Having contributed to sundry topics ranging from freeways to Battlestar Galactica (classic, pilgrim), I've recently taken the plunge with my first new articles. In retrospect, I do not recommend plunging. However, it certainly does teach you how to swim.
It's also given me huge respect for the work ethic, fairness, and general rigor of Wikieditors, whose voluntary responsibilities I would not take for a million dollars. But then, Wikipedia is what it is because people don't get paid. It has survived because the "information wants to be free" ethos I remember from the Internet's early days of grad students and Gopherspace has been armored by an awesome self-discipline. It's idealism grown up, and it's wonderful to see.