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Frequently Asked Questions
  1. Creating an account
    1. How do I know if this site is right for me?
    2. Why do you only have a thousand or two members? Haven't you been around since the mid 90's?
    3. Why do I have to provide so much information? What if I just lie?
    4. My username keeps getting rejected, what characters can I use in my name?
    5. I didn't get my password emailed to me, how do I find out what it is?
    6. I deleted my old account and I want it back!
  2. Using an account
    1. Where do I go to edit the 'about me' part, change my password and upload my photo?
    2. Where do I go so you don't email me about people commenting on my stuff, and other prefs?
    3. I don't want to mail you anything or pay you, so don't delete my account mmmkay?
    4. I'm done with this nutty site, how do I check out?
    5. Where do I go to enter my poems and stuff?
    6. How do I get help with problems not addressed here?
    7. What HTML tags can I use?
  3. Using Your Sketchpad
    1. What's a quota?
    2. What's a credit?
    3. Why can I still see works when I make them non-public?
  4. Life as a DarkPoet
    1. How do I put up my photo?
    2. Nobody comments on my works, how can I get them to?
    3. Somebody left a comment I didn't like, how do I erase it?
    4. Why is Matt so mean to everybody?
    5. I posted a poem about molestation/drugs/cutting/eating dandelions and my parents are freaking, what do I do?
    6. What's a ghost?
    7. What are the DarkPoetry Royalty Members? Can I be one?
    8. What is WorkRank™?
    9. What are these sharing icons?
  5. How the Billing System Works
    1. Can I get a refund for my account?
    2. What's the policy on upgrading from one paid level to another?
    3. What do I write on the postcard/letter?
    4. In what circumstances can my account be deleted?
    5. Where do I read the details of what upgrades I can get?
    6. I made a mistake on my billing info, how do I fix it before you charge me?
    7. I submitted my credit card info and it went through but my account hasn't changed, what's up?
    8. Where do I send all these lavish gifts and little green papers I want to bribe you with?
    9. Do you have my payment yet?
    10. What, other than money will you accept for payment? (bribes)

Creating an account

Q: How do I know if this site is right for me?
A: Our ideal member contributes works regularly, assumes that any written communication coming from others is in a positive tone when they are uncertain (non-hostile outlook), and has respect for the works and wishes of others even when they don't fully agree with or understand them. We are a diverse group, and our only required commonality is tolerance.
Q: Why do you only have a thousand or two members? Haven't you been around since the mid 90's?
A: We have, but we continually purge abandoned accounts. If we were to just leave them active we would have tens of thousands of members but it would be a bit like a poetry graveyard, most of the residents long dead and unreachable. We prefer to have a vibrant, living community.
Q: Why do I have to provide so much information? What if I just lie?
A: You can lie, but we use the information only for validating payments. It is not sold to other companies or anything like that and never will be as long as I have something to say about it.
Q: My username keeps getting rejected, what characters can I use in my name?
A: Only standard ASCII letters, numbers, spaces and underscores.
Q: I didn't get my password emailed to me, how do I find out what it is?
A: Wait up to 48 hours, or use the password mailer. If you still don't have it, please email the passmistress with your username and she will send your password to the email address in your account. If you are not using that address anymore then we have problems.
Q: I deleted my old account and I want it back!
A: Hey, that's not a question. But you do need to contact us and we can reactivate it. Get help here
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Using an account

Q: Where do I go to edit the 'about me' part, change my password and upload my photo?
A: Be logged in, then go Here.
Q: Where do I go so you don't email me about people commenting on my stuff, and other prefs?
A: Be logged in, then go Here.
Q: I don't want to mail you anything or pay you, so don't delete my account mmmkay?
A: Mmmkay. Don't get your hopes up.
Q: I'm done with this nutty site, how do I check out?
A: Be logged in, then go Here.
Q: Where do I go to enter my poems and stuff?
A: Be (you guessed it) logged in, then go Here.
Q: How do I get help with problems not addressed here?
A: First stop should be Here if you are able to log into your account. Otherwise contact support as listed here or for a possibly faster answer Members Helping Members
Q: What HTML tags can I use?
A: These: <p> <a> <font> <i> <u> <blockquote> <ul> <b> <br> <img> <strong> <strike>
Note that some account levels are not allowed markup at all.
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Using Your Sketchpad

Q: What's a quota?
A: It's the amount of information you are allowed to store on our server in kilobytes. If you don't know what that is, don't worry about it until you notice the two numbers are getting to be about the same, that means you're about full and need more room.
Q: What's a credit?
A: A person with a credit can post a poem, story or whatnot to their profile. Ten credits equals 10 poems or other works.
Q: Why can I still see works when I make them non-public?
A: Because you can always see your own works. Log out if you want to see it as others do.
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Life as a DarkPoet

