This summary is here to make things easy to understand at a glance. It doesn’t replace the full Terms of Service below/linked — if there’s ever a conflict between this summary and the full Terms, the full Terms govern.
Who can use the Platform: You need to be at least 13 (or 16, depending on where you live), and you’re responsible for keeping your account info accurate and your login secure.
What the Platform does: Connects writers, industry experts, and readers through networking, educational resources, collaborative publishing tools, and events (virtual and in-person).
Your content is yours. Anything you write or post — manuscripts, comments, posts — belongs to you. By posting it, you’re giving us permission to display and share it on the Platform (so other members can see it, for example), but we’re not taking ownership of your work.
Working with other members? If you co-write or collaborate with someone through our publishing tools, we’d recommend putting your own agreement in writing about who owns what and how credit is split — the Platform itself doesn’t set that for you.
Be respectful. No harassment, hate speech, impersonation, spam, or illegal content. We can remove content or suspend accounts that break these rules.
Events & payments: Some events or features cost money. Fees, dates, and refund policies are shown when you register. Payments go through third-party processors, and fees are generally non-refundable unless stated otherwise.
Our brand is ours. The Author Connection name, logo (including the phoenix), and site design belong to us — please don’t copy or reuse them without permission.
No guarantees. We provide the Platform “as is” — we can’t promise it’ll always be error-free, and we can’t guarantee any specific outcome (like landing a publishing deal or a particular connection) from using it.
Liability is limited. If something goes wrong, our responsibility is capped — see the full Terms for the specific limit.
You can leave anytime. Delete your account whenever you want. We can also suspend or terminate accounts that violate these Terms.
Where disputes are handled: Wisconsin law governs these Terms, and (unless we adopt an arbitration process later) disputes go through Wisconsin courts.
Changes: If we update these Terms in a meaningful way, we’ll post the update and change the date at the top.
Questions? Reach us at tacprivacy@proton.me.
For the full legal details — including disclaimers, liability limits, indemnification, and dispute resolution — see our complete Terms of Service.
Terms of Service
Effective Date: 09/22/2026
Last Updated: 09/22/2026
These Terms of Service (“Terms”) govern your access to and use of the platform operated by Phoenix Flow Media LLC dba The Author Connection (“Company,” “we,” “us,” or “our”), including our website, community features, educational resources, collaborative publishing tools, and events (collectively, the “Platform” or “Services”).
By creating an account, accessing, or using the Platform, you agree to be bound by these Terms. If you do not agree, you may not use the Services.
1. Eligibility
You must be at least 13 years old (or 16, where required by local law) to use the Platform. By using the Services, you represent that you meet this requirement and that you have the legal capacity to enter into these Terms. If you are using the Platform on behalf of an organization, you represent that you have authority to bind that organization to these Terms.
2. Accounts
- You must provide accurate, current, and complete information when creating an account and keep it up to date.
- You are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of your login credentials and for all activity that occurs under your account.
- You must notify us promptly at tacprivacy@proton.me if you suspect unauthorized use of your account.
- We reserve the right to suspend or terminate accounts that violate these Terms or that provide false or misleading information.
3. Description of Services
The Platform provides:
- Community networking — connecting writers, industry experts, and readers through profiles, groups, messaging, and forums
- Educational resources — articles, guides, courses, or workshops related to writing, publishing, and the literary industry
- Collaborative publishing framework — tools for members to share, workshop, and develop written works with other members
- Events — public, virtual, or in-person events, conferences, and workshops
We may add, modify, or discontinue features of the Platform at any time, with or without notice.
4. Member Content
4.1 Ownership
You retain all ownership rights to any written work, manuscript, post, comment, or other content you submit, post, or share on the Platform (“Member Content”). We do not claim ownership of your Member Content.
4.2 License to Us
By submitting Member Content, you grant Phoenix Flow Media a non-exclusive, worldwide, royalty-free, sublicensable license to host, store, reproduce, display, and distribute your Member Content solely for the purpose of operating, promoting, and improving the Platform (for example, displaying your post to other members or featuring an excerpt in Platform marketing with your permission). This license ends when you delete the applicable content or your account, except where content has been shared with other members and reasonably retained by them, or where retention is required by law.
4.3 Your Responsibilities
You are solely responsible for your Member Content. You represent that you own or have the necessary rights to post it, and that it does not infringe on the intellectual property, privacy, or other rights of any third party.
4.4 Collaborative Works
If you use our collaborative publishing tools to co-develop a work with other members, we recommend establishing your own written agreement with collaborators regarding ownership splits, credit, and future publishing rights. The Platform does not automatically determine or enforce ownership arrangements between collaborators.
