Line #9 Administrivia/TLPGuidelines


1	The [[https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/tlp_activity.php Trope Launch Pad]], or TLP, is the area where all new tropes are proposed, workshopped, and launched into publication.
2
3	While all of TV Tropes is a collaborative effort, TLP involves working with others much more closely than any other part of the site, and it can be a rather contentious place. Because of this, the TLP has special rules and guidelines. Some are only applicable to TLP activities. Others would serve you well anywhere on the site, but are ''especially important'' while working on the TLP. This is a guide to making the most of your time here.
4
5	'''Disclaimer:''' The TLP is not the best entry point for most newcomers. It's by far the least forgiving part of the site. This is not accidental; our trope pages are the ''bones'' of the site, and we want them to be as strong as we can make them before they are published. As such, there is a definite learning curve on the TLP, and it can be quite steep if you aren't already well-acquainted with how the site works. Before you start messing around, here's the TLP's guidelines, customs, and quirks.
6
7	[[foldercontrol]]
8
9	!Part One: Rules and Customs of the Trope Launch Pad
10	%%
11	%%
12	[[WMG:'''The TLP Code of Conduct:''']]
13
14	'''All rules that apply to TV Tropes as a whole apply to the TLP.''' In addition to those, there are some rules specific to working in the TLP, as it involves working with other tropers more closely and directly than on the main wiki. The Iron Rules are the really serious, "you will be suspended or banned if you do this" stuff; the rest are guidelines to make everyone's life on the TLP easier -- including yours.\
15
16	[[folder:The Iron Rules]]
17
18	* '''Don't Spam Drafts''': "Draft Spam" can refer to three things, all of which are rude at best and grounds for suspension at worst:
19	** Posting a bunch of new drafts in a very short period of time, especially if they're very low-quality.
20	** Bumping a ton of old drafts to the front page at once, especially if you haven't made any substantial contribution to them.
21	** Similarly, bumping drafts specifically to discard them can be considered spam. We don't want the first page cluttered with old garbage drafts. Instead of bumping those, try taking them to the [[https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/posts.php?discussion=15518456230A47472000 TLP Discard Project.]]\
22
23	* '''Don't Launch Other People's Drafts Without Asking Or Contributing:''' If you launch a trope that doesn't belong to you ''regardless of its current state'', you've just engaged in something called "Rogue Launching". This is considered a form of ''theft'' and always results in your account getting suspended and the page being unlaunched. So just ''don't''.\
24
25	* '''Don't Launch Any Draft Without Notice:''' In most cases, you have to publicly state your intent to launch at least 24 hours before launching, so people can voice any last-minute suggestions or concerns. Launching a trope without notice, ''especially if there are unaddressed issues or unfinished discussion'', can get you suspended. This is known as "Stealth Launching" in TLP parlance.\
26
27	* '''Don't Launch Any Draft Prematurely:''' If your draft doesn't fit all the Requirements for Launch (explained below), then don't launch it. If a mod has to unlaunch your draft because you got impatient, you're practically guaranteed a suspension.\
28
29	* '''Don't Discard Drafts Without Reason:''' Sometimes drafts aren't viable and need to be discarded. Fair enough, but don't try to be sneaky about it.
30	** If the draft is not ''long'' abandoned or objectively unlaunchable (i.e. it breaks site rules), it must have ''at least'' five more bombs than hats to be considered discardable.
31	** Never discard a draft while a discussion is ongoing. Aside being against the rules, it's incredibly rude.
32	** Don't discard drafts for reasons not related to site rules or draft quality. People do tend to notice when, for example, drafts regarding LGBTQ-related topics start disappearing for no discernible reason.
33	** If you discard a draft, ''always'' include your reason for doing so. If nothing else, it shows that you're acting in good faith and not discarding it for arbitrary or agenda-driven reasons.\
34
35	* '''Don't Troll, Dogpile, or Vandalize Drafts:''' If you don't have anything positive, constructive, or non-hurtful to say, then throw your bomb and move on. Doing anything more violates the first rule of TV Tropes: '''Don't Be A Dick.'''\
36	[[/folder]]
37
38	[[folder:Adopting the Attitude]]
39
40	* '''Be Willing to Cooperate and Listen:''' The TLP is governed by consensus. You can't ignore other people's concerns just because you don't like them. If you aren't willing to listen and work with others, then the TLP is not for you. Your experience will be frustrating at best, and completely hamstrung at worst.\
41
42	* '''Be Patient:''' The TLP isn't a race. No one is going to reward or even ''compliment'' you for launching a trope quickly. In fact, it's usually the other way around: drafts launched too quickly tend to be of dodgy quality and often don't thrive after launching.\
43
44	* '''Communicate!:''' There's not much point to doing anything on the TLP if you're not willing to work with others, and you can't work with others if you don't communicate with them. Tropers who ignore everyone's advice and refuse to communicate generally don't get what they want, unless what they want is their editing privileges revoked.\
45
46	* '''Don't Freak Out Over Setbacks:''' On the TLP, your work ''will'' be critiqued and even criticized. You ''will'' have to make concessions or compromises when you'd rather not, and you ''will'' be told things you don't want to hear. You ''will'' get frustrated and/or pissed off from time to time. You may even have to scrap your pet project and start over on occasion. That's the nature of the TLP, and it's something you'll just have to accept if you want to participate. For the most part, no one's trying to be rude or attack you personally. They're just trying to make each launched page the best they can.\
47
48	* '''Remember that the TLP Is a Community:''' We get it: working on your own draft tends to be more exciting than helping out other drafts. Still, contributing to other drafts benefits ''you'' as well as other tropers. It shows that you're willing to help out and work with others, and that counts for a lot. If you help other people out, they'll be more likely to help you out somewhere down the line. That's how communities work. An attitude of "no give and all take" will not serve you well here.\
49
50	* '''Don't Be Your Own Punching Bag:'''
51	** Everyone makes mistakes or messes up once in awhile, and it's natural to feel guilty or a bit angry at yourself. But excessively beating yourself up over it does not solve anything or help anyone.
