Paige, excellent points. Seriously. However, I think they actually belong on the board themselves, rather than the EULA, because they're more specific than I intended to be. (And, on a side note, some folks can miss something while others totally get it, so it's a weird balance.)
Rough draft:
Welcome to the Cogni Writer’s Group.
This is a private board, the purpose of which is to aid its members with the production of and marketing of prose. This is a board of peers, and any account hierarchy is strictly due to the administration of the board.
To be a member of this group, you agree to the following:
1) I shall respect the other members of this board, including respecting their intellectual property…in short, I shall not steal ideas or prose from other members, and they shall not steal from me. I also understand that if this does happen, only the thief is responsible and accountable, not the administrators of this board, or the host (Invision.)
2) I shall be courteous and offer constructive criticism to other’s prose. This does not mean I cannot be brutally honest, but my intention must be to aid the other authors, not to belittle them. Likewise, I should not just say that their work is the best thing since sliced bread unless I really mean it…authors cannot hone their craft without constructive criticism. I understand that others will be expected to treat me in the same fashion. I understand that constructive debate is encouraged, not just one-off criticism, because it can delve further into a subject and open up new avenues. I understand that this concept should not lead to flame wars, however. I understand that this is a conceit within this board, and that Real Life Editors ™ can be harsh and not prone to debate.
3) There are no requirements on this board for members to read/review a certain amount before they can post their own work. It is therefore my own responsibility to let people know I have new work posted if I want people to review it. I understand that some authors may receive more attention from readers than others, because of this lack of structure. The reason for this board lacking such requirements is to encourage a stress free, creative environment. I do understand that despite this, I will be expected to comment on other’s work and participate in the community, rather than just post my prose and wait for the comments to flood in.
4) I understand that there may be the occasional non-writer on the boards who is here to help. Likewise, it is possible that there may be authors who help, but don’t post their prose.
5) I understand that I may recommend someone to join these boards, and that to do so, I need to tell the administrators…and have my recruit say that I sent them.
Comments?
Poll