Welcome, future writer! This is the official ADF article writing guide. This guide covers all of the necessary information to help you write an awesome ADF. We would highly recommend reading the entire guide chronologically, from start to finish. Don't worry, the guide is super straightforward and easy to understand, with little to no unnecessary information.
- Getting Started
- 1. Creating Your Anomaly
- 2. Templates and Resources
- 3. ADF Format
- 4. Getting Feedback
- 5. Publishing
OK, so you've made your choice.
Writing an ADF shouldn't be looked at as something challenging and strict. Sure, there are certain basic rules to follow, but here at ADR, all writers are encouraged to be themselves. There's no need to follow a certain tone and act professionally (as long as you're following the format and keeping things interesting). All you need is a creative mind and some writing knowledge!
ADR is meant to be a place for ordinary folk to submit their own encounters with the strange, bizarre, and obscure. When writing, try putting yourself into the ADR universe. Imagine YOU encountered the anomaly you're writing about. How would YOU react? How would YOU write about it? Who even are YOU?
Keep in mind that you don't need to rush with the writing part. Get a simple idea of what to write about first. Build on that idea, take your time, and only when you feel like you know exactly what your anomaly is and how you want to write about it, start writing your draft. The next tab, Creating Your Anomaly, focuses on this topic and can prove useful to new writers.
Before you start writing, make sure you have enough knowledge about ADR. All required information is in the Newbie Guide!
First and foremost, you need an idea. Obviously, for your anomaly, but for the author as well.
This tab will help you get that idea and turn it into the best ADF humanity has ever laid its eyes upon!
Let's start with what an ADF actually is. An ADF (Anomaly Data File) is a document that contains all known information on something anomalous a person has come in contact with, which is then used by the ADR Team to investigate, research, and collect/contain said anomaly if necessary. The document can be written by anyone who knows how to write, so there is no clear set tone. The anomaly, which can also be referred to as "ADF", doesn't have to be scary or dangerous to be a good ADF; it just has to be weird and original.
Getting an Anomaly Idea
Now, how does one get an anomaly idea? Some people can simply look at something and get the most mind-blowing idea ever; others might struggle to do so, so here's a simple guide on how to get things started:
To start, think of anything. This can be an object, person, animal, virus, image, phenomenon, or basically anything that can exist. Or not. It can also be an idea, a phrase, or a state. Your mind is your limit!
In this example, I will be using an apple.
Now, think of a vibe you want your anomaly to give off.
I want a mysterious and spooky vibe. Now I have a mysterious and spooky apple.
Next, think of what will make your anomaly give off that vibe. This part requires the most effort when getting an idea, but with enough time and dedication, you will come up with something interesting.
After some time, I thought of a generic apple tree whose apples scream "HELP ME!" once at exactly midnight every 24 hours after being picked from the tree. This gives off a mysterious (Why are the apples screaming "HELP ME!" at midnight but only after being picked?) and spooky (The apples are fucking screaming.) vibe.
Keep in mind that this is just a simple, dumb example only used to help you come up with an idea of your own.
Another way to get an idea is to base it on a true personal experience. Write about something you actually think you saw, or felt, or simply use that experience as an inspiration for your ADF idea!
Creating an Author
Now that you know what your anomaly is, think of who you want to be while writing about it. You have complete freedom to figure out who you are as a writer. You can easily just be yourself, but taking the time to think of an interesting character is far from a bad idea!
That's basically it. Just keep in mind to stay in character while writing. If the author is some random kid from Texas, no way he's going to be doing professional scientific research on something that bends the rules of reality. He might poke it with a stick and notice that it reacts in some way, and then write about that in his "experiment logs".
Building on Your Idea
Now that you have a general idea, it's time to make it a bit more interesting!
Take some time to think about your idea. Try asking yourself questions about it. Why does it do that? How was it made? Who/what made it? How do you react to it? Basically, think of anything that will make your idea grow into something more interesting and unique. Try thinking of the story behind it, the research done on it, its explanation… The list just goes on and on.
Keep in mind that the "explanation" part of it, if you choose to include it, doesn't have to follow the rules of our reality. Your anomaly can turn out to be a biblically accurate angel from actual heaven for all I care.
