Database inclusion policy
firstwriter.com is a pay-to-use community of writers who share information about publishers, magazines, competitions, literary agents and other resources for writers online. This page describes our policy regarding our listings of these resources. It includes:
- Why and how a resource is listed;
- Who is allowed to update a listing; and
- Under what circumstance a listing will be removed.
Why and how a resource is listed
A listing is created about a resource when details of that resource are submitted via one of the online forms we provide for submitting such details, by one of our users, a researcher, or by a representative of the resource in question. This will be cleared for inclusion on the site for the benefit of subscribers usually within two weeks, subject to checking, and providing it reaches our minimum listing requirements, which are as follows:
- the existence of the resource is independently verifiable;
- the name of the resource is provided;
- at least one genre of material handled is selected;
- at least one valid means of contact is provided;
- a full and accurate description of the resource and / or its policies is included; and
- the listing is truthful in every respect and does not mislead or give a false or restricted view of the resource.
If these minimum requirements are not met the listing will either not be posted or we will, where possible / appropriate, conduct research to bring the listing up to the minimum required level.
firstwriter.com may at its discretion omit, add, or edit material in a listing if it is felt to be in the interest of the database.
Who is allowed to update a listing
Anyone can suggest changes to a listing through the listing submission forms, or the error reporting facilities available to subscribers. Suggestions for changes will be checked for accuracy and to ensure they meet the minimum requirements, and if approved will normally be applied within two weeks. firstwriter.com may at the same time make additional changes to the listing at the same time, and may at its discretion omit, add, or edit material in a listing if it is felt to be in the interest of the database.
Under what circumstances a listing will be removed
Listings are never removed from firstwriter.com, but will be marked as inactive (and thereby removed from normal searches) if we receive independently verifiable information that the resource has ceased to operate and under no other circumstances.