52	** Don't stress over being a "bad user" or violating some unwritten rule. The fact that you're genuinely ''concerned'' about being a "bad user" is a strong indicator that you're not.
53	** Don't constantly apologize for your work or tell us it "sucks." Even if you ''aren't'' fishing for compliments, that gets old ''really'' fast.\
54
55	* '''You Are Not Special:''' Without exception, the most irritating and least productive people on the TLP are the ones who think that they're ''owed'' something, or that the rules don't apply to ''them''. They tend to spend more time complaining, trying to game the system, or trying to dance around the rules than actually getting anything done...at least, until they get TLP Banned. Don't be one of those people.\
56	[[/folder]]
57
58	[[folder:Minding Your Manners]]
59
60	* '''Don't Edit Other People's Drafts Without Asking:'''
61	** This is just being polite. Many TLP denizens are protective of their work and do ''not'' like it when other people mess with their drafts.
62	** Making major changes to a draft that doesn't belong to you is considered ''incredibly rude'' at the very best. If you try to be sneaky about it, it may even be considered ''vandalism''.
63	** It's ''generally'' okay to correct small errors, like typos or formatting errors, on another person's draft. Just post a reply clearly stating what you were doing -- that's just common courtesy.\
64
65	* '''Criticism Should Be Constructive:''' Most TLP regulars don't beat around the bush -- they will tell you exactly what they think, and they can be quite direct in doing so. There's nothing inherently wrong with that. Even so, if you offer critique or advice to others, make sure what you're saying is ''constructive'' and not just ''mean''. Constructive criticism leads to better drafts. Hostile criticism and/or trolling rarely yields anything but hostility and bad blood.\
66
67	* '''Don't Leave "Doorstep Baby" Drafts:''' In other words, don't post a half-baked draft and immediately abandon it or put it Administrivia/UpForGrabs. This "clever" attempt to make someone else do all your heavy lifting doesn't work, as virtually ''none'' of these drafts are ever picked up by anyone else. It just leaves more junk drafts lying around.\
68
69	* '''Assume And Act in Good Faith:'''
70	** Don't assume that everyone who makes a bad draft is trolling or acting in bad faith. In truth, very few people ''set out'' to make a bad draft.
71	** Most mistakes can be explained by inexperience with our admittedly complex TLP system, so consider helping the newbies by linking to this page and giving tips.
72	** '''Do not''' dogpile, mass-bomb, spam comments, or troll the discussion. We understand everyone enjoys a bit of ''schadenfreude'' from time to time, but ''instigating'' it is incredibly rude if not outright ''bullying'', reflects poorly on our community, and takes up attention which could more productively be given to other drafts and editors.
73	** In cases where a sponsor can't be reasoned with and does seem to be acting in bad faith or trolling, you should just contact a mod to nuke the draft.\
74	[[/folder]]\
75
76	[[WMG:'''Becoming a Consummate Contributor:''']]
77
78	All new TLP users are encouraged to spend time on the TLP contributing to other drafts, watching others, and "reading the room" before starting their first TLP draft. Contributing to existing drafts is a great way to get your bearings. Here's some tips on how to make contributing to drafts a breeze.
79
80	[[folder:Contributing with Confidence]]
81
82	* '''Contribute by Replying to the Thread:''' To contribute to a draft, the accepted procedure is to include your examples, suggestions, and brainstorming to replies in the thread, and wait for the draft sponsor to add them. A handful of tropers will invite contributors to edit the draft directly, but they're the exception rather than the rule.\
83
84	* '''Make Sure Your Examples Have Context:''' Just as nothing is completely Administrivia/SelfExplanatory, no example is so well-known that no description is necessary. Creating an example without context is called a Administrivia/ZeroContextExample, and is heavily frowned upon here and in the rest of the wiki. Explain how the work ''uses'' the trope, so that people who haven't seen the work can get what you're saying. For more detailed information, see Administrivia/HowToWriteAnExample.\
85
86	* '''Mention the Media Type:''' When giving an example, mention the type of media it is from. Most pages on the wiki are organized by media type, so stating that information up front saves them the time of looking it up.\
87
88	* '''Format Your Contributions as Examples:''' When contributing examples on the TLP, the best practice is to format it as you would any other example, complete with markup. It saves the sponsor time, as they can just copy and paste the code into the draft without having to format or rewrite it themselves.\
89
90	* '''Find Other Ways to Help:''' If you don't know of any examples, there are other ways to help:
91	** If you can think of a related trope or an index the trope might belong to, then say so! This increases the trope's Administrivia/{{Wick}} count, and will make it easier for readers to find.
