RWC Main Group Rules
Hi and welcome to the Romance Writers' Community's Main Group! We are so glad to have
you as part of RWC! We've just gotten one member stronger thanks to you!
Need to contact one of our moderators with a question, click here.
RWC is a very large, very moderated, free, and active on-line group for serious romance writers--
published or not. Through e-mail we share writing questions, how-to, and other romance
writing subjects on the main list.
Please Take Note Before You Join any RWC Group: The RWC community isn't a social
group. We support each other and encourage each other as romance writers who are serious
about their craft. Of course we expect members to be respectful to each other, to act
professional since this isn't a group for fun but a group that deals with your "job" as a writer.
There are also other tight rules that members have to follow and moderators who make sure
they do. All RWC groups are tightly moderated and all members are expected to follow all
rules at all times. In such a large group, one designed to help writers improve their craft and
reach their writing goals, rules are much more important and handled more strict than in a
smaller setting, a social setting, or a non-professional setting.
Before you start enjoying your time with us, there are some important rules to get out of the
way. They are really just all common sense things that keep us on track and make messages
that come through to members very easy to read, even in digest, keep things on topic, and the
amount of messages under control. The only way to do that in such a huge group is if every
member always follows the group rules that are laid out below. All new members are auto set
to moderated and many stay set that way because with so many members it's just hard to
keep up with everyone. If a rule is broken a reminder is sent off list to that person. Spam, ads
and flames are NOT tolerated at all.
At all times and under all circumstances, RWC management has final judgment on what
falls within the rules and what doesn't.
* * *
PLEASE take a few moments to review all of the rules below -- including the separate section
on promo rules, and the FAQ list -- before you begin posting to RWC. It's a lot of information, I
know, but please read it all--or at the least skim it well enough. I've used numbers, bold print,
or all caps to make it easy for you to find certain things so you can check back here quickly if
you forget a rule or just want to double check before you post something. The FAQ section can
be a big help too. (I want members to always enjoy being a part of RWC and get as much out of
the group as possible! It's the members who have made RWC the great place it is, but the
rules help a lot.) With the info listed on this page, you should never have to sit and worry if it's
okay if you post something. If you still don't find the answer, just ask using one of the contact
links you can find below.
The Rules: Short and to the Point -- Don't worry, you can scan down and find them long and
detailed if you don't understand one or more of them completely.
1) No flames! NONE! Never! In other words, play nice. Members should feel free to post to the
group without fear of flames. No put downs, personal attacks, insults, ect... No posts that
would be thought of as inflammatory, degrading, disruptive, malicious, bashing of anyone or
anything, ect.... No posts on religion, politics, ect...
2) Trimming. Highlight and delete! It's easy. Trim any post you reply to on list. What should
be in your reply is your text and little else. The little else is a few short lines from the body of
the message your reply is to, and the single from line that let's us see the name and or e-mail
address of the person that message was from. Untrimmed messages won't be posted to the
group. So trimming saves the moderators from having to send you a reminder and you from
having to resend your message. It's a win/win. (Also, please make sure if you do leave some of
the text from the other message in, that it's clear which part you said and which part came
from someone else. We don't want to make it look like someone said something they didn't.)
3) Subject lines. No message should be sent without a topic header in the subject line. If you
reply to a post, but change the topic, please change the subject line. If you are on digest, you
ALWAYS have to change the subject line if you hit reply.
4) No Copy & Paste! But for links. Do not copy anything from a newsletter, website, or
another e-mail list and post it to any RWC list without asking the author first. The no copy &
paste rule & copyright law works both ways. So, please, never copy a message or part of a
message from any RWC group and forward it, post it to your blog, put it on your site, or share
it anywhere without the full knowledge and consent of the writer or writers of that message.
It's against RWC rules, Yahoo Group rules and copyright law.
5) No Spam! No ads! Not Any! Please don't place ADS or SPAM on the list--even those dealing
with writing. No harvesting of e-mail addresses. No blatant promo. No submission requests
from agents, publishers, editors, or ect.... We do have Promo Sunday. You can find the Promo
Sunday rules down lower on this page.
6) No Chit Chat -- If you like to be social with other writers, RWC does have a sister group just
for that. So you don't have to give that up. To join, send a blank message to RWCsocial-
subscribe@yahoogroups.com
7) No Off Topic Posts -- This means messages should deal with the romance writing craft
only. No virus warnings, jokes, ect... When an off topic post does come through, like a promo
message, an intro, a thanks, a congrats, please remember if you want to reply, do so OFF LIST
ONLY. Find out what is on topic and what isn't by checking the longer rule for it below.
8) Signature (sig) lines. No sig file should be more than the generous six lines we allow. The
first line should be your name (first or nickname is fine) and e-mail address. (We all like to
have a name to use when we reply to a message, even on list. And we need the address in case
we want or need to reply off list.) Please set up your sig file in Plain Text. If not, you will have
to use a much shorter sig file, since lines might double or split. The six line count goes by how
the message comes through to the group, not how it was sent. (By the way, messages should
not be sent through to the group with confidentiality notices or such attached to them.)
9) You can not send in chapters or any writing to the group. This is not a critique group. We
do have a Critique list, though, for posting chapters and getting critiques. To join, send a
blank message to: RWCcritique-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
Breaking of the Rules -- I know, I know, a lot of e-mail lists send a welcome message full of
rules when you join....but you soon notice that no one in the group seems to follow them and
no one says anything about it. That is NOT the case with any of the RWC lists. RWC is a
really large group, so rules are important if people are going to enjoy being members and not
get overwhelmed with messages. New members are set to moderated when they join...which
means a moderator has to okay each message that is sent before it goes to the list. This helps
block spammers too...since we don't let their messages get through. If a new member does
break a rule, like not trimming, moderators almost always correct the message and send it
through, then send that member a reminder message off list letting them know what was
wrong and how it was fixed so they'll know the next time. (If a moderator has to correct a
message for you, like trim it, trim your sig file, or remove a section that is promo or off topic, it
will be done so at the moderator's discretion.) Sometimes a moderator will even do this a
couple of times or so for a member, since we really want you to enjoy being part of RWC. But
after that, we're going to reject the messages that come in from that member breaking the
same rule we've explained to them. Once the member corrects the message, following group
rules, they are free to resend.
If a message is spam, or flames, or such, then it gets rejected right off. We reserve the right to
remove members from the list for spam, flames, or refusing to follow group rules. If a member
post messages that show they know the rules and are here to take part in the list, and not
spam or flame....then they might be removed from moderated after a time. (Sometimes
members are left moderated just because it's hard to always keep up with who has posted
correctly how many times.) If any member breaks the rules, or seems to like to post flames or
stir up trouble....they will be set back to moderated without notice.....if it's because of flames
or spam...they may even be removed from the list, though moderators will bend over
backwards and try their best to work with everyone. Moderated is usually good enough...since
then we can check any message from that member before it hits the list. The only time you
will send a message that isn't put through, is if it breaks a rule or is something that should
have been sent off list to a moderator.
Please know that our goal for RWC is to have as few members set to moderated as I can. It's a
lot more work for moderators if a member is set to moderated, but since there are a number of
moderators helping out now, sometimes it's just hard to catch who's been good. Smile. It
shouldn't be a big deal though, since there are a number of moderators over each group,
message usually get posted pretty quickly and any message that doesn't break a rule is put
through as soon as possible. During the day that might mean within moments of it being sent
it has been approved. Of course sometimes Yahoo holds on to things for a bit. Just one of
those glitches.
Please Note: If you break a rule and we catch it...and we usually do...you ARE going to get a
reminder from one of the moderators, either off list or on. Please take it as a helping hand as it
is intended, not as a slap to the hand. If you break the rule again, or another rule, you are
going to get a reminder. If you've gotten a reminder and you still break the rule, your message
is going to be rejected and sent back for you to correct. This isn't being mean, it's just a matter
of numbers. There is about one moderator for every few hundred members, so you can see
why each member has to do her part and follow the rules.
To start sending messages to RWC simply send email to RWClist@yahoogroups.com
If you do not wish to belong to RWClist you may unsubscribe at any time by sending an email
to RWClist-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com or by going to the group home page and clicking
on leave group. My okay is not needed for this. Any member can leave at any time, and I don't
even know about it. (Smile)
I give the below info in case you ever need to resub...or have a friend who would like to sub.....
or if you just found this page and don't belong to RWC yet. To subscribe to this group, send
an email to: RWClist-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
You may also visit the Yahoo! Groups website to modify your subscriptions: http://groups.
yahoo.com/mygroups
Regards and Happy Writing,
Charlotte Dillon ~*~ RWClist-owner@yahoogroups.com
Resources for Romance Writers
www.CharlotteDillon.com
Owner, RWClists
you as part of RWC! We've just gotten one member stronger thanks to you!
Need to contact one of our moderators with a question, click here.
