The Writing echo (area tag WRITING) is for the discussion of all aspects
 of the art, craft, and business of writing, both fiction and non-fiction.
 It is intended for people who are actively (not necessarily
 professionally) engaged in it.
 
 TOPICALITY AND DIGRESSIONS:
 Since just about anything might be interesting to writers,
 digressions are allowed -- within reason.  "Within reason"
 means that a thread should be dropped when it no longer
 has to do with the art, craft, and business of writing.
 Before you post a message in such a thread, ask yourself
 "What has this to do with writing?"  If the answer is "not
 much," please don't post it here.  Messages of interest to
 only one person should be sent via Netmail.
 
 PERPETUALLY OFF-TOPIC:
 Certain topics, such as computer programming, word
 processing, and movies, are covered in other echoes and are
 off-topic.  Because other topics -- religion, politics,
 social issues (gun control, abortion, feminism, &c.) --
 spawn heated and off-topic discussions, they are not
 welcome here, unless they are directly related to a
 writing project you're working on.  This includes use in
 taglines.  Likewise, poetry has its own areas like BARDROOM
 and POETRY_WORKSHOP. Please keep poesy out of the WRITING area.
 
 SLAMMING OTHER ECHOES:  Although some in other areas may make
 disparaging remarks about WRITING due to misunderstanding or
 even mulish stupidity, we should stand above that sophomoric
 behavior.  Let them run their conferences as they wish; we will
 do the same.  Don't stoop to their level.
 
 ADVERTISING:  Advertising via an amateur computer network is
 a tricky situation at best.  It generally wastes bandwidth
 and can endanger the residential telephone rates most BBSs
 depend on.  Thus, no items or services may be offered for sale
 in the WRITING echo which would be of direct economic benefit to
 the person posting the ad.  To reduce bandwidth usage, no ads
 for other echoes or BBSs may be posted.  Helping someone find
 a book or other item, or recommending publication markets is
 allowable, as are notices of contests (those not involving an
 entry fee).  Due to controversy, no ads soliciting submissions
 for publications may be posted directly in the echo.  If you
 wish to announce your publication here, please send relevant
 information to the OWEPA (Official Writing Echo Publications
 Archivist) Karen Rhodes @ 1:112/14 for inclusion in the echo
 Market Directory, which is posted monthly.
 
 ETIQUETTE:
 Personal abuse, attacks, and other counterproductive
 behavior will _not_ be tolerated, and can result in the
 offender's being removed from the echo.  Vigorous,
 spirited, heated debate is terrific; vindictive sniping is
 not.  The Moderator is the sole authority on what
 constitutes proper behavior.
 
 TRAFFIC:
 The traffic on Writing is heavy, so please limit your
 messages to no more than _fifteen per day_.  If you've had
 a problem resulting in a buildup of messages (or other
 good excuse), you may exceed this count, as long as the
 privilege is not abused.  High message counts will make
 the moderator take a close look at your topicality ratio.
 When possible, combine several messages to the same person
 into one larger message.
 
 WRITING SAMPLES:
 Participants may post _brief_ excerpts of their writing
 for critique:  no more than 60 lines.  The cost of sending
 longer excerpts around the country is prohibitive.  Post
 only those excerpts you have _specific_ problems with or
 _specific_ questions about, and list your questions when
 you post the excerpt.  The usual way to exchange longer
 works is to trade addresses and use the mail.
 
 COMPLAINTS:
 Complaints regarding personal attacks or counterproductive
 behavior should be sent _privately_ -- via Netmail,
 InterNet, or a telephone call -- to the Moderator.  Please
 remember:  never attribute to malice what can be
 adequately explained by the vagaries of Fidonet.
 Complaints about topicality, either in general or aimed at
 a specific user, are also off-topic, as they cause more
 off-topic traffic.  Contact the Moderator privately.
 
 HIGH-ASCII and SIGNATURE BLOCKS :
 The so-called high-ASCII extended characters (line-draws,
 accents, &c.) can cause problems on non-IBM screens.
 Please don't use them in the text of messages, either as a
 function of your quoting or part of your text.  Also, FidoNet is an
 amateur network; ordinary folks have to chip in to move these messages
 around.  Accordingly, internet-style signature blocks and other extraneous
 material is prohibited in the WRITING echo.
 HANDLES AND ANONYMOUS POSTS
 Anonymous posts are prohibited in the WRITING echo.  The use of handles is
 generally discouraged and prohibited unless a) the true identity of the
 poster is known to the Moderator, and b) use of a handle by that poster is
 approved by the Moderator.
 MISC:
 That's it, except that if someone comes up with a new and
 improved way to aggravate all and sundry I reserve the
 right to make a rule to fit the occasion.
 WRITING is moderated by Rich Veraa at 1:135/907.  You
 can also call (305) 891-8850 Ext 2112 before 10 p.m.
 Eastern or use InterNet to  rveraa@netside.net
(Continued to next message)
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