These are the rules covering what can and cannot be posted on this site.
This covers both public and private content.
This thread covers:
Spamming, Flooding and Stranger Requests
Thread Limits
Banned Content
Children in Roleplays
Defining Taboos/Kinks
Sexual Content Restrictions
Political Restrictions
Hate Speech
Proper Venting
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✤ No Spamming, Flooding, Stranger Requests ✤
Spamming is considered posting anything meaningless when it's not warranted or lacks relevancy toward the discussion.Examples include:
- Posting on a thread that isn't yours without permission (excluding threads meant for open discussion).
- Derailing the main topic of a thread or a topic on the status bar.
- Posting pointlessly on your status bar where the topic cannot expand into a conversation (E.G. Posting "Penis").
While Writing Home utilizes a bump button for the 1 x 1 forum where the majority of 'bump' posts would be found, throughout the rest of the site, we ask that users refrain from bumping. Any 'bump' will be seen as spam and deleted. Instead, if you need to 'bump' your posts, write something of substance or meaning to the thread.
For example, if running a group roleplay recruitment thread, consider writing; "We're still looking for (#) more players!"
Avoid over posting in the example above when already on the first page of a forum. Spamming your thread with the same post, even if not a bump, when already on the first page of a forum can be seen as spam if it's not an active conversation with another user or a legit update.
Flooding is the posting of either spam or random words/comments on threads or the status bar in rapid succession.
Some chatterbox threads will allow rapid posting, but the majority of Writing Home does not unless engaged in an active conversation.
If a user is updating their status every hour, that could be seen as flooding if something relevant isn't happening in their life (emergency, etc).
For example, updating your status every half hour to hour about a new video game you're playing could be seen as flooding.
Flooding is a rarer occurrence, but it does happen.
'Stranger Request' are messages to users who do not have active threads or multiple messages saying the same thing to different users who do have active threads.
We know users are going to be in a hurry to find new partners.
However, that doesn't mean you should randomly contact people asking to roleplay.
If the user you're contacting has no active threads and hasn't made any posts indicating they are looking for a partner, do not message them.
If you are browsing the active roleplaying section, make sure to read the user's thread. If a user is found to be sending the same message to multiple users (example: "I saw your thread, would you like to RP with me?"), this is considered spam.
The reason this rule is needed is because, like most spam, it never stops at one. The user will send the same message over and over again.
They don't stop at five or ten. It just keeps going. That is the problem.
If you are looking for a roleplaying partner, look at the active search threads or create one for yourself.
Post in your status that you're looking for roleplay and see if anyone is interested.
Respond to statuses by others who mention looking for roleplay.
Do not spam users randomly. Do not message people you have never spoken to before who are not actively seeking and/or message people without reading their threads and messaging them with content that acknowledges their thread and its content.
If you receive spam messages like this, consider informing them of the rules before reporting them or just report it and we'll take a look.
Constant breaking of this rule will earn the user marks against their account, which can lead to a ban.
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✤ Do not post more than two threads on any given forum (with some exceptions) ✤
Because Writing Home allows users to edit their threads, including the titles, we have a limit of two threads per account holder on any given forum unless otherwise stated. In most threads where this rule applies, users will notice that, once they have made two threads, the site will not allow users to make another.If a user rather start fresh with a new thread instead of editing an old one, they can delete the older threads they no longer want, which will reset their thread counter and allow them to start a new thread.
The reason only two threads are allowed is to avoid one person taking over the front page with multiple threads. Having two threads allows a user to have one main search thread while also giving them a second for a specific random craving that they want people to notice. Users are not required to use the two threads in such a manner, but it is a beneficial example of use.
To clear up any confusion, 'any given forum' means you can post two in any forum (not category).
A category, for example, is 1 x 1 search threads, where as the forums are Female for Male, Male for Female, Non-Binary, etc.
So, you can post two threads in every single forum under the category (2 in female for male, 2 in male for female, etc).
Active roleplaying forums and their ooc sub-forums, both group and 1 x 1, allow for more than two threads per user as it's assumed you will be engaging in multiple at a time. All Writing Home asks is that you delete any inactive ones before opening new ones.
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✤ No Pedophilia, Bestiality, Necrophilia, or Blood-Related Incest ✤
Because this site is both hosted and owned in a country where laws must be considered upon a site's creation,all content deemed illegal offsite will be illegal onsite and may not be requested by the users.
