These rules are directed toward providing a safe and productive environment for Workshop members.

New members are subscribed only after reading and agreeing to these rules:

Workshop Policy
Most of our members are happy to let us administer the Workshop as we do, but occasionally some aren't. At one point in its history, our workshop was nearly ruined by dissension and chaos. As a result, we've adopted these principles:

• Membership on the Internet Writing Workshop is not a right.
• This is not a Democracy.
• Members do not get to vote about the Workshop's membership or rules.
• The decisions of the list administrators are not negotiable.

1. Personal attacks on members or administrators (flaming ).
2. Ridiculing the writing of others.
3. Spamming or soliciting.
4. Defaming religious beliefs.
5. Arguing with any posted critiques, on or off list.
6. Plagiarism.
7. Showing posts to people outside the list without the writers' permissions.
8. Signing up to the Workshop with a false name.
9. Advocacy: religious, political, or otherwise (no matter how valid the cause).
10. Storing members' addresses for purposes other than improving your writing.

Three to remember:

1. You can post web-page links to our lists, but please don't post copyrighted written material here without the copyright owner's permission.
2. No advertising in any form except within the five lines below the email signature.
3. As an educational institution, the IWW receives submissions only for the purpose of critiquing, not for publishing. Please do not read submissions solely for pleasure.

Other courtesies

• Please don't post writing-contest announcements. They are solicitations that could be wonderful or could be scams, and we have no way of knowing.
• Please also do not post calls for submissions to publishing venues. Send them instead to our IWW Blog,  here.
• Avoid posting in all caps. It's seen as shouting.
• No virus warnings, please. They are otherwise available on the net, and experience has shown that most privately-posted warnings are hoaxes.
• No chain letters.
• IWW administrators will occasionally post official messages beginning with the word, "ADMIN:" in the subject title. Please reserve this heading for their use.

Abuse
If you're bothered or offended by a member, please don't respond to them directly and risk making things worse. Write us first at writing-workshop-request@lists.psu.edu. If that address doesn't work, use our alternate address.

All Workshop lists are monitored. Enforcement of these rules is the responsibility of the list administrators who may be contacted here. Our preferred way of handling problems is through private email, behind the scenes. That being the case, when you contact us, you may find that your concern has already been addressed.