h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Entry: Camden Town Station - A800137
Author: YompeR - U190833

Okay, so this is a very very very first attempt at a guide entry. It's probably awful. There is (I have just seen) an existing entry, so I don't think this will get into the edited guide, but i'd appreciate some tips and comments!

Hello YompeR.

It's certainly not awful, but neither is it quite Edited Guide material, and you've done the right thing by putting it into the Writing Workshop rather than straight into Peer Review. Have you read Writing-Beginners yet? It will help you to refine any entries you may want to write, and give you guidelines on what should and shouldn't be included (first person references, for instance, should be avoided).

I think this entry would work better as an addition to the 'Ultimate Guide to the London Underground' entry A48502 to which I see that you have already posted this. What you should do if you want to go down that road is to contact the editor of that entry by clicking on their name in the entry data box at the top right hand corner of the page, and let them know that you have something worthwhile to add. If they agree with you they edit your material and include it in the entry, adding you name to the list of contributing researchers. That's how I got my start

There is also an entry on Camden Market A786404 which I believe is being sub-edited as we speak and which will appear in The Guide soon, that you could link to if you want to do any further work on this one.

Once you've written an entry, even if it doesn't get accepted, it can be very difficult not to write another

Whether there's an existing entry or not, this doesn't really follow the Writing Guidelines for the Edited Guide.

If you would like to try for the Edited Guide you need something more factual, informative and focused as a basis for personal observations about human behaviour.

However, as it says on the Contribute page, "Alternative Guide: If you've written a great Guide Entry, but one which doesn't fit the editorial guidelines, why not check it into the Alternative Writing Workshop?"

Hiya YompeR (did i get that right?)

fun little personal review, this. I enjoyed it, at any rate.

It is quite true that this isn't the kind of thing that goes into the edited guide, but... Don't Panic!

You can write whatever you like and plonk it into the AWW. Indeed, if you want some feedback, you can put it in here with a disclaimer. (i probly shouldn't say things like that - subversive behaviour and all that. )

Be careful though - what Gosho says is quite true; writing guide entries is addictive! double-

all the best with this and future writings on h2g2
spiff

oh and by the way, i don't think it's "awful" -

oh yeah, and... I think multituded 'teem', rather than 'teaming'.

course, it depends...

*wanders off wondering whether it is actually possible to 'team'*

Dear all, thanks for your very constuctive comments! (Esp. the spelling of teem in this circumstance!)

Please keep em coming.

Hi YompeR

Well now you have to make a little choice (OK, it doesn't have to be NOW it can certainly wait a little while). Do you want to do MAJOR reconstruction and try this piece out for the edited guide eventually, or would you prefer to have your first entry be a "slice of my life" entry and try for the alt.writing guide.

BTW before you decide be sure to check out the alt.guide. There's a lot of really fun stuff in there.

You can check out the Post too.

Think of the "edited" h2g2 guide as an encyclopedia with style. When writing an entry for an encyclopedia (even if it has style) how would you change your piece? It might not be as much fun for you that way, but it really helps writing skills and the edited guide grows every day with outstanding works that many people read and evaluated for overall value, writing skill and good "Guide" style. There are lots of people to help you wherever you decide to go.
If you want to make this an Edited Guide article. Read the Guideline, read writing for new users, etc etc etc, rewrite your piece a little and let us know here so we can help you take the next steps.

Friar