Q: How do I put up my photo?
A: Provided your account is of high enough standing, you can go here and you should see a field called "Picture" that will have a button that lets you select a picture from your computer and upload it to your profile. Allow 30 minutes for the picture to update to our static content server.
Q: Nobody comments on my works, how can I get them to?
A: Leave comments on their works. You'll soon notice the most commented-on poets are the ones who have done the most commenting. Always return the favor when someone treats you to their thoughts as well.
Q: Somebody left a comment I didn't like, how do I erase it?
A: If you are a contributing member, you will see an [X] icon next to the [Reply] link. Click that to remove the comment. If you are not a contributing member, please upgrade to take full advantage of your account.
Q: Why is Matt so mean to everybody?
A: Well ee's just zis guy you know. He helps you if he is aware of you helping him or others, but he really is a bit of a tyrant to people who don't think for themselves or try to get something for nothing from others. His reaction tends to be a reflection of your own behavior.
Q: I posted a poem about molestation/drugs/cutting/eating dandelions and my parents are freaking, what do I do?
A: I suggest you (gasp) talk to them about it. Parents sometimes have reasonably intelligent things to say to help you. And when they don't, there are other avenues to get help. Take care of yourself and get help if you are out of control, nobody else will in this dog eat dog world.
Q: What's a ghost?
A: It's either an invisible person or someone who isn't signed in with a DP account. A "Guest" if you will.
Q: What are the DarkPoetry Royalty Members? Can I be one?
A: Royalty is a reward given to some of our long time members who have displayed exceptional talent or been critical to the continuing growth and development of DarkPoetry. If you ask to be among these people, you are almost certainly not the kind of person likely to be included. If you make an effort to make friends around DP, always think of the needs of others, and go out of your way not to cause anyone trouble, you are less unlikely to find yourself so honored someday.
Q: What is WorkRank™?
A: WorkRank is our own secret algorithm for determining the importance of member's works. The scores range from 1-100 with the VAST majority of works scoring 0 or 1. It's nearly impossible to go over 50 however in practice. If your rank is above 1, you know you have a well above average work. Over time WorkRank will increase as your work is exposed to more and more people. WorkRank is calculated nightly and may change from day to day. Having a high WorkRank increases the chance your work will be featured.
Q: What are these sharing icons?
A: They are simply a new kind of link, allowing people to store your works in their bookmarks online. The difference is that these bookmarks can be shared with others or viewed by others. Note that these links do not allow your privacy to be violated in any way because if a work is members-only and the visitor is not a logged in member they will not show up.
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How the Billing System Works

Q: Can I get a refund for my account?
A: The purpose of the refund policy is to give people comfort that they can try DP out without risk.

You can get a refund if you ask for it within 14 days of joining on a monthly/quarterly basis (first month only!), or 30 days of joining on an annual basis.

If upgrading your account, full remaining credit is usually given, see the FAQ on that topic for more info. Refunds for credit card payments are put back on your card, and mailed checks/mo/cash are refunded by a mailed check please allow several weeks for check->check refunds as we must have assurance of your own check's clearance.

Downgrades of accounts will not qualify for any refund.
Q: What do I write in my postcard/letter?
A: At the least, your username on DP (don't go changing it in the meanwhile) and your email address. You can include drawings, poems, or anything else you think might amuse us so long as we don't have to pay added postage, which really really doesn't amuse us at all.
Q: In what circumstances can my account be deleted?
A:
1. You have never had your account above Postcard level, and more than one year has passed since you last sent a postcard.
2. You were a trial member who never sent in a postcard. Accounts generally delete after 90 days.
3. Otherwise the answer is, your account won't be deleted.
Q: Where do I read the details of what upgrades I can get?
A: Here.
Q: I made a mistake on my billing info, how do I fix it before you charge me?
A: If you delete the billing info you submit prior to 7am EST the following day, you will never be charged at all. So, if you make a mistake, delete the billing info and re-submit it.
Q: I submitted my credit card info and it went through but my account hasn't changed, what's up?
A: Due to stone age processing methods, it usually takes 1-2 business days for the accounts to be upgraded. We hope to remedy this in the future.
Q: Where do I send all these lavish gifts and little green papers I want to bribe you with?
A: All your answers along this line can be answered by selecting the appropriate 'UPGRADE' link Here.
Q: Do you have my payment yet?
A: Is your account upgraded yet? No? Then no, I have not.
Q: What, other than money will you accept for payment? (bribes)
A: Non-reactive, non-radioactive metals... like gold! But seriously, I do collect rare, old and ordinary foreign (home is USA) currency, coins and even a few notes. I will generally reward this sort of gift at least double it's actual value in terms of what you get on DP. Otherwise I prefer not to accept items at this time as my house fills up with things I don't really need fast enough on it's own. Don't take chances though. If you want to be sure I'll like the bribe you're planning to send before you send it, send me a DPmail!
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