Welcome to the Wacky Writers Forum. We hope to provide a warm and welcoming environment where writers and other creatives can connect and bond through common interests.
Our Mission is to create an inclusive, respectful and comfortable space for writers everywhere. To do that, we have compiled this document to educate our members on what type of content they can expect to find on Wacky Writers, as well as what content we do and do not permit.
By using this forum or the Wacky Writers site, you agree to abide by the following rules as well as the Terms of Service. We also strongly suggest reviewing our Privacy Policy if you have any concerns regarding user data.
These terms may be updated at any time, without notice (though weâll do our best to announce it), so we suggest checking in every once in a while to make sure youâre still in line with forum guidelines.
1. General Rules of Engagement
The General Rules of Engagement apply to all topics across all categories of the forum, unless specifically stated otherwise. As a user of these forums, you are expected to abide by these rules at all times.
The Wacky Writers staff will always consider constructive feedback you may have as long as it is presented in a respectful manner.
1.A Tone and Intent
We are a global community and this means that misunderstandings sometimes arise due to language barriers and lack of emphasis/tone in text form. We encourage all of our users to "assume positive intentâ when a post or reply could be read in multiple ways. Tone is hard to translate over the internet. However, citing a "misunderstandingâ does not excuse posting prejudiced and/or bigoted content and users will always be penalized for this type of behavior.
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2. General Rules of Content
The General Rules of Content apply to all topics across all categories of the forum, unless specifically stated otherwise. As a user of these forums, you are expected to abide by these rules at all times.
2.A Best Practices
Make the effort to put things in the right place, so that we can spend more time discussing and less cleaning up. So:
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Do your best to create topics in the correct category. If your topic is in the wrong category, the moderators will move it for you. This is not a penalty, just our attempts to keep the forum organized for ease of use.
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Donât create multiple topics with the same content, even if theyâre in different categories (cross-posting). Pick the best category for your post and if it needs to be moved, weâll put it in the right place.
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Donât post no-content (empty) replies.
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Donât divert a topic by changing it midstream (derailing). This rule is more fluid in the Chatters category, but please be respectful of the conversation flow. Changing the subject or topic out of nowhere can be considered derailing, especially if flagged by the topic creator.
2.B Positive Language
Interact with the community in a positive, inclusive way, such as saying "I would like to read a book featuring a [defining feature] characterâ instead of using a negative, exclusive way, such as saying "I donât want to read a novel with a [defining feature] characterâ. This includes verbiage such as âI donât read books with [defining feature] characters.â
Reach out to a moderator if you are unsure if your post meets these guidelines or if you have concerns. Some exceptions may be made on a case-by-case basis (ie. âPlease do not suggest books with graphic sexual/violent contentâ) at the moderator teamâs discretion.
2.C Personal Attacks
2.C.i What Constitutes a Personal Attack?
Engage with other users in a positive way. Words can be hurtful, discriminatory, or hateful---even unintentionally. Remember that there is another human behind the computer screen. If you wouldn't say it in person or in front of your grandparents, don't post it. Personal attacks can be made in a variety of ways, so there's no way to comprehensively give examples. When in doubt, remember the golden rule: treat others the way you want to be treated. If you don't want it said about you, don't say it about someone else. If you feel youâre being personally attacked or targeted, please flag the posts so our team can look into it. In many cases, our team is unable to determine what may be hurtful to some users, so flagging is necessary for us to help.2.C.ii Public Figure Opinions
Expressing opinions about public figures does not violate this policy; however, expressing negative sentiment about or against another user for their opinions or views on a public figure is a personal attack and is not tolerated.2.C.iii Constructive Criticism and Advice
Please note there is a difference between a personal attack and constructive feedback. Writing is a tough industry and some individuals may provide feedback that is hard to hear, especially if you post looking for advice. If you don't want tough feedback, be sure to mention you'd prefer gentle responses.2.D Trigger Warnings
When posting any content with a reputation for being triggering (ie. sexual assault, self-harm, etc.), we ask users to be mindful when approaching these topics. Please use the "blur spoilerâ function and state clearly that your posted content may contain triggers. Trigger warnings do not justify content that glorifies non-consensual sexual acts (see this section here for more), self-harm, or hate speech.
2.E Exclusion
Every user on this forum is a person, regardless of race, ethnicity, religion, disability, gender, age, or sexual orientation. Posting any topics or replies that excludes or insults anyone on the basis of one of these groups is not allowed and may result in action being taken against your account, up to and including a permanent ban.
2.F Inclusion
Some users may seek to create threads looking for members of a certain group, such as "Looking for users who are also [insert religion here]â. These topics are allowed AS LONG AS it is clearly stated that other users who do not identify with that group are also welcome to join the conversation. Any topics with titles or responses that state or imply otherwise, directly or indirectly, may be closed without warning and may result in action being taken against your account, up to and including a permanent ban.
2.G Derailing Threads
All users have equal rights to post content within the guidelines of the forums. Be respectful of your fellow usersâ topics and do not derail a thread that is not yours with something unrelated to the original posterâs topic. This rule is more fluid in Chatters, but other content rules apply (such as not posting unsolicited links to your stories).
