PPC Constitution

The PPC Constitution is the code of conduct for the PPC community — Board, Chat and Wiki. It should be the first thing read by every new arrival, and is to be followed by everyone — if you feel you cannot abide by its Articles, this is not the community for you.

Creation
The current PPC Constitution was created in the first half of 2012 by Huinesoron, and approved first by the Anonymous Constitutional Convention, and then by the Board. The definitive text of the Constitution can be found here, but for convenience, it is also available below.

Preamble
Where is the decent fan fiction? Where are the worthy plots going? They have passed like rain on the mountains Like a wind in the meadow Good fic has gone down in this fandom, Behind ff.net, into shadow. —Beauty in Disguise

Mission Impossible music plays in the background

Our Mission, Should We Choose To Accept It: The mission of the PPC is to encourage goodfic and discourage bad, but we are more than that. We are a community, here to share writing and writing tips, help out fellow writers in need, exchange opinions, and natter endlessly about everything from our favourite canons to apple pie. Mmm, pie... *Drools*

This webpage will self-destruct in thirty seconds.

[Hides; several hours pass]

Never mind, then...

[Comes out of hiding] BOOM!

-_-

To continue our endless mission without breaking into all-out war with each other requires some rules. And so... *Clears throat*

Hear ye, hear ye! (And all that other medieval mumbo-jumbo those town criers say. Forsooth verily!) We, the Members of the PPC, in order to form a more perfect Community, ensure domestic Tranquility, encourage the destruction of Badfic, promote Goodfic, and secure a certain level of wellbeing and (in)sanity for ourselves and those who will come after, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the Protectors of the Plot Continuum.

Section One: On The Capacity To Engage In Mature Conversation
1. The PPC community will not tolerate any individual or group who intentionally discriminates against, abuses, persecutes, or otherwise attacks others in any way, shape, or form, for any reason. This includes, but is not limited to discrimination on the basis of sex, race, ability, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, and religion.

1.5. These subjects, and others which cause genuine suffering (such as rape, murder, abuse, and mental health issues) should be discussed with sensitivity. The use of language which evokes any form of discrimination or persecution should not be tolerated. Equally, 'joking' about these subjects is Not Funny; ‘it was just a joke’ is not an excuse - it’s self-incrimination.

2. Do Not Flame. You are allowed to disagree with people, but Do Not Flame. There is a distinct difference between 'I don't agree with your opinion and I think that your theory is factually wrong' and 'You're an idiot and your opinion is built on lies and stupidity'. If you find that you're hurling insults around, just stop. This even (or perhaps especially) applies if you consider yourself to have been wronged by another community member. If it’s a misunderstanding, a flame is an unwarranted attack. And if they’re deliberately trying to provoke you, attacking them is exactly what they want - and damages the community as a whole.

3. Respect is key to getting along with the community. Everyone in the PPC Community should be respected as people, regardless of who they are. The opinions of a newbie are just as valid and wanted as those of someone here for ten years. Opinions should be treated with respect - and, equally, should be respectful opinions. An opinion that attacks, insults, demeans, or discriminates against others (see Article 1) is not respectful, and is not welcome - and someone who shows themself to be unashamedly disrespectful, or repeatedly posts disrespectful opinions, has forfeited their right to respect. However, not warranting respect does not mean they do not warrant politeness. This means you are not allowed to descend into flaming and insulting them, but instead should follow Article 7.

4. We encourage respectful, friendly debates here. Someone disagreeing your opinion is generally not an attack on you, and should not be taken personally. Should a debate escalate into personal attacks, flaming, or any form of disrespectful conduct for any reason, everyone involved should step back and calm down before continuing. If this cannot be done, it may be best to abandon the conversation entirely.

5. If someone says something that seems offensive, but you’re not sure exactly what they meant, ASK them first, before jumping down their throats. Astonishingly enough, most people aren’t out to offend anyone. (If they are being deliberately insulting, believe me, you’ll have a lot of backup.) Don't be afraid to ask what someone meant - it isn't silly to want the full facts. Equally, if there has been an honest misunderstanding, accept the mistake and move on. Apologies for making a mistake, and for being unclear, are recommended, but should not be demanded.

6. All discovered mimes will be thrown into a pit, which may or may not be filled with various objects such as scorpions upon their availability.

6.5. There will be no clemency for these mimes until they learn the words.

Section Two: On Making Reparations
7. Everyone deserves an honest second chance - which means, initially, a chance to stop, explain, and/or apologise. This means that, if you believe that someone is engaged in any violation of the Constitution, but particularly Articles 1-3, it is critical to make sure they understand what they are doing wrong, so that they can make amends. Explain it to them yourself, or ask a third party to do so - but the key word is explain. Telling someone to shut up because their opinion is unwanted does not constitute a chance.