Incorporating The ADR Team in Your Article
This is absolutely allowed as long as you have good knowledge of the ADR Team. ADR Team info can be found HERE. Feel free to PM me (Zenion) for any deeper lore questions.
Getting Feedback
Once you're done with your entire idea, don't hesitate to ask for critique in the Idea Feedback forum, or by making a thread in the ADR Discord. No need to follow any template or anything, just give some general info on your anomaly.
Or, as ADR is currently a very small community, message me (Zenion) directly with your general idea.
You are free to start writing without any feedback from other users, but this isn't recommended as a few other opinions are always useful :)
The Anomaly Data Sandbox
This is a site mainly used to create your drafts before publishing them and to easily share them with others. You can also use them for anything else, like learning how Wikidot pages work, testing out code, or custom themes, or just messing around.
Basic ADF Template
This is the basic template used when writing an ADF. Feel free to add your own sections, but make sure to include everything seen below:
[[module Rate]]
@@[[include component:image-block
| name=URL-GOES-HERE
| caption=CAPTION-GOES-HERE
| width=WIDTH-GOES-HERE (Optional)
| align=ALIGNMENT (Optional) ]]@@
- Make sure to remove the @@s in order for the image block to work.
**File #:** ADF-X (Replace "X" with the appropriate number of your file)
**Danger Class:** (Limen, Gula, Ira, Haeresis, Perfidia, Utile)
**Obscurity Class:** (Tetra, Hexa, Octa, Dodeca, Icosa)
**Sub Class:** (Eleutheria, Evorsus, Vexillum, Aliquam) [THIS IS OPTIONAL]
**Current Whereabouts:** (Where the anomaly currently resides, or where and when it was last seen)
**Description:** (Detailed description of the anomaly)
**Research Logs:** (Additional research logs)
[[footnoteblock]]
[[div class="footer-wikiwalk-nav"]]
[[=]]
<< [[[adf:adf-XXX|ADF-XXX]]] | ADF-XXX | [[[adf:adf-XXX|ADF-XXX]]] >>
[[/=]]
[[/div]]The above sections are, from top to bottom:
- Rating Module - Located at the top of the page, this little thingy is used for rating an article. Clicking on a star gives an article that number of stars, with one star being the worst, and five stars being the best possible rating. Obviously.
- Image - The photo depicting your anomaly. This is not required; however, it is strongly recommended to include it, as it will make your article a billion times more interesting. You can have multiple of these.
- File # - The number of your ADF, in the format of ADF-X (replace X with your actual ADF number)
- Danger Class - This is used to indicate how dangerous the anomaly is. More detailed information can be found HERE. There are five of them, and they are Limen, Gula, Ira, Haeresis, and Perfidia. Unknown is also a class, but it's not as common as the main five.
- Obscurity Class - This is used to indicate how anomalous the anomaly actually is. The more unexplainable and complicated it is, the higher the Obscurity Class is. More detailed information can also be found HERE. Just like the Danger Classes, there are five of them, and they are Tetra, Hexa, Octa, Dodeca, and Icosa. Unknown is also a class, but it's not as common as the main five.
- Subclass - This is an optional specific class section. There are four of them: Eleutheria, Evorsus, Vexillum and Aliquam. These all have different meanings, so please figure it out HERE before you try to incorporate them into your article, ok? Ok :)
- Current Whereabouts - Information on where the anomaly currently is, or where and when it was last seen. For example, the anomaly can currently be located in the author's basement, or it can be located in a random forest in Romania, on another planet, or on a random USB stick… The options are endless. More info on this is in the next tab, ADF Format.
- Description - The detailed description of the anomaly. Everything known about it should be included in this section. More info on this is also in the next tab, ADF Format.
- Research Logs - Additional information for an anomaly that doesn't fit the previous two sections. You guessed it, more info in the next tab!
- Footnote Block - Your footnotes will be here.
- Navigation Module - This element is used to navigate between the previous and next ADF. When publishing your ADF, change the XXX in the center to your ADF number, change all of the XXXs on the left to one number lower than your ADF, and the XXXs on the right to one number higher than your ADF.
