So, you've made an account and want to contribute to make the great TV Tropes wiki greater than ever? Awesome! But are you sure you're ready?
While this site does not expect perfection out of anyone nor is it too technically difficult, certain venues are more difficult than one would expect. Moreover, it's expected that you read up on policy to a sufficient level to avoid mistakes or disrupting the work of other editors. That said, we welcome contributions of all kinds as long as they're done properly. Hopefully this page will show you what you can start doing and what to tackle after gaining sufficient experience.
E Rank
These are jobs for noobs, as in, anyone can do them, even if not everyone will. However, do not think that means they're not appreciated - fixing small errors on the wiki keeps it in good shape.- Fix typos. As long as they're not done for self-demonstrating purposes or quotations, it's acceptable.
- Add namespaces to non-namespaced work links. If you see a link that just Progressbar95 and it's red on the page, just add a VideoGame/ before it. Same goes for other works and they're respective namespaces.
- Fix formatting errors. If there's link that appears as ''Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids, all that needs to be done is adding two apostrophes to the end of the link. If a link to a One-Word Title looks like Video Game/Synergism, add two curly brackets "{{ }}" around the work name.
D Rank
These tasks are intended for just about all skill levels, but you may need to read a policy page or understand wiki formatting to perform them well. Once you do, these should be not much more difficult than the previous rank.- Adding examples. This is always a good thing, as long as it fits the trope's definition, follows How to Write an Example, and has proper alphabetisation as well as basic formatting required for examples.
- Adding context to examples. As long as you know the work and how to actually write them, you can always do it to make it clear how they apply.
- Correcting objective style issues. If two examples for one trope violate Example Indentation in Trope Lists by putting only one second-level bullet, feel free to correct it.
- Splitting pages due to length. See How to Split a Page, but if it says "This page is too long" you usually just need to move the content. Updating a template if it involves a character page can be a C Rank task due to the formatting knowledge and potential amount of needed, though.
C Rank
These tasks can be slightly difficult or can take up a decent amount of time, but most people can do them relatively easily. It'd be a good idea to brush up on policies and have several E or D rank contribs before trying these.- Creating a work page. You need to have at least three (but obviously more is preferable) trope examples with context, index the work, give it a custom title if needed... See How to Create a Work Page. Otherwise, once it's in good shape, you don't need anyone's permission in most cases.
B Rank
This stuff requires experience and can take up time to do properly, therefore we really don't recommend beginners attempting it. Read up on policies and make sure you understand processes which are less difficult rather than jump in.- Starting a TLP draft. See TLP Guidelines. The community expects at least three examples with context from different works and a good description. You should also make sure this trope is not covered and integrate feedback into the draft, while not rushing it and giving a day before launching for last-minute concern. Post-launch, you also have to add wicks to it from the examples listed, so it can hopefully meet the Standing standard on Wick.
- Doing a Wick Check. It can take a while, as at least 50 examples are expected and you should generally understand the trope and what makes a good example before doing them.
A Rank
Attempting to contribute in these areas is very much not recommended for newbies or intermediate users. They involve a higher level of bureaucracy, with an understanding of policies and how the wiki functions in general.- Starting a thread in Trope Repair Shop. You need to write a summation of why the trope needs reform, a wick check if it involves misuse, and be prepared for potentially several pages of discussion and the fact the trope may need up to tens of thousands of wicks replaced.