5. Acceptable Use
You agree not to:
- Post content that is unlawful, defamatory, harassing, hateful, obscene, or that infringes another person’s rights
- Impersonate any person or entity, or misrepresent your affiliation with any person or entity
- Upload viruses, malware, or other harmful code
- Scrape, harvest, or collect data about other members without consent
- Use the Platform to distribute spam or unauthorized commercial solicitations
- Circumvent or attempt to circumvent any security or access restrictions on the Platform
- Use the Platform in any way that violates applicable local, state, national, or international law
We reserve the right to remove content and/or suspend or terminate accounts that violate this section, at our discretion.
6. Events
- Event registration may require payment; fees, dates, and cancellation/refund policies will be disclosed at the time of registration for each specific event.
- We are not responsible for the conduct of third-party speakers, sponsors, or attendees at events, but we expect all participants to treat one another with respect.
- Virtual event access credentials (e.g., links, passwords) are for the registrant’s use only and may not be shared or resold.
7. Payments and Subscriptions
- Certain features, memberships, or events may require payment of fees. All fees are disclosed prior to purchase.
- Payments are processed by third-party payment processors; you agree to their applicable terms in addition to ours.
- Except where required by law or as otherwise stated at the time of purchase, fees are non-refundable.
- We reserve the right to change our pricing with reasonable advance notice to existing subscribers.
8. Intellectual Property
Except for Member Content, all content on the Platform — including text, graphics, logos, and other branding, software, and design — is owned by or licensed to Phoenix Flow Media LLC and is protected by intellectual property laws. You may not copy, modify, distribute, or create derivative works from our proprietary content without our prior written consent.
9. Third-Party Links and Services
The Platform may contain links to third-party websites or integrate with third-party services (e.g., payment processors, social login providers). We do not control and are not responsible for the content, policies, or practices of third-party sites or services.
10. Disclaimers
THE PLATFORM AND SERVICES ARE PROVIDED “AS IS” AND “AS AVAILABLE,” WITHOUT WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, WHETHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, AND NON-INFRINGEMENT. WE DO NOT GUARANTEE THAT THE PLATFORM WILL BE UNINTERRUPTED, ERROR-FREE, OR SECURE, OR THAT ANY CONTENT WILL BE ACCURATE OR RELIABLE. We do not guarantee any specific outcome from participation in the Platform’s networking, educational, publishing, or event features, including but not limited to publishing deals, professional connections, or career outcomes.
11. Limitation of Liability
TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW, PHOENIX FLOW MEDIA LLC AND ITS OWNERS, EMPLOYEES, AND AGENTS SHALL NOT BE LIABLE FOR ANY INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, OR PUNITIVE DAMAGES, OR ANY LOSS OF PROFITS, DATA, OR GOODWILL, ARISING FROM OR RELATED TO YOUR USE OF THE SERVICES, EVEN IF WE HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. Because some states or jurisdictions do not allow the exclusion or the limitation of liability for consequential or incidental damages, in such states or jurisdictions, our liability shall be limited to the maximum extent permitted by law. Some jurisdictions do not allow the exclusion or limitation of certain damages, so some of the above limitations may not apply to you.
12. Indemnification
You agree to indemnify and hold harmless Phoenix Flow Media LLC and its owners, employees, and agents from any claims, damages, liabilities, and expenses (including reasonable attorneys’ fees) arising out of your use of the Services, your Member Content, or your violation of these Terms.
13. Termination
You may stop using the Services and delete your account at any time. We may suspend or terminate your access to the Platform, with or without notice, if we reasonably believe you have violated these Terms or engaged in conduct harmful to the Platform, other members, or third parties. Sections of these Terms that by their nature should survive termination (e.g., ownership, disclaimers, limitation of liability, indemnification) will survive.
14. International Users
The Platform is operated from Wisconsin, United States, and is available to members around the world. By using the Services from outside the United States, you consent to the collection, transfer, storage, and processing of your information in the United States. You are responsible for ensuring your use of the Platform complies with applicable local laws.
15. Dispute Resolution and Governing Law
These Terms are governed by the laws of the State of Wisconsin, without regard to its conflict-of-laws principles, and without regard to the United Nations Convention on Contracts for the International Sale of Goods.
Any dispute arising from these Terms or the Services shall be resolved exclusively in the state or federal courts located in Dane County, Wisconsin, and you consent to the personal jurisdiction of such courts, unless an arbitration clause is adopted as described above.
16. Changes to These Terms
We may modify these Terms from time to time. We will notify members of material changes by posting the updated Terms on the Platform and updating the “Last Updated” date above. Your continued use of the Services after changes take effect constitutes acceptance of the revised Terms.
17. Severability and Waiver
If any provision of these Terms is found unenforceable, the remaining provisions will remain in full force and effect. Our failure to enforce any right or provision of these Terms will not be considered a waiver of that right or provision.
18. Contact Us
If you have questions about these Terms, please contact us at:
Phoenix Flow Media LLC dba The Author Connection
5 Thorn Lane, Madison, WI 53711, United States
tacprivacy@proton.me
+1-608-218-4547