2.H Unsolicited Advertising and Self-Promotion
We have specific categories for posting links to your work. Do not create topics or post replies linking your work outside of categories where it is specifically stated as being allowed. However, if another user asks you unprompted and unsolicited for a link to your work, especially in response to an ongoing discussion, you may provide the link. In addition, if you think another authorâs work is noteworthy or relevant to conversation and would like to share someone elseâs content, you may post links to the other user/authorâs work.
2.I Paid Content
We allow users to submit any paid works or services for approved advertising in the For-Profit Services and Content category. Any other links to paid content must be in your personal profile only.
2.J Social Media
We allow links to traditional social media on Wacky Writers, ie. Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, etc. You may post a thread asking to connect with other writers via these platforms as long as the thread is created to connect with your peers, not with the intent to advertise. This does not apply to Discord servers. Please post these in our Wacky Classifieds category.
2.K How You Can Help
Wacky Writers is a creative space for all users to enjoy. Itâs important to respect the values of the community, but remember that you have a right and a responsibility to help uphold these values, too. If you see a post or reply created to upset a member of our community, please report it by flagging it. The moderators are a very small volunteer team and we unfortunately donât have omniscience in all threadsâwe wonât always catch every rule violation. You can help in this regard by helping âself-policeâ the forum. If you think another userâs behavior is inappropriate, please flag it to bring it to our attention. Alternatively, we encourage our users to attempt to deescalate (within reason and with respect) where possible, if you are comfortable with doing so. Remember, though, you can always bring a problematic response or thread to our attention by flagging.
2.L Content You Shouldnât Post
While this is an open forum that anyone can join, we have rules around content we do not allow on Wacky Writers. This is to keep the community from becoming cluttered with advertising and inundated with NSFW content, among other things. The items listed below are not allowed on the forum.
2.L.iv Sexual Content
Forum engagement should be kept PG-13. We have minors (under 18) who use the site. Therefore, we do not permit content such as:
2.L.i.a Pornographic Content
Wacky Writers considers content "pornographicâ when it portrays sexual subject matter for the exclusive purpose of sexual arousal. This includes, but is not limited to, images, writing, film, video, and video games. If you are a writer of sexually mature content, discussions of your work on the forum should be done with discretion and explicit excerpts should not be posted. You may share your Mature (18+) story in the appropriate categories and with the appropriate rating (tagged "Matureâ), but that type of content cannot be written about in length on this platform.
2.L.i.b Glorification of Sexual Violence
Non-consensual sexual acts include rape, sexual assault, kidnapping for sexual purposes, and sexual slavery. Content cannot be encouraging or glorifying these non-consensual sex acts.
2.L.i.c Sexual Roleplay or Messaging
Sexual messages or solicitation in any format. This includes posting content encouraging private messages both on or off the site with the intent of sexual communication.
2.L.i.d Illegal Sex Acts
Any content that encourages illegal sex acts (per U.S. law) including, but not limited to, bestiality or necrophilia, will be removed.
2.L.i.e Sexual Multimedia
- Any multimedia, including but not limited to images or video, depicting or displaying any exposed private body parts, including breasts, genitalia, and/or buttocks.
- Any multimedia, including but not limited to images or video, depicting or displaying sexual acts up to and including sexual intercourse, regardless of whether or not private body parts can be seen.
2.L.i.f Other Sexual Content/Innuendo
We are a minor-friendly forum. Please do not post content that is suggestive in nature or overtly sexual in theme, even in jest, outside of the "Adult Den" category. Wacky Writers is not a dating site. Some users are not comfortable with overly affectionate/flirtatious replies and such responses could be construed as inappropriate, or even harassment. Please refrain from exchanging flirtatious dialogue with other users (an exception can be made in the Roleplaying/Games category, but remember there are rules about this in the Roleplay Category also).2.L.ii Violent or Obscene Content
Do not post content such as:- Violent or gory content intended to shock or disgust users, or content encouraging others to commit violent acts.
- Any multimedia, including but not limited to images or video, depicting or displaying graphically violent acts. Some characters get into fights, and depicting a character being a little banged up is acceptable, but showing them being decapitated is not.
- Please refrain from sharing any real-world images of injuries, medical maladies, or other content that may be considered graphic in nature.
- Please do not post images of bodily fluids or excretions (yours or someone else's).
2.L.iii Self-Harm
If you are struggling with eating disorders, addiction, self-harm, thoughts of suicide, or other challenges, we want to help where we can, but we are not licensed medical professionals and cannot provide medical advice. On top of that, we donât want to trigger other users.
Here is a link to global helplines if you are struggling: Mental Health Resources
We allow conversations touching on the subject of mental health. However, out of respect for other users, please use trigger warnings and the "blur spoilerâ function. If you are experiencing thoughts of suicide or feel that you may harm yourself, please use this link to get support.