92	** If you can't think of any of ''those'', but you think the page is almost ready to be launched, say so! Encouragement is important.\
93
94	* '''Speak Up If You Think a Draft Is Unworkable:''' If you find a draft that you don't believe is a trope, is too subjective, should be [[Administrivia/LumperVsSplitter lumped]] with something else, or otherwise doesn't deserve to be a page, ''go ahead and say so''. It's not always comfortable to do, but it's easier for all involved to stop a bad draft ''before'' it gains momentum or has a ton of work put into it. If the original poster disagrees, then there should be an open discussion about it.\
95
96	* '''Guidelines for Hats and Bombs:''' Technically, you should use hats ''only'' to signify that you think a draft is ready to launch. Likewise, bombs are intended only to signify that a draft needs work: either it's unsalvageable and needs to be discarded, or there's an issue that would prevent a valid launch. ''In practice'', however, people use hats to mean anything from "launch now" to "I just like the idea," and throw bombs for a similarly wide range of reasons. Therefore, if you add a hat or a bomb, explain ''why'' you felt the draft deserved it. It's the only way the sponsor will know why you are reacting that way, and it's the polite thing to do.
97	** Be aware that the mods can see the voting history for each TLP draft. If a pattern of hatting low-quality drafts or misusing bombs is noticed, it can lead to TLP suspensions or bans.
98	** Don't hat your own drafts. Seriously, ''don't''. Giving yourself a hat tends to imply that you aren't interested in actually prepping your draft for a launch, and comes off as biased even under the best of circumstances. Hats should come from other TLP users who think your draft is a quality one, and giving yourself one, especially if you do it at the very start of the process, is just another way to rush the launch without earning it.
99	[[/folder]]\
100
101	!Part Two: Trope Launch Pad Essentials
102	%%
103	%%
104	[[WMG:'''What goes in TLP?''']]
105
106	TLP is the place all new tropes and major indexes namespace are created. If it uses the '''Main/''' namespace, it has to go through the TLP wringer before it can be published. However, you can use the TLP to workshop other page types, though you can't launch them directly from the TLP.
107
108	[[folder:Drafts ALLOWED in TLP]]
109
110	* '''Trope Pages:''' These pages describe and list examples of ''tropes''.\
111
112	* '''Major Indexes:''' These are pages consisting primarily of links to tropes or works grouped together by a common characteristic or theme.\
113
114	* '''Work, UsefulNotes, JustForFun, and Other Pages:''' You don't ''have'' to put these pages through the TLP to launch them, but you certainly ''can'' if you feel like you need help with them. Just be careful to note that '''you cannot launch these pages by clicking "Launch" as you would for a trope'''. You will have to copy the source code and paste it into the proper namespace.\
115	[[/folder]]
116
117	[[folder:Drafts NOT ALLOWED in TLP]]
118
119	* '''Redirects:''' A redirect is nothing more than an alternate link to a page, so workshopping it in the TLP would be a waste of everyone's time. If you want to request a redirect to a trope or index, do so in [[https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/posts.php?discussion=gsjp7dldjh2dwdelcha2hu17&page=1 this thread]]. If you ''really'' feel a need to run a redirect idea past the tropermind before asking the mods to make it, you can use [[https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/posts.php?discussion=16021926500A71056100 this other thread]]. If you want a redirect to some other kind of page, you can [[Administrivia/CreatingNewRedirects create it yourself]]. It takes less than a minute and is quite easy.\
120
121	* '''Administrivia or Policy-Related Drafts:''' As site policy is not a matter of popular vote, the TLP is not the place to discuss it. If you want to do that, go to [[https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/conversations.php?topic=0000000000000000000000f3 Wiki Talk]].\
122	[[/folder]]\
123
124	[[WMG:'''Getting Your Draft Off the Ground:''']]
125
126	These are the basics of planning, preparing, and posting your TLP draft. While not ''all'' of these steps are strictly mandatory in ''all'' cases, they should give you an idea of what goes into a successful launch, as well as comprise a list of best practices that should save you some headaches down the line.
127
128	[[folder:Before You Begin]]
129
130	* '''Take Time To Plan:''' A well-known proverb is "Failing to plan is planning to fail." So it is on the TLP: if you don't put some effort into making sure your draft is at a reasonable standard ''before'' you post it, you're setting yourself up for failure. If it looks like it had no serious effort or thought put into it, most people will not waste time on it. They will bomb it and move on, likely never to return.\
131
132	* '''Do Your Due Diligence:''' We have multiple resources you can consult before you take your idea before the TLP:
133	** The {{Administrivia}} index has pages upon pages of information if you have questions, many of which are about working on the site and/or TLP.