Formatting
Everything formatting-related you might need can be found on the Wiki Syntax page. Any additional questions can be asked in the Writing Questions forum, or the "#writing-questions" channel in the ADR Discord.
18+, NSFW/NSFL Content Warning Box
If your article includes NSFW/NSFL topics or media, please use the following at the top of your page:
[[include component:warning-box]]
█████████ ███████
If you would like to censor any information in your article, feel free to use this:
█
Media
It is recommended to use your own, original media (images, videos, audio, gifs) if you wish to include them in your ADF.
Also, feel free to ask for help in the Image Help forum category or in the "#media-requesting" channel in the ADR Discord for help with media stuff.
You must have the right to use any media that is not owned by you.
If required, please mention the original creator with a link to the media at the bottom of your page, as shown below:
[[size 80%]]
Image/Audio/Video (MEDIA NUMBER from top to bottom) made by [LINK TO AUTHOR'S PROFILE| AUTHOR'S NAME] and taken from (SOURCE LINK)
[[/size]]Ah yes, the ADF Format.
ADF articles are formatted in a way that will make the article seem like a research document written by an ordinary (or not-so-ordinary) person who had a real-life experience with something anomalous. The 'ADF Classes' will give the reader a general idea of what to expect. The 'Current Whereabouts' will give the article some life, making it seem closer to an actual, real-life thing, and can serve as a great introduction to both the anomaly and the writer. The 'Description' is the main part of the article. Here, the reader will finally figure out what the ADF is about. Finally, the 'Research Logs' serve as a cherry on top, a sweet conclusion to the article filled with bonus information presented in many different ways.
Danger Class / Obscurity Class
There is an entire page dedicated to perfectly explaining these classes. Please read it.
Current Whereabouts
This section describes where the anomaly is, or where and when it was last seen, and acts as the introduction to both the anomaly and the author. This part greatly depends on what kind of anomaly the ADF is about and what kind of person the author is. If the anomaly is an object, like a keychain, and the author is a person with a collection of cursed objects, you could write "Currently kept in a locked glass box in my guest room, which I use to keep many of my cursed objects in" and then elaborate on that. If the anomaly is a dangerous forest creature, and the writer is an actually sane person, you could write "As of now, the anomaly can be found in the forest surrounding {INSERT RANDOM TOWN NAME}".
Your options are limitless!
We recommend writing the "Description" first to get a general idea of your anomaly before moving to describing where it resides.
It's also worth mentioning that it is allowed to write in the first person in this section. However, don't give out a ton of unnecessary information about yourself. Focus on the anomaly. Reasearch Logs are for the author.
Description
This is the most important part of your ADF. It should contain everything the reader needs to understand the rest of the article. This article should be written in a more straightforward way to avoid any confusion, and should almost completely focus on the anomaly, and not the writer.
That being said, while you technically are allowed to write in first person, don't focus on yourself at all. This is where your anomaly shines. Only write in the first person if it's absolutely necessary.
The best idea is to start with the most generic elements of the anomaly, and then slowly move on to the actual anomalous properties. This way, you gradually lead the reader to the realization of what your ADF is instead of throwing everything at them in the first sentence and making them confused. Start with the anomaly's physical description and then move on to the more detailed elements. Make sure to introduce something before describing it. There's also no need to mention details that aren't required to understand this anomaly.
Here's a short example with the mentioned do's and don'ts for your description, again using the very famous and well-known apple example1:
DO:
ADR-XXX is a fully grown apple tree of the 'Cripps Pink' cultivar of unknown origin. It is about 8.2 meters in height and of healthy build. It is able to produce fruit during the summer months, which can safely be harvested when ripe. ADR-XXX's anomalous properties start displaying when its fruit is disconnected from the tree itself. After the fruit has been disconnected, it will produce an audible voice yelling "Help me" at exactly midnight in that time zone. The depth of the voice can vary; however, it always has a harsh, agonizing tone. Eating said fruit is harmless and causes no anomalous effects on the subject consuming it.