Keep in mind that subjects about self-harm and suicide can be upsetting or triggering. We want to remind you that:
- Content promoting or encouraging self-harm will be removed
- Media displaying self-harm or suicide will be removed. This content can potentially trigger other users.
- Content about recovery from, survival of, or the negative consequences of mental illness or self-harm is permitted on Wacky Writers.
- Topics and replies about contemplating suicide, self-harm, eating disorders, or other similar subjects will be removed.
2.L.iv Hate Speech
- At Wacky Writers, we have a zero-tolerance policy to hate. We are committed to keeping our community safe. We want to ensure any communication here between users does not contribute to real-world harm. We do not permit physical threats of violence or threats of death toward any individual or group of people.
- We do not allow content that glorifies, praises, or romanticizes current real-life violent hate groups, figures, or extremist organizations with violent or hateful intentions, including hate groups, terrorist activity, mass-shooting events, serial killers, or any advocacy of national, racial or religious hatred that constitutes incitement to discrimination, hostility, or violence. Users who violate this rule will be banned.
2.L.v Personal Attacks, Call-Outs, and Harassment
Sharing opinions on stories and the quality or style of writing is allowed as long as any posted criticism is constructive and not simply inflammatory. Donât engage in behavior that:- Attacks or calls out another user.
- Excludes a race, ethnicity, religion, disability, gender, age, or sexual orientation. Safe spaces for marginalized groups ("Safe Spacesâ) are allowed and anyone who is an ally is allowed to participate.
- Uses Safe Spaces for research or to argue about these usersâ experiences.
- Exposes personal information about other people, including identifying information, photographs, videos, or direct/private messages.
- Actively promotes violence or hatred. The promotion of hatred on the basis of race, ethnicity, religion, disability, gender, age, or sexual orientation, or content that is intended to bully, threaten, marginalize, or otherwise harass others is strictly prohibited.
- Harasses another user (including staff). This can include behavior such as internet "stalking" (contacting the user on unrelated social media), excessive messaging after the user has indicated they do not wish to continue conversation, or "ganging up on" a user on a public thread. Constructive debate and discussion is allowed. Arguing and insult-throwing is not.
- Calls someone a troll. While we have rules in place against "trolling", calling another user one is rude and derogatory. If you feel that someone is intentionally "trolling" a thread you're involved in, your best course of action is to flag that user for either A) being off-topic or B) spamming.
2.L.xi Another Personâs Identifying/Personal Information
- Names, addresses, email addresses, phone numbers, images of real people or screenshots of private messages - even with the name and profile picture removed - without explicit consent.
- Screenshots of public messages, such as a public comment on a book, are allowed as long as all identifying information is removed (names, profile pictures, etc).
- Images of public figures and celebrities are allowed. Pictures of animals, such as your pets, are a-okay!
- Due to the fictional nature of stories, we are unable to remove content for having the same or similar name as a real person. We can only remove content if there is additional identifying information, such as the city you reside in or your work/school address.
2.L.xii Unsolicited Advertising and Self-Promotion
- Wacky Writers should not be used for advertising any unrelated goods or services on main forum threads or via private message. Users who use it for this purpose may be flagged as spam and/or banned from the forum.
- The Promote Your Writing ("PYW") category is the only place on these forums where you may share unsolicited links to your stories unless explicitly stated in other category rules. However, if another user requests a link to your work unsolicited and unprompted in response to an ongoing conversation, you may provide them with the link.
- Please do not post new topics advertising your work in any of the forums.
2.L.xiii Copyrighted Material
- Our writers and designers invest a lot of time and energy into creating their own original content for our community to enjoy. Please respect your fellow artists and donât post content that doesnât belong to you and claiming it is yours. This is illegal and will result in you being banned without warning.
- Third-party companies and individuals can request takedown requests via DMCA. If we receive a notice that you have uploaded copyrighted content, we will take it down without warning in compliance with DMCA. Please see our Terms of Service for more information.
2.L.ix Spam
Spam includes but is not limited to the following:
2.L.ix.a Excessive Messaging and/or Comments
Do not contact users with unsolicited and/or excessive messages or comments. This can include sending bulk messages and/or posting comments on peopleâs stories or in private messages.
2.L.ix.b. Bumping
Limit your "bumpâ posts to once every twenty-four hours. A "bumpâ post can be anything from saying simply "bumpâ to posting an image repeatedly in order to bump your thread to the top of the thread list.
2.L.ix.c. Links to Your Content or Advertising
This is a forum-based platform, and we have specific spaces for advertising your content. Do not create topics or post unsolicited replies to othersâ topics linking to your offsite content (written or otherwise), advertising an unrelated service or product, or any other behavior that can be interpreted as "advertising,â with the exception of a specific unprompted and unsolicited request from another user.
2.L.ix.d. Irrelevant or Meaningless Content
At its heart, this is a discussion-based forum. While we encourage fun, and sometimes even silly discussion, topics or replies made up entirely of gibberish and/or content without a purpose is considered spammy and will be removed.