134	** If you'd like to adopt a draft rather than start one from scratch, the [[https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/posts.php?discussion=15908573800A28470100&page=1 TLP Adoption Drive]] is your one-stop shop for drafts to adopt.
135	** If you can't think of a good idea for a draft by yourself, consider visiting the Administrivia/TropeIdeaSalvageYard to see valid ideas pulled from old, unworkable drafts.
136	** If you aren't sure if your idea for a trope is a good one, [[https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/posts.php?discussion=15902941540A34344400&page=1 Trope Idea Sounding Board]] is the place to pitch your ideas and see if your proto-trope might have legs.
137	** If you want to run your first draft by some Tropers before you bring it before the voting public, the [[https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/posts.php?discussion=mrrv0lfphb29fvme6ofumrj0&page=1 TLP Workstation Thread]] your one-stop shop for advice.
138	** If you just want to see some examples of failed drafts and see people talk about why they failed, [[https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/posts.php?discussion=15518456230A47472000 TLP Discard Project]] is a good place to learn what ''not'' to do.\
139
140	* '''Write Your Draft in a Text Editor:''' You ''can'' write your draft directly into the appropriate text box, but it's much better if you write it in a text editor, like Notepad (Windows) or Noto (Mac). That way, you can write, edit, and save more easily, and you won't lose your draft completely if your Internet connection hiccups.\
141	[[/folder]]
142
143	[[folder:The Adoption Option]]
144
145	* '''Consider Adopting an Abandoned Draft:''' The TLP is home to thousands of drafts in varying states of completion, and almost all of them have been abandoned for one reason or another. Some of them are even quite good, and most of the heavy lifting is already done -- they just need some elbow grease and polish. If you want to get your feet wet in the TLP pool without diving in head-first, try adopting one.\
146
147	* '''Make Sure the Draft Is Administrivia/UpForGrabs:''' If you want to adopt an abandoned draft, the draft must be abandoned for ''two months'' before it's eligible for adoption, or the last sponsor must have specified that they're placing it up for grabs.\
148
149	* '''Visit the [[https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/posts.php?discussion=15908573800A28470100&page=1 TLP Adoption Drive]]:''' Alternatively, if you want to look through a group of drafts that have already been sifted through and are ready for adoption right away, visit the TLP Adoption Drive. The drafts there are ripe for the picking; just move the draft from the "Up for Adoption" to the "Adopted" section. If you have questions or concerns, just ask the thread regulars and they'll show you the way.\
150	[[/folder]]
151
152	[[folder:Writing Your TLP Draft]]
153
154	* It is suggested you write your draft in a sandbox page so you can test its formatting before publishing. You can find your personal sandbox page here: '''[=https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Sandbox/=]YOUR_USERNAME'''[[note]] Replace "YOUR_USERNAME" with your actual username minus any special characters[[/note]].
155	* '''The Draft Must Explain the Trope:''' In the description, you're aiming to do three things. If you haven't done ''at least'' this much before bringing your draft to the TLP, your road to launching will be much, much harder.
156	** Define your proposed trope clearly.
157	** Describe it in enough detail that others can understand what you're talking about.
158	** Supply at least ''three'' examples of the trope to further demonstrate the concept and spur discussion.\
159
160	* '''[[Administrivia/ClearConciseWitty The Draft Must Be Clear]]:''' One of the cardinal rules of TV Tropes is "Clear, Concise, Witty" -- in that order of importance. When you first post your TLP, your goal is to define your trope as clearly as you possibly can, and explain how it's meaningful to the story. Your first draft can be a bit overwritten or lacking in humor; that's what subsequent edits are for. But you ''must'' be clear; you can't have a productive discussion if no one understands what you're talking about.\
161
162	* '''The Draft Must Be Sufficiently Detailed:''' If absolutely nothing else, your first draft needs to be specific and detailed enough that most readers will know what you're talking about simply from reading your description. But don't confuse ''sufficient detail'' with ''length'': it's possible to ramble on forever and never give the reader a clear idea of what your trope actually ''is''.\
163
164	* '''The Draft Should Be Self-Contained:''' Nothing is ever completely Administrivia/SelfExplanatory, as no one has the exact same knowledge base that you have. Your explanation should ''never'' require detailed knowledge of a specific show or another trope to understand it.\
165
166	* '''First Impressions Matter:'''
167	** If your draft has no examples, has only a single sentence for a description, or generally looks like you wrote it in five minutes on a whim, it's very likely to get covered in bombs right out of the gate. No one expects perfection from a first draft, but we do expect a sincere effort.
168	** As discussed above, there are multiple places on the forums dedicated to helping new and old users alike work up trope ideas or improve their first drafts. Even if you're a fairly experienced or confident writer, it would behoove you to at least swing by a few before diving in.\
169	** If you are new to formatting a trope page, you can build off the TropeEntryTemplate.
170	[[/folder]]
171
172	[[folder:Procedure for Posting a TLP Draft:]]
173
174	# '''Post The Draft:''' From the TLP index page, click the large blue button that says "Launch a New Trope" and supply the following information:
175	** ''A Working Title'': Your working title doesn't necessarily ''have'' to be your final title; you can change it as needed. But you need a title to post your draft.