This included Pedophilia, Bestiality, Necrophilia, and Blood-Related Incest/Grooming.
We will go over each of the above to ensure users understand what each one means and clarify any misunderstandings.
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✤ No Pedophilia ✤
Pedophilia is defined as sexual engagement with a minor.
A minor is anyone who is under the age of eighteen.
Even though age of consent varies from country to country and state to state, online where the site is hosted,
there is a federal law that bans child/underage pornography, which is defined as anyone under eighteen.
This rule applies to characters who look younger than eighteen, even if they are older.
This means, your 10,000 year old Elf or Vampire still has to look and act like an eighteen year old (or older).
This rule also applies to the mind of an adult being put into the body of a child or a child-like doll (think Chucky).
This rule also applies to two characters under the age of eighteen.
Even if both partners are playing characters under eighteen, they may not engage in sexual acts.
To write any sexual activity, both characters must be over eighteen.
You are allowed to age-up characters from shows/movies/animes if they are too young to play in a sexual scenario.
However, you may not age up a living and underage person who exists in the real world.
Users may play characters under the age of eighteen in roleplays that are not sexual in nature following the rules below:
- The roleplay must be 100% sex-free. No fade-to-black involved for the underage characters.
- If the character has a traumatic backstory of sexual abuse as a child (be them now an adult or a teen), it can only be referenced--not detailed or acted out in detail in the roleplay.
- Characters may have children born when they were underaged but they must be an adult in the roleplay (no teen pregnancy allowed).
- You can, however, play an eighteen-year-old pregnant from an encounter at 17 as long as the RP starts when she is 18).
- Side characters with little story time or actual playable nature may be teenagers who are pregnant if the situation is appropriate.
- Example: You play a school psychologist and she, at times in the story, works with a pregnant teen. This is fine, but it cannot be a focus and the side-character must remain as a mere side character.
Writing Home doesn't want to limit creativity.We only ask that any character under eighteen does not engage in sexual activities in any form (even fade to black).
We also do not want to glorify or promote teen pregnancy, for that too indicated underage sex.
On that same note, adult characters may exist and be played around younger characters (family, friends, strangers, etc), as long as the underage character is not part of and does not witness any sexual activity in the roleplay done between the adult characters.
When it comes to 18-year-olds in high school, this is ONLY allowed if both sexual characters are eighteen and students.
Important Information:
In any high school roleplay, regardless of whether or not one character is eighteen, if a student, they may not have sexual intercourse with a teacher. This is because, realistically, the teacher would likely be lusting after the student prior to their eighteenth birthday. It also can be a gray line of whether the adult character, in a high school, is a pedophile. We cover more of this below in the incest/grooming section.
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✤ No Bestiality ✤
See our Bestiality Clarification forum for a more in-depth explanation of this rule.
Bestiality is any sexual engagement between a human or humanoid-creature and an animal or animal-like creature.
An animal is defined as any living-world creature or fantasy creature that looks or acts like an animal.
An animal is defined as any living-world creature or fantasy creature that cannot consent or understand sexual participation.
Examples of fantasy creatures still considered animals:
A giant talking wolf.
A dragon (some leeway depending on 'type' of dragon. See clarification thread posted above for visual chart.
A monster, regardless of form, that cannot consent or understand sexual engagement with a human.
Example of creatures not considered animals:
A furry or anthro.
A Centaur.
A Naga
Non-Animal monsters that can consent and understand sexual engagement with a human.
When it comes to Pokemon, it will depend on the category they are in.
Pokemon have two types: Monster and Animal.
Animal Pokemon look and act like animals from the living world.
Monster Pokemon do not act like animals and may be bipedal and/or humanoid.
Please, consider reading the Bestiality Clarification linked above for a deeper explanation.
If both parties involved are playing the same species, such as a pair of wolves or a pair of dragons, it is assumed that they can speak, communicate, consent, and understand sexual activities with one another, which is allowed as it does not involve a human or humanoid being.
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✤ No Necrophilia ✤
Necrophilia is the sexual engagement of a living human or creature with a corpse.
The undead, half-dead, and living-dead are exempt from this rule assuming they can consent and understand sexual engagement.
