FAQ
(If your question is not answered below, please send an email to CalebBreakey.com Secretary Lindsay M. Rockstar at Secretary.CalebBreakey@gmail.com)
Q: Are there any fees?
No.
Q: Is there any kind of writing you don’t accept?
UPDATED May, 2011. There are very few pieces of writing Caleb would decline. These include anything erotica, anything with too much language, and anything that curses God/Jesus. No matter how much or how little, all things that include language/God-cursing/physical romantic descriptions or uses will be flagged, read, and edited by Caleb. If you’d like further clarification, please email him atcaleb@calebbreakey.com or calebbreakey@gmail.com.
Q: To submit to the site, do you have to be Christian or write Christian stories?
No, this site is not a religious writing site. Your submissions and even your beliefs themselves can be whatever they are currently. However, with that, it is good to point out that Caleb is a Christian himself. As a result, the guidelines for no language and blasphemy and limited romantic interaction still stand. This is not in anyway to impose the statues of a religion on those who participate on the site. . . far from it! We rather want to be sure that we are cultivating a culture of respect and love toward one another, regardless of our backgrounds.
Q: Can you join the site just because you enjoy writing (but are not looking to take it further)?
If you are just looking for a community of writers to be with, you’ve come to the right place. But you do not have to plan to publish in order to join the site.
There are a few teens on here who have their hearts set on publishing, but I think you will find that there are also numerous teens on here who have other goals for their futures. You do not have to ‘want to be published’ to be a wonderful writer. If you plan to publish, all power to you. If you don’t, then enjoy and love it as much as you can.
Q: Does everyone who submits words and interview answers get accepted into the Teen Writers Community–as long as their submission is clean?
Let me assure you right away that just by visiting this site and commenting, you have joined the Teen Writers Community without even submitting anything. How cool is that?
The Teen Writers Community on here are just a bunch of teens coming together who all have one love in common: writing. Whether that entails actually submitting work or just commenting around the site or just reading content on the site, that is up to you.
As far as what you submit, you can submit anything you have written. The interview questions are simply a way for other people on the site to get to know a bit about you. They definitely do not have to be perfect. So please do not worry about that part of the submission. As far as your writing submission, just make sure it does not contain excess romantic interaction, swear words or blasphemy. Those are the only rules! And basically, those rules are in place as a way to ensure that we are welcoming to everyone on here and respectful of each other.
Q: Is this site available for people outside the United States?
Let me put it this way. . . if you can see this site and you can read the content and you can comment on this site, then your country of origin matters not. The fact that you are asking questions in a comment tells me that this site is yours, even if you aren’t from the United States. All are welcome here! 
Q: I’m trying to make sense of my book and put it together. How can this site help me?
While Caleb cannot help you put together your novel, Caleb and the Rockstars would be more than happy to encourage you every step of the way and help you with your writing style. The mission of CalebBreakey.com is to turn teens into Rockstars, to build their confidence in a way that pushes them to keep writing and to know that what they write about is really worth it.
If you would like, you can go ahead and submit a three-hundred and fifty word submission to Caleb. Then, all you have to do is start posting full sandwich comments (praise, critique, praise) or just well-thought out comments on the posts that have been published on the site.
If you would like to see how the whole process works, on the left side bar, I would suggest you click on the ‘Teen Interviews’ category to see the first step of the process. Then, click on the ‘Teen Vlogs’ and pick out the vlog that goes with the teen interview you looked at.
After looking through a few of those, you can definitely get an idea of what this site is about and where the passions of Caleb and the Rockstars lie on here.
Q: What about copyright issues?
Below is an excerpt from the Christian Writers Guild website
Under U.S. law, as soon as you write something, all rights to it belong to you. (If you want to make sure others know that, you can include a line that says copyright 2009 by Writer Name. Nothing else is needed.) If you want to take further action, you can pay $35 or $45 to have your copyright registered with the U.S. Copyright Office. For answers to common questions about copyright, as well as abundant details on how to register a work, visit the Copyright Office website: Copyright.gov.