176	** ''A Laconic Title'': A "Laconic Title" is a short, one-sentence summary of your trope. This will help attract people to your draft. Also, if you don't have one, your draft ''won't save'' until one is added.
177	** ''Your Trope Description'': This should be prepared in a text editor and pasted into the appropriate space, unless you just like to live dangerously.
178	# '''Send The Draft:''' Once you're done, click the "send" button.\
179	[[/folder]]
180
181	[[folder:Care and Feeding of TLP Drafts]]
182
183	* '''The Fine Art of TLP Bumping''':
184	** The TLP can be a pretty fast and furious place at at times, so your draft will inevitably slide down the page, and even off the first page. Eventually, you're going to want to consider a ''TLP Bump''.
185	** A "TLP Bump" is making a new post or edit on a draft for the purpose of sending it back to the top of the TLP list.
186	** You can TLP Bump by making a ''null edit'' [[note]]in other words, editing and saving the draft without actually changing anything[[/note]], or making a reply post saying "TLP Bump." This isn't ideal, however: bumping a draft too much without changing anything gets annoying, so don't do this more than once a day at the very most.
187	** A better way is to space out adding examples or other content so your draft doesn't fall too far down the page. This is less likely to annoy other tropers.
188	** As nice as it is to stay on the front page, don't worry ''too'' much about bumping until you fall past the third page. People do check more than just the first page.\
189
190	* '''Add Examples and Content When You Can:''' Updating your draft regularly not only brings it back up to the top of the list, it also helps others get interested in contributing. An active draft sponsor tends to get better response than sponsors that only edit once in a great while.\
191
192	* '''Keep Organized:''' Most pages on TV Tropes are organized by media type, so unless there's a good reason ''not'' to use it, that's generally the method to use. Whatever method you use, keeping things organized makes your draft easier to read and locate information.\
193
194	* '''Fun With Folders:'''
195	** Once you've collected a good number of examples, consider using folders to contain each media category. It makes the pages easier to read, and less intimidatingly long.
196	** However, if you only have a few examples, folders aren't necessary. When folders ''become'' necessary is kind of a judgement call on your part, but there's no real reason to make folders when you only have, say, two examples per media type.
197	** ''Do not'' make empty folders. Asides being irritating, it's considered deceptive as it makes your draft ''look'' like it has more examples than it does.\
198	[[/folder]]\
199
200	[[WMG:'''Preparing For Launch:''']]
201
202	So you've finally reached the point that you feel like your draft is ready for publication. Here's what you need to know to make your launch as smooth and trouble-free as possible.
203
204	[[folder:Requirements for Launch]]
205
206	* '''The Draft Must be Three Days Old:''' This is kind of a moot point in some ways, as regular users actually ''can't'' launch a draft that's less than three days old. Even so, three days is the minimum length of time to give people to at least look at your draft and offer feedback, and it behooves you to wait even longer than that.\
207
208	* '''The Draft Must Have A Clear, Complete Description:''' Just to make that clear one last time, because a lot of people forget (or deliberately ignore) it.\
209
210	* '''The Draft Must Have Five More Hats Than Bombs:''' The ability to launch the draft doesn't open until it has five net hats -- five more hats than bombs. This is the accepted minimum for launching.
211
212	* '''The Draft Must Have Ten Examples:''' Drafts are expected to have ten or so examples before launching -- that's a good starting point, and if the entire TLP can't produce more examples than that in a reasonable timeframe, then what you have may be Administrivia/TooRareToTrope.\
213
214	* '''The Draft Must Have Twelve Wicks:''' That is, there must be twelve other pages that you can link to and link back from. Wicks are links that connect TV Tropes pages together, and twelve is considered the bare minimum for a healthy launch. Without a decent number of wicks, your newly launched page is not likely to ever thrive. If you have the required ten examples and you know of at least two other pages or indexes to crosswick with, you're golden.\
215
216	* '''Discussion on the Draft Must be Complete:''' By "complete" we mean that there are no major unaddressed issues with the draft. While it isn't always ''possible'' to address every single issue that every single person brings up, you do have to make a good-faith effort at least give a satisfactory ''response to'' all concerns.\
217
218	* '''You Must Indicate Intent to Launch At Least 24 Hours Before Launching:''' This used to be optional, but now it's a requirement in almost all cases. The best way to do this is to add a notice to your draft's laconic or title, though if you opt for the title, you'll have to remove it before launching. (You can technically post one in the comments, but it's best to put it where you don't have to open the draft to see it.) It should read something like "Launching on Saturday" or "Launching on May 14th". The 24-hour notice gives other tropers a chance to make last-minute suggestions, observations, or additions, as well as alert them to when your draft will take flight.\
219
220	* '''You Haven't Made Major Changes Within 24 Hours Of Launch:''' Few things will piss the TLP community off faster than changing the name of your trope and then immediately launching it. You might think of a better name one minute before launching, and there's a chance it may actually ''be'' a better name. But if you're actually going to change it, you have to give the TLP community a chance to give feedback on it. This also applies to other major changes to the draft, but in practice, it's almost always the trope's ''name'' that gets a last-minute change.\
221	[[/folder]]
222
223	[[folder:How To Launch Your Draft]]
224
225	# '''Locate the "Launch" Button:'''
226	** You will see at least one button at the end of your draft that says "Launch". (If you have five or more bombs, you'll also see a "Discard" button. [[HumorMode Don't get them mixed up.]]) Press the "Launch" button.\
227
228	# '''Confirm the Title:''' You will be asked to write your trope's title into a little text box. When doing so, keep these in mind:
229	** Due to the way Administrivia/{{Wiki Word}}s work on this site, punctuation of any kind will not work. The most common example of this is the dreaded apostrophe; you must use "cannot", or "cant" and [[Administrivia/HowToMakeACustomTitle add the apostrophe after launch]].