2.L.ix.e. Trolling
A âtrollâ is defined as âa person who starts flame wars or intentionally upsets people on the Internet by posting inflammatory and digressive, extraneous, or off-topic messages in an online community with the intent of provoking readers into displaying emotional responses and/or normalizing tangential discussion, either for the trollâs amusement or a specific gain.â Users who engage in this kind of behavior are a detriment to the community as a whole and more than just being obnoxious, can also be spammy in nature. Do not engage in this kind of behavior.
2.L.x Other Links
- Do not post links to sites that may lead to illegal, offensive, or otherwise harmful content. This includes content that is harassing, inappropriate, or abusive.
- Do not post links to sites that violate U.S. law, infringes on anyoneâs intellectual property rights, violates anyoneâs privacy, or breaches agreements you have with others.
- Do not post links to sites that contain malicious computer code, such as computer viruses or spyware.
- Do not post links to sites that lead to adult content, such as pornography.
2.M Alternate Accounts
We allow alternate account on Wacky Writers. However, all users should be aware that we have several ways of tracing alts back to main accounts. With that in mind, the following rules apply:- The same Code of Conduct rules apply to you whether you're using an alt or a main account. If you break the Code of Conduct when using an alt, your main account will be penalized also.
- If you use an alt account to attempt to circumvent a rule or participate in a Wacky Writers sponsored event that your main account would otherwise be ineligible for, your alt account will be closed and your main account will receive an automatic official warning.
- You may have a total of three accounts â your main plus two additional alternate accounts. If we suspect you are creating additional alts, we will block the IP from additional registration and your accountsâ trust levels will be locked.
- Donât use your alts to drive traffic or views or âlikesâ on content your main account posted. Our system will automatically catch and flag these, and we will leave them that way. Repeated infractions of this will result in bans.
- If you create an alternate account for a character, that account may only interact in the Roleplaying and Games category. Using a "character" account outside of this category can be interpreted as spammy and/or unsolicited advertising.
3. Category-Specific Rules
3.A The Important Stuff
This category is for staff announcements, blog posts, rules, and events. Threads in this category will always be posted by staff.
3.B The Chatters
This category is our most popular category. A few things to note about this category:- Topic creators may or may not be asking for feedback or advice. As a best practice, we encourage users to identify if the thread is intended for discussion or advice before providing unsolicited feedback.
- No games or roleplaying in this category: that's what the Roleplaying and Games category is for.
- Conversations in Chatters are often fast-paced and change directions frequently. However, if a thread creator feels you have inappropriately changed the subject, they may flag you for derailing. We encourage all users to respect the flow and direction of conversation rather than divert it.
- The moderator team can't be everywhere all the time. If you see something that doesn't feel right, let us know by flagging. With that said, the moderator team, at their discretion, may edit or remove posts that could be potentially inflammatory, problematic, or considered "trolling" or "derailing." An explanation will be provided to the poster if this occurs.
- Please keep conversation civil and respectful. We encourage discussion and constructive debate, but not arguing or insult-throwing.
3.C Adult Den
This category is for our 18+ users only. To be added to this category, you must be 18+, review the 18+ category rules, and submit your information to us to be added to our 18+ group.3.D Writing Support
The "Writing Supportâ category should be used to look for specific feedback or to get answers to research questions for your writing.
- Do not post long "excerptsâ of your work for "general feedbackâ. Our recommended length is an excerpt between 300-600 words (this is not a hard and fast rule, just a best practice).
- Be specific with the feedback you need. Other users cannot help you if they donât know what youâre looking for help with.
- Try not to post excessive threads asking for feedback in a short span of time. As a writing forum, we understand that you sometimes may need feedback on multiple things, but, where possible, try to consolidate questions in one thread. Alternatively, you could find a Writing Buddy or Hire an Editor.
- Keep discussion constructive and productive. If you provide criticism, please keep it polite. On the other side, if you are asking for advice or feedback, we recommend detailing what kind you're looking for (gentle feedback, tough criticism, advice only, etc). Hearing criticism is hard, but keep in mind that if you ask for feedback, you may get some that's harsh. Try to remember that the person on the other side of the screen is only trying to help. However, if you feel a response is unnecessarily cruel or nonconstructive, feel free to reach out to the moderator team or flag and we can take a look.
3.D.i R4R
R4R stands for "Read for Readâ. This category is one of the only exceptions to the "donât post your story link anywhere except specified areasâ rule. Wacky Writers cannot help enforce or moderate the Read for Read agreements you make with other users, but we encourage all users to be honest, thoughtful, and kind when entering into an R4R agreement.
3.D.ii Find an Editor
Please do not post excessively looking for an editor. We currently allow users to make a post looking for services for their book, but if you do not get a response right away, do not use this as an excuse to open multiple threads asking for the same service. Either bump your existing thread (once every 24 hours only), or consider requesting at the existing editor-offered service threads. If you are an Editor with a for-profit editing service, you must submit your service request in the For-Profit Services and Works category for approval. Any services offered in the Find an Editor category must be for non-tangible payment only.
