Writing Echo Rules

The Writing echo (area tag WRITING) is for the discussion of all aspects of the art, craft, and business of writing, both fiction and non-fiction. It is intended for people who are actively (not necessarily professionally) engaged in it.

TOPICALITY AND DIGRESSIONS:

Since just about anything might be interesting to writers, digressions are allowed -- within reason. "Within reason" means that a thread should be dropped when it no longer has to do with the art, craft, and business of writing. Before you post a message in such a thread, ask yourself "What has this to do with writing?" If the answer is "not much," please don't post it here. Messages of interest to only one person should be sent via Netmail.

PERPETUALLY OFF-TOPIC:

Certain topics, such as computer programming, word processing, and movies, are covered in other echoes and are off-topic. Because other topics -- religion, politics, social issues (gun control, abortion, feminism, &c.) -- spawn heated and off-topic discussions, they are not welcome here, unless they are directly related to a writing project you're working on. This includes use in taglines. Likewise, poetry has its own areas like BARDROOM and POETRY_WORKSHOP. Please keep poesy out of the WRITING area.

SLAMMING OTHER ECHOES:

Although some in other areas may make disparaging remarks about WRITING due to misunderstanding or even mulish stupidity, we should stand above that sophomoric behavior. Let them run their conferences as they wish; we will do the same. Don't stoop to their level.

ADVERTISING:

Advertising via an amateur computer network is a tricky situation at best. It generally wastes bandwidth and can endanger the residential telephone rates most BBSs depend on. Thus, no items or services may be offered for sale in the WRITING echo which would be of direct economic benefit to the person posting the ad. To reduce bandwidth usage, no ads for other echoes or BBSs may be posted. Helping someone find a book or other item, or recommending publication markets is allowable, as are notices of contests (those not involving an entry fee). Due to controversy, no ads soliciting submissions for publications may be posted directly in the echo. Before doing so, please get permission from one of the moderators.

ETIQUETTE:

Personal abuse, attacks, and other counterproductive behavior will not be tolerated, and can result in the offender's being removed from the echo. Vigorous, spirited, heated debate is terrific; vindictive sniping is not. The Moderator is the sole authority on what constitutes proper behavior.

TRAFFIC:

The traffic on Writing is heavy, so please limit your messages to no more than fifteen per day. If you've had a problem resulting in a buildup of messages (or other good excuse), you may exceed this count, as long as the privilege is not abused. High message counts will make the moderator take a close look at your topicality ratio. When possible, combine several messages to the same person into one larger message.

WRITING SAMPLES:

Participants may post brief excerpts of their writing for critique: no more than 60 lines. The cost of sending longer excerpts around the country is prohibitive. Post only those excerpts you have specific problems with or specific questions about, and list your questions when you post the excerpt. The usual way to exchange longer works is to trade addresses and use the mail.

COMPLAINTS:

Complaints regarding personal attacks or counterproductive behavior should be sent privately -- via Netmail, InterNet, or a telephone call -- to the Moderator. Please remember: never attribute to malice what can be adequately explained by the vagaries of Fidonet. Complaints about topicality, either in general or aimed at a specific user, are also off-topic, as they cause more off-topic traffic. Contact the Moderator privately.

HIGH-ASCII and SIGNATURE BLOCKS :

The so-called high-ASCII extended characters (line-draws, accents, &c.) can cause problems on non-IBM screens. Please don't use them in the text of messages, either as a function of your quoting or part of your text. Also, FidoNet is an amateur network; ordinary folks have to chip in to move these messages around. Accordingly, internet-style signature blocks and other extraneous material is prohibited in the WRITING echo.

HANDLES AND ANONYMOUS POSTS

Anonymous posts are prohibited in the WRITING echo. The use of handles is generally discouraged and prohibited unless a) the true identity of the poster is known to the Moderator, and b) use of a handle by that poster is approved by the Moderator.

MISC:

That's it, except that if someone comes up with a new and improved way to aggravate all and sundry we reserve the right to make a rule to fit the occasion.

WRITING is moderated by Rachel Veraa at 1:135/907. You can also call (305) 891-8850 Ext 2112 before 10 p.m. Eastern or use InterNet to rveraa@netside.net The Co-Moderator is Shalanna Collins at 1:124/8107. (Internet: dgweeks@spd.dsccc.com or dweeks@netcom.com) and Jack Ruttan at 1:167/133 (Internet: jackr@axess.com). WRITING is available on the North American backbone and is gated to an internet mailing list. Contact the Moderator for information.

I suggest that sysops place this message as message 2 in the area, protected from RENUM, so that new users can find it easily.

Rachel Veraa, Moderator, WRITING

Shalanna Collins, Co-Moderator

Jack Ruttan, Co-Moderator