- Forum Rules

[Admin]

LANGUAGE
I do not believe in censorship, and have no problem with the occasional profanity (hey, it's just a word).  However, there may be people on this forum who might find excessive obscenities offensive.  Please take that into consideration.  If you do use what some may consider foul language, most likely you'll get a slap on the wrist from Chris, and a pat on the back from me.

AVATAR/BANNER CONTENT
No porn, and nothing hateful (unless it's towards a fictional character). Limit large banners to 2. Make sure they aren't overly large though. Again, when in doubt - ask a mod about this.

DISCUSSING ADULT CONTENT
Let's be realistic - sex, drugs, violence, profanity, and "alternate" lifestyles exist in our universe.  Can't deny it.  But some people might be sensitive about hearing about it.  Again, please use your own discretion.  And please, no porn.

FLAMING
None. Ever. Playful banter - fine. Death threats - not fine.  Play nicely, and please, no trolls.

SOCKPUPPETS
If you create more than one account - all your accounts will be suspended while we conduct an investigation. If you have a legitimate reason behind creating another account, your will be asked to pick one. If you don't, you'll be banned from the forum forever.

SUBMISSIONS
Anything you submit (a short story, a screenplay, etc.), unless prohibited in a contest, may have graphic content. But please put up a warning about what kind of content it includes, so that people who want to avoid certain content can do so.

As stated earlier, please play nice, and be considerate of other people's feelings.  When in doubt, ask the mods.  And if you're too unruly, we'll let you know.  And if you still piss us off, we might ban you!

[Kurai]

Introduction

Here at Righters Untie, we want to make sure you understand that even though you are not a published author or screenwriter, you still have rights. Any and all work that you write is yours, provided that it does not already plagiarize someone else's work. Plagiarism is theft and a violation of creative integrity. If you did steal somebody else's work, it is not protected and is in violation of copyright. RU is a "No Plagiarism Forum".

That being said, here is some information you should know about your rights:


Your Property

All of your work, published or not, online or in a binder someplace, is legally yours, and yours only. But please bear in mind that RU does not currently have the capacity to defend legal claims and disputes. Mods here can only help defend your work against plagiarism from fellow RU members. Please be advised that by posting your work in a public forum like RU, you are only guaranteed some, but not 100%, protection from outsider plagiarism.

For steps on how to protect your work using the recognized legal system, please see the "How to Protect Your Writing" section below. This includes information on Copyrighting, Registering with the Writers Guild of America, and Creative Commons licensing. You are highly encouraged to take steps to protecting your work!


Your Property on RU

As stated, RU is a "No Plagiarism Forum". Member-on-member plagiarism and plagiarizing outside writing may both result in disciplinary action such as being banned. Anything you place on RU is yours provided it was conceived and written by you. Even if you place work in the public sections (ie RUN section), which are viewable to others, it is yours.

As of January 2012, the RUN is viewable to RU members only. However, please be advised that this is not 100% protection from outsider plagiarism.

By posting your work here, you are only giving RU the right to display your writing - not to reproduce or distribute it.

"Fan fiction" is allowed as long as it is clearly marked as such by the writer.


Your Property on Other Websites

If you post your work on another forum, blog, or website, it is no longer protected by the RU moderators or the plagiarism policy on this forum.


Plagiarism Disputes

If someone plagiarizes your work on RU, whether you are a member here or not, please contact any of the moderators immediately with a link to the post and anything you think will help prove your claim.


How to Protect Your Writing

Always keep a copy of your work that has your full name and contact information on it. This is standard practice for any form of writing. This includes keeping copies of every draft you write. Below are three examples of legally-recognized ways to protect your writing:

1) Copyright is encouraged for writers who want to maintain full legally-recognized ownership of their work. In the US, a copyright will cost around $40 for one piece of writing.

2) Registering your writing with the Writers Guild of America is encouraged for writers who want to maintain a more flexible, but still legally-recognized ownership of their work - sometimes with intentions to sell the writing at a future date. Benefits of registering include a WGA member appearing in court to help defend your ownership, if necessary. In the US, registering a single piece of writing with the WGA will cost around $20 for non-members, and $10 for members. To register a piece of writing visit www.wgawregistry.org/webrss.

3) Creative Commons licensing is free and legally-recognized, however it does not offer the same amount of defense as the other two options above. CC is meant to officially date your work when it is posted in a public capacity, such as a forum, blog, or website. This is suggested to everyone as a basic, first-line of defense. For more information on obtaining a CC license visit www.creativecommons.org.

Occasionally do a Google search for yourself and the titles of your work. If you find your work has been plagiarized, report it.


Closing

This Plagiarism Policy should explain things for the time being. If you have any questions, feel free to contact any of the Moderators.

(Credit to Young Writers Online for drafting this Plagiarism Policy)