Terms of Service
Terms of Use
Last Modified: January 10, 2025
Hello fellow writers and people of the internet! We’re glad you’re here and hope you find our website useful. Shut Up & Write!® provides writers of all genres with the accountability, community, and resources they need to get their writing done. This site is maintained as a service to our customers, registered users, and fellow writers. Please read the Terms of Use carefully before you start to use this website. If you click to accept these terms, you acknowledge you have read, understand, and agree to be bound by the following terms of use. If you do not agree to these terms, you should not use this site. Shut Up & Write!® is a community of writers all over the world. We also know people will only build community if they feel safe and we have drafted some rules and guidelines with this idea in mind.
Acceptance of the Terms of Use
These terms of use are an agreement between You and Shut Up and Write!® (”Company,” “we,” or “us”). Together, with the other documents for using this Website (all together, the “Terms of Use” or sometimes just “Terms”), these Terms of use expressly reference, control your use of shutupwrite.com, including any content, functionality, products, apps, technologies, and services of shutupwrite.com (the “Website”).
This Website is offered and available to users who are 13 years of age or older. You represent that you are of legal age to form a binding contract with the Company and meet all of the foregoing eligibility requirements. If you do not meet all of these requirements, you must not use the Website.
Changes to the Terms of Use
We may revise and update these Terms of Use from time to time. All changes are effective immediately when we post them. Your continued use of the Website following the posting of revised Terms of Use means that you accept and agree to the changes.
Code of Conduct
Shut Up & Write is a community that values inclusivity, kindness, respect, and support. To best promote these values, we provide a written Code of Conduct and we ask all users to familiarize themselves with the principles inside. Members who violate our Code of Conduct may be removed from our website at any time.
Accessing the Website and Account Security
We reserve the right to withdraw or amend this Website, and any Service or material we provide on the Website without notice. You accept this could result in all or part of the Website being unavailable. We will not be liable if all or any part of the Website is unavailable at any time.
To access the Website and some of the resources it offers, you may be asked to provide information about yourself. Each time you use the Website, you agree that all the information you provide on the Website is correct, current, and complete and that you have the right and authority to provide that information. You also agree that all information you provide to register with this Website is governed by our Privacy Policy.
If you choose, or are provided with, a user name, password, or any other piece of information as part of our security procedures, you must treat such information as confidential. You agree to notify us immediately if anyone else gains access to or use of your user name or password or any other breach of security. We may disable any user name, password, or other identifier, whether chosen by you or provided by us, at any time in our sole discretion for any or no reason, including, in our opinion, for a violation of these Terms of Use.
Intellectual Property and Brand Use
Ownership
Shut Up & Write!® (SUAW) owns all rights to our name, logo, methodology, and other brand assets. These are protected by copyright and trademark laws.
Limited License
We offer a limited, free-to-use license that allows you to use the SUAW methodology and branding as long as you follow our methodology and our branding and usage guidelines. This includes appropriate attribution, following event structure, and not modifying our brand or using it for commercial purposes.
What You Can’t Do
You may not:
Alter or remix our logos, colors, or naming.
Suggest that your event is officially sponsored by SUAW unless we’ve confirmed it.
Sell services, products, or events using our name or branding without our written permission.
Compliance with Licensing Agreement
By using SUAW's trademarks, logos, branding assets, or other proprietary materials, you agree to comply with the terms outlined in the SUAW Limited Open License Agreement.
Reporting Misuse
If you become aware of any unauthorized use of SUAW's trademarks, logos, branding assets, or other proprietary materials, please contact us at questions@shutupwrite.com.
Our Website's Intellectual Property
The Website and its entire contents, features, and functionality are owned by the Company, its licensors, or other providers of such material. Any ideas, suggestions, and feedback about us, our Website, or our Services that you provide to us are entirely voluntary, and you agree that Shut Up & Write!® may use such ideas, suggestions, and feedback without compensation or obligation to you.
These Terms of Use permit you to use the Website for your personal, non-commercial use only. You must not reproduce, distribute, modify, create derivative works of, publicly display, publicly perform, republish, download, store, or transmit any of the material on our Website, except as your computer or web browser may automatically cache or store when accessing the Website. Any use of the Website not expressly permitted by these Terms of Use is a breach of these Terms of Use and could result in the termination of your right to use the Website.
