NINC Code of Conduct

Novelists, Inc. (NINC) is a nonprofit organization which focuses on networking, education, and advocacy for professional authors of book-length fiction. Based in the US, we welcome members from all over the world. NINC’s code of conduct for members encompasses three basic principles: professionalism, privacy, and inclusion.

We belong to NINC because we are professionals, and we conduct ourselves professionally within NINC.

Our members exemplify professionalism by treating other industry professionals with courtesy and respect. Free speech and vigorous debate are encouraged by NINC, but personal insults, ad hominem attacks, offensive slurs, lewd language, belittling others, bullying, threats, and/or destructive or disruptive behavior are unacceptable. Violations of our anti-harassment/anti-discrimination policy are also unacceptable.

NINC members are also expected to exemplify professional conduct in all aspects of their writing careers. Engaging in conduct like plagiarism or piracy, for example, is unacceptable for a member of this organization even if it occurs entirely outside of NINC.

NINC members benefit from sharing and exchanging their knowledge about the business and craft of writing and publishing fiction, dealing with the various challenges of this profession, and maintaining a long-term career as a novelist.

The frankness and vibrancy of NINC discussions rely on all members respecting this organization’s longtime culture of privacy. We don’t share, forward, re-post, or publicly expose discussions from NINC’s members-only social media groups (e-lists and Facebook) or internal discussions among committee or board members. We don’t quote outside of NINC what someone has said within NINC unless we have explicit permission from that member to do so. We never use our access to discussions or information in NINC to embarrass others.

We don’t share a member’s personal contact information, to which we have access in NINC, outside of NINC. And when using such contact information within NINC, we do so only for appropriate reasons.

Novelists, Inc. (NINC) is committed to welcoming a diverse and inclusive membership and to serving all members equally well. No author shall be discriminated against on the basis of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, sexual orientation, or gender identity), national origin, age, disability, or genetic information (including family medical history).

Our organization includes writers across a very broad range of backgrounds, perspectives, geographic locations, and experiences. We will not always agree. We may not always understand each other. But we can and should always foster a welcoming and supportive environment where all members feel accepted and respected.

In NINC we acknowledge that every writer’s choices are valid for them. Whether someone is traditionally published, self-published, or hybrid, whether someone writes under one name or under multiple names, whether someone writes full-time or part-time, whether their writing and publishing pace is “fast” or “slow,” each NINC member is an accomplished professional following their own path.