230	** Enter the trope title on the launch page exactly as it will appear in the page's header. Do not [=WikiWord=] it. For example, if you're launching a page titled "Title Of The Page", enter it as Title Of The Page rather than [=TitleOfThePage=]; the wiki software will make it a Administrivia/WikiWord for you.
231	** Numerals work in trope titles, but not as a leading character (for example, [=3DMovie=] must become UsefulNotes/{{ThreeDMovie}}), because the software treats numerals as lower-case.\
232
233	# '''Press the "Launch Trope" Button:'''
234	** Congratulations! You just launched your trope!\
235
236	[[/folder]]
237
238	[[folder:After the Launch]]
239
240	You've launched your trope, but you aren't quite done yet. There are still several things to take care of before you're completely finished:\
241
242	* '''[[Administrivia/HowToMakeACustomTitle Customize the Title If Necessary.]]''' Customizing the title is generally limited to correcting the capitalization and punctuation, or adding special characters. You can't use it to make substantial changes to the title, so don't ask.\
243
244	* '''Add the Trope to Any Applicable Index Pages:''' During your time on TLP, you should have found (or were suggested) index pages to put your trope on. Do so now, in [[Administrivia/HowToAlphabetizeThings alphabetical order]].\
245
246	* '''[[Administrivia/CrossWicking Crosswick Your Trope Page]]:'''
247	** After launching your page, go to the work pages of all your examples and add the example entry to those pages. You can just copy and paste them in most cases; just be sure to remove the link to the work page and link the example back to your trope page. This helps your page get noticed and attracts visitors to it.
248	** If the trope only applies to one character, the trope should be cross wicked to the work's character page if possible.
249	** If the trope only applies to one episode of a TV show, crosswick the example to the Recap page, if one exists.
250	** If there are tropes related to the one you launched, go to the pages of the related tropes and link your page. This can be as simple as adding a "See Also" note, or something more specific, such as noting that it's a SisterTrope or has a compare/contrast relationship. The more pages linked up, the better the [[Administrivia/TVTropesGlossary Wiki Magic]] flows.\
251
252	* '''Create a Laconic:''' This is optional, but creating a Laconic page -- a page housing a one-sentence summary of the trope, which can be serious or humorous -- is encouraged. To do so, go to your trope's page's URL window and replace "Main" with "Laconic". Edit the resulting page.\
253
254	[[/folder]]\
255
256	!Part Three: Advice, Tips, and General Miscellany
257	%%
258	%%
259	%%
260	[[WMG:'''Things to Consider When Creating Drafts:''']]
261
262	Whenever we do something new, we almost always end up wishing we had known a few things before we started. Here are some things to know that will save you some headaches down the line.
