These guidelines will help you stay out of trouble here at FOG. In order to get a feel for how this board works, please read on to understand what is accepted behavior and etiquette and what isn't. If you have any questions or feel we should add to this, please PM me.




• Lurk and Learn

There's no better way to get a feel for the forums and what is and is not accepted here than to lurk for awhile. Hang around, read some threads, and refrain from replying right off the bat. Acquire some firsthand knowledge of how things work here.

• Use Proper English

To the best of your ability, use clear English. Strive for correct spelling and proper grammar. You will find that people will tend to respond to your writing much more positively when you do. Resist the temptation to post using "fangirl/boy Japanese" (mixing words such as "baka" and "kawaii" in with your English text) as well as leet speak (l337 5p34k). It's not going to impress anyone.

• Have Thick Skin

If someone disagrees with you, deal with it. They aren't the first to share different views than you, and they won't be the last. Don't throw a fit just because one or many people may express a contrasting opinion, even if it relates to something you are passionate about. If you think their attitude has problems however (and you think they could be breaking our first Universal Rule), PM a mod immediately.

• You Don't Know Everything

It is definitely far from safe to assume (and even less safe to sound like you believe) that you know more about a subject than the rest of the forum. We have some very knowledgeable people here, and superiority isn't a tone that folks are prone to appreciate.

• Don't Be A Drama Llama

This is the internet. Don't get so worked up over things that it ruins your life. Try to avoid starting or causing drama. You will end up earning yourself a bad reputation.

• Try To Rely On Yourself

If you have a question, don't immediately go to a staff member if it's something you believe could be found somewhere in the message board. In case you haven't already noticed, we have an FAQ link at the top, and some of the questions there are questions pertaining to FOG specifically, so be sure to do a little digging first and not rely so heavily on others to solve your problems. Many times, the same questions are asked over and over again, and the answers usually can be found in the most obvious of places, if one were to simply look.

• Colored Text and Odd Fonts Are Risky

Many people find colored text (particularly entire posts in colored text) and odd fonts (especially small ones) unpleasant, and in some cases, unreadable. If you like to use different colored texts for your role-plays (ie. for different character dialogues), consider using a toned-down color. You don't have to use the ones the board gives you the option of using here. Enter the color code you want (with # before it) instead of the name of the color.

• Tell Us What You Think

When creating a new post, state your own opinion to what it is you are asking about, rather than simply asking, "What do you think of ?" If you create a whole new subject simply to ask a question, people aren't going to want to respond. They will want to hear what you have to say on it as well, and it also makes it seem more interesting.

• Respond To Others

When you make a reply to a topic, don't make a habit out of just giving your own feedback or saying something that disregards what everyone else said. Try to acknowledge at least some of the people's posts that replied before you. Ignoring people will usually be irritating to the community.

• Read the Thread Before Replying

If you fail to do so, you're likely to say something that has already been said in the thread. This makes you sound like you're more interested in talking than having a conversation, which tends to put people off.

• Don't Request Specific Sexes For Your Role-Plays

You cannot request the gender or sex of a writer. You like to role-play with boys only? You think only a female should play a female? Well, too bad. If we catch a request for a certain sex, then your post will be edited, and you will be informed. You can, however, request a gender for a character. We're all writers here, so work with what you have.

• Role-Plays and Role-Play Posts Won't Be Deleted

If you are joining FOG or plan on continuing your stay here, be forewarned that once a thread is created, it will not be deleted. We may lock or move a thread, but we will never delete it, and at the very least will keep it within our archives (in our hidden Dust Bin forum). Your posts become property of the forum, and all collaborations belong not only to yourself, but all the others involved. Posting constitutes that you agree to not only display the post, but also that collaborations will not be taken down at the request of a single person, even if they are the original poster of the thread.
_{*Please note: This is not a legally binding agreement and it is not an attempt by the administration to claim ownership of your work. This is to inform you that we reserve the right to deny any request made by a single person to delete a collaboration. We can and will also use these posts to pursue action in the event of plagiarism.}

• Do Not Create Role-Plays Only About Sex

If you want to do a story based on smut, do not advertise it on the forum. Keep it strictly PMs/IMs. We have kids as well as parents who post here, so you must be considerate. If we feel it's a story solely for sexual purposes, then it will be locked and removed until further notice.

• You Can Curse Here

Yes, you are allowed to say shit, damn, bitch, fuck, ass, cock, balls, and so on here. It's really not a problem. We're fine with it. To that end, you should also avoid pointing out someone else cursing. They're allowed to do that. Yes, even the mods. You don't like that they're cursing? Deal with it. Do not raise a fit in public.

• Stay On Topic

A topic is made for a specific purpose and goal, be it to share experiences or to spark a discussion. Any sort of straying from this topic is not only a form of bad manners, but it also clutters the conversation needlessly. A little straying from the point is all right, but if a topic starts with the question "What color you want your hair to be," and ends with a long discussion about how everything causes cancer, the staff will lock it. If you want to talk about something else, start your own thread about it.

• Post In the Most Appropriate Forum

The forums and subforums are pretty self-explanatory. Some of the time, a topic could belong in one of two (maybe even three) different forums. We trust you to make the best judgement for where it belongs. You don't need to ask us. If we feel that it's in the wrong section, then we'll move it. Simple as that.