8. Wilful ignorance is not an excuse. If someone is ignoring the Constitution and claiming that they’re not really doing anything wrong - despite explanations to the contrary - that may constitute using up their chance. However, wilful ignorance on the part of the accuser is also not an excuse. If someone clarifies a genuine misunderstanding, continuing to push for an apology may count as persecution on your part.

9. If you find it impossible to get along with another member of the PPC, you can take it up in private e-mail. However, the rules of civility and respect do not disappear outside PPC community spaces, or while talking about someone. Don’t engage in bullying behaviour, and don’t say anything about another PPCer you wouldn’t say to their face. Harassing others by private means is just as serious as harassing them in public, if not more so, and will be treated as such - which means that if you find yourself being harassed or bullied by another PPCer, please make the community aware! We cannot help with a situation if we don’t know it exists.

10. The PPC as a community is responsible for upholding the Constitution. If following Article 7 doesn't resolve a situation, any and all uninvolved community members have a responsibility to back up the person who is in the right, or to defuse an unclear situation. It is never wrong to ask a third party to comment on a dispute, but try to find someone uninvolved; a mediator will be more useful for resolving a dispute than a supporter.

10.5. If discussion is unable to resolve a situation, persistent rule-breakers can be shunned or told to leave the PPC community. We don’t want to do this - so if you're being accused of breaking a rule, take a step back and, if you are in the wrong, stop, apologise, and move on. Grudges are no fun!

Section Three: On Engaging With Thy Peers
11. Thou shalt maketh yourselves legible. Spell correctly and use good grammar to the best of your ability — remember, the PPC is a force for good writing, and that includes SPaG. Wherever you are in the PPC community, spell, punctuate and grammatise to the very highest standard. Occasional honest mistakes will be forgiven, of course — but everything else aside, it’ll be hard for everyone to understand you and respond to you if you go, "OMG! I cant belive taht newst movie is out! Its so gr8!"

12. The PPC community is kid-, family- and work-friendly — make sure it stays that way. That means no cursing, no graphic violence, sex or whatever. If you feel you have to break this rule, please give a specific warning (and remember, just because you don’t have a problem with something, doesn’t mean others won’t). The PPC shared universe is also kid-, family- and work-friendly, but in this case the rule is to warn for anything that raises your rating, rather than necessarily cutting it out.

13. The PPC is a vast sprawling mess, so it’s perfectly fine to lurk around on the Board and the Wiki for a while before committing yourself. Before you actually post anything anywhere, however, you should post on the Board at least once to introduce yourself and receive whatever gifts people have for you.

14. Stick to one penname across the PPC as far as possible — or at least make it clear that the different names are still you. For instance, your Wiki user page should mention your Boarder name. Please don’t deliberately use multiple names — it’s confuzzling and pointlessly annoying to start an argument with yourself, and we can usually spot it. (Of course, if you’re role-playing, that’s a different matter entirely — see Articles 16, 19, and especially 29!)

15. If you don't understand something, don't be afraid to ask. We won't point, laugh, and go "Ha-ha!" when you don’t know something. We'll help — probably by pointing you at the Wiki, the Original Series, or the various guides we have for newbies, so why not start there? If you have a lot of questions, try saving them up for a single thread on the Board — you could even tack them onto someone else’s question thread!

Section Four: On Thy Topics Of Conversation
16. Silliness and insanity are welcome here — even encouraged. Feel free to leave your sanity at the door. Most PPCers do.

17. Serious discussion is ALSO welcome, nay, encouraged, here. Odd, ne?

18. Don’t worry about your interests being too eclectic for anyone else to be interested in — history has proven time and again that there probably is someone who shares your interests. And on the off chance that there isn’t, there’s somebody who wants to start!

19. There is no Article 19.

20. Randomness is seldom a bad thing, as long as Da Rules are followed. (For an example, see Article 19.)

21. Feel free to shamelessly plug stories, websites, or anything else to your heart’s content, if you think they’ll be of interest to the PPC in general. We’re in dire need of entertainment and good fanfic. Before you post, though, see if someone else is already talking about your preferred topic - no-one will object if you add to a relevant thread instead of starting your own (in fact, we often prefer it)!

22. The PPC has always been about having a good laugh at badfic, so feel free to talk about it, and post links if you find something you think is worth sharing. That said, we don't want badfic threads to overwhelm the Board, so if there's a thread about badfic on the top half of the front page already, please add to that rather than starting your own. (And when replying to a thread about badfic, or reviewing a badfic, please remember Article 2!)

