RC1 Community Standards
(Please don't skip this part- it's important!)
By registering with our program, you are considered to be in agreement with the terms and conditions listed below.
About Readerful:
Readerful is the digital publishing arm of Ready Chapter 1. This is a place for polished stories ready to be consumed by our worldwide reading audience.
Feedback
Real Readers. Raw Insights.
On Readerful, you aren’t just writing for other writers—you are building a relationship with a live audience. This means feedback is unvarnished and unpredictable. While we encourage a professional atmosphere, your readers have the freedom to be honest, critical, and direct.
1. The Human Connection Readerful is a space for authentic human reaction. We strictly prohibit the use of AI to generate reviews or engagement. We want you to see the real “pulse” of your audience, and that requires real people behind the keyboard.
2. Managing the Critique As the owner of your publishing house, you must decide how to handle the feedback you receive:
The Pro Mindset: If a reader tells you something isn’t working, they are usually right. If they tell you how to fix it, they are usually wrong. Use their reactions to identify “friction points” in your story.
The Direct Line: You have the ability to engage with your readers. If a comment is confusing, ask clarifying questions. Turning a critic into a collaborator is a hallmark of a successful creator.
The Open Door: Unlike a closed forum, anyone can comment. Some readers will love your work; others won’t. This is the reality of the marketplace. Use the “bad” reviews as data to understand who isn’t your target audience.
If a comment crosses the line from “harsh critique” to “harassment,” please contact us and our team will review the content against our professional safety standards.
Content
To keep Readerful a safe and professional environment for all creators and readers, we operate on a model of Categorization & Professional Responsibility. While we do not limit your creative vision, we require that all content is labeled accurately to ensure the right audience finds your work.
The “House” Rules:
TV-14 Standard: Content that fits a TV-14 rating (mild profanity, moderate violence, or suggestive themes) is the baseline.
Mature Content (18+): If your work contains explicit language, graphic violence, or sexual situations, you must use the Mature Content Toggle. This ensures your work is only visible to appropriate audiences.
The “Illegal” Red Line: We have zero tolerance for content involving sexual exploitation, the depiction of minors in sexual situations, or anything that violates federal law. Such content will be permanently removed and the account banned.
Flagging & Review: If a story is flagged for extreme gore, explicit exploitation, or pervasive vulgarity without a mature tag, it will be hidden until reviewed. We believe in the power of great storytelling, but as a community of professionals, we prioritize the safety and expectations of our readers above all else.
About the Peer Critique Forum:
The goal of the Ready Chapter 1 community is to: 1) help writers grow, 2) create connections, and 3) provide more opportunities for engagement.
To do so, we have the following community guidelines for feedback, content, and general behavior:
Feedback
At RC1, you give feedback before you receive it. We expect you to give the kind of feedback you’d like to receive. This is a summary of our feedback video on our resources page. That means:
- Story Score® Rubric: Please complete the Story Score® rubric provided below each story.
- Written Feedback: Write a review of at least 75 words. Feedback should include both positive aspects of the story and specific areas that need work.
Feedback You Don’t Agree With?
Feel free to:
Please avoid:
Content
A good rule of thumb is to keep your posts to TV14.
We’re not trying to limit what people write. But we are limiting what’s appropriate to post for critique. You can WRITE it however you want, just be sure to take out or [synopsize] those sections so your post doesn’t get flagged. Besides, you may want to hold back the juiciest bits so your newfound fans will buy the book! Future plans for the forum include an age-restricted toggle.
Our official policy is: As a community, we all agree to use common sense when posting. Anything that might get a TV-14 rating is acceptable. Too steamy or too bloody and it’s no longer appropriate. Even when it’s within those guidelines, if it involves language, violence, or sexual situations, you MUST use the #NSFC tag (Not Suitable For Children).
Things that will get you flagged (even with a warning):
- Extreme descriptions of bloody violence.
- Explicit sexual content, descriptions of nudity, sexual violence, or sexual exploitation
- Strong use of profanity or pervasive vulgar language.
- Depictions of drug abuse.
- Mature themes, including abuse, self-harm, or mental illness.
- Anything that could be considered child pornography.
If your work is flagged for any of the above reasons, it will be automatically removed until it can be reviewed by a moderator. We’re aiming for a balance of room for great storytelling and safety for our members. In those deliberations, safety will always come first.
Things you know, but (unfortunately!) need to be said.
We do NOT allow:
Spamming. Sharing links. Asking for or giving personal information.
Self-promotion. We are here to support and encourage one another, and work may be shared for the purpose of feedback, not sales.
Personal attacks on other community members. This includes offensive comments or jokes related to gender, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance, body size, race, or religion
Bullying or inflammatory remarks to other community members
Deliberate intimidation, stalking, or following
Threats of violence
Unwelcomed sexual attention
Trolling
Continued one-on-one communication after requests to cease
Non-consensual publication of private correspondence