Help:Writing an article about a book
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PathfinderWiki accepts articles about real-world books, including sourcebooks, adventures, or fiction.
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Summary |
Template
Use the {{Infobox/Book}} template to begin articles about adventures, sourcebooks, and fiction. Go to the template's page and simply copy the text in the usage box. You can then paste this into your article and fill in the blanks.
Fill in as much information as you can. The template will know which fields you have left blank, and optional fields will not be displayed. You can refer to the template's documentation for more information about each field's purpose and usage.
Real-world information, trivia, and overall overview
Follow the template with any non-content based information about the book. This includes the release date, authors, and any special conditions of publication or release, or if a particular books kicks off or ends a series or trend. For example:
'''''The Divinity Drive''''', an adventure by [[Crystal Frasier]] with supporting articles by [[Adam Daigle]], [[James Jacobs]], [[Greg A. Vaughan]], [[Thurston Hillman]], and [[Will McCardell]] and fiction by [[Amber E. Scott]], was released on January 28, 2015. It is the sixth and final chapter in the [[Iron Gods Adventure Path|Iron Gods]] [[Pathfinder Adventure Path]].
No header is needed for this information, and it will appear above the table of contents to separate it from content-based information. If there is anything further to be said about the book in question, it can be presented here. This might include notable information, such as any reissue details, number of copies sold, whether this is the author's first publication, or anything else that might enhance the article. Remember to provide references where necessary.
You can also include the back-cover copy of the product if it has any. The Community Use Policy allows for the direct quoting of this copy from the Paizo Store page for the product. To quote this copy, use the {{Quote}} template:
{{Quote
| header = We Be Goblins—You Be Food!
| quote = The [[Rise of the Runelords]] Adventure Path begins here ...
}}
| “ | We Be Goblins—You Be Food!The Rise of the Runelords Adventure Path begins here ... | ” |
Remember to link pertinent information in this copy to wiki articles that can provide additional context.
Contents
Many Pathfinder sourcebooks include a table of contents, or at least easily discernible sections. If this is the case, list these sections in a definitions list with a short description or teaser of the contents of each section. Be sure to list the author of any specific part in their respective section, as well as page numbers for easy reference. For an example, see The Divinity Drive or any other Pathfinder Adventure Path volume, as these books encompass almost every element possible in a book.
Adventure overview
For books containing one or more adventures or quests, include a section outlining the adventure as its own entity within the book as a whole. Do not create individual pages for each adventure or quest. Use the {{Adventure overview}} template, including as much information as you have available. Simply go to the template's page and copy the text from there, and consult the template's documentation for instructions on how to fill it. Below the template, add a brief synopsis of the adventure.
For Pathfinder Society Roleplaying Guild, the header should be "Scenario overview", and the {{Adventure overview}} template provides a special pfs flag and optional fields to list related factions.
Series templates
Most books (at least released by Paizo Inc., will be part of an ongoing series or product line. Include the relevant navbox template at the bottom of the page, below references and external links, to make navigation from product to product easier for other users.
For adventures that take place in a non-contiguous story arc, such as related Pathfinder Society scenarios or Pathfinder Modules, list them beneath the {{Adventure overview}} template. For an example, see how Mists of Mwangi handles the series of scenarios involving the Blakros family and museum.
Categorization
| Defining different book types |
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A sourcebook primarily contains rules or setting content. Most hardcover books, like the Player Core and Lost Omens World Guide, and books from older accessory product lines like Pathfinder Player Companion and Pathfinder Campaign Setting, are sourcebooks. An adventure book tells a story around one or more structured encounters using the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game rules. Pathfinder Adventures and Pathfinder Society scenarios are adventures. Pathfinder Adventure Path issues are considered adventures too, even though they also contain fiction, new rules options and setting details, and other non-adventure content. For both, use the {{Infobox/Book}} infobox template and refer to its documentation. A fiction book tells a story through a traditional linear narrative. This includes Pathfinder Tales novels, novellas, ebooks, and web fiction, including the Pathfinder's Journal books compiled from previously released Adventure Path content. Use the {{Infobox/Book}} infobox template and refer to its documentation. There's one more type of work: an accessory. These are usually non-book products, like map packs and Pathfinder Cards products. See Writing an article about an accessory for more information. Boxed sets, like the Beginner Box, are a special case. See the Beginner Box article for an example, or as an administrator or the Discord chat for help. |
All books should be added to various categories depending on their content. In any case, all sourcebooks should belong to the Category:Sourcebooks category, all adventures should belong to the Category:Adventures category, and all fiction should belong to the Category:Fiction category.
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Many infobox templates automatically add many of these categories for you, based on the contents of the template. For more information, see the infobox's documentation. |
Rules set
Infoboxes add a rules category if the rulesset parameter is filled. Otherwise, add a category according to the rules set the book contains. For example:
Author
Infoboxes add a "works by" category for each author if the author1, author2, etc. parameters are filled. Otherwise, add a category for works by each author. For example:
If the category does not exist, check for alternate spellings of the author's name. For example, Sean K Reynolds is sometimes incorrectly credited with a period after his middle initial. As a rule of thumb, the author's name in the category title should be the same spelling as used in the article about that author. If there is no article about that author, use the most common spelling.
Year
Infoboxes add a category for the year if both the type and released or expected parameters are filled. Otherwise, include a category indicating the year of the publication, such as Category:2007 sourcebooks or Category:2009 fiction.
Product line
Additionally, each book should belong to a category indicating its product line, for example Category:Pathfinder Adventure Path or Category:Pathfinder Modules.
Some infobox templates will automatically add a product line category if you specify the line in the series attribute. Consult the infobox's documentation for help.
Adventure information
For books containing an adventure, include categories for pertinent information regarding adventure type, such as level (Category:5th level adventures) and, on older modules, type (Category:Dungeon adventures).
The {{Adventure overview}} template can automatically add these categories for you, as well as Pathfinder Society-specific categories.
Fiction type
Since fiction set in Golarion can take several forms, indicate through categories what format this volume contains, such as Category:Serial fiction or Category:Novels.
The type attribute of {{Infobox/Book}} templates can automatically categorize fiction appropriately.
Unsure about categories?
If you have written an article and are unsure about which categories to apply, or simply want your categories double checked, add Category:Please check categories by including this text at the bottom of your article in this format:
[[Category:Please check categories]]
This flags to others that the article's categories need checking or adding. We hope that, soon thereafter, another wiki member will be along to help.