Wikipedia:Notability (fiction)/Proposed-9-3-07

This page is an extension of the Wikipedia guideline on notability which deals specifically with fictional topics, as defined below. The guidelines set out below should be used to decide whether a topic warrants an article on Wikipedia. Topics that meet these notability guidelines usually make acceptable articles. Failure to satisfy these criteria is not a justification for speedy deletion.

What is a fictional article

A fictional article is focused on a topic that does not exist in the real world, but instead exists in a fictional universe. An article about a novel is not a fictional article, but an article about one of the characters in that novel is. The book exists in the real world, while the character exists only in that book. Fictional characters, fictional locations, fictional events (including alternate histories) and fictional concepts are examples of fictional articles.

The notability criteria for fiction

Wikipedia is not an indiscriminate collection of information. Its mandate does not include comprehensive coverage of every fictional universe ever created. It should include only as much information on a subject as to ensure an encyclopaedic coverage. Wikipedia covers only notable topics.

Wikipedia:Notability is the guideline that defines notability for Wikipedia. It says:

A topic is presumed to be notable if it has received significant coverage in reliable sources that are independent of the subject.

A fictional topic is therefore presumed to be notable if it has been analysed by independent sources in a non-trivial fashion. For articles about fictional topics, "independent sources" fall into two categories:

• Sources which consider the popular appeal, critical reception or cultural impact of the topic in the real world. Sources of this type include scholarly analyses, documentaries, and PLACEHOLDER. Note that while critical reviews and interviews are generally sources of this type, their focus is usually on the work as a whole, and any consideration of individual topics is likely to be trivial.

• Sources which critically analyse the importance of the fictional topic within the fictional universe. These sources generally imply notability only if they are reliable, not of questionable integrity and independent of the subject. Their focus should be on analysis rather than description.

Both types of sources should strive to be independent of the subject. Sources which are published by the author of the original work, or under the author's direction, are generally not good indicators of notability. However, sources which required the author's permission for copyright reasons are not usually excluded for that reason.

The difference between notable and important

Notability is very different to a topic's importance. A lead character may be crucial to the plot of a work of fiction, or a fictional universe may depend on a particular technology. These topics may be important, within the confines of that fictional universe. However, their importance within the work of fiction does not assert their importance to the real world, which is a crude definition of notability. "Importance in the real world", or notability, is best demonstrated by inclusion of reliable, independent secondary sources of the type indicated above.

Dealing with fictional topics

Some fictional topics can assert their notability on their own merits, and can easily justify their own article. A common feature of good articles about fictional topics is a prevalence of real-world content; a focus on the impact of the fictional topic outside the fictional universe. Such articles should conform to the relevant sections of the manual of style, and should be of an appropriate length. If it is not possible to produce an appropriately-sized article while remaining within the guidelines of What Wikipedia is Not, No Original Research and Proper Perspective, it may be necessary to consider merging the article despite its own notability.

More commonly, a fictional topic is not able to assert its own notability, and it becomes necessary to reconsider how best to approach the encyclopaedic treatment of the topic. Fictional topics rarely exist on Wikipedia except as part of a larger body of work on a fictional universe, connected to a factual article describing the work of fiction itself. When a topic is unable to assert its own notability, it should be considered in the context of this larger body. In many cases, while a very narrow topic (eg a certain character or location from fictional universe X) cannot assert its own notability, it may be able to support the notability of a larger topic (eg, "Characters from X" or "Locations in X"). In instances such as these, it may be prudent to consider merging similar topics into a larger article. Larger articles are not, of course, exempt from the need to assert their own notability, however it is often easier to do so with a broader topic than it is with narrower ones.

If a fictional topic is extremely important within the fictional universe, but is not notable outside it, it may warrant inclusion in the article describing the work of fiction itself. For instance, the details of a key character in a book may warrant inclusion in the article about the book itself. However, this is generally necessary only if a knowledge of the topic is essential to an encyclopaedic coverage of the work of fiction.

If it appears that there is no likelihood of the topic asserting its own notability, or of being merged into a larger topic, it may be necessary to consider removing the content from Wikipedia. If possible, the content should be Transwikied to another Wiki with a compatible license. Many prestigious Wikis exist for fictional content, often focusing on a particular fictional universe; examples include Wikia and Wookiepedia.These Wikis generally have lower criteria for notability, so articles on fictional topics are commonly permitted on these Wikis where they would not be permitted on Wikipedia.

Only if the options above have been considered and found to be impossible or impractical should the article be considered for deletion.

Other information

Fanfiction and unreleased fiction

Fanfiction is seldom notable, unless the work has received significant coverage in reliable sources that are independent of the subject. Examples of fanfiction include self-published works, topics found fan-websites such as fanfiction.net, or published by vanity press. Information about a player's character in roleplaying or MMORPGs and unofficial computer game modifications are very rarely notable unless the level of real-world following is extensive.

Fiction not yet written is generally considered speculation, which is grounds for deletion because Wikipedia is not a crystal ball.

Some common relocation destinations

• Wikibooks, Wikipedia's sibling project, contains instructional and educational texts. These include annotated works of fiction (on the Wikibooks:annotated texts bookshelf) for classroom or private study use.
• Wikisource holds original public domain and GFDL source texts. See Wikisource:Wikisource and Wikibooks.

An ideal solution for comprehensive coverage of a fictional topic is to make use of all of the Wikimedia projects combined. An encyclopaedic article about the work of fiction on Wikipedia could give an outline of the fictional universe along with real-world content about its popular following and critical reception. Wikibooks is the ideal destination for a chapter-by-chapter annotation and a certain degree of literary analysis, while the full source text may be appropriate for Wikisource if the work is in the public domain. These disparate articles could be connected with interwiki links to join them all together into a cohesive whole. Note, however, that Wikibooks opposes in-universe books,so it is not an appropriate place to transwiki large quantities of in-universe material.

Fictional material unsuited or too detailed for any Wikimedia project can often be transwikied to an appropriate Wikia, such as Final Fantasy Wikiaor Wookieepedia. Other sites, such as Gaming Wiki, may also accept material. Transwikied material should be edited to meet the guidelines of specific wikias; do not just copy and paste. The Wikia Annex is a staging area for transwikied material and a place for non-notable fictional material that does not have another home; the original Wikipedia versions will also be stored there.