RWC is a very large, very moderated, free, and active on-line group for serious romance writers--
published or not. Through e-mail we share writing questions, how-to, and other romance
writing subjects on the main list.
Please Take Note Before You Join any RWC Group: The RWC community isn't a social
group. We support each other and encourage each other as romance writers who are serious
about their craft. Of course we expect members to be respectful to each other, to act
professional since this isn't a group for fun but a group that deals with your "job" as a writer.
There are also other tight rules that members have to follow and moderators who make sure
they do. All RWC groups are tightly moderated and all members are expected to follow all
rules at all times. In such a large group, one designed to help writers improve their craft and
reach their writing goals, rules are much more important and handled more strict than in a
smaller setting, a social setting, or a non-professional setting.
Before you start enjoying your time with us, there are some important rules to get out of the
way. They are really just all common sense things that keep us on track and make messages
that come through to members very easy to read, even in digest, keep things on topic, and the
amount of messages under control. The only way to do that in such a huge group is if every
member always follows the group rules that are laid out below. All new members are auto set
to moderated and many stay set that way because with so many members it's just hard to
keep up with everyone. If a rule is broken a reminder is sent off list to that person. Spam, ads
and flames are NOT tolerated at all.
At all times and under all circumstances, RWC management has final judgment on what
falls within the rules and what doesn't.
* * *
PLEASE take a few moments to review all of the rules below -- including the separate section
on promo rules, and the FAQ list -- before you begin posting to RWC. It's a lot of information, I
know, but please read it all--or at the least skim it well enough. I've used numbers, bold print,
or all caps to make it easy for you to find certain things so you can check back here quickly if
you forget a rule or just want to double check before you post something. The FAQ section can
be a big help too. (I want members to always enjoy being a part of RWC and get as much out of
the group as possible! It's the members who have made RWC the great place it is, but the
rules help a lot.) With the info listed on this page, you should never have to sit and worry if it's
okay if you post something. If you still don't find the answer, just ask using one of the contact
links you can find below.
The Rules: Short and to the Point -- Don't worry, you can scan down and find them long and
detailed if you don't understand one or more of them completely.
1) No flames! NONE! Never! In other words, play nice. Members should feel free to post to the
group without fear of flames. No put downs, personal attacks, insults, ect... No posts that
would be thought of as inflammatory, degrading, disruptive, malicious, bashing of anyone or
anything, ect.... No posts on religion, politics, ect...
2) Trimming. Highlight and delete! It's easy. Trim any post you reply to on list. What should
be in your reply is your text and little else. The little else is a few short lines from the body of
the message your reply is to, and the single from line that let's us see the name and or e-mail
address of the person that message was from. Untrimmed messages won't be posted to the
group. So trimming saves the moderators from having to send you a reminder and you from
having to resend your message. It's a win/win. (Also, please make sure if you do leave some of
the text from the other message in, that it's clear which part you said and which part came
from someone else. We don't want to make it look like someone said something they didn't.)
3) Subject lines. No message should be sent without a topic header in the subject line. If you
reply to a post, but change the topic, please change the subject line. If you are on digest, you
ALWAYS have to change the subject line if you hit reply.
4) No Copy & Paste! But for links. Do not copy anything from a newsletter, website, or
another e-mail list and post it to any RWC list without asking the author first. The no copy &
paste rule & copyright law works both ways. So, please, never copy a message or part of a
message from any RWC group and forward it, post it to your blog, put it on your site, or share
it anywhere without the full knowledge and consent of the writer or writers of that message.
It's against RWC rules, Yahoo Group rules and copyright law.
5) No Spam! No ads! Not Any! Please don't place ADS or SPAM on the list--even those dealing
with writing. No harvesting of e-mail addresses. No blatant promo. No submission requests
from agents, publishers, editors, or ect.... We do have Promo Sunday. You can find the Promo
Sunday rules down lower on this page.
6) No Chit Chat -- If you like to be social with other writers, RWC does have a sister group just
for that. So you don't have to give that up. To join, send a blank message to RWCsocial-
subscribe@yahoogroups.com
7) No Off Topic Posts -- This means messages should deal with the romance writing craft
only. No virus warnings, jokes, ect... When an off topic post does come through, like a promo
message, an intro, a thanks, a congrats, please remember if you want to reply, do so OFF LIST
ONLY. Find out what is on topic and what isn't by checking the longer rule for it below.
8) Signature (sig) lines. No sig file should be more than the generous six lines we allow. The
first line should be your name (first or nickname is fine) and e-mail address. (We all like to
have a name to use when we reply to a message, even on list. And we need the address in case
we want or need to reply off list.) Please set up your sig file in Plain Text. If not, you will have
to use a much shorter sig file, since lines might double or split. The six line count goes by how
the message comes through to the group, not how it was sent. (By the way, messages should
not be sent through to the group with confidentiality notices or such attached to them.)
9) You can not send in chapters or any writing to the group. This is not a critique group. We
do have a Critique list, though, for posting chapters and getting critiques. To join, send a
blank message to: RWCcritique-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
Breaking of the Rules -- I know, I know, a lot of e-mail lists send a welcome message full of
rules when you join....but you soon notice that no one in the group seems to follow them and
no one says anything about it. That is NOT the case with any of the RWC lists. RWC is a
really large group, so rules are important if people are going to enjoy being members and not
get overwhelmed with messages. New members are set to moderated when they join...which
means a moderator has to okay each message that is sent before it goes to the list. This helps
block spammers too...since we don't let their messages get through. If a new member does
break a rule, like not trimming, moderators almost always correct the message and send it
through, then send that member a reminder message off list letting them know what was
wrong and how it was fixed so they'll know the next time. (If a moderator has to correct a
message for you, like trim it, trim your sig file, or remove a section that is promo or off topic, it
will be done so at the moderator's discretion.) Sometimes a moderator will even do this a
couple of times or so for a member, since we really want you to enjoy being part of RWC. But
after that, we're going to reject the messages that come in from that member breaking the
same rule we've explained to them. Once the member corrects the message, following group
rules, they are free to resend.
If a message is spam, or flames, or such, then it gets rejected right off. We reserve the right to
remove members from the list for spam, flames, or refusing to follow group rules. If a member
post messages that show they know the rules and are here to take part in the list, and not
spam or flame....then they might be removed from moderated after a time. (Sometimes
members are left moderated just because it's hard to always keep up with who has posted
correctly how many times.) If any member breaks the rules, or seems to like to post flames or
stir up trouble....they will be set back to moderated without notice.....if it's because of flames
or spam...they may even be removed from the list, though moderators will bend over
backwards and try their best to work with everyone. Moderated is usually good enough...since
then we can check any message from that member before it hits the list. The only time you
will send a message that isn't put through, is if it breaks a rule or is something that should
have been sent off list to a moderator.
Please know that our goal for RWC is to have as few members set to moderated as I can. It's a
lot more work for moderators if a member is set to moderated, but since there are a number of
moderators helping out now, sometimes it's just hard to catch who's been good. Smile. It
shouldn't be a big deal though, since there are a number of moderators over each group,
message usually get posted pretty quickly and any message that doesn't break a rule is put
through as soon as possible. During the day that might mean within moments of it being sent
it has been approved. Of course sometimes Yahoo holds on to things for a bit. Just one of
those glitches.
Please Note: If you break a rule and we catch it...and we usually do...you ARE going to get a
reminder from one of the moderators, either off list or on. Please take it as a helping hand as it
is intended, not as a slap to the hand. If you break the rule again, or another rule, you are
going to get a reminder. If you've gotten a reminder and you still break the rule, your message
is going to be rejected and sent back for you to correct. This isn't being mean, it's just a matter
of numbers. There is about one moderator for every few hundred members, so you can see
why each member has to do her part and follow the rules.
To start sending messages to RWC simply send email to RWClist@yahoogroups.com
If you do not wish to belong to RWClist you may unsubscribe at any time by sending an email
to RWClist-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com or by going to the group home page and clicking
on leave group. My okay is not needed for this. Any member can leave at any time, and I don't
even know about it. (Smile)
I give the below info in case you ever need to resub...or have a friend who would like to sub.....
or if you just found this page and don't belong to RWC yet. To subscribe to this group, send
an email to: RWClist-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
You may also visit the Yahoo! Groups website to modify your subscriptions: http://groups.
yahoo.com/mygroups
Regards and Happy Writing,
Charlotte Dillon ~*~ RWClist-owner@yahoogroups.com
Resources for Romance Writers
www.CharlotteDillon.com
Owner, RWClists
Sunday Promo Day Rules
Day and Time -- These messages are ONLY allowed on Sunday. That means any time after
Midnight Saturday until Midnight Sunday. The time goes by where you live.
