Help:Authorship and wiki philosophy

From AIDS Wiki

The following are some thoughts on authorship and wiki philosophy which may prove helpful to contributors.

"Words are, of course, the most powerful drug used by mankind." (Rudyard Kipling, quoted in The Times of London, 15 February 1923, from a speech on 14 February 1923)

"If you haven't used a wiki before, be prepared for a bit of a culture shock. The beauty of wiki is in the democratic freedom, simplicity, and power it offers." (WikiWikiWeb article welcoming visitors)

Collaborative writing

A wiki allows for collaborative writing, a process where people work together to create written documents. Writing for a wiki is a much different process than other types of traditional writing, and it can be a new experience for many people.

Individual writing is similar to and differs from collaborative wiki writing in many important ways.

One way in which individual authorship is similar to wiki writing is in the gathering of outside opinion and judgment. Authors collaborate with editors and publishers and frequently submit their manuscripts to friends, colleagues, and experts for comments and criticisms. This external feedback is as essential part of the writing process. Without it, authors would often overlook their own mistakes and prejudices in the work. Ultimately, however, an individual author has control over his or her final words and assumes sole responsibility for them.