Welcome to the next exciting installment of our Featured Wikian Interviews. Today we're speaking with Bereisgreat, who also happens to be one of our Wikia Stars.
Wikia: Tell us a little bit about yourself.
- Bereisgreat: I am Bereisgreat, more commonly known as Bere. I'm 18 and live in Belgium (Flanders). I am currently studying Applied Informatics in college. My main interests and activities resolve around manga and anime, both reading/watching and making Wikis about them. Wikia also sparked an interest in web designing/HTML/CSS. I've also been playing basketball for about 8 years. Oh and I also like cats. :)
Wikia: How did you first discover Wikia?
- Bereisgreat: After watching a random AMV (anime music video), I started watching the Bleach anime. I didn't know anything about the whole manga/anime culture back then. Like many others, while Googling Bleach, I stumbled upon the Bleach Wiki. At first I only used it for info and eventually got to editing… Though it wasn't really productive. I eventually found out that there was something as "manga" and discovered Zombiepowder., a manga series by the same author as Bleach. I saw that Zombiepowder had a Wiki and I started editing, ultimately adopting it.
Wikia: Which wikis do you spend the most time on?
- Bereisgreat: I have had many Wikis… After looking back, too many. I founded, adopted or gained admin rights on roughly 12 Wikis, always editing passionately in the beginning, but sooner or later abandoning it. Even though they're all not finished, I'm satisfied with most of them and they've given me experience. I also randomly edit at animanga Wiki's, just fixing errors or helping on request.
- Right now, I'd say that my top Wikis are the Kuroko no Basuke Wiki and the Ao no Exorcist Wiki. I've poured a lot of work in the first… I also spend notable time on the Fairy Tail Wiki Chat.
Wikia: What do you think is great about Wikia?
- Bereisgreat: Wikia is an encyclopedia as a core, but brings so much around it. I think it's great that you can really change everything to your preferences, ranging from content to design, to layout. I also think that the community-based mentality of Wikia is amplifying all of this - it's easier to work in group and way more fun. I have experienced this since I used to work completely alone on my Wikis, but since spending some time on the Fairy Tail Wiki, I'm seeing how a great community makes a great Wiki. Also using Wikia as a mere forum or chat is enjoyable, hence the many sides that Wikia possesses.
Wikia: How has Wikia inspired you or supported your passion?
- Bereisgreat: It has inspired me in two areas actually. For one, I've become more passionate about manga and anime. Not only reading and watching, but now I'm also looking into other aspects, like researching and learning more about it. In a way, it keeps the interest alive.
- On the other hand, as I mentioned before, Wikia has sparked my interest in HTML and CSS and is also maintaining it. I like trying out new things, fixing broken things and learning more. Very abstract, but that's how it goes. It also comes handy in my field of study, where I actually learn about subjects like this. I can do that class better because of Wikia and I can edit better because of that class. Win all the way :P
Wikia: What would your top 5 tips for new folks on a wiki be?
- Bereisgreat:
- Get familiar with the Wiki's way of doing things. (I don't really wanna use the term Manual of Style, because it sounds too formal.) If it's not your personal Wiki, then try to make edits that help the Wiki, go with the flow.
- Engage in conversation. Find a spokesperson and be patient and understanding. It's the fastest way of getting used to Wikia, talking to experienced users.
- Use the help pages and tutorials. Everyone uses them.
- If you're building a Wiki of your own, use other successful Wikis as example. They're useful when it comes to inspiration for design and templates. Don't copy the whole Wiki, but use them as a basis. Don't hesitate to call an experienced admin there for help, most of them will gladly reply.
- Don't troll. Nobody likes a troll.
Thank you to Bereisgreat for taking the time to answer our questions! If you or someone you know would make a great Featured Wikian, please let us know by leaving a comment here with their username and a sentence on why they should be featured.
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