NOTE: (If you forget to post your promo message on Sunday, then you'll have to wait until the
next Sunday. Please don't send it in Monday because you forgot, or Saturday because you
won't be on line Sunday. If you are set to moderated and you send your message in Sunday
before midnight, but after the moderators are done for the day, then it will still be approved
and put through Monday morning since it was sent Sunday.)
RWC Members ONLY -- You have to be a member of RWC to send in a promo message. That
means you can not forward one for a friend, or anyone else. It has to be your "own" promo
only. Sunday Promo is done as a thank you to RWC members for sharing their time and
know-how on RWC with others.
Subject Line -- PROMO "must" be the first thing in the subject line, and then a line that let's
us know what the message is about. Some members don't want to deal with any kind of promo
at all on list, and having that little promo warning at the start of the message makes it easy for
them to know what to delete without even opening the message.
Message Form -- There's no HTML or attachments allowed on RWC, so messages will have to be
text only. They shouldn't be straightforward ads, but kind of a friendly "hello there let me tell
you about...."
Types of Promo Allowed -- It has to be about your romance novel/novella or romance writing
in some way. So that means this isn't the place for promo about your mystery novel, or about
those lovely bird houses you make, or even that interview you did with your favorite romance
author.
It can be about any romance novel/novella you have published. A book about writing romance.
Any website about you as a romance author or any free site you own that's about romance
writing how to. It can be info about your author newsletter, your writing newsletter, that great
review you got, a contests you are having to promote your newsletter, books, or website, an
on-line chat, ect. (Notice the key words above are you.)
It can also be about an interview you did on your site, blog or newsletter with another romance
author, romance editor or agent. It can be about a chat you are doing with another romance
author, romance editor or agent. It can be a chat with you and some other authors. Like above,
the key word is still you. Your newsletter, your blog, your chat, your book, you, you, you.
(Smile)
And of course it has to be free.
(Please don't post info about book signings or anything you will be doing in person that
people can attend. The chances that anyone in the group would live near enough to make
local signings or such of interest is too slim to allow them when I weigh the number of extra
promo posts they could cause. If you are sending in a promo message about your book and
along with the other info in that message you wish to include a little about your upcoming
book signings, then that would be fine.)
Anything you send a promo message for -- other than your books of course -- has to be FREE.
No fee to join, no charge to use, or anything.
Excerpts -- The only way you can add an excerpt of your book to the message is if it's a really
short excerpt. Like 200 words or less, so it would probably be better to just give a link to an
excerpt, or ask that those who want one contact you off list and you e-mail one to them.
Reviews -- You can add a couple of reviews to your message. Or links to them.
Blurb -- Think about that blurb on the back cover, your publisher might let you use it.
Something like that would be a short but great way to tell us about your characters and
something of the plot.
Length -- A number of the rules above are to keep these messages at an acceptable length.
Lots of members are on digest, so several messages come in to them as one file. A few members
still have to pay by the minute or the amount of mail they download, lots are just on dial up or
short of time, so we want to keep them in mind too.
As with any RWC rule, if you are unsure if something is allowed, simply drop me a note "off
list" at the address below and I'll get an answer to you as soon as I can.
Charlotte Dillon ~*~ RWClist-owner@yahoogroups.com
Midnight Saturday until Midnight Sunday. The time goes by where you live.
NOTE: (If you forget to post your promo message on Sunday, then you'll have to wait until the
next Sunday. Please don't send it in Monday because you forgot, or Saturday because you
won't be on line Sunday. If you are set to moderated and you send your message in Sunday
before midnight, but after the moderators are done for the day, then it will still be approved
and put through Monday morning since it was sent Sunday.)
RWC Members ONLY -- You have to be a member of RWC to send in a promo message. That
means you can not forward one for a friend, or anyone else. It has to be your "own" promo
only. Sunday Promo is done as a thank you to RWC members for sharing their time and
know-how on RWC with others.
Subject Line -- PROMO "must" be the first thing in the subject line, and then a line that let's
us know what the message is about. Some members don't want to deal with any kind of promo
at all on list, and having that little promo warning at the start of the message makes it easy for
them to know what to delete without even opening the message.
Message Form -- There's no HTML or attachments allowed on RWC, so messages will have to be
text only. They shouldn't be straightforward ads, but kind of a friendly "hello there let me tell
you about...."
Types of Promo Allowed -- It has to be about your romance novel/novella or romance writing
in some way. So that means this isn't the place for promo about your mystery novel, or about
those lovely bird houses you make, or even that interview you did with your favorite romance
author.
It can be about any romance novel/novella you have published. A book about writing romance.
Any website about you as a romance author or any free site you own that's about romance
writing how to. It can be info about your author newsletter, your writing newsletter, that great
review you got, a contests you are having to promote your newsletter, books, or website, an
on-line chat, ect. (Notice the key words above are you.)
It can also be about an interview you did on your site, blog or newsletter with another romance
author, romance editor or agent. It can be about a chat you are doing with another romance
author, romance editor or agent. It can be a chat with you and some other authors. Like above,
the key word is still you. Your newsletter, your blog, your chat, your book, you, you, you.
(Smile)
And of course it has to be free.
(Please don't post info about book signings or anything you will be doing in person that
people can attend. The chances that anyone in the group would live near enough to make
local signings or such of interest is too slim to allow them when I weigh the number of extra
promo posts they could cause. If you are sending in a promo message about your book and
along with the other info in that message you wish to include a little about your upcoming
book signings, then that would be fine.)
Anything you send a promo message for -- other than your books of course -- has to be FREE.
No fee to join, no charge to use, or anything.
Excerpts -- The only way you can add an excerpt of your book to the message is if it's a really
short excerpt. Like 200 words or less, so it would probably be better to just give a link to an
excerpt, or ask that those who want one contact you off list and you e-mail one to them.
Reviews -- You can add a couple of reviews to your message. Or links to them.
Blurb -- Think about that blurb on the back cover, your publisher might let you use it.
Something like that would be a short but great way to tell us about your characters and
something of the plot.
Length -- A number of the rules above are to keep these messages at an acceptable length.
Lots of members are on digest, so several messages come in to them as one file. A few members
still have to pay by the minute or the amount of mail they download, lots are just on dial up or
short of time, so we want to keep them in mind too.
As with any RWC rule, if you are unsure if something is allowed, simply drop me a note "off
list" at the address below and I'll get an answer to you as soon as I can.
Charlotte Dillon ~*~ RWClist-owner@yahoogroups.com
FAQ About RWC
1) I sent a message to the group almost an hour ago, but it hasn’t shown up yet. Should I
resend?
Not yet. Almost always, any message sent goes through. Sometimes they don’t show up in
your own in box, but reach the group page and everyone else. So the first thing to do is to
check the group page and see if your message is there. If not, wait at least a few more hours.
Sometimes Yahoo has glitches that can slow down messages by hours. If you wait and notice
that other messages seem to be coming in to the group fine, then it’s time to resend. This
shouldn’t be a problem that you have to deal with often. More often than not, messages pop
through to the group within a reasonable time with no trouble.
2) Can I use e-mail commands to change my membership settings?
Yes, sure can. Simply take the sub address for the group… RWClist-subscribe@yahoogroups.
com and change the command word in the middle of it to fit the command you want. So if you
want to stop getting messages for a while, you would send a blank message to RWClist-
nomail@yahoogroups.com. If you want to switch to daily digest you would send a blank
message to RWClist-digest@yahoogroups.com. If you want individual messages you would send
a blank message to RWClist-normal@yahoogroups.com.
3) What is digest?
With daily digest instead of getting each message individually as it is sent to the group, you
will get about 25 of them in one message file, usually only once a day. It makes it really easy to
scan through subject lines and pick which messages you want to read or skip for those who
have very little time for an active group like RWC, but still want to take part.
4) I tried to send a file through to the group, but it didn't work. Why?
All RWC groups are set up so that no HTML or attachments can be sent through them to
members. This is a safety net to protect members from computer viruses.
5) I'm going on vacation for a couple of weeks and need to stop getting messages. Can I do
this without leaving the group?
Yes, you can by going "no mail". You can change your mail setting from the group's home page
here, http://groups.yahoo.com/group/RWClist/, or with a simple e-mail command. See
question number 2 for info on how to use e-mail commands.
6) The rules say no flames. I’m new to on line groups, so what is a flame?
A flame is an attack on a person or their opinions. A flame is a message sent with heat to it,
anger, or sharp words. It’s a message sent without thought or caring for the person you are
replying to or for others in the group who will have to see it. Tension isn’t a good thing for any
group. RWC is a warm, friendly place for writers, so flames are never welcome.
7) I have a writing question, but it’s not about romance writing. Can I send it to the group?
Sorry, but RWC is all about romance writing. If your writing question isn't, then it would be
better to send it some where else. RWC does have a list just for members who do other kinds of
writing, so that would be the perfect place. To join, send a blank message to RWC-Other-
subscribe@yahoogroups.com.