3.D.iii Find a Critic
As the topic name suggests, this is a service for critiques. We have many well-read, well-educated, and well-versed users on the forums who are very good at offering valuable feedback. We encourage critics to be kind, but we also encourage any users on the receiving end of constructive criticism to accept feedback gracefully. All of us writers are attached to our work, and itâs very difficult to hear that not everyone likes what weâve put out there for the world to see. However, if you ask for a critique, donât get upset and attack the user who took the time to provide feedback you asked for if you donât like what they have to say. If you are a Critic with a for-profit critique service, you must submit your service request in the For-Profit Services and Works category for approval. Any services offered in the Find a Critic category must be for non-tangible payment only.
3.E The Artists' Showroom
- Do not bump threads more than once per every 24 hours.
- Please do NOT post links to your story unless you are referencing/showing proof to a designer that you are using their cover or if you would like to show designers what your previous cover looks like. If you would like to advertise your story, please head over to the Promote Your Writing category.
- Emphasize what you love to create rather than what you wonât create. If you donât want to accept a graphic request, you have no obligation to do so. Designers have the right to decline a project without providing a reason.
- Public "blacklistsâ are not allowed.
- Keep the thread topic and discussions related to art, graphics, and design. Threads unrelated to art, graphics, or design should take place in the Chatters or a more appropriate category.
- Any media without a watermark will be considered usable by others in the Artists category. Including a watermark in your design helps to avoid this scenario. Please be respectful of designers and do not offer up other peopleâs creations as your own.
- Non-tangible payments such as book reads or social media follows are allowed. You may not ask for monetary payments for work in The Artists category, nor ask for PMs for "commercial/paid" work in your shop listing.
- With the addition of the new For-Profit Services and Works category, you may submit your paid services or shop for approval in that category and, if approved, you may link to that shop for monetary payment-based services.
3.E.i Rules of Use Regarding HTML, BBCode, and Markdown
3.E.i.a No Empty Posts
- If you try to hide text, you will get an error saying you have included text that is not allowed. For the safety and well-being of our users, we are disallowing empty posts. These may be used to hide content that violates our Code of Conduct, and therefore are unacceptable in the forums.
- If we discover anyone circumventing this rule, you will receive an official warning from a moderator to edit your content and discontinue the practice. If you continue to do it, you may be subject to further penalties, up to and including a ban from the forums.
3.E.i.b No Egregious Distortion of Topic/Reply Constraints
- What we mean by this is using, for example, the padding element to make your posts either obnoxiously long or wide. Using a 5-10px padding to make your code look pretty is fine. Making a box that scrolls indefinitely is not.
- Users caught misusing these types of elements will be given a warning to remove any posts like this and to discontinue the behavior. If it continues, we may be forced to take additional action, up to and including banning you from the forums.
3.F Wacky Classifieds
- You may post links to your work in the "Promote Your Writing" section. Select the thread that best reflects your book genre and reply with your book information. These threads are cleaned out every so often to showcase newer content.
- Wacky Classifieds is the official area to post threads looking for books, advertising miscellaneous services, and looking for/advertising things like Discord servers. As with the rest of our forum, please do not post book links in the main classifieds category. Put them in the appropriate thread in Promote Your Writing only.
- Please do not post the same content across multiple threads in Promote Your Writing. We put up new PYW threads once a week (sometimes longer if a category doesnât have any responses) and we encourage you to try different relevant PYW threads each time to gauge where youâll get the best community response.
- Unlike other areas in our forum, please do not bump threads in this category. Our system randomly, automatically picks posts to bump.
3.G The Necromancerâs Lair
If you ever happen to see "The Necromancerâs Lairâ somewhere, please know this topic is for "deadâ or closed threads. Please do not try to revive them. Thatâs only for the Necromancer to do, and trying to revive a dead or closed thread will just make them upset. [This includes linking closed threads for the purpose of reviving them.]
3.H Roleplaying and Games
The Roleplaying and Games category is for our users to create and participate in games in which the participants assume the roles of characters and collaboratively create stories. Roleplaying is allowed only in this category. Participants determine the actions of their characters based on their characterization, and the actions succeed or fail according to a formal system of rules and guidelines. Within the rules, they may improvise freely; their choices shape the direction and outcome of the games.
3H.i Rules for Participating in the Roleplaying and Games Category
In order to participate in the Roleplay and Games category, you must request access after reading and acknowledging the rules here.- Absolutely no godmodding or meta-gaming. If youâre unsure of what this is, read this article here.
- No overtly sexual roleplaying. We get it. Characters are totally shippable. But explicit content on Wacky Writers is not allowed. If both players agree and consent to the interaction, flirting and PG-level romantic content is allowed.
- Treat your fellow players with respect and inclusivity. You are not allowed to exclude other players based on race, ethnicity, religion, disability, gender, age, or sexual orientation.
- All content is required to follow the forum Code of Conduct.
- All roleplay threads require moderator approval before being publicly posted.
- Thread creators are expected to moderate their own roleplay threads.
- If players post content in direct violation of the forum Code of Conduct and the thread creator does not make a reasonable attempt to moderate said content within 24 hours, the thread creator will be penalized along with the players breaking the Code of Conduct.
