Phil Sandifer/Fiction proposal]], a previous proposal abandoned in 2008
+* [[Wikipedia:Plot-only description of fictional works]], a previous failed proposal, in 2011 recategorized as an essay
+==See also==
-Articles covering fictional elements that are deletion candidates are generally merged or retained temporarily  if their coverage can meet some of the following criteria. This retention is to allow editors time to find sources not readily available during the short timeframe of an AfD discussion.<ref>These sources include, but are not limited to, offline media, translation of foreign language sources and full-length academic journals from restricted databases such as [[JSTOR]].</ref>These criteria are not exhaustive, nor universally agreed upon, but are a guide to how to best organise content:
+*[[Wikipedia:Fancruft]]
+*[[Wikipedia:"In popular culture" content]]
+*[[Wikipedia:Pokémon test]]
+[[Category:Fiction Wikipedia administration|notability]]
-# '''Real-world coverage''': This establishes real-world importance or provides appropriate context for understanding real-world importance, versus detailing only the [[WP:INUNIVERSE|fictional adventures]] of characters. Articles written in the [[WP:WAF|appropriate style]] and which expand upon relevant points of a main topic to further the reader's understanding are more likely to be retained;
+[[Category:Wikipedia essays about media]]
-# '''Importance of the fictional work''': To justify articles on individual fictional elements, the work from which they come must have produced non-trivial artistic impact, cultural impact, or general popularity as described in secondary sources. Creator commentary on specific elements may suggest but not demonstrate that the element is notable;
-# '''Role within the fictional work''': The element, such as a character, must be verifiablity important within the work: the importance of individual elements can be demonstrated when they are referred to in more than passing in reliable sources, or if there is a reference to the casting of the character in a reliable source.
-==References==
-{{reflist}}
-==Further guidance==
-{{MultiCol}}
-; Wikiprojects
-* [[Wikipedia:WikiProject Films/Style guidelines]]
-* [[Wikipedia:WikiProject Novels/Style guidelines]]
-* [[Wikipedia:WikiProject Television/Style guidelines]]
-* [[Wikipedia:WikiProject Soap Operas#Style_guidelines]]
-* [[Wikipedia:WikiProject Video games/Article guidelines]]
-{{ColBreak}}
-; Other policies and guidelines, examples and how-tos not mentioned above:
-* [[Wikipedia:Television episodes]]
-* [[Wikipedia:Writing better articles#Check your fiction]]
-;Previous proposals
-* [[Wikipedia:Fiction]], a previous failed content proposal
-* [[Wikipedia:Notability (fiction)/proposed-12-9-07]], a previous failed proposal
-* [[User:Phil Sandifer/Fiction proposal]], a previous proposal
-* [[Wikipedia:Plot-only description of fictional works]], a previous proposal
-{{EndMultiCol}}
-{{Wikipedia policies and guidelines}}
-[[Category:Wikipedia notability|Notability (fiction)]]
-[[hu:Wikipédia:Nevezetesség (fikció)]]
-[[zh:Wikipedia:关注度 (虚拟事物)]]