Code of conduct

The Editors Tea Club’s mission is to enhance participants’ personal and professional lives by offering a fun environment in which to share and learn, commiserate and celebrate, and improve our editing and business lives through education and communication. 

We are at all times committed to providing a friendly, safe, and welcoming community, where editors who are women and/or people of underrecognized gender identities gather to support, encourage, and learn from each other.

For the purposes of this conduct code, a member is anyone who participates in Editors Tea Club (ETC) offerings. 

ETC offerings include but are not limited to the following:

  • Our Slack space, which offers daily connection with other editors and multiple channels in which to discuss a wide variety of topics both within editing and unrelated to editing.

  • Our tea parties, which offer an often-celebratory occasion to discuss work and personal topics. 

  • ETC learning sessions, which, while also welcoming seasoned speakers, offer first-time public speakers the opportunity to practice in front of small online audiences. 

  • Other get-togethers, virtual or in person.


In all of our spaces, including the ones already mentioned and future gatherings we create, the ETC expects respectful behavior. We welcome the following:

  • Laughter

  • Friendships

  • Joy

  • Successes

  • Sorrows

  • Work dilemmas

  • Praise and compliments for others

  • Personal struggles

  • Playfulness 

  • Thoughtful discussions

  • Quirky questions

  • Vulnerability

  • Personal exploration of one’s strengths

  • Heart-centered support

  • Other forms of support (this list is not exhaustive)

ETC expects that members will not participate in or perpetuate the following types of unwelcome behavior (or behaviors of a similar nature) during ETC events and discussions:

  • Condemning people for their race, ethnicity, gender expression, religion, size, disability, appearance, sexual orientation, age, national origin, work history, intelligence, or health status.

  • Personally attacking or harassing other editors, whether ETC members or not, publicly, or privately.

  • Speaking negatively about other editing organizations.

  • Disparaging clients in such a way that they can be easily identified.

    • Red flag clients or companies should be restricted to the #red-flag-alert channel: see below under “are permissible actions” for further explanation.

  • Performing repeated one-upping, wherein each person tries to outdo the next.

  • Praising takedowns of the type found on some social media, whereby the objective appears to most outsiders to be putting a person “in their place.”

  • Promoting conspiracy theories or encouraging the rejection of science or data-driven reasoning.

  • Planning or making threats regarding physical or virtual attacks on any person or any institution.

Although members are welcome to promote the types of work they do, the ETC does not otherwise allow soliciting money or donations for purposes that are not directly related to ETC organizational fundraising.

The following are permissible actions—however, these discussions should be conducted with extra care and consideration for all involved:

  • Warning other editors of “red flag” clients or companies, where “red flag” means actively soliciting work under false pretenses OR actively seeking collaboration that does not meet basic antidiscrimination tenets OR “editing” companies that provide low-value editing (such as editing that you could get with basic MS Word grammar check or similar products).

  • Comments of distaste for public figures, provided that the expression of distaste does not condemn ETC members.

  • Discussion of topical or even fundamental viewpoints on issues that are clearly approached from a standpoint of curiosity and learning—with the understanding that individuals from any one marginalized group have no obligation to represent the group in their reply.

  • Expressing outrage at public (or private) policies that discriminate against already-marginalized people.

  • Discussions about colonialism, white supremacy, sexism, ableism, homophobia, transphobia, xenophobia, and similar topics—provided such discussions aren’t used to put down ETC members.

2025 update: To the extent reasonable, please keep political discussions in the political channel on Slack. Politics has become triggering for many of our members. If a post in another thread does veer into the political or sensitive material, please provide content warnings as a courtesy.

Slack Self-Promo & Win-Jar Guidelines

Self-Promo Channel* Conduct

Anything being promoted by a member needs to be related to writing, editing, and its related communities. Any free editing-related events may continue to be posted in the #conferences-and-continuing-ed channel.


Do’s:

  • Webinars offered by Tea Club Members.

  • Books personally authored by Tea Club Members.

  • Interviews of Tea Club members.

  • Paid resources, services, and classes that benefit other editors that are offered by Tea Club members.


Don’ts:

  • Kickstarter, GoFundMe, Indiegogo, Patreon, Ko-Fi, etc., or any fundraising for personal ventures for other organizations.

    • The Teaspoon Taskforce may occasionally grant permission for personal fundraising for force majeure events. Ex: a member losing their home in a natural disaster.

Posting Etiquette

What to include in a #Self-Promo post:

  • Service or product title

  • Short blurb (50 words or under)

  • Who/what it’s for

  • Date

  • Cost

  • How to learn more (link)

  • Any discount for ETC members


Example: Hey, everyone! I’m hosting a webinar on [date] titled "How to Become the Best Editor Ever." Registration is $50, but ETC members can get a 15% discount using the code “London Fog.” Check out my website for more info! [link]

Self-Promo vs. Win-Jar

The #Win-Jar channel is for accomplishments, wins (big or small), books you’ve worked on that have won awards, and celebrations:

Channel Distinction:

#Win-Jar: I published my book today! 

#Self-Promo: I published my book today, and here's a link to check it out.

* Added in July 2025. These guidelines remain in effect even if the names of these channels are altered. 

Inadvertent Vs. Intentional 

If any unwelcome behavior occurs by accident or unintentionally, it will likely be evident once the situation has been pointed out. The instigating party’s unwillingness to admit fault or harm caused will be viewed as a sign of unwillingness to meet the Code of Conduct. The Tea Club leaders will take appropriate action based on the results of their investigation.

Reminder: Active disruption of events will not be tolerated and may result in immediate dismissal, depending on the severity of the disruption (yelling, obscenities, slurs, or threats).

Consequences

  • Anyone receiving a verbal or written caution from a Teaspoon Task Force member should consider such caution to be an official warning.

  • The Teaspoon Task Force will keep warnings confidential among the Teaspoon Task Force members; however, they will be documented.

  • Upon a third official caution, Teaspoon Task Force members are obliged to discuss the continued presence of the member and whether their presence is too disruptive. Such discussions will take place privately with at least half the Teaspoon Task Force members.

  • Intermediate consequences may include having posts removed or being personally removed from virtual meetings.

  • A member may be removed from ETC Slack access for a set period of time (e.g., 30 or 60 days).

  • Ultimate consequences may include dismissal from Slack and refusal of admittance to ETC events.

  • Witnesses to offensive behavior may bring it to the attention of any member of the Teaspoon Task Force through private message on Slack or by emailing https://www.editorsteaclub.org/contact (be aware this address is accessed by several Teaspoon Task Force members).

  • This policy applies to all members, including those who are part of the Teaspoon Task Force. If a concern is raised about a Teaspoon Task Force member, the Teaspoon Task Force members other than the party receiving the warning may convene without the offending party to discuss consequences.

Guidance

When considering the parameters, members may ask themselves the following questions:

  • Is what I’m saying both true and kind? 

  • Would I feel comfortable reading what I have written about X person on social media?

  • If I’m complaining about any editing job, is there sufficient buffer between or confidentiality surrounding me and my client that the author (or company) will not be known?

Although each person’s boundaries of good taste, humor, and personal space will differ, be alert to someone’s reaction indicating that you may be making them uncomfortable—as you would want them to do for you.