- Thread creators can request a temporary (up to 72 hours) responsibility âtransferâ to another user in the event the thread creator will be unavailable.
- Thread creators can request a temporary âclosureâ of roleplay thread for longer periods of unavailability.
- Roleplay submissions will be reviewed by the moderator team and approved or denied based on provided description and prior thread creator forum history.
- Any questionable plot points, rules, or character requirements will result in denial and a request for the roleplay details to be revised.
- As long as they do not conflict with the Code of Conduct, thread creators are allowed to write their own rules for their games and roleplays, including how many players can participate in the thread. Please be sure to follow these rules when participating.
- If you see content that violates these rules, please bring it to the attention of the thread creator. If the thread creator canât/wonât address the issue with the player in question (or is the player causing the issue), please flag the posts and a forum moderator will review it.
- If you are a thread creator and your players refuse to follow either the Code of Conduct or the rules/guidelines you have created for your game or roleplay, please flag or reach out to a moderator for assistance.
3.I For-Profit Shops and Content
The For-Profit Shops and Content category is for our users to freely promote works or services that are âfor profitâ, using real-world currency. The goal of this category is to provide an appropriate space to advertise work separately from the âfreeâ shops and content available throughout the rest of the forum.
3.I.i Release of Liability for Wacky Writers
- By posting in, replying to, or otherwise interacting with the Paid Services Category and/or any subcategories thereof, you confirm that you have read and agree to the terms herein and in Wacky Writer's Terms of Service.
- Links provided by users in this category may bring you to a third party website, owned and operated by an independent party over which Wacky Writers has no control ("Third Party"). Any links you make to or from the Third Party will be at your own risk. Any use of the Third Party website will be subject to and any information you provide will be governed by the terms of the Third Party website, including those relating to confidentiality, data privacy and security.
- Unless otherwise expressly agreed in writing, Wacky Writers and its affiliates (collectively "Wacky Writers") are not in any way associated with the owner, operator, or website of the Third Party or responsible or liable for the goods and services offered by them or for anything in connection with such Third Party. Wacky Writers does not endorse or approve and makes no warranties, representations or undertakings relating to the content of the Third Party or their website.
- In addition to the terms stated in Wacky Writer's Terms of Service, Wacky Writers disclaims liability for any loss, damage and any other consequence resulting directly or indirectly from or relating to your access to the Third Party website or any information that you may provide or any transaction conducted on or via the Third Party website or the failure of any information, goods or services posted or offered by the Third Party or any error, omission or misrepresentation by the Third Party or any computer virus arising from or system failure associated with the Third Party website.
- In the event of any inconsistency between the terms herein / Wacky Writer's Terms of Service and the terms on the Third Party website, the terms herein / Wacky Writer's Terms of Service will prevail.
The non-legal TL;DR
You might spend money with a third-party shop/service or on third-party content, but because Wacky Writers doesnât police the entire internet, Wacky Writers canât ensure that youâll âget what you paid forâ, so to speak.
3.I.ii Rules for Submitting a Shop/Service/Work
- Any submissions to advertise in this new section will go through moderator approval to ensure itâs in the appropriate category/not spam.
- Approved shops or services in the For-Profit Services and Content category may offer additional "non-tangible" payment methods.
- Shops or services in Story Help Center or Artistry Castle must remain a "non-monetary payment" service. However, if a user with a thread in one of these categories has been approved for a âpaidâ shop, they may link their paid shop in your free shop threads. Alternatively, they are welcome to close their free thread and maintain only the "paid" shop.
- Wacky Writers and/or its staff cannot assist with setting up payments or facilitating any kind of monetary transfer or guarantee that the quality of the work received will be perceived as worth the money paid. Paid shops must have a way to manage their own transactions. Users must do their due diligence on paying for a service.
- If Wacky Writers learns that a paid shop or service was paid for work, but the work was not delivered, we will remove and close the paid shop.
- If Wacky Writers learns that a published work was paid for but not delivered, we will remove the listing for said work.
3.I.ii.a Required for Shop/Service Submissions
- When submitting a shop or service, you must submit the entirety of what you would like advertised. This includes any code and images used for promotion, as well as the number of âreservedâ posts you will need for items such as a queue, waitlist, etc.
- If you have a link to an external website for your shop, you must provide it.
- We recommend (but it is not required) that you provide a general âprice rangeâ for users who may be interested in hiring you.
3.I.ii.b Required for Work/Book Submissions
- When submitting published books, you must submit the entirety of what you would like advertised. This includes any code and images used for promotion.
- You must provide the link(s) to the book you wish to advertise.
- You may advertise more than one work, but you must submit each work separately.
3.J Personal Threads
Personal Threads are for individual, non-conversational posting only. Do not post in other usersâ personal threads. Any replies in another userâs personal thread will be removed.
Use Cases
Personal threads are for individuals to post content such as self-reflection or "blog-style" posts, content that doesn't require a response, testing coding threads, etc.Consecutive Reply Exceptions
We currently have a forum-wide limit of 5 consecutive replies before you have to let someone else respond to the thread. If you happen to hit this limit on a Personal Thread, just tag or message @moderators to reset this limit for you.
