The Read Write Poem Code of Conduct
We are creating an online poetry community where members can enjoy reading about poetry and sharing their work. That means when you participate, you agree to work in a spirit that builds our relationships with poetry and each other.

Along those lines:

• Have fun (not “poke-the-skinny-kid-on-the-playground” fun, but “find-joy-in-expressing-yourself-and-reading-the-work-of-others” fun).
• Make everyone feel safe and welcome.
• Be generous with your enthusiasm and encouragement. And sincere. Always sincere.
• Be respectful in comments sections on this site and our participants’ blogs. (In other words, our interactions are electronic dialogues; don’t spit on anyone or pull their hair.)
• Never, ever, ever use another person’s work without his or her permission. When in doubt, leave it out. (For info on copyrights, see our On Copyrights page).
• Ask questions and share ideas.
• Work with others. (If you do this, be sure to address, on a case-by-case basis, how to post and attribute collaborative pieces.)

Please become a true part of the community.
What this boils down to:

• Do NOT sign up only to get a link to your blog on our participants list.
• Do NOT place a link to your posts only to get people to visit you. If you link in our comments section, please feel a certain aount of responsibility to the group by giving thoughtful reads and leaving meaningful comments to fellow community members.
• Do NOT feel as though you have to visit everyone who participates. As the community develops, it will be natural for bloggers to gravitate to those with similar interests and purposes. You may only have time to visit a few, and that’s OK. Quality trumps quantity. If the community becomes large enough, we will look for ways to break the group out into smaller optional “working groups” so the project does not lose its community vibe and so poets can work together in more meaningful ways.

About critiquing someone’s work.
Read Write Poem is not a poetry workshop. Repeat: Read Write Poem is not a poetry workshop. Read Write Poem is a project that encourages people to share their work and encourages thoughtful discussions of poetry in general.

Because Read Write Poem is designed to be a poetry community rather than a poetry workshop, we ask that participants be extremely careful when approaching one another’s original work. In a wide-open online environment and with many participants who are new to reading and writing poetry, it is very difficult to give (and receive) an effective poetry critique.

Please offer a critique of a poem only if the author specifically requests such feedback in a comment on this site or in his or her post. Remember, this is a supportive community, so be responsible when responding to someone’s work.

Remember to:

• honor each poem and always believe in the power and possibility of the poem in front of you.
• comment on the positives of the poem and how it makes you feel when you read it.
• be honest, not mean (and we all know the difference) and to not attack the writer or the poem for that matter.
• be careful and considerate but not without content.
• be specific and helpful.

Overall, give your impressions, offer feedback and make suggestions. You are on the right track with your response if you think “inspire,” not “deter,” and “nurture,” not “obliterate.” We want to add poets to the gene pool, not make them an endangered species.

Again, do not offer a critique unless the poet has requested one! And do not judge a poet who wants to share work in this community without having it critiqued.

In most instances, it is best to seek out a workshop in your community, one where you can meet with the same people regularly and where you feel there is an atmosphere of mutual respect and trust. We encourage participants to find such outlets where they live if they have not done so already.

If you are looking for critiques online, it is best to find a small, private working group for such feedback. Our sister site, The Fertile Ground Poetry Project, offers such a resource. Carolee and Jill have created a small, intimate group via a private on-line workshop. Visit the site for more information.

If someone has clearly and specifically asked for critique and you are not sure what that means, read this article. Its clear parameters can guide you toward offering feedback politely at the poet’s request.

For those who do not follow the code of conduct.
Please just don’t go there. We will promptly delete any inappropriate comments that appear on this site. We will also send you a reminder link to the code of conduct. If violations continue, we will remove your name from the participant list and become fairly grumpy.