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✤ No Blood-Related Incest or Grooming ✤
See our Incest Clarification forum for a more in-depth explanation of this rule.
Incest is the sexual engagement between two blood-related family members.
While Writing Home understands that incest is a popular taboo, it is not a taboo we will allow on this site.
We're family here at Writing Home, but not that kind of family.
More so, as explained, illegal content is banned on this site, and where the site is hosted and owned from,
incest is illegal across the entire country.
Relatives include, but are not limited to, siblings, parents, cousins, uncles, aunts, etc.
Grooming is the act of manipulation, often by an older person, to trick a victim into thinking inappropriate acts are acceptable and to diminish the chances of being caught or punished.
Step-Family relationships are allowed where grooming is not involved.
Grooming involves any situation where a character under fifteen was raised by a step or adoptive parent (also blood family).
Grooming involves siblings and step-siblings under fifteen who were raised together.
Basically, if the characters meet when one or both are under the age of fifteen and they are raised alongside the other person, it is assumed grooming was involved and is not allowed. Although Grooming can and does happen to children over 15, we wanted to give some leeway to the rule. However, any sexual activities cannot happen until the youngest character is at least eighteen. The older party, if the pairing is a step-parent, also cannot lust for the younger party prior to them being 18.
In any high school setting, as mentioned above in pedophilia, teachers and students, even if the student is 18, cannot have a sexual relationship. Due to the teacher being in control over minors, even if the other character is already 18, it is considered predatory in nature. This can then be seen as grooming, even more so than our usual 15 or older rule.
With that said, the scenarios below are safe and fine for users:
* A newly 18-year-old student, even if in high school, gets a tutor outside of school who they have never met before or has known since no younger than 15 but was never taught by said tutor (removing predatory power).
* A newly 18-year-old starts college and meets a teacher.
* A newly 18-year-old starts college and a teacher they've known outside of school since no younger than 15 but was never within their school/classes (removing predatory power) becomes their teacher.
Just remember that the adult CANNOT lust after the character prior to them turning 18. This, even if the character is now 18, means that the adult is, more or less, a pedophile.
Please, consider reading the Incest Clarification linked above for a deeper explanation.
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✤ Why is Rape not Banned? ✤
To put bluntly, while rape is also illegal in the country where the site is hosted and owned, rape is defined as lack of consent between parties.
When two people, in real life, decide to do a rape-fantasy, they both consent to it. Meaning, it's not actually rape.
It's more akin to BDSM.
The same goes for when two parties choose to create a story together involving rape. While the character may not be consenting, the player who controls the character is (and one is a living human and one is not).
Unlike with rape where consent makes it no longer illegal, consent does NOT make Pedophilia, Bestiality, Necrophilia, or Incest/Grooming legal.
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✤ Violence Against Underage Characters ✤
Because we allow the playing of underage characters (under 18), we want to address the concept of violence against minors.Here at Writing Home, we try to ensure we have an equal balance to not limit creation of the content you wish to roleplay.
However, like with blocking all sexual activities when a minor is included, we want to ensure we put a limit on violence against underage characters.
So, here is what you should know:
If your character is 13 or older, they can be placed in the same abusive situations as any character who is 18+ (excluding sexual torture/assault/mutilation).
If the character is 12 or under, they cannot be played as a main character undergoing abuse, torture, or death.
However, we will allow characters 12 and under, who are side-characters or NPCs, to be killed within limited detail as something witnessed or part of a backstory. So, if your character lost their infant due to an abusive spouse, it can be noted and lightly played in a memory sequence or telling of the occurrence, but not in great detail.
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✤ Define your 'Taboo/Forbidden' pairings, topics, and kinks ✤
While on the subjects of banned content and taboos, Writing Home does not allow users to use vague terms such as "Taboo Pairings/Topics/Kinks", when describing what they are seeking on their threads or profiles.Unfortunately, there will always be users who try to use these vague terms to bypass the rules.
To try and avoid this, we require that all users explain their pairings/taboos/kinks.
So, instead of writing; "I enjoy taboo pairings", a user must write:
"I enjoy taboo pairings, such as Married Man X Mistress, Professor X Student."
All topics must be listed in full. The use of ETC is not allowed.
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✤ No Explicit Sexual Content on the Public Forums ✤
'Public Forums' are anywhere basic users could access it.This excludes Private Messages, Offsite, and the Adult Forum.