8) Why am I still on moderation and how does moderation work?
All new members are set to moderated when they join any RWC group. This means that when
that member sends a message to the group, that message comes to a moderator first, off list, so
they can see it before it hits the main group. Being moderated isn’t a problem for members.
Moderated messages are checked off and on all day every day and put right through. This is
the way we block spammers, as well as make sure that new members took the time to read and
understand the rules. Members are left set to moderated until they have posted enough for me
to be sure they understand and are willing to follow group rules. Once I’m sure of that, they
are removed from moderated and their messages go right to the group. Unless they fail to
follow the rules, or send in flames or spam, they stay set to unmoderated. The goal at all times
is to have as very few members set to moderated as we can. Moderating members is a lot of
work and takes a lot of extra time, so we all want the same thing.
9) I know about an upcoming workshop or class or conference. Can I share that info on
RWC, and does it have to be sent in as promo?
The answer to this depends on the type of workshop or class. If it's being held on line, and it's
something for romance writers, then the answer is yes, you can share it on the main RWC
group, and no, it's not promo, so it can be sent in any time. It doesn't have to be free, but both
of the other things I mentioned above does have to apply to any workshop or class. It has to be
for "romance writers" and given "on line" so anyone interested can take part. Since info about
local workshops, classes or conferences would be of use to so few, if any members, that can of
info can not be posted to the group. And of course anything that isn't about or for romance
writers can't be posted.
10) I don't belong to RWA. Can I still join RWC? Or I belong to both RWC and RWA, but if I
don't renew my RWA membership, will I have to leave RWC?
RWC is not part of or connected to RWA in any way. RWC is simply a number of free on line
groups for writers. It open to any one as long as they follow group rules.
11) What does the letters RWC stand for?
Romance Writers' Community
12) My book came out today; can I share the news on list?
If it’s your first book, and you just want to share the joy of finally knowing your book has been
birthed, that’s fine. (Smile) No promo at all in the message though. No blurb, no review, no
buy it here, read a chapter of it here, ect… All promo has to wait until Sunday Promo and
follow all Sunday Promo rules. (You can find them above on this page.)
13) What is a sig line?
It’s the signature you add to the bottom of your messages. That might be just your name and e-
mail address, or it can be a sig file that includes other things. On all RWC groups we have a
six-line limit for sigs. The first line should always be your name and e-mail address. The other
lines are for things like your website address, the title of your book, a link to your blog, even a
quote if you want. You pick and choose what you add on those other five lines within reason.
Please read the group rules for more details on sig file rules. (By the way, messages should not
be sent through to the group with confidentiality notices or such attached to them, like your
job might include if you use your work e-mail to do group mail.)
14) My sig line is only six lines long, but when I send it and it comes through to the group it
is much longer. Why?
There are usually two things that cause this problem, either your lines are too long and some
of them are being dropped down to the next line, or you have embedded a link into a word and
when it comes through to the group instead of the word, it’s the whole address spelled out,
usually twice. There is no HTML allowed on RWC, so you can not embed an address into a
word and it work when it comes through to the group. Our four line limit goes by how the sig
looks when it comes through to the group, not how it looks when you hit send. When you first
join the group or anytime you make changes to your sig, please pop over to the group page,
sign in, click on Messages, and then find the last message you sent and see how many lines
your sig has there. The link to the Yahoo RWC group page can be found at the bottom of each
message that comes through to the group.
15) Why is there a limit on how long sig files can be?
RWC has lots of members set to digest, which means they get a file with about 25 messages at
a time. They have to scan down through each message to get to the next. Long sig files quickly
become a pain and a total turn off. (The same reasons you have to trim.) Besides, members are
supposed to be part of RWC to give and get support, knowledge, market info, and such, not to
do promo.
16) Can I share info on RWC about a writing contest?
If it’s a contest being held by an RWA chapter, then the answer is always yes. If it’s a contest
being held by a well-known big publisher, it’s for romance writing, and there is no entry fee,
the answer is always yes. If it’s anything else, please contact me through this link and send
me details about the contest. I’ll get back to you with an answer as soon as I can.
17) I’ve updated my website, put up a new website, started a new newsletter, began a blog,
giving a chat, ect…. Can I share the news and the link with the group?
If your chat, blog, or new or updated project is about you as a romance author, or has helpful
info for romance writers and is aimed toward them, then the answer is yes, BUT you can only
send in a message about it on Sunday and only then if you follow all Sunday Promo guidelines
and rules. (You can find those rules above on this page.)
18) I’m presenting a workshop or class at a writing conference. Can I post info about the
workshop on RWC?
Sorry, but no. See the answer to question number nine for more details.
19) My RWA chapter is holding a local conference and I wanted to know if I could send a
message about it to the group?
The only conferences that info can be shared about on RWC are the really big yearly ones like
the one RWA holds and the one RT holds each year. Those are the kinds that people are
willing to travel long distances for. The chance that more than one RWC member would live
close enough to a smaller local conference to be interested in attending is so slim that it just
wouldn’t make sense to allow the number of posts that would come through about such
conferences.
20) I just got a great review. Can I share it with the group?
Reviews are promo. So as long as you wait until Sunday and follow the Sunday Promo rules,
yes you can. (Those rules are posted above.)
21) I have a new e-mail address. How do I change it with my groups so I can get messages at
the new address, or even at more than one address?
You can do it the hard way, and unsub from each group with the old address and resub to
each group with the new address, or you can do it the easy way. (I always say go for the easy
way if there is one.) The easy way: Go to any Yahoo Group home page, sign in, then click on
My Groups. The link for it can be found near the top of the page. Next you click on My Email
Preferences, then Add Email Address. You can follow the directions on the screen to add your
new address, a second or third address, or even remove an address. To pick which address you
want each group's messages to go to, you can click on My Groups, then on Edit My Groups,
and then use the pull down menus there to pick which address or addresses you want to use,
and even to pick how you want those messages delivered. When done, don't forget to click on
Save Changes. By the way, the address for a Yahoo Group's home page can be found at the
bottom of any message that comes through to that group.
22) Why does it matter if I forget to trim sometimes, or if I trim only half way?
A few reasons. One, tight trimming is the rule ALL of the time. Two, as many members as
RWC has, if even half of them start forgetting to trim sometimes, it would be a mess. Three,
those untrimmed or half-trimmed messages make the digest a real pain to get through, and we
have lots of members set to digest. Four, there are new members often, so think of those new
members who have their messages bounced back to them for not trimming, and then right
after their message is rejected, two messages come in that aren't trimmed or that are only half-
trimmed. That has to make those new members feel like they are being singled out or picked
on--and it doesn't make our moderators feel very good either since they are the ones who have
to bounce those messages back.
23) What is considered promo (promotion)?
That's kind of easy. If your message is sent to promote almost anything, it's promo. That goes
for books, blogs, websites, newsletters, you name it. If someone ask how to pitch to an agent at
a conference and you know of a great article on that subject, then answering that question
with a message that includes that link is not promo. That's answering a question for someone.
Sending in a message about your blog, site, or anything else, even if it has writing info listed,
just to get people to go to those sites, sub to your newsletter, or buy your book, is promo. Even
if you send it in for a friend.
24) I know of a publisher that is looking for submissions. Can I share that info with
members?
If the publisher is looking for romance writing, is RWA approved, and you don't work for them
and you aren't them, then sharing market news is not only allowed, but welcomed. In the
group rules above you can find more detailed info about calls for submissions and why most
aren't allowed on RWC.
25) What happens if I get a rule reminder?
If it was an honest slip that can happen to anyone now and then -- we simply send you a
reminder, usually a form reminder and usually off list, to make sure you know you slipped and
that you know the rule. Lots of writers belong to a number of groups and can forget which
rules go with which group, or you might just be a new member who didn't look over all of the
rules, or maybe a longtime member who never posted a certain kind of message before and
didn't know it wasn't allowed. Anytime you break a rule you might be set back to moderated,
especially if you've already been sent a reminder about the rules. We don't kick members out
of the group for slipping, even a number of times. It takes something really bad, like someone
who is spamming members, refusing to follow the rules, harvesting e-mail addresses, or things
like that, to make us remove a member.
26) What if I get a reminder for breaking a rule, and I don't think I broke the rule?
Check here first. If you look over the rules and the info on this page and still feel you didn't
break a rule, then reply to the off list message the moderator sent you, or send me a message,
and politely explain why you don't think you broke a rule. The moderators try really hard to
make sure they don't make a mistake, but we all are human. (Smile) Please, though, don't
send a message in a huff because you got a rule reminder. We try to always be nice to
members and deserve the same respect in return. Members are warned in the welcome file
that they must follow all group rules and that if they break a rule they will get a reminder.
