NEW E-MAIL RULES!!! (updated 3-29-05) PLEASE READ!

Here is a new section for everyone to post their email threads.

1) Members are limited to one e-mail thread at a time.

*NOTE* This is not one "active" e-mail thread. This is one email thread. If your e-mail thread becomes locked, either unlock it yourself or ask a moderator to do so. If it was locked for content then contact a moderator and ask for further instructions.

2) In regards to stickied e-mail threads:

Effective immediately there will be no more stickied e-mail threads. This is due to the overwhelming number of e-mail threads pushing important stickied items (like the rules) to the bottom.

To replace the stickied idea the exclaimation point icon will be used in certain threads to be determined by the moderators and administrators.

3) Do not have competetions that let people become characters in your email thread as a reward. There's a policy in the BBS rule thread that states that people can't ask for other posters to be in their stories, and having competetions for characters falls under that category.

4) Do not ask to be a character in an email thread. Not only is it rude and some posters only ask to be characters just to be "popular", but the person incharge of the email thread should be the one who decides who becomes a character or not.

In regards to rules 3 and 4, if you run a thread and want people to be in it, ask some of your friends on the boards or people who email and respond to your emails through, AIM, private messages, or whatever to become characters.

Rules #1 and #2 added 1-12-05
Rules #3 and #4 added 1-13-05

Ok, folks, as you’ve probably seen by now, there are some rather large changes to this section. Please allow me to first explain why, and then explain how.

For anybody who has stopped in here at all, you’ve probably noticed how there are TONS of e-mail threads. “Thread Overload,” as I like to call it. For the past few months, the popular thing to do has been for members to walk in there, see the email threads, start one of their own, and then completely abandon it. Or, a member will start an email thread with noble intentions, and then realize that they are far too busy to carry it on. Because of this, the e-mail section has become a ‘graveyard’ of sorts… for every active e-mail thread, there being a few dead threads. This can be very daunting and intimidating to come into and see… which, in our opinion isn’t good. This section is designed to embrace the good works that our members put out… we want it to not only be enjoyable, but also user-friendly. In order to keep this section user-friendly, we have decided that some major overhauling has to be done. And here’s what the new changes are…

I think it’s safe to say that there are a few ‘major’ threads that are clearly more popular than the others. Nothing against the threads that other people have made, but these threads have survived “the cut” so to say. All other threads have been removed. Before anybody gets upset, please let me explain… I’ve kept all threads that have been active within the past two months, so it’s possible to get those back. How will this happen you may ask? Here’s how…

For Members Starting a New E-Mail Thread, or “Getting Back” a Previous One

-Send a PM to POTTHOLE, asking for permission to start an email while outlining:
1. The reason why they have decided to begin/continue an email thread in the first place
2. A commitment to maintaining the activity of their email thread
3. Some key ideas/characters, etc. necessary for keeping this email thread fun and original.

Of course, making sure that the person can spell, has decent grammar, etc. will have to be taken into account before handing the person permission to start the hypothetical "email thread car."

NOTE: Any thread started without my permission will be removed immediately, no questions asked!

For Members Whose E-Mail Thread “Made the Cut”

Send POTTHOLE a PM at least every two weeks letting me know the status of your thread. Consider this like a progress report to ensure that the writer still has a desire to maintain their thread. If I do not get a PM at the two week deadline, I will send a reminder. If the reminder isn’t responded to within another week, the e-mail thread will be locked. In these “progress reports” I would like you to just give me an update on the thread… are you feeling like you want to continue on with it, what you’ve done with it recently, any questions/problems you might be having with it. I will be sure to make it known when a “progress report” is due.

For threads that “make the cut,” if there is ever a time where you’ll be gone for an extended period of time, please PM me and let me know, that way I’ll make sure your thread stays safe.

Misc. Notes

I’m sorry if these rule changes have upset anybody, but we really think this will be for the good. It will draw more attention to the popular e-mail threads, and it will help ensure that the threads that are present are ones that will be kept up to date.

I don’t like having to sound “hard nosed” like this, but sometimes it just needs to be done…

Any violation of these rules will result in an instant locking and/or removal of the violating thread!

If you’ve got any questions at all, please feel free to PM me and ask. And remember, for anybody whose e-mail thread isn’t presently in here, I need you to PM me with responses to the three major ideas, as is outlined up above.