A safer space for writers of all kinds and experience, both as a place to work & a place to share.

Code of Conduct

All participants of Mount Royal Creative Writing Club are expected to abide by our Code of Conduct, both online and during in-person events that are hosted and/or associated with Mount Royal Creative Writing Club.

The Pledge

In the interest of fostering an open and welcoming environment, we pledge to make participation in our project and our community a harassment-free experience for everyone, regardless of age, body size, disability, ethnicity, gender identity and expression, level of experience, nationality, personal appearance, race, religion, or sexual identity and orientation.

The Standards

Examples of behaviour that contributes to creating a positive environment include:

  • Using welcoming and inclusive language
  • Being respectful of differing viewpoints and experiences
  • Gracefully accepting constructive criticism
  • Referring to people by their preferred pronouns and using gender-neutral pronouns when uncertain
  • Engaging in constructive and supportive feedback when discussing others’ work
  • Maintaining confidentiality regarding sensitive information shared within the club
  • Upholding the club’s core values in all club-related activities and interactions
  • Adhering to academic integrity standards in all writing and creative endeavors

Examples of unacceptable behaviour by participants include:

  • Trolling, insulting/derogatory comments, public or private harassment
  • Publishing others’ private information, such as a physical or electronic address, without explicit permission
  • Not being respectful to reasonable communication boundaries, such as ‘leave me alone,’ ‘go away,’ or ‘I’m not discussing this with you.’
  • Assuming or promoting any kind of inequality including but not limited to: age, body size, disability, ethnicity, gender identity and expression, nationality and race, personal appearance, religion, or sexual identity and orientation
  • Attacking personal tastes
  • Other conduct which you know could reasonably be considered inappropriate in a professional setting
  • Any form of harassment, discrimination, or bullying

Inclusivity and Accessibility

The Mount Royal Creative Writing Club is dedicated to creating an inclusive and accessible environment for all members:

  1. We actively encourage and welcome members from diverse backgrounds, including but not limited to race, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability, age, and socioeconomic status.
  2. We strive to make all club events and activities accessible to members with disabilities. Members are encouraged to communicate any accessibility needs to the Executive Committee.
  3. We commit to using inclusive language in all club communications and activities.
  4. We will provide accommodations and alternatives when possible to ensure all members can participate fully in club activities.

Intellectual Property

The Mount Royal Creative Writing Club respects and protects the intellectual property rights of its members:

  1. All original work created by members remains their own intellectual property unless explicitly agreed otherwise.
  2. For collaborative projects or club publications (such as anthologies), specific agreements will be made and communicated clearly to all contributing members before the project begins.
  3. The club encourages the use of Creative Commons licenses for sharing work, but the choice to use such licenses remains with the individual creator.
  4. Members agree not to share, publish, or use other members’ work without explicit permission from the creator.
  5. Any allegations of plagiarism or copyright infringement will be taken seriously and investigated thoroughly.

Conflict Resolution

The Mount Royal Creative Writing Club encourages open communication and provides a framework for resolving conflicts:

  1. Members are encouraged to address minor conflicts directly with each other in a respectful and constructive manner.
  2. If direct communication doesn’t resolve the issue, members can seek mediation from a neutral Executive Committee member.
  3. For more serious conflicts, members should follow the formal complaints process outlined in the club’s constitution.
  4. All parties involved in a conflict are expected to approach the resolution process with openness, honesty, and a willingness to find a mutually acceptable solution.
  5. Confidentiality will be maintained throughout the conflict resolution process to protect all involved parties.

Enforcement

Violations of the Code of Conduct may be reported by sending an email to editor@writeclub.ca. All reports will be reviewed and investigated and will result in a response that is deemed necessary and appropriate to the circumstances. Further details of specific enforcement policies may be posted separately.

We hold the right and responsibility to remove comments or other contributions that are not aligned to this Code of Conduct, or to ban temporarily or permanently any members for other behaviours that they deem inappropriate, threatening, offensive, or harmful.

The Executive Committee is responsible for enforcing this Code of Conduct fairly and consistently. By joining the Mount Royal Creative Writing Club, all members agree to abide by this Code of Conduct and to contribute to maintaining a positive and productive club environment.

Attribution

This Code of Conduct is adapted from dev.to and the Mount Royal Creative Writing Club’s constitution.