Throwing a fit over a rule reminder will not make the moderator think you shouldn't have
gotten one, and will not keep her from sending you another one anytime you break a rule. The
RWC rules apply to all members at all times, even the moderators and myself. Telling us you
don't have the time to trim replies, or that you don't want to have to change your sig file for the
group, or ect... doesn't work.
27) I know of a auction or raffle where the prizes are things I think other romance writers
would find helpful. Can I post info about such things on RWC?
If it's a big non-profit auction or raffle that is being held to raise money for a good cause and
the prizes or the cause is for or about romance writing or writers -- then yes. It has to be non-
profit so all money is being donated to the cause. If the cause isn't romance writing specific,
then the prizes or the things being raffled or auctioned have to be, like romance books,
critiques by agents or editors, that kind of stuff. (As always, RWC management has final
judgment on what falls under these guidelines and what doesn't. If you aren't sure if it will fall
under the allowed rule, just ask first.) RWClist-owner@yahoogroups.com
resend?
Not yet. Almost always, any message sent goes through. Sometimes they don’t show up in
your own in box, but reach the group page and everyone else. So the first thing to do is to
check the group page and see if your message is there. If not, wait at least a few more hours.
Sometimes Yahoo has glitches that can slow down messages by hours. If you wait and notice
that other messages seem to be coming in to the group fine, then it’s time to resend. This
shouldn’t be a problem that you have to deal with often. More often than not, messages pop
through to the group within a reasonable time with no trouble.
2) Can I use e-mail commands to change my membership settings?
Yes, sure can. Simply take the sub address for the group… RWClist-subscribe@yahoogroups.
com and change the command word in the middle of it to fit the command you want. So if you
want to stop getting messages for a while, you would send a blank message to RWClist-
nomail@yahoogroups.com. If you want to switch to daily digest you would send a blank
message to RWClist-digest@yahoogroups.com. If you want individual messages you would send
a blank message to RWClist-normal@yahoogroups.com.
3) What is digest?
With daily digest instead of getting each message individually as it is sent to the group, you
will get about 25 of them in one message file, usually only once a day. It makes it really easy to
scan through subject lines and pick which messages you want to read or skip for those who
have very little time for an active group like RWC, but still want to take part.
4) I tried to send a file through to the group, but it didn't work. Why?
All RWC groups are set up so that no HTML or attachments can be sent through them to
members. This is a safety net to protect members from computer viruses.
5) I'm going on vacation for a couple of weeks and need to stop getting messages. Can I do
this without leaving the group?
Yes, you can by going "no mail". You can change your mail setting from the group's home page
here, http://groups.yahoo.com/group/RWClist/, or with a simple e-mail command. See
question number 2 for info on how to use e-mail commands.
6) The rules say no flames. I’m new to on line groups, so what is a flame?
A flame is an attack on a person or their opinions. A flame is a message sent with heat to it,
anger, or sharp words. It’s a message sent without thought or caring for the person you are
replying to or for others in the group who will have to see it. Tension isn’t a good thing for any
group. RWC is a warm, friendly place for writers, so flames are never welcome.
7) I have a writing question, but it’s not about romance writing. Can I send it to the group?
Sorry, but RWC is all about romance writing. If your writing question isn't, then it would be
better to send it some where else. RWC does have a list just for members who do other kinds of
writing, so that would be the perfect place. To join, send a blank message to RWC-Other-
subscribe@yahoogroups.com.
8) Why am I still on moderation and how does moderation work?
All new members are set to moderated when they join any RWC group. This means that when
that member sends a message to the group, that message comes to a moderator first, off list, so
they can see it before it hits the main group. Being moderated isn’t a problem for members.
Moderated messages are checked off and on all day every day and put right through. This is
the way we block spammers, as well as make sure that new members took the time to read and
understand the rules. Members are left set to moderated until they have posted enough for me
to be sure they understand and are willing to follow group rules. Once I’m sure of that, they
are removed from moderated and their messages go right to the group. Unless they fail to
follow the rules, or send in flames or spam, they stay set to unmoderated. The goal at all times
is to have as very few members set to moderated as we can. Moderating members is a lot of
work and takes a lot of extra time, so we all want the same thing.
9) I know about an upcoming workshop or class or conference. Can I share that info on
RWC, and does it have to be sent in as promo?
The answer to this depends on the type of workshop or class. If it's being held on line, and it's
something for romance writers, then the answer is yes, you can share it on the main RWC
group, and no, it's not promo, so it can be sent in any time. It doesn't have to be free, but both
of the other things I mentioned above does have to apply to any workshop or class. It has to be
for "romance writers" and given "on line" so anyone interested can take part. Since info about
local workshops, classes or conferences would be of use to so few, if any members, that can of
info can not be posted to the group. And of course anything that isn't about or for romance
writers can't be posted.
10) I don't belong to RWA. Can I still join RWC? Or I belong to both RWC and RWA, but if I
don't renew my RWA membership, will I have to leave RWC?
RWC is not part of or connected to RWA in any way. RWC is simply a number of free on line
groups for writers. It open to any one as long as they follow group rules.
11) What does the letters RWC stand for?
Romance Writers' Community
12) My book came out today; can I share the news on list?
If it’s your first book, and you just want to share the joy of finally knowing your book has been
birthed, that’s fine. (Smile) No promo at all in the message though. No blurb, no review, no
buy it here, read a chapter of it here, ect… All promo has to wait until Sunday Promo and
follow all Sunday Promo rules. (You can find them above on this page.)
13) What is a sig line?
It’s the signature you add to the bottom of your messages. That might be just your name and e-
mail address, or it can be a sig file that includes other things. On all RWC groups we have a
six-line limit for sigs. The first line should always be your name and e-mail address. The other
lines are for things like your website address, the title of your book, a link to your blog, even a
quote if you want. You pick and choose what you add on those other five lines within reason.
Please read the group rules for more details on sig file rules. (By the way, messages should not
be sent through to the group with confidentiality notices or such attached to them, like your
job might include if you use your work e-mail to do group mail.)
14) My sig line is only six lines long, but when I send it and it comes through to the group it
is much longer. Why?
There are usually two things that cause this problem, either your lines are too long and some
of them are being dropped down to the next line, or you have embedded a link into a word and
when it comes through to the group instead of the word, it’s the whole address spelled out,
usually twice. There is no HTML allowed on RWC, so you can not embed an address into a
word and it work when it comes through to the group. Our four line limit goes by how the sig
looks when it comes through to the group, not how it looks when you hit send. When you first
join the group or anytime you make changes to your sig, please pop over to the group page,
sign in, click on Messages, and then find the last message you sent and see how many lines
your sig has there. The link to the Yahoo RWC group page can be found at the bottom of each
message that comes through to the group.
15) Why is there a limit on how long sig files can be?
RWC has lots of members set to digest, which means they get a file with about 25 messages at
a time. They have to scan down through each message to get to the next. Long sig files quickly
become a pain and a total turn off. (The same reasons you have to trim.) Besides, members are
supposed to be part of RWC to give and get support, knowledge, market info, and such, not to
do promo.
16) Can I share info on RWC about a writing contest?
If it’s a contest being held by an RWA chapter, then the answer is always yes. If it’s a contest
being held by a well-known big publisher, it’s for romance writing, and there is no entry fee,
the answer is always yes. If it’s anything else, please contact me through this link and send
me details about the contest. I’ll get back to you with an answer as soon as I can.
17) I’ve updated my website, put up a new website, started a new newsletter, began a blog,
giving a chat, ect…. Can I share the news and the link with the group?
If your chat, blog, or new or updated project is about you as a romance author, or has helpful
info for romance writers and is aimed toward them, then the answer is yes, BUT you can only
send in a message about it on Sunday and only then if you follow all Sunday Promo guidelines
and rules. (You can find those rules above on this page.)
18) I’m presenting a workshop or class at a writing conference. Can I post info about the
workshop on RWC?
Sorry, but no. See the answer to question number nine for more details.
19) My RWA chapter is holding a local conference and I wanted to know if I could send a
message about it to the group?
The only conferences that info can be shared about on RWC are the really big yearly ones like
the one RWA holds and the one RT holds each year. Those are the kinds that people are
willing to travel long distances for. The chance that more than one RWC member would live
close enough to a smaller local conference to be interested in attending is so slim that it just
wouldn’t make sense to allow the number of posts that would come through about such
conferences.
20) I just got a great review. Can I share it with the group?
Reviews are promo. So as long as you wait until Sunday and follow the Sunday Promo rules,
yes you can. (Those rules are posted above.)
21) I have a new e-mail address. How do I change it with my groups so I can get messages at
the new address, or even at more than one address?