Your Intellectual Property
Content you have created belongs to you. We believe you should be free to share your content with anyone else, whenever you want. In order for us to use your content, including any User Contribution, you will need to give us permission to use your content.
Pertaining to your content that you choose to post publicly on our Website, you agree to grant us a non-exclusive, perpetual, irrevocable, transferable, sub-licensable, royalty-free, and worldwide license to use, distribute, modify, copy, display, translate, reproduce, perform, modify, adapt, prepare derivative works from and otherwise exercise editorial functions and disclose to third parties all or a portion of your content. These intellectual property policies are intended to protect you, us, and our members.
Prohibited Uses
You may use the Website only for lawful purposes and in accordance with these Terms of Use. You agree not to use the Website:
In any way for an illegal purpose.
For the purpose of exploiting, harming, or attempting to exploit or harm minors in any way by exposing them to inappropriate content, asking for personally identifiable information, or otherwise.
To send, knowingly receive, upload, download, use, or re-use any material that does not comply with the Content Standards set out in these Terms of Use.
To impersonate or attempt to impersonate anyone else (including us).
To engage in any other conduct that restricts or inhibits anyone’s use or enjoyment of the Website, or which, as determined by us, may harm the Company or users of the Website, or expose them to liability.
To use the Website in any manner that could damage, impair or gain unauthorized access to the Website or interfere with any other party’s use of the Website.
User Contributions
The Website may contain interactive features (“Interactive Services”) that allow users to post, submit, publish, display, or transmit to other users or other persons (“post”) content or materials (collectively, “User Contributions”) on or through the Website. The information you include in a User Contribution will be seen by others. All User Contributions must comply with our Content Standards.
You represent and warrant that:
You own or control all rights in and to the User Contributions and have the right to grant us, our affiliates and our service providers the license described in these Terms.
All of your User Contributions comply with these Terms.
You understand and acknowledge that you are responsible for any User Contributions you submit or contribute, and you, not the Company, have full responsibility for such content, including its legality, reliability, accuracy, and appropriateness. You further acknowledge we may exercise the editorial options of your User Contribution we mentioned earlier in these Terms, such as decisions regarding the publication, withdrawal, postponement, or alteration of content (e.g., correcting spelling, removing obscenity, or trimming for length), which could result in the removal of a portion or all of your User Contributions in our sole discretion.
Content Standards
These content standards apply to any and all User Contributions and use of Interactive Services. We want Shut Up & Write!® to be a welcoming and safe place for our members, guests and fellow writers. User Contributions must comply with all applicable federal, state, local, and international laws, and regulations. Without limiting the foregoing, User Contributions must not:
Contain any material that is defamatory, obscene, lewd, lascivious, filthy, excessively violent, indecent, abusive, offensive, harassing, violent, hateful, inflammatory, or otherwise objectionable.
Promote sexually explicit or pornographic material, violence, or discrimination based on race, sex, religion, nationality, disability, sexual orientation, or age.
Infringe any patent, trademark, trade secret, copyright, or other intellectual property or other rights of any other person.
Violate the legal rights (including the rights of publicity and privacy) of others or contain any material that could give rise to any civil or criminal liability under applicable laws or regulations or that otherwise may be in conflict with these Terms of Use and our Privacy Policy and other policies.
Be likely to deceive any person.
Promote any illegal activity, or advocate, promote, or assist any unlawful act.
Intentionally or due to negligence cause annoyance, inconvenience, or needless anxiety or be likely to upset, bully, embarrass, alarm, or annoy any other person.
Impersonate any person (including us), or misrepresent your identity or affiliation with any person or organization.
Involve commercial activities or sales, such as contests, sweepstakes, and other sales promotions, barter, or advertising.
Give the impression that they come from or are endorsed by us or any other person or entity, if this is not the case.
