Farscape Encyclopedia Project:Article Editing and Writing Guidelines

This is the start of a guideline to writing and editing articles.

• Staying Factual As Much As Possible

When referencing people, places, or things related to Farscape, try to verify that something was actually in an episode. Transcripts (which you can find here or here), actual episode scripts, and of course, viewing the episodes are all helpful resources. You can find a lot of screen captures here.

When creating the main article about a person, place, or thing related to Farscape, try to cite the episode that featured them or it prominently. This is not necessary for main characters, or the common objects that main characters use often (i.e. Rygel's ThroneSled, or D'Argo's Qualta Blade), but it will be helpful to the reader if they know which episode they might see this person, place, or thing. This is particularly useful for small, minor characters, or places that would have been mentioned very briefly. For example, after seven plus years in the fandom, I still don't know where it was that Crichton's middle name, Robert, is revealed.

Know the difference between canon and non-canon items. Things that appeared in an episode are definite facts about Farscape. Things in the Boom! Comics are also canon, as per Rockne O'Bannon. (But not things in the previous comic, War Torn, nor are any of the three Farscape novels considered canon.) Things that were written into scripts, but never filmed fall into a gray area. David Kemper has stated that if it wasn't broadcast, it didn't happen. Yet, when reading the scripts, one sees insights into events and characters even in the parts that fell on the cutting room floor, or were left out from the shooting all together. Do scenes that were cut, but put onto the DVDs as an extra feature count, for example? What about what the producers and the primary writers for Farscape have said in published interviews or chat transcripts? What about the short stories that appeared in the official Farscape magazine? In such instances, these can be referred to, but only if qualified by an explanation, indicating that they are a sort of gray canon, or if used to explain a possible intention on the part of the creators of the show. And that leads to the next point.

• Opinion

Since the Farscape Encyclopedia is intended as a complete compendium of the Farscape universe, it would be hard to avoid all opinion, and particularly opinion that is consensus opinion of the various creators, or even of the fans. Thus, one might discuss motivations of the characters, citing various commentaries from the extra features on the DVDs, or interviews from the cast and crew. Generally, one should cite the source for these. Although panel discussions at fan conventions were rarely transcribed, or recorded, they, too can be cited, keeping in mind that they are less credible.

One of the joys of Farscape was the wide-ranging and robust discussions that took place within the fandom. Those days are gone, but new viewers arrive at the same realizations, or come up with the same questions as the original fans did. Thus, examining such things as whether or not the big plot hole in the episode I E.T. is fatal, or how the heck do translator microbes work, or did the Browder children really appear in the Look At The Princess trilogy, or did Crichton serve in the military or not, or did Talyn and Crais survive, etc. is a service to fans who may find the usual discussion boards are not longer very active.

• • If opinion is to be presented, qualify it as an opinion.
  • Present all sides of any controversial opinion, and the reasons bolstering each side. Even if you don't agree!
  • Keep your language as impartial as possible. You can vent in a forum, but it only ruins the encyclopedia's mission if you decide to do a scathing rebuttal to a particular viewpoint here. Besides, you'll soon be corrected.