Guidelines for the Library**
Please note, the Library and the Forums share the same home page; however, each site requires a separate registration. The same username and password may be used for both.
All comments are routed through a moderation approval process. Any comments that the Brandsters or an author may construe as ‘trolling’ or ‘harassing’ will be immediately deleted. Harassment will not be tolerated. The individual commenter will be dealt with as the Brandsters deem appropriate.
We know there are other fanfiction sites where readers essentially recap the chapter/story in their comments. The Brandsters respectfully request readers to avoid including spoilers to the story when leaving a comment.
The Brandsters and the author reserve the right to modify any comments that reveal specific details or twists of the story.
Be Respectful
Be respectful when commenting about Bonanza, its characters, actors, or creators. Be respectful of other members – their beliefs, ideas and/or creations that they choose to upload to Brand. Harassing will not be tolerated. Readers are allowed their opinions, but when comments might be construed as inflammatory or offend other members, the comment will be removed from the Library.
It is one thing to state you didn’t like a story; it is totally uncalled for to be rude in leaving a comment.
Quality
Bonanza Brand desires to maintain a high-quality library where fans can enjoy a wide variety of stories. These guidelines are designed to provide readers and writers with the opportunity to share their passion for the Cartwrights and the other characters created by the vision of David Dortort. To this end, the Brandsters reserve the right to limit or remove stories, at our discretion, which are not consistent with this aim.
All Active Authors:
All active authors have a responsibility to keep up to date with posts made in the “Virginia City Literary Society” Forum “Authors Library Information“. This is where announcements related to features, guidelines, and information on how challenges might affect their Publishing stories are posted.
New Authors:
Please understand that this Library is for Bonanza stories. Readers come to explore stories about the Cartwrights, their family and friends, and the supporting characters that have come in and out of their lives. Readers do enjoy original characters as well as characters from other fandoms and how they interact with the Cartwrights; however, these characters shouldn’t push the Cartwrights to the periphery or out of the story.
Any writer wishing to receive author status must read and abide by these Library Guidelines.
Writers wishing to publish a story in the Library must become a member of the Discussion Forums and have a minimum of 100 posts before submitting their story for approval. Once their story is approved, Author status will be granted. Once granted author status, step-by-step directions for uploading stories into the Library will be made available in the Forums.
Note 1: An exemption to this rule is given to those established / early-era authors invited to join the Bonanza Brand Library by the Brandsters.
Note 2: The Brandsters reserve the right to grant new authors “Contributor” status vs “Author” status in the beginning to ensure the authors are uploading their stories in the proper format. As a “Contributor”, authors may upload stories, but the actual Publishing will be done by the Brandsters. Once the Author is consistent in meeting the correct form, they will be changed to “Author”.
First stories should be sent to the Brandsters at the following email: brandsters2020@gmail.com
Brand encourages new authors to work with a Beta reader to help ensure the story meets the Library standards. The Brandsters may return the story for further editing, if necessary.
WARNING: Plagiarized Works / Slash / Child Pornography – PROHIBITED:
Bonanza Brand does not accept any plagiarized works. If a plagiarized work is found, it and all other works by the offending party will be removed from Brand, this includes the Library and the Discussion Forums.
Brand does NOT accept stories containing slash (M/M or F/F or multiples) blatant / borderline / innuendo or stories that could be construed as Child Pornography (i.e., adults having sex with minors).
While there are a couple of Series uploaded from the early days of this Library that could be construed in such a light, these stories are available only by e:mail. The actual stories are not Published in the Library.
The Stories:
1: Correct spelling, grammar, and punctuation are expected of all stories submitted. Stories with multiple errors will be returned to draft. If requests to correct are ignored, the story will be deleted.
2: Titles and summaries must be appropriate for general audiences. No exceptions. “Please read” is not an acceptable summary or title.
- Summaries must include the plot, rating, and word count.
3: All stories must be rated.
- K/G – Intended for general audience 5 years and older. Content should be free of any coarse language, violence, and adult themes.
- K+/G – Suitable for more mature children, 9 years and older, with minor action violence without serious injury. May contain mild coarse language. Should not contain any adult themes.
- T/PG-13 – Suitable for teens, 13 years and older, with some violence, minor coarse language, and minor suggestive adult themes.
- MA/R – Content is only suitable for readers 18 years of age and older. May contain explicit language and/or adult themes – including descriptive sex and/or graphic violence.
Note: If your story is MA/R Rated please indicate reason: language, sexual themes, and/or violence AND turn on the Age Gate feature.
4: Stories are allowed to be posted in multiple categories. However, from the character-centric choices, select ONLY ONE as the focus for the story or leave blank if the story is written in such a way for it to be a secret or surprise.
5: It is preferred that .jpg (jpeg) images be uploaded to the media library. Acceptable file size is 1MB or less, otherwise the system will use its “Smush” program to minimize the amount of memory used for these images.
- Copyright:
- Any image used as a ‘featured image’ must be free of copyright and/or any copyright violations. Manipulations of Bonanza screencaps are prohibited by copyright.
6: Any stories in the Library must meet a 500-word minimum, excluding title, summary, rating, word count, author notes, disclaimers, etc.
- Stories with 500 – 999 words should be included in the category: Short Stories.
Note: Submissions in the Poetry category are exempt from meeting the minimum word requirement.
7: All stories posted must be complete. Works in progress (aka WIP) may be posted in The Reading Room sub-forum of the Virginia City Literary Society located in the Bonanza Brand Discussion Forums. Any incomplete work found in the Library will be returned to draft mode until such time that it is completed.
Note: Any story not published within one year of uploading as a Draft in the Library Dashboard will be deleted.
8: Authors are permitted to post one new story per week (7-days), with up to three stories per author permitted on the front page at any time. Older stories by the same author will be backdated off the front page to keep this ratio.
9: Crossover stories are permitted. An author must have a completed Bonanza story in our Library before a crossover story may be posted. The number of cross-over stories by any one author should never exceed the number of Bonanza stories they have posted.
Preserving Their Legacy
The stories contained within the Bonanza Brand Library are the property of the person(s) who created them.
However; Bonanza Brand now considers it our obligation to preserve the stories written by early era authors; see Preserving Their Legacy – Bonanza and Preserving Their Legacy – The Ponderosa for additional information.
Questions:
If you have any questions about the Library or this website, please contact the Cheaux and Bluewindfarm by email at brandsters2020@gmail.com or PM within the Brand Forums.
Thank you for your cooperation and enjoy the Library!
Updated: July 2025
**The Brandsters reserve the right to modify these guidelines without advance notice.