Monitoring and Enforcement; Termination
If we determine that you or anyone else has violated our terms and policies or could create liability for the Company, or for any or no reason, we may take a variety of actions to stop the behavior, from asking you nicely to knock it off up to banning accounts. If we must, we will take appropriate legal action, including referral to or cooperation with law enforcement authorities or a court order requesting us to disclose identity or other information, for any illegal or unauthorized use of the Website. You agree to waive and hold harmless the Company, its affiliates, licensees, and service providers from any claims resulting from any action from or during such investigations.
Please be kind to each other and don’t do stupid things on our Website. We want to try to keep ourselves, our members, and others safe.
Although we may try, we cannot review all material before it is posted on the Website, and cannot ensure prompt removal of objectionable material after it has been posted. Accordingly, we assume no liability for any action or inaction regarding transmissions, communications, or content provided by any user or third party. We have no liability or responsibility to anyone for performance or nonperformance of the activities described in this section.
Copyright Infringement
If you believe that any User Contributions violate your copyright, please see our Copyright Policy for instructions on sending us a notice of copyright infringement. It is the policy of the Company to terminate the user accounts of repeat infringers.
Reliance on Information Posted
The information presented on or through the Website is made available solely for general information purposes. We do not guarantee or warrant the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of this information. Any reliance you place on such information is strictly at your own risk. We disclaim all liability and responsibility arising from any reliance placed on such materials by you or any other visitor to the Website, or by anyone who may be informed of any of its content
This Website may include content provided by third parties, including writers like yourself. All statements and/or opinions expressed in these materials, and all articles and responses to questions and other content are solely the opinions and the responsibility of the person or entity providing those materials. We are not responsible, or liable to you or any third party, for the content or accuracy of any materials provided by any third parties.
Online Purchases and Other Terms and Conditions
All purchases through our Website are governed by our Terms of Sale.
Linking to the Website and Social Media Features
You may link to our homepage, provided you do so in a way that is fair, legal, and does not damage our reputation or take advantage of it, but you must not establish a link in such a way as to suggest any form of association, approval, or endorsement on our part.
This Website may provide certain social media features that enable you to:
Link from your own or certain third-party websites to certain content on this Website.
Send emails or other communications with certain content, or links to certain content, on this Website.
Cause limited portions of content on this Website to be displayed or appear to be displayed on your own or certain third-party websites.
You may use these features solely as they are provided by us and solely for the content created by Shut Up and Write!® and otherwise in accordance with any additional terms and conditions we provide regarding these features. Subject to the foregoing, you must not:
Establish a link from any website that is not owned by you.
Cause the Website or portions of it to be displayed on, or appear to be displayed by, any other site, for example, framing, deep linking, or in-line linking.
Otherwise take any action with respect to the materials on this Website that is inconsistent with any other provision of these Terms of Use.
The website from which you are linking, or on which you make certain content accessible, must comply in all respects with the Content Standards set out in these Terms of Use. You agree to cooperate with us in causing any unauthorized framing or linking immediately to stop. We reserve the right to withdraw linking permission without notice.
Links from the Website
If our Website contains links to other sites and resources provided by third parties, these links are provided for your convenience only. We have no control over the contents of those sites or resources and accept no responsibility for them or for any loss or damage that may arise from your use of them. If you decide to access any of the third-party websites linked to this Website, you do so entirely at your own risk and subject to the terms and conditions of use for such websites.
Geographic Restrictions
The owner of the Website is based in the State of California in the United States. We make no claims that the Website or any of its content is accessible or appropriate outside of the United States. Access to the Website may not be legal by certain persons or in certain countries. Your access to the Website is on your own initiative and you are responsible for your compliance with local laws. To operate our global service, we need to store and distribute content and data in places that may be outside your country of residence. By opting in to our policies, you acknowledge and accept this and can read more in our Privacy Policy.
Disclaimer of Warranties
Although we attempt to make your access to and use of our Website and Services safe, do not guarantee that our Website or Services will be free of viruses or other destructive code. Your use of the Website, its content, and any services or items obtained through the Website, is at your own risk. The Website, its content, and any services or items obtained through the Website are provided on an “as is” and “as available” basis, without warranties of any kind, either express or implied, including, but not limited to, implied warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, and non-infringement. We do not warrant that the Website is accurate, complete, reliable, current, or error free. To the extent allowed by law, the Company hereby disclaims all warranties, whether express, implied, statutory or otherwise. The foregoing does not affect any warranties that cannot be excluded or limited under applicable law.
