Policies

Note: This is a living document, albeit a rather neglected one. For the most current rules and regs, you should visit the Code of Conduct on the message board, which is infinitely easier to update.

Original Policies (April 2003) | Code of Conduct (as of March 2004)

As implemented by Shen and Sreya, April 2003

DAMN PENS! is a webzine dedicated to writers and their art, founded in the spring of 2003 by primary administrators Sreya and Shen. DAMN PENS! is published regularly every two months, and every member is expected to participate at least once every two months.

If you wish to join, please apply on the appropriate forum on the message board. An administrator will review your information and email you with any information you may need, after which you will officially be incorporated into the zine.

Members are required to generate at least one piece of content for every issue, and if they cannot, they must find an article written by someone else and get it approved by an admin at least two weeks prior to publication. It sounds really anal, but this is to ensure a quality zine.

If you have a one-off article you would like to submit to DAMN PENS!, feel free to submit it to us via the Submit folder along with information like your email, URL and anything else we ought to know, however, be aware that we can�t guarantee when or if it will be published.

DAMN PENS! is free for all to read, because it�s free, currently, for us to make. In future this may change, but not without lengthy, open discussion and notification to all. As such, there is no subscription process. However, if you would like a publication reminder, please let us know. We are looking into ways to create and manage mailing lists. (Incidentally, if anyone has these skills, we would be thrilled to hear from you.)

Because writing is a process, we at DAMN PENS! are learning and growing as writers just as you are. We encourage comments, and have employed this useful little comment box for readers to make use of. (example)

All content on DAMN PENS! is copyright of the authors, unless otherwise noted. Graphics are typically those designed by Shen, but every so often, someone else�s work will creep in. Shen acknowledges the hard work that goes into most graphics, and sympathizes; if your graphic is being used here and you would like it removed, you have but to email us.

Any content sent in to DP!, via email, the message board (particularly the Submit folder), the comment box, guestbook, etc, becomes the property of DP! and ours to use and abuse as we feel fit.

DP! holds non-exclusive rights to your content. You wrote it, it�s yours. You want to put it up elsewhere as well? Done.

ONLY work that has been sent in via the Submit folder or a specifically noted email will be considered for the zine. While we may comb the boards for content, we will never take anything that is not in that folder; this ensures that only final drafts make it into the zine.

Sincerely,

Shen and Sreya
Founders at large

Code of Conduct

As of March 2004

Most updated CoC here.

Taking effect October 31st, 2003. Subject to change without notice. Any complaints or suggestions must be lodged with an administrator.

Code of Conduct for Damn Pens!

1. Show Respect
Respect is many things. Respect your fellow board members enough to treat them as intelligent people with feelings who have a modicum of talent and desire to succeed; they took a risk to share their work with you so that you could advise them, not so you could shred them. Respect them enough to accept their advice in return, as they would not give it if they did not feel you could benefit from it. Respect the board mods (Godlings); their job is to make DP! run well, not to terrorize you. If you feel that their decision is not justified, contact an admin (Board Goddess) for a second opinion.

2. Be Kind, but Honest.
Try not to hurt anyone's feelings, but don't hold back your feelings if you really don't feel that something is praise-worthy. The only way to improve is to recieve criticism, as well as praise.

3. Don't Steal.
Folks, this is the Internet. Don't put up that you really don't want snitched, and don't snitch anything yourself. Keep a dated hard copy in a safe place so that when that fifth grader plagiarizes your poem for his class project, you can sue his lil ass off.

4. Stay on Topic
We're really bad at this, so it's a fairly lax rule. The key is: Is it productive? If you've got a bone to pick with somebody, take it into Irrelevancies, don't start a mini post war on a thread where someone was expecting a serious review of their work. If a thread starts out about a piece and degenerates into talk about a movie, start a new thread somewhere else and link people there.

5. Be Responsible
If you know you double-posted or that someone's not following the CoC, private message a moderator and let them know. The more you are responsible for your own actions, the easier it is for us to moderate the board properly. Notifications about transgressions also help us out by letting us know what the board in general is doing.

6. Don't be Shy!!
The greatest thing an author (or an artist, or a composer!) has to overcome, is the fear of sharing his or her work. You're putting a little piece of yourself out there, and that scares some people more than others. DP! is dedicated to creating a community where people feel safe to share their work. If you don't feel secure, please, PLEASE tell us.

7. Stay on Task
Please don't spend all your time in Irrelavencies. We went that route before and had to close that board for a while so that people would post on other boards. We are primarily a writers' forum and we would like everyone to enjoy their stay, but also to use their time productively. (Wow, now who sounds like they have a stick up their ass?)

8. Label Appropriately
If it's graphic, be it sex, gore, or thematically, please tell us BEFORE we get into it. The easiest rating system is the one used in movies- G, PG, PG-13, R and NC-17. Ed. 2.27.04: There is now a separate board for works worthy of NC-17 ratings. http://damnpens.proboards18.com/index.cgi?board=risqu Risqu� is a password protected board (see #10) and off-limits to anyone deemed not mature enough to enter.

9. Password Protection
If a board is password protected, PM or IM an administrator (Board Goddesses) for the password and it will be given to you if appropriate. Boards are usually password protected for a reason. Passwords may change periodically.

10. Board Membership vs. Zine/Staff Membership
Board members are not necessarily zine members; there is a very simple distinction. You have to ask for zine membership and you have to promise to post at least one piece in every issue. That's not asking much ... we only publish once every two months.

That's it! Have fun with it!

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