Rules

Please read the following rules very carefully before applying for a fanlisting. Failure to keep your fanlisting in compliance with these rules will result in your fanlisting being placed on the Troubles list, and ultimately being deleted.

Applying for a Fanlisting

You must have HTML and graphic experience.
Please provide a URL that displays your abilities when you apply. Please note that community sites (i.e. MSN, Yahoo!Groups, Community Zero, Circles 99, Neopets, etc.) and free journals (Livejournal, Xanga, Pitas, etc.) are not viable proof of HTML skills. Fanlistings CANNOT be hosted on these types of hosts.
NOTE: Fanlistings must be hosted on a server accesible to everyone! That means you cannot host your fanlisting on servers such as Web1000.com and Kit.net because sites on those servers don't show up for a lot of people.

You cannot apply for a fanlisting that's already owned by someone else.
PLEASE check in the Approved fanlistings list to make sure the fanlisting you are interested in isn't already taken. If the fanlisting is already claimed by someone, then you cannot apply for it. All fanlistings in the Approved section, whether they are linked or not, are already taken. Fanlistings that do not have links are currently being built. If a fanlisting leads to a dead link or is breaking the rules in some way, it will be put on Troubles, and if the problem is not fixed, it will then be removed from the network. You can NOT apply for fanlistings that have problems or are placed on Troubles - existing fanlistings can only be applied for once they are removed from the network.

You are free to run as many fanlistings as you can handle.
There is no limit to the amount of fanlistings you can have in total, although there are limits on the number of applications you can submit at a time and limits on the number of approved fanlistings you can have on Upcoming. Just make sure you'll still have enough time and energy to give each fanlisting the attention it deserves. Don't apply for a fanlisting if you think you won't have the time to complete or maintain it.
NOTE: The staff has the right to deny applications based on a history of overdue fanlistings, unreasonable requests for extensions, a history of not keeping fanlistings updated, or any other problems previously experienced with the applicant.

You may have up to 6 fanlistings listed as upcoming at the network at any time, and up to 3 pending applications in one category.
If you already have 6 upcoming fanlistings, any new application you send will be rejected because you may not be approved for anything else until some of them are finished. Once you reach the limit of 3 pending applications in a category, any new applications you send in will be disregarded until the pending applications are either approved or rejected.

Your fanlisting can be dedicated to deceased people or anime/manga series that are no longer being produced.

Please apply for the fanlisting and wait for the approval email from the staff member before you begin to build your fanlisting.
We often have to decline people who have already started to build a fanlisting that has been given to someone else.

If your fanlisting covers more than one category, please apply with each staff member.
Make a note in the comments/questions to let that staff member know that you have also applied in other categories, so that they may get in touch with the other staff member(s) if needed.
It is YOUR responsibility to make sure your fanlisting is listed in applicable categories. The staff cannot prevent duplicate approvals if you fail to make sure your fanlisting is listed everywhere it should be.

The staff has final right to not approve a fanlisting.
Inappropriate or ridiculous subjects can be refused by the staff. Please be sensible when applying for a fanlisting.

Building a Fanlisting

You have four weeks to finish your fanlisting once you receive the approval email.
It should normally take no longer than one month to create a fanlisting. If you should need more time than this, please contact the staff member in charge of the category (contact them here) to ask for an extension. Failure to do so could result in your fanlisting being given to someone else.
NOTE: Extensions are only for situations such as sickness, exams, family problems, etc.! We will not give you an extension if you've applied for too many fanlistings at once! Extensions are meant for people who can't finish their site in time due to unexpected events out of their control.

You are allowed to use "temporary layouts" for a limited period of time.
If you can't finish your layout by the due date, you can still submit a Finished form and your fanlisting will be processed as finished as usual.
Your temporary/incomplete layout *must* still include a way for members to join the fanlisting, a members list with countries, a last update date, and a link back to TAFL.
A non-temporary/"complete" layout must have both a header and a css/style sheet. However, your layout will NOT be considered non-temporary/complete if it is based on a template and/or obviously put together in a hurry with a simple header image, minimal styling, and no codes. It is in the category staffers' discretion whether your layout is temporary/incomplete, but you can contact the Senior Staffers if you dispute the Troubles e-mail.
You will have two months from your fanlisting's initial approval date to finish the layout and e-mail the F/U/C staffer. If you fail to do so, your fanlisting will still be listed, but your layout will be considered incomplete. Your fanlisting will then be subject to the normal Troubles process.

Your fanlisting must provide a visible link back to animefanlistings.com.
A text link is fine, but you can also use a banner or button. Show that you're proud to be a part of The Anime Fanlistings Network!
NOTE: Although you aren't required to add a link to our partner network, The Fanlistings Network, we encourage you to do so.

There must be an English version of your fanlisting.
Besides that, you can build it in as many languages as you want.