Section Five: On Missions, Badfic, And Sundries
23. The PPC dislikes bad fanfiction. This particularly includes Mary-Sues (badly written characters who warp the world they’re placed in to their own ends — male versions are usually called Gary-Stus, or some variant thereof) and bad slash (homosexual relationships between characters — but note the word bad here. Good slash is a different matter), but also any other form of bad writing.

24. In accordance with Articles 11 and 23, if you write fan- or original fiction, you should strive to make it good fiction, with good spelling/punctuation/grammar as well as well-made characters and plot. The PPC is a place for improvement, and if you ask for constructive criticism, we will give it gladly — just make sure you listen to it and do improve.

25. The PPC is a shared fictional universe, and we want everyone to take part in creating it — but we also don’t want people trying to write for the PPC before they know what it’s about. Before you write PPC stories, you will need Permission. Before you ask for Permission, make sure you read that article and meet the requirements.

26. Plagiarism is bad. Don’t plagiarise (stealing another's work for use, intentionally or unintentionally, and not crediting them for said work, either through forgetfulness or deliberate intent to pass it off as your own). If you find someone else has been plagiarised, tell us about it — we all enjoy a bit of righteous anger at times.

Section Six: On We Couldn't Fit This Anywhere Else
27. Trolls (those who create deliberately bad/annoying stories, reviews or comments for the express purpose of irritating or enraging others) will be ignored or mocked for entertainment. That includes PPCers who act as trolls — you have been warned. It is not clever to deliberately antagonise others in the community, and it is not clever to crow about antagonising people outside the community, either.

28. Remember to have FUN. FUN is good.

29. "Do not meddle in the affairs of assassins! They are heavily armed and quick to anger. And not noticeably subtle."

Signatures
The PPC Constitution is fully signable here on the Wiki — please add your name to the table below! However, please resist any temptation to delete others' names, or to edit any other part of the Constitution. Other copies of the Constitution, including the Definitive Version, will have their signatures updated as and when their maintainers get round to it.
 * Huinesoron
 * Kaitlyn
 * PoorCynic
 * EileenAlphabet
 * Antigone68104
 * doctorlit
 * ThatOne
 * TheMadHatteress
 * JulyFlame
 * SeaTurtle
 * Ellipsis Flood
 * Neshomeh
 * Phobos
 * Matthew72
 * Herr Wozzeck
 * ShatteredSanity
 * Shellfur
 * desdendelle
 * Artell
 * Pieguy
 * Elcalion
 * ZekeSturm
 * SingingTheThunder
 * Ponystar17
 * Sergio Turbo
 * Tomash
 * meow139
 * DawnFire (now Zingenmir)
 * RenyaWhite
 * hermione of vulcan
 * Time Engineer
 * Ailavyn Siniyash
 * Dani
 * Aquarius II
 * AelinTheAmazing
 * ChibiChen
 * Aurorita
 * Autumn_68
 * ThePoketrix
 * Drama Twist (name changed from rmzdoglover)
 * Xortberg
 * Storme Hawk
 * Ekyl
 * DrMarble
 * Autofire
 * FloatingMyon
 * bluefa02
 * Tweedle-Day
 * Thantosiet
 * Lunar Dusk
 * november14
 * Silenthunder
 * Dragon master 7
 * Ratbrainbasher
 * Iximaz
 * richardhednil
 * Mr.Joker94
 * Tira
 * Dark Brother 16
 * Araeph
 * VibravaMajic
 * The Siege
 * RobertAndCo
 * N. Harmonik
 * James Shields
 * Hardric
 * KOManicJim
 * DrGonzo
 * Jay - Awesomeness Central
 * SkarmorySilver
 * Acolyte Oakdown
 * Daniel Stretulch
 * Akrinor
 * Khryssty

The Amendments
For the various amendments and changes made to the Constitution, see the official version here.

Original PPC Board Constitution
Affectionately known as Da Rules, the original list of proper Boarder behavior stood as an effective guard against the chaos and infighting that often pervade other message boards for almost a decade. Believed to be written by Saphie, and based on the Chalkie Constitution by Rose and Jean, the full original Constitution can be found here. It also served as the basis for the current Constitution.

Original Signatures
The original Board Constitutional was signable in the dim and distant past, but after the departure of Philosopher at Large, lapsed into stasis. The only PPCer to have signed both the Original and Revised Constitutions is Kaitlyn. Please do not add your name to this list — it is included for reference only. To sign the Revised Constitution, see above.
 * The Boarders :


 * The Assassins :
 * Jay (who goes on the board by Otik, following the one-pen-named rule.)
 * and


 * ~Acacia, licensed assassin of Mary Sues