Badges
Due to the non-conversational nature of these threads, badges are not awarded in this category.
âFollowâ Personal Threads
At this time, the Follow function has been disabled as it was breaking the forum. No ETA for when it will be restored, but we hope it will be soon.Wikis in Personal Threads
Users who have reached the appropriate trust level (Dragonling) may turn certain comments into âwikisâ if they need feedback on VERY specific posts. Users who are level âHatchlingâ or higher can add to these wikis. This should still not be used for discussion, but in some cases, getting a response to, say, an âotherâ option on a poll may be helpful to some users. Weâll be keeping a close eye on this. If we see any abuse of this, weâll revoke the ability immediately and the owner of the personal thread will receive a warning. Please moderate your personal threads to avoid this.4. Contests and Payment-Based Threads
Users frequently post threads for contests or offer services in exchange for "paymentâ. Please abide by the following rules for this type of content.
4.A Contests
4.A.i Best Practices
- Do not post a link to your contest in an unrelated thread. This can be interpreted as spam.
- Do not post any contests that require signing up for a service or product, or that requires a user providing you with their personal information, ie. email, address, phone number, library card number, etc.
4.A.ii Prizes
Prizes and/or giveaways cannot be monetary or tangible. Appropriate prizes can include follows, reads, or digital gifts (such as graphics or an ebook) as contest rewards. Contest hosts must also state that Wacky Writers has no affiliation with said contest. Wacky Writers does not recommend sharing personal information with other users. Please share links to said contest in your post.
4.A.iii Rating Device Trading
Rating Device Trading is not allowed on many writing sites and is not allowed here. Rating Device trading consists of exchanging ratings on posted written work or using ratings as a prize for mutual gain. Rating Devices include but are not limited to Stars, Votes, and Upvotes.
4.B Service Threads
Service threads are topics where a user offers their skillset to help others, such as designing a book cover or editing a manuscript.
4.B.i Payment
Users cannot demand or require any monetary or tangible payment for content or services. This includes asking other users to purchase products, such as a novel published on Amazon, in exchange for a service, like cover making. Non-tangible payments such as reads, follows, or requests for feedback are allowed. Social media follow requests are also allowed.
4.B.ii Rating Device Trading
Rating Device Trading is not allowed on many writing sites and is not allowed here. Rating Device trading consists of exchanging ratings on posted written work or using ratings as a prize for mutual gain. Rating Devices include but are not limited to Stars, Votes, and Upvotes.
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5. Rules of Private Messaging
On Wacky Writers, we have the feature of "private messagesâ, meaning messages between just you and another user or a small group of users. However, with great privilege comes great responsibility. The Code of Conduct STILL APPLIES in your private messages. You can still be flagged in your private messages.
The site administrator ("Site Adminâ) can, at their discretion, view private messages between users. This is for safety and security (ie. user harassment via private message or solicitation of a minor), and for when a user needs assistance from an administrator.
The Site Admin will not, under any circumstances, violate the privacy of private messages between users unless:
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A user specifically asks for the Site Admin to take a look at a message thread.
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The Site Admin is tagged in said message thread for the purpose of bringing the thread to their attention.
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A user flags a private message and needs admin intervention.
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There is an imminent threat to a userâs safety.
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In a situation where it is required by law.*
Please note:
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Your private messages will never be copied, screenshot, or in any other way reproduced digitally or physically without your express permission.
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Your private messages and any flags raised in said messages will be handled by the Site Admin, not a moderator.
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Your private messages will not be shared with other users of the site, including moderators, unless explicitly requested or condoned by one of the private message participants.
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Your private messages will never be sold to third-parties.
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Have a look at the Enforcement Section of our Terms of Service and our Privacy Policy.
6. Rules of Moderator Behavior
Moderators are users too and are expected to abide by our community Code of Conduct, and then some. Users have the ability to flag a moderator if they feel they are being targeted or harassed, or if the moderator has posted content that does not abide by the Code of Conduct. That being said, here are the general expectations we require of our moderators:
6.A Moderator Expectations
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Being a moderator is purely a volunteer position. Wacky Writers reserves the right to remove any user proven to have abused the title. A moderator may not use their placement to gain followers, votes, favors in contests, show favor to their friends, or intimidate or harass users.
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Moderators are expected to uphold as well as follow the forum rules and code of conduct.
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Excessive arguments between users and moderators are forbidden. If a moderator has excessive difficulty with a user, they are expected to take a step back and pass the issue to another moderator.
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Moderators are not allowed to moderate their own threads. If a user is violating the Code of Conduct on a moderatorâs thread, said moderator is expected to alert another moderator or the Site Admin to attend and review.
