Community Guidelines
Creating a safe and welcoming space for horror writers and readers.
Our Community Values
Instant Scare is a community built on respect, creativity, and the shared love of horror fiction. These guidelines help ensure that our platform remains a welcoming space for writers and readers of all backgrounds and experience levels.
Horror is a diverse genre that explores fear in many forms. We encourage creative expression while maintaining standards that keep our community safe and respectful for everyone.
Content Guidelines
- ✓ Original content only - Submit your own work and respect copyright
- ✓ Appropriate horror themes - Focus on supernatural, psychological, or thriller elements
- ✓ Quality writing - Proofread and edit your work before submission
- ✓ Proper tagging - Use appropriate content warnings when necessary
- ✓ Reasonable length - Keep stories concise and impactful
Prohibited Content
- ✗ Explicit sexual content - No erotic or pornographic material
- ✗ Hate speech - No content targeting protected groups or individuals
- ✗ Real violence - No glorification of actual harm or violence
- ✗ Self-harm promotion - No content encouraging suicide or self-injury
- ✗ Personal information - No doxxing or sharing private data
- ✗ Spam and advertising - No promotional content or repetitive posts
Community Behavior
How we interact with each other matters as much as the content we create. We expect all community members to engage respectfully and constructively.
- ✓ Respectful feedback - Offer constructive criticism with kindness
- ✓ Civil discussions - Disagree without being disagreeable
- ✓ Credit where due - Acknowledge inspiration and collaboration
- ✓ Report issues - Help us maintain community standards
Content Warnings
Some horror themes may be sensitive for certain readers. While we don't require explicit warnings for standard horror elements, we encourage responsible tagging for potentially triggering content.
Consider using warnings for content that includes:
- Graphic violence or gore
- Death or suicide themes
- Medical or body horror
- Abuse or trauma themes
- Animal harm
Enforcement
We take community guidelines seriously and may take action against content or accounts that violate these standards.
Possible actions include:
- Content removal or editing
- Temporary account suspension
- Permanent account termination
- Reporting to authorities when necessary
We reserve the right to remove content that violates these guidelines at our discretion.
Appeals Process
If you believe your content was removed in error or you want to appeal a moderation decision, please contact us with a detailed explanation of your situation.
We review all appeals carefully and respond within a reasonable timeframe. Mistakes happen, and we're committed to fair and consistent enforcement of these guidelines.
Guideline Updates
These guidelines may evolve as our community grows. We'll notify users of significant changes and update the "Last updated" date below.