It is up to you whether you update your list manually, or use a specific program that allows people to join and you approve from an admin panel (like phpFanBase or Enthusiast). Forms and scripts that add people as soon as they submit their information are no longer allowed. This includes Megabook and other guestbook programs. Subjects using these types of scripts will be required to switch to one of the above approved methods, or will be removed from the network. This form of auto-add script has been abused, and many a good subject been neglected by lack of effort on the part of the owner, forcing us to enforce this rule strictly.

Your fanlisting must list when it was last updated.
This date should be in an easy-to-find, well marked place. You MUST either write out the month (March 4, 2005) or, if you use a numerical date, you MUST provide a key/legend immediately before or after the date, explaining the format used (4/5/2005 - dd/mm/yyyy). As more than one date format is considered 'standard,' you are required to provide a clear way to read the date regardless of the format used. Failing to use either suggested format could result in your fanlisting being added to the troubles list.

Javascript or server dates are not accepted.
Javascript dates are dates that pull the date from the viewers' computer clock rather than a date that is pulled from your update script or put in manually - these dates only show today's date according to your computer, and that's not always the last updated date. Similarly, scripts that pull the current date from the website's host server are not permitted.

Your fanlisting can be an individual site, or a subsite or subsection of a larger fansite for the same subject.
The link to the fanlisting, however, should be clearly marked on the main page.

Fanlisting codes must reflect the subject you are approved for.
Your fanlisting's image codes should feature images that accurately reflect the subject you have been approved for. The codes should be clearly marked with the subject you have been approved for. (For example, if you own a series or relationship fanlisting, you can not have codes featuring only one character from the series and the word "fan.")

All fanlistings are required to have at least 3 graphical codes/buttons total.
These graphical codes can be any combination of the standard sizes (50x50, 75x50, and 100x50).

Maintaining Fanlistings

You can have your member profiles include whatever information you chose, but you MUST list the COUNTRY your members come from and their NAME/NICKNAME.
That's the whole idea behind this network. See the tips section for suggestions on information to include in your member profiles.

You MUST accept ALL fans - not just fans with websites - It's a 'fanlisting' not a 'fans with websites listing.'

The fan's REAL NAME is NOT a requirement. Although you may not prefer nicknames, you MUST allow a fan to join under a pseudonym, as many of us do (the Senior Staff included!) Deleting a fan for not providing a real name will result in your going on troubles and possible deletion of your subject, if the problem is not corrected.

You MUST accept ALL fans - you may not discriminate against a fan based on their age, sex, religion, sexual preference, ethnicity, political outlook, personal beliefs, etc.
If you are uncomfortable with the content contained on their website, you may choose not to link to it, but you can not refuse to list them. It's a 'fanlisting' - not a 'fans with beliefs identical to mine listing.'

Your fanlisting should be updated at least once every two months.
This includes adding all pending members as well as dealing with all update information forms. We understand that there are fanlistings that may not get a menber once every two months; however, some kind of life needs to be evident at your fanlisting or people may not join. A little dated note on your site saying that no members have joined is sufficient. If you have to go on an extended hiatus due to illness, family emergencies, or some other unforeseen circumstance, then please alert the staffer of the category your fanlisting is listed under in order to not risk losing your fanlisting.

All fanlistings are subject to a "three strikes rule."
Fanlistings that are placed on Troubles three times for the same (or similar) problem will be removed from the network on the third time. The fanlisting owner will not be allowed to reapply for the fanlisting after it is removed. This rule is to ensure that all fanlistings remain consistently updated and maintained.

Keep your information updated.
Please remember to inform the staff member in charge of your category if your fanlisting moves or closes, if you give it away to another webmaster, or your email address changes. If the URL we have listed comes up with errors and we have no way of getting in touch with the webmaster, this will result in your fanlisting being put on the troubles list and removed from the network if we receive no contact from the original owner. It is not our responsibility to keep your information updated for you. We must be notified if your contact information changes.

Your fanlisting must be easy to navigate and join.
Fanlistings that are difficult to navigate, have "hidden" links, and require code words will be placed on the Troubles list as this makes it difficult to join and goes against the network philosophy of accepting ALL fans. (This is not the same as fanlistings using Enthusiast or a management script, which asks for the fan to enter a password, or one is generated for them, so that they can change their information securely. The difference is that fans are added regardless of whether or not they choose to use the Enthusiast password feature.)

Each approved subject must have its own join form and members list.
If you have the fanlistings for two or more subjects hosted on the same site, the use of a single join form with a "Favorite" option to allow members to select the subject they are joining for is acceptable, although it is preferable that each subject have its own join form and member list.

That's all at the moment. Please note that these rules can change at any time without prior notice, and applying for a fanlisting means that you agree to follow these rules.