263
264	[[folder:Drafts that Are "Dead on Arrival" in TLP]]
265
266	* '''[[https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/query.php?type=tf Trope Finder]] Queries and Other Non-Drafts:''' TLP is not for asking if we have a trope, nor is it for asking someone else to make a draft. If you want something done on the TLP, ''you'' have to do it. We're willing to help, but it's neither polite nor fair to expect someone else to do your dirty work for you. If you have an idea for a trope but don't feel capable of creating the draft yourself, you can add your idea to the Administrivia/TropeIdeaSalvageYard, but there's no guarantee anyone will adopt it in a timely manner...or at all.\
267
268	* '''Blanks, One-Line Wonders, and Other Zero-Effort Drafts:''' The TLP community is generally willing to work with those who are willing to listen, cooperate, and ''put in the effort''. Drafts that clearly have very little work or thought put into them -- especially those with one-sentence descriptions -- tend to get cluster-bombed immediately no matter how good the underlying idea is.\
269
270	* '''Complaint Magnets & FlameBait:''' "Complaint Magnet" is the term for drafts that, intentionally or not, seem custom-made for encouraging Administrivia/ComplainingAboutShowsYouDontLike. FlameBait, similarly, describes drafts that are all but guaranteed to start fights. These drafts tend to be more trouble than they're worth, if they're even actual ''tropes'' at all. Negative YMMV and Audience Reactions tend to dominate this category (which is why they're generally no longer accepted), but so can actual ''trope'' drafts if they're overly negative or clearly have an agenda.\
271
272	* '''[[Administrivia/RuleOfCautiousEditingJudgement Drafts that Violate ROCEJ]]:''' Some tropes relate to, or are based on, real-world events. We recognize and respect that. However, drafts that are excessively socially or politically provocative are destined for the dustbin. As with Complaint Magnets, no one wants to keep cleaning up the mess these drafts will eventually create.\
273
274	* '''Drafts involving FetishFuel and/or Administrivia/ContentPolicy violations:''' There was a time when this some of this stuff was allowed on TV Tropes, however begrudgingly. It eventually made sizable portions of the site ''borderline unreadable'' for all the creepiness involved, and it ''nearly tanked the site entirely'' by causing advertisers to pull support. Suffice it to say, any draft containing these will be throttled on sight.\
275
276	* '''StockPhrases:''' The Administrivia/NoNewStockPhrases page lists six reasons why they don't work. The most important ones are that they're not usually popular tropes, tend to lack meaning, and frequently mislead people into thinking it's just about saying the phrase. This does not mean tropes that tend to involve dialogue don't work -- ObviouslyNotFine is one -- but they tend to involve more than just saying one set phrase.\
277
278	* '''"Sliding Scale" or "Sorting Algorithm" Drafts:''' These drafts are no longer accepted because too many were being proposed, and almost none of them were any good. In fact, most of them weren't even ''actual'' sliding scales so much as disjointed collections of trope variations. You can propose one if you ''really'' want to, but unless you have an ''intensely convincing'' reason that we need it, its chances of making it to launch are close to nil.\
279	[[/folder]]
280
281	[[folder:The Most Common Reasons Drafts Fail]]
282
283	* '''[[Administrivia/NotATrope They're Not Tropes]]:''' A lot of people confuse "something that happens in a show" with "a trope." Tropes are storytelling devices that have a deliberate effect on the narrative or how it's perceived. They have meaning and form patterns. See Administrivia/NotATrope and Administrivia/PeopleSitOnChairs for more information.\
284
285	* '''[[Administrivia/YesWeDoHaveThisOne We Already Have Them]]:''' There's not much more to say here. If we already have a trope, there's no reason to workshop an exact or near-exact copy.\
286
287	* '''They're Too Similar to Existing Tropes:''' Tropes should be clearly defined, [[Administrivia/TropesAreFlexible but they have some degree of flexibility]]. Minor variations of a trope aren't considered worth their own page unless you can show that the differences are sufficiently meaningful, or that there's enough examples of that one variation to justify splitting the page. Instances of PlayingWithATrope, Administrivia/TheSameButMore, and Administrivia/TheSameButMoreSpecific are generally considered non-pageworthy.\
288
289	* '''They're Poorly Written:''' No one expects utter perfection on a first draft, but we do expect drafts to be competently written. If your description is unclear or confusing, your syntax is riddled with spelling and grammar mistakes, or your draft is improperly formatted, that all-important first impression will not be a good one. While it is sometimes ''possible'' for a draft to come back from a poor start, a bad first impression will make getting to launch that much harder. A ''really'' bad start may force you to start over from scratch.\
290
291	* '''They Lack Fictional Examples:''' While many tropes allow RealLife examples for fun, a draft with mostly non-fictional examples isn't going to pass muster. Tropes are ''devices or techniques used in storytelling''; therefore, something that doesn't occur in creative media frequently enough to be meaningful is not actually a trope. On a related note, attempting to trope the private lives of artists or creators is expressly forbidden -- stick to their work, please.\
292
293	* '''They're Too Broad:''' It's true that some tropes have very broad definitions -- especially {{Supertrope}}s -- and Administrivia/NoTropeIsTooCommon. But some trope proposals are so broad that they're not well-defined or meaningful. Some common examples include tropes of the [[Administrivia/PeopleSitOnChairs "this exists" variety]], and meaningless PersonalAppearanceTropes.\
294
295	* '''[[Administrivia/TooRareToTrope They're Overly Specific]]:''' If your trope idea is so ridiculously specific that only a handful of examples could ever possibly fit, then you're reaching Administrivia/NotATrope territory. Tropes are ''patterns''. It's not a trope if it's only ever been used once. It's not a trope if only one creator uses it.\
296
297	[[/folder]]
298
299	[[folder:Things Users Expect Drafts to Have]]
300
301	* '''An Introduction:''' There's a number of ways to introduce your trope draft -- you can make it funny, informative, insightful, or all of the above -- so we won't inundate you with suggestions. It's worth noting, however, that "Administrivia/ExampleAsAThesis" introductions -- in which a hypothetical example (usually starring AliceAndBob) is presented as the introduction and/or the trope description -- is widely frowned upon as it's a very weak and potentially confusing way of introducing an article. You can ''sometimes'' get away with that, but it's better to avoid it.\
302
303	* '''Related Tropes:''' This segment generally appears at the end of most descriptions, and often serves as the conclusion. Related Tropes indicate any {{Supertrope}}s, {{Subtrope}}s, and {{Sister Trope}}s your trope may have. It should also include any tropes that your trope can be compared to and contrasted with, as well as any similar tropes with important distinctions.\
304
305	* '''Any Warnings, Notices, or Disclaimers:''' If you have a trope that needs to be Administrivia/SpoilersOff, or if there are restrictions on the examples you can post (e.g. Administrivia/NoRealLifeExamplesPlease), you should put this statement in bold at the very end of the description.\
306
307	[[/folder]]
308
309	[[folder:Ways to Expand Your Trope Description]]
310
311	* '''Descriptions of {{Consistency}}:'''
312	** ''External Consistency'': How realistic is the trope?