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Moderators ultimately answer to the Site Admin. While we are a team and have open, honest communication, there has to be a final "decision makerâ on certain topics, and users need to have some recourse if they feel a moderator is abusing their position or breaking the rules. If you feel this is the case, your best option is to flag the moderator in question, or, if you do not feel comfortable with that course of action, private message the Site Admin directly. Any matters discussed between you and the Site Admin regarding a moderator will not be shared outside these messages except if the Site Admin addresses the issue with the moderator in question using arbitrary or anonymous snippets of the conversation to back up the need for intervention.
Site Admin Expectations: Leaving all decisions to one person ultimately results in blind spots and a "tyrannicalâ environment. While some site-related things (such as backend code, server space, site implementation, etc.) will always default to the Site Admin for final decision-making, moderators can overrule the Site Admin with a majority-based agreement on community engagement-based issues. This does not include any subjects such as our current stance on hate speech or bullying, but moderators are encouraged to discuss concerns with how the site is managed and, if necessary, overrule a community rule implemented by the Site Admin.
6.B How and When We Penalize Users
6.B.i Instant Bans
Wacky Writers reserves the right to instantly ban any user for the following:- Using hate speech/slurs.
- Using intentionally exclusionary language.
- Excessive rule violation.
6.B.ii Normal Penalties and Moderator Interaction
With only a handful of exceptions, the moderator team does not PUBLICLY handle flags, rule violations, or user behavior. This does not mean a user has not been reprimandedâjust that it was not addressed where the entire forum could see it. This was a policy decision we made to allow users to correct their behavior moving forward without feeling called out and to avoid continuing to feed into drama. In our experience, public humiliation is neither constructive nor effective, and doing so tends to result in a toxic dramatic environment.
Our policy in most cases, with the exception of the items mentioned above, is to privately message a user who has violated a rule and allow them to rectify the issue. However, sometimes we have to penalize users. A typical penalization process might look like this, depending on the severity of the rule violation:
- 1st Rule Violation: The user will receive a PM requesting they rectify the violation.
- 2nd Rule Violation: The moderator may edit, move, unlist, or close the userâs topic or reply. The user will receive a PM reminding them of the rules, along with an "official warningâ.
- 3rd Rule Violation: The moderator will edit, move, unlist, or close the userâs topic or reply. The user will receive a PM detailing the various rule violations, receive an official warning, and be silenced from the forums for 24 hours.
Additional rule violations within 30 days of the 3rd Rule Violation, and after the first temporary ban, will result in additional action, up to and including permanently banning the user from using the Wacky Writers forum.
Exceptions to our private handling of users is when a group of users has collectively contributed to an escalating situation. In these instances, we will often post a general reminder in a thread to keep things civil. However, if this reminder is ignored, the situation may require a thread be temporarily or permanently closed. Temporary thread closures are done as a last resort to keep the issue from escalating further and so the moderator team can address behavior or violations with each of the users involved. Most of the time, unless the topic itself was problematic, we will work with the topic creator to decide whether or not to reopen the thread. Threads closed permanently were either problematic as a whole, or the thread creator decided not to have it reopened.
We get it, nobody likes to get in trouble. We donât like handing out penalties. But in order to keep the forum a safe environment for everyone to participate, we must enforce the rules weâve laid out in this Code of Conduct. We do not target individual users, nor do we take any pleasure in penalizing someone. In the event you feel the moderator team has incorrectly or unfairly penalized you, you are always welcomed and encouraged to (respectfully) contact the Head Moderator for clarification or possible recourse. Any issues the Head Moderator cannot resolve will then be escalated to the Site Admin.
As an additional note, belligerent behavior, threats, or staff harassment after a penalty is handed out will often result in suspensions or bans. We are always happy to discuss penalties with you in a respectful manner, but threats or abuse of the moderator team is not tolerated. If you receive a warning (official or unofficial) from the moderator team, the message will include specific posts or content that violate the rules along with a direct quote from the Code of Conduct to point out the violation. You will always receive an explanation. We do not penalize users for no reason or out of some kind of personal vendetta.
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7. Personal Profiles
At Wacky Writers, we have the ability for users to personalize their own profiles.
What we allow:
- Links to social media or personal websites/blogs
- Links advertising your paid or free work
- Links to discord servers
What we donât allow:
- Links to adult content
- Anything that directly contradicts our Code of Conduct
7.A Preferred Pronouns
We offer the ability to personalize the pronouns by which you prefer to be referred. We strongly encourage users to familiarize themselves with other usersâ preferred pronouns when engaging in forum conversation.- If a user mistakenly refers to you by using an incorrect pronoun, please politely correct them and give them the opportunity to edit their response.
- If a user corrects your pronoun usage, please edit your response to respect their preferred pronoun.
- If a user continues to intentionally ignore your preferred pronouns after your initial correction, please flag their post so a moderator can intervene on your behalf.
- If you continue to intentionally ignore a userâs preferred pronouns after correction, moderators may flag your posts, edit your posts, or take further action against your account.
8. Feedback and Suggestions
We welcome community user feedback, suggestions, concerns, and questions. The best way to reach a mod or admin is by private message. The best way to bring a problematic post to our attention is via a flag. You can also ask questions here, suggest feature requests here, and point out a site bug here.
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