Writing About Yourself
In a Wikipedia editing workshop, the question "Can you write about yourself?" prompted a mix of apprehension, curiosity, and caution. The idea of self-documentation brings out conflicting emotions, with some participants feeling strongly against it and others seeing it as a potential exercise in objectivity.
For many, the immediate response was hesitation. One participant quickly stated, “Prolly not the best idea to do that,” while another firmly said, “Nope. No.” This reflects a broader sentiment that writing about oneself can create ethical dilemmas, as Wikipedia values neutrality and unbiased perspectives. One participant added nuance to this stance, explaining, “You can, but should disclose your conflict of interest and move ethically,” which highlights the importance of transparency when it comes to self-representation on the platform.
“It’s not ideal!”
Some participants were open to the possibility but with reservations. One person said, “I feel apprehensive about writing about myself. I have received positive press and my work is included in museum collections. However, I would prefer a third party to write about me on Wikipedia.” This response reflects a common discomfort with self-promotion and the understanding that Wikipedia works best when articles are authored by neutral third parties. Another participant echoed this, noting, “It’s not ideal!”
Interestingly, for some, writing about oneself could serve as an interesting challenge in objectivity. One participant reflected, “I think I could write about myself and it would be an interesting exercise in objective writing and how that could be brought back into my grant-writing and pitches,” suggesting that the skills developed in trying to write neutrally about oneself could be useful in other professional areas. This view sees Wikipedia’s strict guidelines as a tool for refining clear and unbiased communication.
Even those who are willing to take on the task of self-writing recognize the limitations and rules. One participant shared, “Yes, if you are notable, if you disclose your conflict of interest, if you go through Articles for Creation or use Edit Requests,” pointing out the specific paths available to those who wish to write their own articles. Another participant took a more strategic approach, noting, “I can start by creating a Sandbox of the page that I would eventually want to create. I can gather all the links available and order by the level of reliability.” This shows a thoughtful, step-by-step process toward ensuring verifiability and neutrality.
“I can gather all the links available and order by the level of reliability.”
In the end, participants understood that while self-writing is technically allowed, it’s not without its challenges. As one participant concluded, “Sure. Just do it right,” underscoring the importance of following Wikipedia’s policies on conflict of interest, transparency, and neutrality when considering writing about oneself. This nuanced understanding reveals that the question of writing about oneself is not just a matter of personal comfort but also a question of ethics and accuracy, making it a thoughtful consideration for anyone navigating Wikipedia’s editorial landscape.
