Last Updated: 10/14/2025

These Terms and Conditions ("Terms") govern your membership in The Writers' Forge (the "Membership"), an online writing community and educational resource operated by Rebecca E. Schmuck, Owner of The Write Author (the "Owner," "We," "Us"). By enrolling in the Membership, you agree to be bound by these Terms.

1. Membership, Payment, and Billing

1.1 Subscription Basis

The Membership is offered on a subscription basis, available in monthly or annual payment tiers, as selected during enrollment. Access is granted only upon receipt of the initial payment.

1.2 Lifetime Rate Lock (Founding Members)

Members enrolling during the Founding Member enrollment period (including the "First Fourteen" tier) will receive a guaranteed, locked-in lifetime rate. This means your monthly or annual subscription fee will never increase for as long as you maintain continuous membership and remain in good standing with the community. If your membership lapses (cancellation followed by re-enrollment), you will be subject to the current rate at the time of re-enrollment.

1.3 Automatic Renewal

All subscriptions are set to automatically renew at the end of the selected billing cycle (monthly or annually) for your convenience. You authorize us to charge your payment method for the applicable subscription fee on the renewal date.

1.4 Price Increases

This clause applies to non-Founding Members only. We reserve the right to modify subscription prices for new enrollments or for existing members (excluding those with a lifetime rate lock) upon providing 30 days written notice.

2. Minimum Commitment, Cancellation, and Refunds

2.1 Mandatory Six-Month Minimum Commitment

To ensure community integrity, consistency, and a serious investment in craft, all members are required to enroll for a minimum initial commitment of six (6) consecutive months ("Minimum Term"). This Minimum Term applies regardless of the chosen monthly or annual billing cycle.

2.2 Cancellation During Minimum Term

If a member enrolled on a Monthly plan chooses to cancel their auto-renewal before the 6-month Minimum Term is completed, the member will continue to be billed monthly until the full six-month commitment is satisfied. The member retains full access to the Membership and its resources during this time.

2.3 Annual Membership Cancellation

Annual memberships are billed in full at the time of enrollment. The annual fee is non-refundable. Cancellation of the auto-renewal for an Annual Membership will take effect at the end of the paid 12-month period.

2.4 Refund Policy

Due to the immediate access granted to digital resources, community access, and live events, all fees paid for the Membership are strictly non-refundable. This includes, but is not limited to, the initial 6-month payment obligation and any subsequent renewal charges.

2.5 Termination of Auto-Renewal

To stop auto-renewal, the member must cancel the subscription via their billing portal before the next scheduled payment date. Access will cease at the end of the paid term.

3. Community Rules and Conduct

3.1 Owner-Operated Space

The Writers' Forge operates on a private, owner-operated platform. While we do not believe in censorship of genres or themes, we reserve the right to manage the space to ensure a professional, supportive, and focused environment.

3.2 Prohibited Conduct

Members agree to adhere to a code of respectful conduct. Prohibited activities include, but are not limited to: hate speech, harassment, bullying, excessive self-promotion (outside of designated channels), spamming, or sharing of copyrighted Membership content.

3.3 Termination of Membership

The Owner reserves the right to immediately terminate the membership of any user who violates these Terms, or whose conduct is deemed detrimental to the community, without refund.

4. Intellectual Property (IP)

4.1 Member's Work (Your IP)

Any work, including manuscript excerpts, drafts, ideas, outlines, or concepts ("Member Content") shared by you within The Writers' Forge (e.g., in the Feedback Forum or Sprint & Share) remains the sole intellectual property of the member who created it. By sharing Member Content, you grant other members and the Owner a limited, non-transferable, non-exclusive license to read, view, and critique the shared material within the confines of the Membership platform only. No reproduction, distribution, or public display of any Member Content is permitted without the express written consent of the author.

4.2 Membership Content (Our IP)

All content provided by the Owner within the Membership, including but not limited to, all instructional materials, process guides, templates, video recordings (Q&A, Writer Talks), course material, and the organization of the site ("Membership Content") remains the sole property of The Write Author. You are granted a limited, revocable, non-exclusive, non-transferable license to access and use the Membership Content for your personal writing development only. Sharing, selling, or distributing any Membership Content outside of The Writers' Forge is strictly prohibited.

4.3 Testimonial Consent

By sharing feedback or testimonials about the Owner or the Membership, you grant the Owner the right to use, publish, and display such feedback (with or without attribution, as determined by the Owner) for marketing and promotional purposes.

5. Disclaimer and Limitation of Liability

5.1 No Guarantee of Outcome

The Owner provides educational resources and mentorship to support your writing journey. We make no guarantee that your enrollment in The Writers' Forge will result in publication, literary agent representation, or any specific level of income. Your success depends entirely on your personal effort, skill, and market conditions.

5.2 Professional Services

The Membership is not a substitute for the Owner's professional, one-on-one services (e.g., Manuscript Review Services). While general advice is given, specific, personalized coaching or editing requires a separate service contract.