Our terms and conditions are fairly straightforward:
Sadie Writes exists to encourage children and young writers to develop creativity, imagination, and confidence through original storytelling. By submitting stories or using the Website, you agree to the following terms.
We reserve the right not to publish stories if they do not meet our guidelines or if we do not consider them suitable for the Website. The Editor’s decision is final, and we do not enter into discussions regarding unpublished submissions.
Submitting a story grants Sadie Writes the non-exclusive right to publish that story on the Website, in newsletters, and in promotional material related to Sadie Writes. Stories remain the copyright of the author, and authors are free to submit their work elsewhere in addition to Sadie Writes.
However, we generally expect stories submitted to Sadie Writes to be fresh, original work created specifically for our weekly prompts and creative challenges.
We do not normally remove published stories at the author’s request. Once published, stories may remain part of the Sadie Writes archive.
Original Work and AI-Generated Content
Sadie Writes is intended to help children practise and improve their own writing skills.
Stories submitted to Sadie Writes must therefore be written by the child author themselves.
The following are not permitted:
- AI-generated stories
- Stories substantially written or rewritten using artificial intelligence tools, including ChatGPT or similar services
- Plagiarised or copied work
- Stories taken from books, websites, or other writers
Spellcheck and minor grammar tools are acceptable, but the ideas, characters, plot, and writing itself should come from the child author.
We reserve the right to reject or remove stories that we believe:
- are AI-generated,
- copied from another source,
- or do not reflect genuine creative effort.
Repeated misuse of the Website may result in suspension from future submissions.
Submission
Authors are expected to complete submission forms honestly and without intent to deceive.
Writers may use a pen name or pseudonym publicly, but we may require a real first name and contact email for administrative purposes.
Parents or guardians may submit stories on behalf of younger children.
Email Subscriptions
By subscribing to Sadie Writes, you agree that we may send:
- weekly writing prompts,
- competition announcements,
- publishing updates,
- and occasional news related to the Website.
Email addresses will never be sold to third parties.
You may unsubscribe at any time using the unsubscribe link included in our emails.
Behaviour and Community Standards
Sadie Writes aims to provide a safe, welcoming, and encouraging environment for young writers of different ages.
Stories, comments, usernames, and communications must not:
- contain bullying, abusive, hateful, or discriminatory material,
- contain explicit sexual or graphic violent content,
- encourage dangerous or illegal behaviour,
- contain personal information such as addresses, phone numbers, passwords, or school details,
- or harass other users, editors, or staff.
We reserve the right to remove inappropriate content and restrict access to users who do not follow these standards.
Moderation
Sadie Writes reserves the right to:
- shorten submissions where necessary,
- moderate comments,
- refuse publication,
- or remove content at any time.
We are not obliged to publish every submission we receive.
Responsibility for Submitted Content
Authors and parents/guardians remain entirely responsible for ensuring submitted content is lawful, original, and appropriate.
Sadie Writes accepts no responsibility for the actions or content of individual contributors.
Privacy and Child Safety
Protecting children’s privacy is extremely important to us.
Children should never publish personal information such as:
- full names,
- home addresses,
- school names,
- phone numbers,
- or passwords.
Parents and guardians are encouraged to supervise children’s use of the Website.
Please also review our Privacy Policy for information about how personal data is collected and used.
Changes to These Terms
We may update these Terms & Conditions from time to time.
Continued use of the Website means you accept any updated version.
Contact
If you have questions about these Terms & Conditions, please contact us.