WWACO MEMBERSHIP RULES & GUIDELINES
- There are four categories of Wacko members.
a) Author-Member
b) Publisher-Member
c) Writer-Member
d) Reader-Member
Required qualifications for membership, and privileges concerning posting and other activities, vary by member category.
a) Author-Members can post external links in the "Authors' Archives" section, to a library or archive page of their previously published blog posts and articles. They can also post original articles and blogs to the "Current Posts" section of the Wacko site. And they can submit original articles and blogs written by them for consideration to be "featured" on Wacko's site. Author-Members are not allowed to curate the work of non-members on the Wacko site.
b) Publisher-Members are allowed to curate and post links to the work of both Wacko members and non-members on their "Publishers' Pages" on the Wacko site, and to promote their own sites, if applicable. They are not allowed to apply for "Wacko Features" consideration for non-members.
c) Writer-Members can post news updates, comments and questions without moderation on Wacko's discussion board(s), and engage in all cooperative group activities aimed at mutually improving members' writing craft. Writer-Members are allowed to curate and comment on the work of Wacko members, but are not allowed to curate the work of non-members on the Wacko site.
d) Reader-Members receive regular notices of new, original and interesting content appearing on Wacko's site and other digital publishing platforms. Reader-Members can, and are encouraged to like, share, and comment on their favorite blog posts and articles. They are also able to follow their favorite Wacko authors. - Posts of Author-Members and others, published directly on the WWACO blog site will carry an author's byline. However, that byline will consist only of the author's name. Neither the author's byline, nor any part of the post shall include any self-promotional "profile" material, other than references or links to other published work by the author in question. In particular, no Wacko member is allowed to post directly to the WWACO blog site any self-attributed titles or purported qualifications, for example, no claims to being a "thought disrupter", "leadership icon", "guru for universal change", or anything of similar ilk. Wacko's position is that an author's writing and expression of thought should, and do speak for themselves. And on the Wacko blog site, the prevailing ethos is, "What you see, is what you get."
In general, the same restrictions apply to comments posted on the Wacko blog site by Reader-Members and Writer-Members. Self-attributions of the kind mentioned, as well as blatantly self-promotional pitches, will be scrubbed from any and all comments; and repeating offenders will first be warned, then blocked from the site.
That said, Wacko does not seek to prohibit Author-Member's posts from containing links to off-site locations where the author's posts may contain such information and claims. Nor does Wacko seek to prohibit Publisher-Members from showing links to their respective publishing platforms and brief promotional descriptions of those platforms and sites, provided that such information is restricted to appearing on the respective Publisher-Member's advert in the Publisher-Members section. Comments on posts, however, must not contain any such references, nor any links to writings or content on other sites, which have not been submitted to the WWACO Advisory and Editorial Board for preview. WWACO does not want to control the world, just keep its own house clean and free from the self-promotional fertilizer found on so many social media sites. - Qualifications for membership. WWACO is a private, non-profit organization, formed for the benefit of its members and those of the reading public. As such, it reserves the right to set its own rules and qualifications for membership. WWACO officially subscribes to a policy of non-discrimination in respect of race, color, gender, sexual preference. Wacko does, however, actively reject bad writing, lack of humor, and expressions of self-impressed hot air, as well as those who are overly self-serious.
a) Author-Members are required to show evidence of having published at least a dozen articles on major digital platforms or in print media. Acceptable digital platforms include LinkedIn, Medium, and others such as WordPress, Squarespace, Posthaven, Ghost and the like. However, not all articles count toward the minimum dozen.
Articles on "the World" count, including but not limited to those on social and political issues (no true-believer polemics or diatribes, though), world events, science, technology (no product notices or reviews), personal improvement, social science, history, philosophy, sports, recreation, travel, geography, literature, and the arts. So much the better if the articles express the personal and professional opinions, as well as the voices and personalities of the authors.
Article and blogs on such topics as improving your LinkedIn views, writing better, refining your resume, how to interview for a job, how to become an awesome CEO (by someone who has never spoken to a C-level executive, let alone been one), how to turn your toothpick collecting hobby into a moneymaking business on social media -- well, you get the idea -- DO NOT count.
In addition, Author-Members are required to have a minimum of 1,000 followers in total across the major social media platforms, LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, and so on. This is because Wacko is, among other things, a cooperative for mutually improving the publishing reach of its member authors, and so it is necessary for Author-Members to bring something in theline of distribution networking to the sharing pool.
Finally, Author-Members are required to participate in the cooperative pooling of followers and the digital sharing of articles, in the cause of increasing the publishing reach of all Author-Members. This last requirement is essential and performance will be enforced going forward. (Please note that Author-Members are not required to turn over their followers lists to Wacko, only to agree to participate in the sharing mechanism that we have developed which enables pooling reach, without actually disclosing such proprietary lists.)
b) Publisher-Members are required to show evidence of owning and operating a digital publishing platform (blogsite, website, or the like) on which they publish, by permission, the work of others, or publish digital links to the work of others. Beyond that, in order to qualify for Wacko membership, digital publishers have to have accumulated a minimum controlled circulation list (followers) of 10,000, unless special exception is granted by the Wacko Advisory and Editorial Board, which also has the final say, solely in its own discretion, as to whether, and under what conditions, a digital publisher may be admitted to Publisher-Mamber status.
c) Writer-Members are required to show evidence of a serious connection to, and interest in writing by: i) having published a minimum of three blog posts or articles on one or more of the major digital publishing platforms, or ii) having published three articles in established print media, or iii) having published three articles in some combination of the preceding referenced media.
In the alternative, verified enrollment in an established post-secondary writing program or verified completion of at least two post-secondary writing courses, counts in lieu of these writing samples, subject to review and acceptance of the Wacko Board.
In a second alternative, verifiable connection of three years or more with the marketing, advertising, or public relations sectors in the capacity of a copy witer, ghost writer, or editor, subject to review and acceptance of the Wacko Board.
Additionally, Writer-Members are required to show evidence of having at least 200 connections or followers in total, across the major social media platforms, LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, and so on.
d) Reader-Members are required to be generally good heads with a discerning taste for interesting, high-quality content, and a willingness to engage other Wacko members, including Authors and Writers, by providing comment and criticism. The qualifications for Reader-Membership may be self-certified.
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Please note: These rules are a work currently in process. Changes and additions will be posted here over the next couple of weeks. Please feel free to check back periodically. If you would like the opportunity to help guide the development of these rules and procedures, join WWACO now, and begin to pitch in. We'd welcome your input and help.