Also keep in mind that if someone wanted to steal your work, he or she wouldn’t get far with 300 words. Not far at all.
Q: Are you a replacement for an agent, publisher, or anything traditional?
No. Caleb is simply a writer who wants to help Teen Writers hone their craft.
Q: What if I’m a Teen Reader but not a Teen Writer? Am I still welcome here?
Of course! Caleb believes all readers who participate at www.CalebBreakey.com will discover not only what they like to read, but WHY they like what they read. They will develop precise reasons for why they sing praises of particular books and writers. These readers will become powerful voices on review websites, such as Amazon.com and BarnsandNoble.com. They will shape and direct the book-buying market.
Q: I live in Mexico so I’m not sure, would “damn” be a swear word?
Since Caleb doesn’t know Spanish, he doesn’t really know! =D But because of the range of age on this website, he’d simply rather avoid words like ‘damn.’ He’d just assume to stay on the safe side. You can always change a word in your submission, though, and just know that you’ll change it back while revising.
Q: If we send something in to you, will it be shown on the site?
Yes, your work will be shown on the site when you reach the top of the Page Critique Ladder. For more information on the ladder and how the site works, check out the START HERE page (and there’s lots of good info on this page as well).
Q: What is the “Page Critique Ladder”?
The system used to determine whose writing will be featured on CalebBreakey.com. The Teen Writer at the top of the Ladder is next in line. You can climb the ladder by earning “ladder jumps” (see below).
Q: What is the “Breakian Ladder”?
The system used for experienced Teen Writers of CalebBreakey.com—those who have already reached the top of the Page Critique Ladder and been featured on the site. The Top 5 on the Breakian Ladder may post 500 words of their work on the site at any time (after emailing Caleb).
Breakians who post their work on the site then move back to the bottom of theBreakian Ladder and start working their way up again by “ladder jumps.”
Q: What are “Ladder Jumps”?
Each ladder jump moves you closer to the top of the Page Critique Ladder or theBreakian Ladder. You earn ladder jumps by posting “Full Sandwich Comments” on the work of other Teen Writers, or by contributing to the conversation on ANY post.
Q: What is a “Full Sandwich Comment”?
These are how Teen Writers at www.CalebBreakey.com critique each other and earn Ladder Jumps, by offering: Encouragement (bread), followed by critique (meat), and followed by more encouragement (bread).
Q: How many jumps is a Full Sandwich Comment worth?
All Full Sandwich Comments on www.CalebBreakey.com are eligible for up to 10Ladder Jumps (comments on the forum, in general, do not count). You can also earn jumps by commenting on vlogs and audio edits, or by joining a discussion related to writing, editing, books, etc.
Q: What are the criteria for judging Ladder Jumps?
Jumps are based first on attitude/spirit, second on informative/thought-provoking insight, and third on length. (Length doesn’t get you anything more than one jump if there’s little substance).
Q: Is my spot on a Ladder ever safe?
The Top 2 spots on the Page Critique Ladder become ‘locked’ every Sunday. Teen Writers who own these spots are guaranteed to be next in line.
Q: How often are the two Ladders updated?
Caleb updates the ladders about once a week. Even if the ladders are not changing, Caleb keeps tabs on where writers are on the ladders. He’ll make sure you get the ladder jumps you deserve.
Q: What are the contests like?
The contests are a fun way to get involved on the site. People who participate in contests are typically awarded ladder jumps, critique from Caleb, or extra words for their next submission. Sometimes the winner can choose his or her own prize. Check out the Forum to submit a contest idea or join the conversation about contests.
Q: Your blog categories on the left side of the screen—what do they link to, specifically?
▪ Teen Contests: Links to anything contest related.
▪ Teen Interviews: Links to intro posts of featured writers.
▪ Teen Vlogs: Links to Caleb’s vlogs.
▪ Breakians: Links to posts from experienced calebbreakey.com users.
▪ News about Caleb: Links to anything happening in the life of Caleb.
▪ Miscellany: Links to anything that doesn’t fit into the other categories.