You can do it the hard way, and unsub from each group with the old address and resub to
each group with the new address, or you can do it the easy way. (I always say go for the easy
way if there is one.) The easy way: Go to any Yahoo Group home page, sign in, then click on
My Groups. The link for it can be found near the top of the page. Next you click on My Email
Preferences, then Add Email Address. You can follow the directions on the screen to add your
new address, a second or third address, or even remove an address. To pick which address you
want each group's messages to go to, you can click on My Groups, then on Edit My Groups,
and then use the pull down menus there to pick which address or addresses you want to use,
and even to pick how you want those messages delivered. When done, don't forget to click on
Save Changes. By the way, the address for a Yahoo Group's home page can be found at the
bottom of any message that comes through to that group.
22) Why does it matter if I forget to trim sometimes, or if I trim only half way?
A few reasons. One, tight trimming is the rule ALL of the time. Two, as many members as
RWC has, if even half of them start forgetting to trim sometimes, it would be a mess. Three,
those untrimmed or half-trimmed messages make the digest a real pain to get through, and we
have lots of members set to digest. Four, there are new members often, so think of those new
members who have their messages bounced back to them for not trimming, and then right
after their message is rejected, two messages come in that aren't trimmed or that are only half-
trimmed. That has to make those new members feel like they are being singled out or picked
on--and it doesn't make our moderators feel very good either since they are the ones who have
to bounce those messages back.
23) What is considered promo (promotion)?
That's kind of easy. If your message is sent to promote almost anything, it's promo. That goes
for books, blogs, websites, newsletters, you name it. If someone ask how to pitch to an agent at
a conference and you know of a great article on that subject, then answering that question
with a message that includes that link is not promo. That's answering a question for someone.
Sending in a message about your blog, site, or anything else, even if it has writing info listed,
just to get people to go to those sites, sub to your newsletter, or buy your book, is promo. Even
if you send it in for a friend.
24) I know of a publisher that is looking for submissions. Can I share that info with
members?
If the publisher is looking for romance writing, is RWA approved, and you don't work for them
and you aren't them, then sharing market news is not only allowed, but welcomed. In the
group rules above you can find more detailed info about calls for submissions and why most
aren't allowed on RWC.
25) What happens if I get a rule reminder?
If it was an honest slip that can happen to anyone now and then -- we simply send you a
reminder, usually a form reminder and usually off list, to make sure you know you slipped and
that you know the rule. Lots of writers belong to a number of groups and can forget which
rules go with which group, or you might just be a new member who didn't look over all of the
rules, or maybe a longtime member who never posted a certain kind of message before and
didn't know it wasn't allowed. Anytime you break a rule you might be set back to moderated,
especially if you've already been sent a reminder about the rules. We don't kick members out
of the group for slipping, even a number of times. It takes something really bad, like someone
who is spamming members, refusing to follow the rules, harvesting e-mail addresses, or things
like that, to make us remove a member.
26) What if I get a reminder for breaking a rule, and I don't think I broke the rule?
Check here first. If you look over the rules and the info on this page and still feel you didn't
break a rule, then reply to the off list message the moderator sent you, or send me a message,
and politely explain why you don't think you broke a rule. The moderators try really hard to
make sure they don't make a mistake, but we all are human. (Smile) Please, though, don't
send a message in a huff because you got a rule reminder. We try to always be nice to
members and deserve the same respect in return. Members are warned in the welcome file
that they must follow all group rules and that if they break a rule they will get a reminder.
Throwing a fit over a rule reminder will not make the moderator think you shouldn't have
gotten one, and will not keep her from sending you another one anytime you break a rule. The
RWC rules apply to all members at all times, even the moderators and myself. Telling us you
don't have the time to trim replies, or that you don't want to have to change your sig file for the
group, or ect... doesn't work.
27) I know of a auction or raffle where the prizes are things I think other romance writers
would find helpful. Can I post info about such things on RWC?
If it's a big non-profit auction or raffle that is being held to raise money for a good cause and
the prizes or the cause is for or about romance writing or writers -- then yes. It has to be non-
profit so all money is being donated to the cause. If the cause isn't romance writing specific,
then the prizes or the things being raffled or auctioned have to be, like romance books,
critiques by agents or editors, that kind of stuff. (As always, RWC management has final
judgment on what falls under these guidelines and what doesn't. If you aren't sure if it will fall
under the allowed rule, just ask first.) RWClist-owner@yahoogroups.com
Thank you so very much for reading the info on this page -- I know it
was a lot -- and for making things easier and quicker and much less
stressful for all of us! I hope you enjoy being part of RWC. That's really
my goal for every single member. If you ever have any questions, feel
free to drop me a note. There's a contact link at the top of the page.
Thank you again for helping make things easy for our moderators and
me -- and for being part of RWC!
was a lot -- and for making things easier and quicker and much less
stressful for all of us! I hope you enjoy being part of RWC. That's really
my goal for every single member. If you ever have any questions, feel
free to drop me a note. There's a contact link at the top of the page.
Thank you again for helping make things easy for our moderators and
me -- and for being part of RWC!
Copyrighted by Charlotte Dillon
 |  |  |
1) No flames! NONE! Never! In other words, play nice. Members should feel free to post to the
group without fear of flames. People who like to fight need to find another list.... since it WILL
NOT be allowed here. This is a safe zone, a no stupid question zone. This is the place for help
and support, not for members who like to belittle others. After all, no one knows everything
and no one is always right. Here's an article that lists a few reasons why you should play nice,
other than the reasons everyone should already know. http://www.charlottedillon.
com/Reputation.html
This doesn't mean we all have to agree at all times. If you find a member who always manages
to push your hot buttons, then simply delete unopened any message you see from that
member. If the member is really that bad, soon few people will be reading posts sent by that
person. With the huge amount of members RWC has, with all different ages, backgrounds, and
from all over the world, everyone isn't going to agree or like each other. That's life. I don't
remove people because they rub others wrong, or just because someone doesn't like them.
That's not what I mean by no flames.
I think anyone who has been on a few e-mail lists knows the difference between flames and
someone who just doesn't have any tact or think before they type. (Note: Try not to be one of
those people. No one likes them.) RWC is a huge group, and you never know who is there not
posting, including agents, editors, your favorite published author, or your least favorite. Don't
send a message that contains anything you wouldn't say to someone's face, or that you
wouldn't want a few hundred people to know you had said. Your messages are how people
decide what kind of person you are. Remember this is a professional group where you are
going to be in contact with writers, editors and agents who you might want to work with or ask
questions of or get support from along the way. Also, these same people can be your biggest
fans and buy and support your book, the one you have out now or hope to have out some day,
so don't be your own worse enemy.
2) Trimming. Highlight and delete! It's easy. Trim any post you reply to on list. What should
be in your reply is your text and little else. The little else is a few short lines from the body of
the message your reply is to, and the single from line that let's us see the name and or e-mail
address of the person that message was from. If there are a number of questions or points in
the post that you want to reply to, trim down to one point or question, add your reply below it
or above it, then trim down to the next, add your reply, and so on, cutting out any unneeded
parts. Don't forget we've already seen the post, we've got the subject line, we'll have your text,
and that should be all we need to know. We don't need the whole header in the text that gives
the group address, the subject line, the time and date sent, ect... We don't need the other
person's sig file or any thing more than those few short lines that will refresh our memories.
(Smile)
(Also, if you leave part of someone's post in, please make sure you use > marks or something
else to set off what the other person said, or divide it up so it's clear what the other person
wrote and what you wrote in reply. It's needed in a group setting because I've seen people get
misquoted and flames break out over the results of it looking like someone said something they
didn't...as well as it just being confusing and not polite to put words in someone's mouth--or in
this case their text.)
Why does trimming matter? Tight trimming keeps members from having to skim through a
whole lot of repeated text and unneeded stuff, just to find your reply text. Untrimmed
messages become a nightmare for those set to digest, or those who have little spare time, a
slow computer, or hand problems like corporal tunnel. And besides, it's simply polite when you
are replying in a group setting where others will likely also reply. Can you take a guess at what
a reply that is untrimmed or half trimmed will look like by the time three or more people have
replied in the same way? A real mess. By the way, if you are on digest, and use reply, then it is
very, very important that you remember to always highlight and delete or start with a blank
message and just copy and paste what you want to reply to in it!
If you are one of those who forgets to trim, or doesn't like to trim, or can't figure out how to
trim, please set up your e-mail program so the text of the message you are replying to is not
included in your reply, or please open a blank message for your replies. Untrimmed messages
won't be posted to the group. So trimming saves the moderators from having to send you a
reminder and you from having to resend your message. It's a win/win.
3) Subject lines. No message should be sent without a topic header in the subject line. Don't
use headers like Help!, Question!, or so on. Instead, pick words that let us know what's in the
message, like Word 97 Help, Avon Editor Question, Texas Plants?, Clothing in 1870?, Point of
View Trouble, and so on. This way members can skim through quickly and delete those
messages they aren't interesting in, or can't help with. Besides, it makes it much more likely
that your message will get read by those who you would want to see it. If you reply to a post,
but change the topic, please change the subject line.
If you are on digest, you ALWAYS have to change the subject line if you hit reply.