Even though the site is 18+, we don't want to be an outright smut-site,
This rule applies to both written content and imagery.
In the privacy of your PMs, you may share adult content, assuming it's legal to share.
If you believe something someone is posting in PMs is not legal, report it.
Kink Lists must also be hidden either behind a spoiler tag, on a different tab in the thread, or found through a link.
This is because Kink Lists often have very vulgar language that not everyone wants on their screen when looking for roleplays.
If you're looking for adult plots, you are free to post them in your thread. However, if you are detailing a plot, consider keeping it vague enough that it does not have to be hidden behind a spoiler. If it will be graphic, use a spoiler and add a warning.
You are allowed to roleplay in a public thread that will have sexual content as long as sexual content is taken to a private setting, such as the Private Messaging system.
To avoid having to go back and forth, you could open a thread in the adult forum (Red Light District) where sexual content can be written in detail.
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✤ No Politics ✤
Due to the nature of politics, we ask people refrain, in all manners, from discussing their political opinions.This includes offhanded jokes at the expense of a politician.
No political images are allowed, including those that mock or make fun of any politician. This includes memes, even if not harmful.
No use of real world politicians in Roleplays where they play a major role or the roleplay is focused on a political viewpoint.
Unfortunately, politics bring out the worst in people and we want to avoid any drama or fighting.
However, when it comes to human rights, we will allow users to post their support in their signatures.
Examples: "Black Lives Matter" "Equality", "Pride", etc.
As of this time, we also ask people refrain from giving their opinions on Covid or vaccinations.
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✤ No Hate Speech or Fetishizing ✤
We do not accept any form of hate speech here at Writing Home, be it against Race, Religion, Sexuality, etc.
Remember the old saying, "If you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all", and follow it.
Included in Hate Speech are offensive terms used to belittle or fetishize specific groups of people.
Same-Sex terms that should not be used in threads: Fag, Faggot, Dyke, Homo, Fairy, Puff, etc.
Transgender terms that should not be used in threads: She-male, CuntBoy, CockGirl, He-She, chick-with-a-dick, trap, hermaphrodite*, femboy.
However, We will, at this time, allow the use of Futanari or Futa when used EXPLICITLY to depict the fantasy representation of a woman who is born completely with BOTH female and male genitalia, whose clit can become a fully functioning penis when aroused, and/or a woman who can summon/create a completely formed and functioning penis through some sort of magic.
It is NOT to be used to depict a transgender male or female.
*We are aware that Futanari can often be translated into 'hermaphrodite'. However, the difference is that Futanari is far less common to be used to describe someone who is transgender unless out of of insult or naivety, where as hermaphrodite is often used as a slur or insult toward transgender people in real life.
Futanari, in a roleplaying sense, is almost always used to depict an unrealistic, fantasy version of a woman who has a fully functioning penis.
While we would love to be able to come up with a new word to describe the definition of Futanari without it being insulting toward the transgender community, that is an incredibly difficult task and not one we can achieve at this time.
When it comes to Fetishizing beyond trans people, we also want to ensure we are not fetishizing any person of color in situations that could be considered racist or uncomfortable due to the realism of the setting. For example, roleplays based in American between the 1700 and 1800 where people of color were used as slaves, where a master or white person falls for a slave of color. It feels insensitive to use this specific setting and could push some racism concerns, even when not intended.
With that said, we are 100% fine with couples of different races and color. A white master in Victorian era or Fantasy times falling for a black slave is allowed. It keeps the setting more neutral and not based on a horrible point in American history that glorifies and fetishizes people of color. Please, just be mindful of your settings when doing race-play in a story to avoid diminishing the realistic nature of your roleplay.
If for any reason you're unsure if your plot might be inappropriate, you are more than free to get in contact with an admin or mod for clarification.
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✤ Proper Venting ✤
We want Writing Home to be a safe place for everyone who might be going through personal or traumatic issues in real life. We understand that life is hard and sometimes we just need to talk with others or express ourselves.For this reason, we ask everyone who needs to vent or seek discussion on topics such as depression, abuse, etc., to take it to the Safe Place forum.
There, you are free to talk about what is on your mind, within reason (please read the rules of the forum before posting on the forum).
If you have anger that needs to be vented, go to the Rage Pit. Remember to read the rules before posting.
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