DON'T:
ADR-XXX is an apple tree whose apples yell "Help me" at exactly midnight after the fruit is disconnected from the tree. The apple tree is of the 'Cripps Pink' cultivar and is 8.2 meters in height. Eating said fruit is harmless and causes no anomalous effects on the subject consuming it. Blah blah blah, you get the point.
Research Logs
Finally, we end things off with Research Logs. This section will act as a conclusion to your article, and it will be a place where your story and its author truly shine! Research Logs are filled with additional information that doesn't fit the previous two sections, and allow you to focus on your character while writing about your anomaly, expanding its lore, and whatever.
There is no clear way to write Research Logs; you're free to do whatever you want, as long as you stay in character and stick to your ADF's plot. If you're struggling with figuring out what to add to your Research Logs, here are some useful things you could include:
- Interviews. These can either be written or an audio recording of a conversation between the author and the anomaly, the author and his/her colleague, between two anomalies, etc. Make sure to keep things interesting and relevant to your ADF.
- Experiments. Writing about experiments done on your anomaly and its results can add more information to your ADF while keeping things interesting.
- First encounters. Writing about your first encounter with the anomaly can also add a lot to the story, obviously.
- Updates. Documenting any changes the anomaly goes through, or any changes related to your ADF, is also pretty cool.
- Explanations. If you feel like you're 100% done with your anomaly, you could write a final explanation for it. Here you can explain how the anomaly came to be, what its purpose is, how it does what it does, or anything that will conclude the article in its entirety. This is not a required field, but it can make your article seem complete.
Just a reminder, don't include information that doesn't serve to improve your article in some way. Are we clear? Yes? OK, awesome.
Getting Feedback
All right, now you have finally finished your beautiful draft! And yes, technically you can instantly publish it, but that's not recommended.
What is recommended, however, is to make a thread with your draft in the ADR Discord and submit your draft to the ADF Draft Feedback forum. This way, your work will be reviewed by other people and any potentially unwanted parts will be weeded out, and some stuff might be added to it, making your article the most perfect article in existence!!!
When submitting your draft to the forum or Discord, don't paste the entire draft onto your post; just paste the link to your Sandbox page.
Please be patient while waiting for feedback, as this is an extremely small and new community, and we're not available 24/7, but we will definitely get to you eventually! And don't be afraid to speak your mind. If you don't agree with someone reviewing your work, tell them why. GO HAM! But stay respectful.
If you receive negative feedback, please don't feel unmotivated or give up. This is called constructive criticism, and it's not here to piss you off but to help you out. All negative feedback is given for a reason and will, in most cases, end up improving your work. If someone gives you negative feedback and doesn't elaborate on why, then it's their problem, and you shouldn't listen to them.
You're also allowed to review others' work as long as you follow the Rules :)
Publishing Your ADF!
After an insane amount of hard work, finally, you're done with your idea, you're done with perfecting that idea, you're done with writing your idea as a draft, and you're done with getting that draft reviewed. Now the time has come for you to upload your work to the main page!
I'm tired of writing stuff, so I made a cute little video tutorial to help you with the publishing process:
After Publishing
CONGRATULATIONS, YOU LITTLE RASCAL!!!
We're almost done. Now that your article is officially published, the ADR Team will closely monitor it. Your article should also start getting star ratings left by other users. The star rating of your article determines its overall quality. If it's absolutely bombarded with 1-star ratings, the article will need to be reviewed by the ADR Team, because there's obviously something wrong with it. However, rest assured, as there will be no deletions. Yep. It's unfair to delete an article someone has put so much time and effort into, so we as a community will help those in need with fixing their article and succeeding!!!
Fyi, this doesn't mean that we will leave any and all articles public. If it's obviously not supposed to be on the main page, it will unfortunately have to be removed. But we're gonna do our best so that something like this doesn't happen, aren't we?
IMPORTANT: Making changes and new additions to your article on the main site is only allowed in the "Research Logs" section. You're free to add new logs, change older ones, etc. Just please make sure to list all the changes you've made in the little text box under the main text box.
GOOD LUCK AND HAVE SO MUCH FUN!