Limitation on Liability
To the extent provided by law, the Company, its affiliates or their licensors, service providers, employees, agents, officers or directors will not be liable for damages of any kind, including indirect, consequential, exemplary, incidental, special, or punitive damages, or lost profits, under any legal theory, including contract, tort, negligence, strict liability, warranty, or otherwise, arising out of or in connection with your use, or inability to use, the Website or our Services. To the fullest extent provided by law, in no event will the collective liability of the company and its subsidiaries and affiliates, and their licensors, service providers, employees, agents, officers, and directory, to any party (regardless of the form of action, whether in contract, tort or otherwise) exceed the greater of $100.00 or the amount you have paid to the Company in the previous six months for the applicable content, product or service out of which the liability arose. The limitation of liability set out above does not apply to liability resulting from our gross negligence or willful misconduct or death or bodily injury caused by products you purchase through the site. THE FOREGOING DOES NOT AFFECT ANY LIABILITY THAT CANNOT BE EXCLUDED OR LIMITED UNDER APPLICABLE LAW.
Indemnification
You agree to defend, indemnify, and hold harmless the Company, its employees, and its affiliates from and against any claims, liabilities, damages, costs, expenses, or fees (including reasonable attorneys’ fees) arising out of or relating to your violation of these Terms of Use, your use of the Website, Services or products including, but not limited to, your User Contributions, or your violation of applicable laws or regulations.
Governing Law and Jurisdiction
We want you to enjoy our Website and Services, so if you have an issue or dispute, you agree to raise it and try to resolve it with us informally. You can contact us with feedback and concerns here or by emailing us at
Any claims arising out of or relating to these Terms or the Services will be governed by the laws of the State of California, other than its conflict of law rules (whether of California or any other jurisdiction). All disputes related to these Terms or the Services will be brought solely in the federal or state courts located in San Francisco, California, and you consent to personal jurisdiction in these courts. We retain the right to bring any suit, action, or proceeding against you for breach of these Terms of Use in your country of residence or any other relevant country.
Arbitration
At our discretion, we may require you to submit disputes between you and us to final and binding arbitration under the Rules of Arbitration of JAMS applying California law, unless this would be in conflict with other Company policies or legal rules.
Arbitration proceedings are ways to resolve disputes without use of the court system and you should consider asking a lawyer about this. By entering into agreements that require arbitration as the way to resolve fee disputes, you give up (waive) your right to go to court to resolve those disputes by a judge or jury. These are important rights that should not be given up without careful consideration. You acknowledge that you have been informed that the grounds for appeal of an arbitration award are very limited compared to a court judgment or jury verdict.
Limitation on Time to File Claims
Any cause of action or claim you may have arising out of or relating to these Terms, the Website or our Services must be commenced within one (1) year after the cause of action accrues; otherwise, such cause of action or claim is permanently barred.
Consent to Electronic Communication
When you visit the Website, chat with us or send email to us, you are communicating with us electronically. You agree that we may treat specific actions by you, such as checking boxes to receive email updates, sending us an email directly or through the shutupwrite.com Website, providing an email address in a chat conversation, or leaving a telephone message with an email address for customer service to respond, as a request that we communicate with you, which will likely be through email. If you request we contact you, you authorize us to use email with your personal information, which is not always secure and could be read others.
Legal Equivalency
This electronic document, along with the other electronic documents, policies and guidelines of our Website are signed “writings” and electronic records established and maintained in the ordinary course of business.
Waiver and Severability
Our failure to exercise or enforce any right or provision of these Terms will not operate as a waiver of such right or provision. Also, if any provision of these Terms is, for any reason, held to be illegal, invalid, or unenforceable, the rest of the Terms will remain in effect.
Entire Agreement
The Terms of Use, Privacy Policy, Terms of Sale, and other Policies of this Website are the entire agreement between you and Shut Up & Write!® regarding your use of our Website and Services.
Your Comments and Concerns
This website is operated by Shut Up & Write!®
All feedback, comments, requests for technical support, and other communications relating to the Website should be directed to:
2261 Market Street #4978
San Francisco, CA 94114