If you are a new writer and have questions on the basics, you can find many answers on my
website at www.CharlotteDillon.com or on the RWC Yahoo group home page where all
messages from members are kept. There's even a search box there to help. You can sign in and
visit the group page at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/RWClist
4) Copyright Law -- No Copy & Paste! But for links. Do not copy anything from a newsletter,
website, or another e-mail list and post it to any RWC list without asking the author first. Of
course if it is an article you wrote about romance writing, then paste away if you wish to share.
If it isn't your writing, then put the info in your own words. If there is a link for the info, tell us
a little about what is there, and then share the link. As writers, we should pay great attention
to copyright law.
The no copy & paste rule & copyright law works both ways. So, please, never copy a message
or part of a message from any RWC group and forward it, post it to your blog, put it on your
site, or share it anywhere without the full knowledge and consent of the writer or writers of
that message. It's against Yahoo Group rules and can get you remove from all Yahoo Groups.
It's also against copyright law, since the written word, even in an on-line group, belongs to the
writer. If you want to share something that someone else posted, then you have to contact that
person and ask for her or his okay first, unless they put a note in the message giving people
permission to share. Like I said above, this is a Yahoo Group rule, against copyright law, as well
as an RWC group rule. Breaking of this rule can get you removed from not only RWC, but have
Yahoo remove you from other Yahoo Groups as well, or even find yourself facing a lawsuit.
5) No Spam! No ads! Not Any! Please don't place ADS or SPAM on the list--even those dealing
with writing. No harvesting of e-mail addresses. No blatant promo. Some promo is allowed from
active members. (By active members we mean members who take time to be part of the group
and don't just up only to post promo.) You can read the Promo Sunday rules below to find out
when, how and what is allowed. (Please don't post any promo until you read them. Also, don't
reply on list to a promo message sent in by another member. If you have a comment or a
congrats about their promo, please send it off list to them.)
Something that isn't counted as promo or an ad is those big non-profit auctions and raffles
that are held to raise money for a good cause. It has to be non-profit so all money is being
donated to the cause. If the cause isn't romance writing specific, then the prizes or the things
being raffled or auctioned have to be, like romance books, critiques by agents or editors, that
kind of stuff. (As always, RWC management has final judgment on what falls under these
guidelines and what doesn't.)
No ads for editing services, website designs, copy writing, cover art, or anything else. This also
means no ads or submission requests from agents, publishers, editors, or ect.... I figure no
really top agent or publisher has the time to look up e-mail lists and send out ads to them. I
know Avon, Dell, Silhouette, Harlequin, and such, sure never would. The same goes for good
agents. With it being so easy now days to set up an e-press or even a small print press, anyone
can start up a publishing house, and many only have one goal, to take money from writers. The
same holds true for agents. After all, anyone can say they are an agent. There is no test to pass
to become one. A bad agent is worse than no agent. And for sure a bad publisher is worse than
none especially when a writer who doesn't know better believes what ever line they are told.
The truth is that a large on line writing group like RWC is a great place for such sharks to come
looking for food. I'm not feeding them my members, and since I don't have time to check all of
them out, we just don't allow them to post to the group looking for submission. There are lots
of good publishers and agents out there, just do your homework and you find them. For more
info on agents and publishers and places to check them out, find out what they need or are
looking for, and even articles about the subjects, check out: http://www.charlottedillon.
com/PubsAgents.html
6) No Chit Chat Posts -- No thanks, me too's, how you doing, where do you live, congrats, ect...
Those can be sent off list though, and if you like to be social with other writers on list, RWC
does have a sister group just for that. So you don't have to give that up. To join, send a blank
message to RWCsocial-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
7) No Off Topic Posts -- RWC is a large list, nearly two-thousand members and growing. That
means we have to try to keep ALL messages ON TOPIC. All messages should deal with the
romance writing craft. It can be research questions for something you are working on, market
info or questions, or just something like how you make yourself sit down and write. Of course
you can also share writing news, like a first sales, a rejection, the news that you sent off a
query letter, or even doubts about if your writing is strong enough. Those topics aren't chit
chat. (Good reviews and posts about your book being out today, are promo and should be sent
in on Sunday.)
When an off topic post does come through, like a promo message, an intro, a thanks, a
congrats, please remember if you want to reply, do so OFF LIST ONLY. In fact, posts like thank
yous, welcomes, congrats, and me too's, or any message that isn't a research, market, writing
how-to, or such reply that is intended for only one person should be sent OFF LIST to the party
it is meant for, not to the whole list. You can send a blanket thanks in to the list. Like if you
ask a question and six people reply with an answer, instead of sending each person a thanks
off list, you can send one message on list with a thanks for them all.
8) Signature (sig) lines. Since an occasional off topic post does come in, and they should
always be replied to off list only, and since some members are more comfortable sending a
reply off list, please make sure you sign each message with your name (first or nickname is
fine) and your e-mail address. (We all like to have a name to use when we reply to a message,
even on list.) There are some e-mail programs that don't show the senders address. It also
doesn't work for members who use the website to do group mail. (By the way, messages should
not be sent to the group with confidentiality notices or such attached to them, like your job
might include if you use your work e-mail to do group mail.)
More on sig lines. They should be NO MORE than SIX lines long. The count starts with the
first place you sign your name and is done on how the message comes through tot he group,
not as how you sent it. The first line should always be your name and e-mail address so we
have a name to use when we reply to you, and so if members should or want to reply to you off
list, they have your address. Please feel free to place things in your sig line like the address to
your website, or the title of your book, and so on....but no ads selling things. The six lines
count starts with the first place you add your name and includes every thing you add there
after, even blank lines. Remember the first line should be your name and e-mail address. (Also
please remember that it's not safe to include things in your sig file like your phone number or
home address.)
Sig Trouble: If you set your sig file up in Rich Text or in HTML, your sig file can come through
with double links, which makes more lines and will put you over the limit. Please only use
Plain Text to set up your sig file. If you auto add the sig file but type your name into the
message each time, then you can end up with lots of blank lines between your name and the
actual start of the sig file, so please make sure you include your name and e-mail address in
the actual sig file you set up to use with the group. And remember blank lines count. The
length of your sig file is counted as it comes through to the group, not as how it looked when
you sent it.
Long sig lines seem to get on a lot of reader's nerves, and can be an even bigger pain to those
on digest, and just really aren't needed. Members are here to learn and share about writing,
not to read sig lines. (Smile.)
9) You can not send in chapters or any writing. This is not a critique group. We do have a
Critique list, though, for posting chapters and getting critiques. To join, send a blank message
to: RWCcritique-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
group without fear of flames. People who like to fight need to find another list.... since it WILL
NOT be allowed here. This is a safe zone, a no stupid question zone. This is the place for help
and support, not for members who like to belittle others. After all, no one knows everything
and no one is always right. Here's an article that lists a few reasons why you should play nice,
other than the reasons everyone should already know. http://www.charlottedillon.
com/Reputation.html
This doesn't mean we all have to agree at all times. If you find a member who always manages
to push your hot buttons, then simply delete unopened any message you see from that
member. If the member is really that bad, soon few people will be reading posts sent by that
person. With the huge amount of members RWC has, with all different ages, backgrounds, and
from all over the world, everyone isn't going to agree or like each other. That's life. I don't
remove people because they rub others wrong, or just because someone doesn't like them.
That's not what I mean by no flames.
I think anyone who has been on a few e-mail lists knows the difference between flames and
someone who just doesn't have any tact or think before they type. (Note: Try not to be one of
those people. No one likes them.) RWC is a huge group, and you never know who is there not
posting, including agents, editors, your favorite published author, or your least favorite. Don't
send a message that contains anything you wouldn't say to someone's face, or that you
wouldn't want a few hundred people to know you had said. Your messages are how people
decide what kind of person you are. Remember this is a professional group where you are
going to be in contact with writers, editors and agents who you might want to work with or ask
questions of or get support from along the way. Also, these same people can be your biggest
fans and buy and support your book, the one you have out now or hope to have out some day,
so don't be your own worse enemy.
2) Trimming. Highlight and delete! It's easy. Trim any post you reply to on list. What should
be in your reply is your text and little else. The little else is a few short lines from the body of
the message your reply is to, and the single from line that let's us see the name and or e-mail
address of the person that message was from. If there are a number of questions or points in
the post that you want to reply to, trim down to one point or question, add your reply below it
or above it, then trim down to the next, add your reply, and so on, cutting out any unneeded
parts. Don't forget we've already seen the post, we've got the subject line, we'll have your text,
and that should be all we need to know. We don't need the whole header in the text that gives
the group address, the subject line, the time and date sent, ect... We don't need the other
person's sig file or any thing more than those few short lines that will refresh our memories.
