DMV & Beyond  |  Virtual  |  Est. 2026

Community Guidelines & Membership Agreement

Let's Get Lit was founded on a simple truth: BIPOC authors have always been creating extraordinary work — and we deserve a space built specifically for us to grow, strategize, and thrive together. This is not just a writing group. It is a business collective, an honoring space and a publishing power table.

By joining Let's Get Lit, you agree to uphold the values and expectations outlined in this document. These guidelines exist to protect every member — especially those who are most vulnerable in publishing spaces.

01  |  Our Mission

Let's Get Lit exists to equip BIPOC authors — aspiring, debut, and indie-published — with the business knowledge, community support, and strategic tools to build sustainable author careers on their own terms.

02  |  Who We Welcome

This collective is open to:

• BIPOC persons — including Black, Indigenous, Asian, Latina, Arab, and multiracial persons

• Non-BIPOC persons, only if you are considered an ally and understand that you are a guest in this space

• Authors at any stage: aspiring/pre-published, debut, or indie/self-published

• Writers of any genre who are serious about the craft and the business

This space is intentionally not open to the general public. Membership is by invitation or application only.

03  |  Core Values

Confidentiality

What happens in Let's Get Lit, stays in Let's Get Lit. This includes:

• Unpublished manuscripts, plot details, and story concepts shared by members

• Personal or professional challenges shared within the group

• Sales data, income figures, or business details shared in confidence

Sharing a member's work, personal information, or business details outside the group without explicit permission is grounds for immediate removal and possible legal action.

Generosity

We believe there is room for all of us to win. Hoarding information, contacts, or opportunities is counter to the spirit of this collective. We share knowledge freely and celebrate each other's wins without comparison or competition.

Accountability

We hold each other to high standards with grace. Constructive feedback is welcome; tearing down is not. When harm is caused — intentional or not — we name it, address it, and repair it.

Anti-Tokenism

This space does not exist to perform diversity for others. We do not invite non-BIPOC members to observe, learn from us, or "support" us in ways that center their comfort. Our conversations, strategies, and vulnerabilities belong to us.

Intersectionality

We honor the full complexity of who we are. Colorism, anti-Blackness, mysogynoir, classism, ableism, homophobia, and other forms of harm have no place here — even when they show up in subtle forms. We commit to learning, listening, and doing better.

04  |  Expected Conduct

All members are expected to:

• Show up with intention — participate actively, not just consume

• Communicate openly — if you need to step back, say so

• Give feedback that is honest, specific, and kind

• Respect each member's process, timeline, and goals

• Avoid unsolicited critique of members' work outside designated workshop time

The following will not be tolerated:

• Harassment, bullying, or intimidation of any member

• Plagiarism or appropriation of another member's work, concepts, or ideas

• Recruiting members for personal financial schemes or unsolicited sales

• Dismissing, minimizing, or speaking over another member's experience

• Repeated no-shows without communication (more than 2 consecutive absences)

05  |  Meetings & Participation

• Meetings are held virtually on a monthly basis

• Members are encouraged to attend at least 8 out of 12 meetings per year

• Each meeting includes a wins round, a strategy topic, and a hot seat segment

• Hot seat participation is voluntary but encouraged for all members

• Meeting recordings or notes will only be shared within the group

06  |  Conflict Resolution

When conflict arises:

• First, attempt a direct, private conversation with the person involved

• If unresolved, bring it to the group facilitator/founder for mediation

• All conflict brought to leadership will be handled with care and confidentiality

• Serious violations (harassment, plagiarism, breach of confidentiality) may result in immediate removal

We handle conflict like the professionals we are — directly, honestly, and without public callouts or subtweets.

07  |  Intellectual Property

• All work shared in this group remains the sole intellectual property of its creator

• Feedback given on a member's work does not constitute co-authorship or ownership

• If a member's idea directly inspires your own work, you must notify and credit that member

• Do not use AI tools to reproduce, remix, or repurpose another member's shared content

By participating in Let's Get Lit, you agree to these guidelines.

These guidelines are a living document and may be updated as the collective grows.

Questions? Reach out to the founder before your first meeting.