313	** ''Consistency Between Works or Genres'': Is the trope used similarly all the time, or does its use vary across different genres, or different works within the same genre or franchise?\
314
315	* '''Usage Within Media Types:''' Not all tropes apply to all media. Some tropes are only possible within one medium and can only be discussed or parodied in others, such as gameplay tropes in video games. Other tropes are specific to certain media, like tropes involving sound or video, and others can be found in all types of media.\
316
317	* '''The Trope's Origins''': You may be able to pinpoint the first use of some newer tropes -- particularly tropes unique to the last few decades -- but most older tropes have origins lost to history. Even so, you can discuss what ''is'' known about your trope's history. Even if you only do some light research, you might learn some interesting things yourself.\
318
319	* '''Usage Through Space and Time:''' Not all tropes are universal. Some tropes, such as many a ForgottenTrope, were unique to the time in which they were used, but have fallen into disuse today due to social and technological change. Other tropes are region-specific; the FourIsDeath trope would be very familiar to a Japanese reader, but that specific concept doesn't exist in Western countries.\
320
321	* '''Public Perception of the Trope:'''
322	** What do people think of the trope? Is it popular among some groups? Is it offensive to others, and why?
323	** Is the trope taken seriously nowadays? Was it ''ever'' taken seriously? If a trope is a DiscreditedTrope, a ForgottenTrope, a DeadHorseTrope, an UndeadHorseTrope, or a DeadUnicornTrope, talking about that makes for good content!\
324	[[/folder]]\
325
326	[[WMG:'''Miscellaneous Information:''']]
327
328	Here's some facts and answers that you may or may not have ever wanted to know.
329
330	[[folder:Other Uses of the TLP]]
331
332	* '''[[https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/conversations.php?topic=renames Trope Repair Shop]] Activities:''' From time to time, the Trope Repair Shop will elect to bring an existing trope page for various reasons. The procedure is generally not much different from normal.
333	** ''Repairing A Page'': If a page has extensive problems, it may be brought to TLP to see if the issues can be resolved via workshopping.
334	** ''Replacing A Page'': In some cases, TRS may elect to completely replace an old trope page with one more in line with current standards, and use TLP for that purpose.
335	** ''Splitting A Page'': If TRS decides that a page needs to be divided into multiple tropes, TLP may be used to create those new pages.
336	** ''Gathering Examples'': If a trope isn't thriving -- having few examples and/or wicks -- it may be sent to TLP to see if more examples can be obtained.\
337
338	* '''Workshopping Non-Trope Pages:'''
339	** Non-trope pages, such as Work, UsefulNotes, and JustForFun pages are all allowed on TLP for workshopping. However, it's important to note that these pages ''cannot be launched the same way a trope can''. To launch a non-trope page from TLP, you must manually copy and paste the page source into the proper namespace, then discard the draft.
340	[[/folder]]
341
342	[[folder:Occasionally Asked Questions]]
343
344	* '''Why do garbage text characters keep appearing in my draft?'''
345	** The TLP can't handle certain special characters, so it converts them to strings of garbage text. To make it even weirder, these strings of garbage get ''longer'' each time the draft is saved. While several special characters cause this, the most common by far are curved quotation marks and apostrophes; straight quotation marks and apostrophes should be used as they do not cause this issue. \
346
347	* '''Why do people keep saying "Administrivia/WorkPagesAreAFreeLaunch" when I post a work page on TLP?'''
348	** A certain percentage of our community incorrectly believes that "Work Pages Are A Free Launch" is a ''command'' rather than a ''declaration'', and spam that message at every opportunity. As the actual policy page clearly states otherwise, we can only assume that these people have never actually read the policy and are only parroting what they've heard.\
349
350	* '''Why does this trope exist on the wiki when you have guidelines against it?'''
351	** The TLP didn't always exist, and it wasn't always as strict as it is now. We're working on some of those old, bad trope pages...but we only have so much manpower willing to do that particular job, so it may be a while before we get to any specific page. If you want to help, go to the [[https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/conversations.php?topic=renames Trope Repair Shop]] and get cracking. They're always ready for more hands.\
352
353	* '''Why do some links call it "YKTTW"?'''
354	** The TLP wasn't always known as the "Trope Launch Pad". Once upon a time, it was "You Know, That Thing Where...", or "YKTTW". It was renamed around the same time it was made mandatory for tropes, to better explain what it was meant to be used for. However, not all of the YKTTW mentions have been converted yet, and some older tropers still know it by the original name.
355
356	[[/folder]]
357

Context Administrivia / TLPGuidelines