(Smile)
(Also, if you leave part of someone's post in, please make sure you use > marks or something
else to set off what the other person said, or divide it up so it's clear what the other person
wrote and what you wrote in reply. It's needed in a group setting because I've seen people get
misquoted and flames break out over the results of it looking like someone said something they
didn't...as well as it just being confusing and not polite to put words in someone's mouth--or in
this case their text.)
Why does trimming matter? Tight trimming keeps members from having to skim through a
whole lot of repeated text and unneeded stuff, just to find your reply text. Untrimmed
messages become a nightmare for those set to digest, or those who have little spare time, a
slow computer, or hand problems like corporal tunnel. And besides, it's simply polite when you
are replying in a group setting where others will likely also reply. Can you take a guess at what
a reply that is untrimmed or half trimmed will look like by the time three or more people have
replied in the same way? A real mess. By the way, if you are on digest, and use reply, then it is
very, very important that you remember to always highlight and delete or start with a blank
message and just copy and paste what you want to reply to in it!
If you are one of those who forgets to trim, or doesn't like to trim, or can't figure out how to
trim, please set up your e-mail program so the text of the message you are replying to is not
included in your reply, or please open a blank message for your replies. Untrimmed messages
won't be posted to the group. So trimming saves the moderators from having to send you a
reminder and you from having to resend your message. It's a win/win.
3) Subject lines. No message should be sent without a topic header in the subject line. Don't
use headers like Help!, Question!, or so on. Instead, pick words that let us know what's in the
message, like Word 97 Help, Avon Editor Question, Texas Plants?, Clothing in 1870?, Point of
View Trouble, and so on. This way members can skim through quickly and delete those
messages they aren't interesting in, or can't help with. Besides, it makes it much more likely
that your message will get read by those who you would want to see it. If you reply to a post,
but change the topic, please change the subject line.
If you are on digest, you ALWAYS have to change the subject line if you hit reply.
If you are a new writer and have questions on the basics, you can find many answers on my
website at www.CharlotteDillon.com or on the RWC Yahoo group home page where all
messages from members are kept. There's even a search box there to help. You can sign in and
visit the group page at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/RWClist
4) Copyright Law -- No Copy & Paste! But for links. Do not copy anything from a newsletter,
website, or another e-mail list and post it to any RWC list without asking the author first. Of
course if it is an article you wrote about romance writing, then paste away if you wish to share.
If it isn't your writing, then put the info in your own words. If there is a link for the info, tell us
a little about what is there, and then share the link. As writers, we should pay great attention
to copyright law.
The no copy & paste rule & copyright law works both ways. So, please, never copy a message
or part of a message from any RWC group and forward it, post it to your blog, put it on your
site, or share it anywhere without the full knowledge and consent of the writer or writers of
that message. It's against Yahoo Group rules and can get you remove from all Yahoo Groups.
It's also against copyright law, since the written word, even in an on-line group, belongs to the
writer. If you want to share something that someone else posted, then you have to contact that
person and ask for her or his okay first, unless they put a note in the message giving people
permission to share. Like I said above, this is a Yahoo Group rule, against copyright law, as well
as an RWC group rule. Breaking of this rule can get you removed from not only RWC, but have
Yahoo remove you from other Yahoo Groups as well, or even find yourself facing a lawsuit.
5) No Spam! No ads! Not Any! Please don't place ADS or SPAM on the list--even those dealing
with writing. No harvesting of e-mail addresses. No blatant promo. Some promo is allowed from
active members. (By active members we mean members who take time to be part of the group
and don't just up only to post promo.) You can read the Promo Sunday rules below to find out
when, how and what is allowed. (Please don't post any promo until you read them. Also, don't
reply on list to a promo message sent in by another member. If you have a comment or a
congrats about their promo, please send it off list to them.)
Something that isn't counted as promo or an ad is those big non-profit auctions and raffles
that are held to raise money for a good cause. It has to be non-profit so all money is being
donated to the cause. If the cause isn't romance writing specific, then the prizes or the things
being raffled or auctioned have to be, like romance books, critiques by agents or editors, that
kind of stuff. (As always, RWC management has final judgment on what falls under these
guidelines and what doesn't.)
No ads for editing services, website designs, copy writing, cover art, or anything else. This also
means no ads or submission requests from agents, publishers, editors, or ect.... I figure no
really top agent or publisher has the time to look up e-mail lists and send out ads to them. I
know Avon, Dell, Silhouette, Harlequin, and such, sure never would. The same goes for good
agents. With it being so easy now days to set up an e-press or even a small print press, anyone
can start up a publishing house, and many only have one goal, to take money from writers. The
same holds true for agents. After all, anyone can say they are an agent. There is no test to pass
to become one. A bad agent is worse than no agent. And for sure a bad publisher is worse than
none especially when a writer who doesn't know better believes what ever line they are told.
The truth is that a large on line writing group like RWC is a great place for such sharks to come
looking for food. I'm not feeding them my members, and since I don't have time to check all of
them out, we just don't allow them to post to the group looking for submission. There are lots
of good publishers and agents out there, just do your homework and you find them. For more
info on agents and publishers and places to check them out, find out what they need or are
looking for, and even articles about the subjects, check out: http://www.charlottedillon.
com/PubsAgents.html
6) No Chit Chat Posts -- No thanks, me too's, how you doing, where do you live, congrats, ect...
Those can be sent off list though, and if you like to be social with other writers on list, RWC
does have a sister group just for that. So you don't have to give that up. To join, send a blank
message to RWCsocial-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
7) No Off Topic Posts -- RWC is a large list, nearly two-thousand members and growing. That
means we have to try to keep ALL messages ON TOPIC. All messages should deal with the
romance writing craft. It can be research questions for something you are working on, market
info or questions, or just something like how you make yourself sit down and write. Of course
you can also share writing news, like a first sales, a rejection, the news that you sent off a
query letter, or even doubts about if your writing is strong enough. Those topics aren't chit
chat. (Good reviews and posts about your book being out today, are promo and should be sent
in on Sunday.)
When an off topic post does come through, like a promo message, an intro, a thanks, a
congrats, please remember if you want to reply, do so OFF LIST ONLY. In fact, posts like thank
yous, welcomes, congrats, and me too's, or any message that isn't a research, market, writing
how-to, or such reply that is intended for only one person should be sent OFF LIST to the party
it is meant for, not to the whole list. You can send a blanket thanks in to the list. Like if you
ask a question and six people reply with an answer, instead of sending each person a thanks
off list, you can send one message on list with a thanks for them all.
8) Signature (sig) lines. Since an occasional off topic post does come in, and they should
always be replied to off list only, and since some members are more comfortable sending a
reply off list, please make sure you sign each message with your name (first or nickname is
fine) and your e-mail address. (We all like to have a name to use when we reply to a message,
even on list.) There are some e-mail programs that don't show the senders address. It also
doesn't work for members who use the website to do group mail. (By the way, messages should
not be sent to the group with confidentiality notices or such attached to them, like your job
might include if you use your work e-mail to do group mail.)
More on sig lines. They should be NO MORE than SIX lines long. The count starts with the
first place you sign your name and is done on how the message comes through tot he group,
not as how you sent it. The first line should always be your name and e-mail address so we
have a name to use when we reply to you, and so if members should or want to reply to you off
list, they have your address. Please feel free to place things in your sig line like the address to
your website, or the title of your book, and so on....but no ads selling things. The six lines
count starts with the first place you add your name and includes every thing you add there
after, even blank lines. Remember the first line should be your name and e-mail address. (Also
please remember that it's not safe to include things in your sig file like your phone number or
home address.)
Sig Trouble: If you set your sig file up in Rich Text or in HTML, your sig file can come through
with double links, which makes more lines and will put you over the limit. Please only use
Plain Text to set up your sig file. If you auto add the sig file but type your name into the
message each time, then you can end up with lots of blank lines between your name and the
actual start of the sig file, so please make sure you include your name and e-mail address in
the actual sig file you set up to use with the group. And remember blank lines count. The
length of your sig file is counted as it comes through to the group, not as how it looked when
you sent it.
Long sig lines seem to get on a lot of reader's nerves, and can be an even bigger pain to those
on digest, and just really aren't needed. Members are here to learn and share about writing,
not to read sig lines. (Smile.)
9) You can not send in chapters or any writing. This is not a critique group. We do have a
Critique list, though, for posting chapters and getting critiques. To join, send a blank message
to: RWCcritique-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
Going to a big writing conference and want to spot other
RWC members and make sure they spot you? Then get
your very own RWC member button so you can find
each other and say hi face to face. (Smile) Just click on
the button to go to a page where you can buy your own.
This is something brand new for 2008.
RWC members and make sure they spot you? Then get
your very own RWC member button so you can find
each other and say hi face to face. (Smile) Just click on
the button to go to a page where you can buy your own.
This is something brand new for 2008.
Get Spotted & Say Hi
| RWC Group Rules Long & Detailed |