Wikipedia:Redlinks within reason, Bluelinks within context
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This is an essay. It is not a policy or guideline, it simply reflects some opinions of its authors. Please update the page as needed, or discuss it on the talk page. |
[edit] Redlinks
When creating and editing articles it is very tempting to create links to pages that haven't been created, both to expand Wikipedia and as this is simply something we are not able to do in our ordinary use of the internet. However, redlinks should not be overused. If something has not been created yet, think about why - is it a significant topic that has been overlooked? If so, and you are the right person for the job, fire away. However, if you don't intend to create an article from the redlink, consider leaving it unlinked. Excessive redlinks are discouraged in the style guide, and a cleanup tag exists specifically for this purpose. When someone is ready to create an article on a given topic, they will do so - just as you have done. In short, chill out.
In articles regarding niche topics and people who do not fit comfortably within WP:BIO, creating redlinks to other topics and people can be especially dangerous, as it evidences that the original article is related to several people and / or topics that are, as yet, not included.
The inclusionist argument is that redlinks allow for and encourage more articles to be created. I am 100% behind this - as long as the person leaving the link knows the rules and believes that link to be a notable topic-in-waiting.
[edit] Bluelinks
To quote WP:CONTEXT: Only make links that are relevant to the context. Think carefully about your bluelinks - don't link for the sake of it. Linking to completely unrelated and uncontextual topics - for example, when writing about a dog called "Salt", linking its name directly to the article about salt - is bad practice. Bluelinks should also be used once per target, per article (or at most "per screen") and should ideally be spread as evenly as possible through the text.
