PRIVACY POLICY

Last updated: October, 2026

This Privacy Policy explains how WOODLAND WRITERS (“Company,” “we,” “us,” or “our”) collects, uses, shares, and protects personal information when you visit woodlandwriters.com (the “Site”) or take part in our writing challenges, memberships, cohort programs, retreats, newsletters, and related services (together, the “Services”). By using the Site or the Services, you agree to the practices described in this Privacy Policy.

1.INFORMATION WE COLLECT

1.1 Information you give us. Depending on how you engage with us, we may collect:

  • Contact details: name, email address, mailing address, and phone number;

  • Account and registration details: usernames, profile information, and responses to registration or application forms;

  • Purchase information: items purchased, billing details, and payment plan status. Card payments are processed by our third-party payment processors; we do not store full card numbers;

  • Writing and creative content: stories, excerpts, and other work you submit to a challenge or share in a membership or program;

  • Community content: posts, comments, messages, and profile information you share on our community platforms;

  • Prize information: for challenge winners, the information needed to send a prize (such as PayPal email or mailing address) and any tax information required by law;

  • Retreat information: date of birth or proof of age, roommate requests, travel details, emergency contact details, and dietary restrictions, food allergies, or medical information you choose to share with us so we can plan for your safety and needs;

  • Communications: messages you send us by email, contact form, or social media, and your survey or feedback responses.

1.2 Information collected automatically. When you visit the Site, we and our service providers may automatically collect technical information such as IP address, browser type, device type, page viewed, referring pages, and the date and time of your visit, using cookies and similar technologies.

1.3 Recording and media. Live calls and workshops may be recorded, and photos or video may be taken at retreats. These may include your name, image, voice, and comments, as described in the terms for each Service.

1.4 Information from others. We may receive information about you from our service providers (for example, confirmation that a payment was processed) or for another participant who refers you or requests you as a retreat roommate.

2. HOW WE USE YOUR INFORMATION

2.1 We use personal information to:

  1. Provide the Services, including registering you, giving you access, processing payments, and delivering content;

  2. Run writing challenges, including judging submissions, announcing winners, and delivering prizes;

  3. Plan and host retreats, including accommodations, meals, roommate assignments, and emergency response;

  4. Operate our communities and enforce our terms and community guidelines;

  5. Communicate with you about your purchases, account, schedule changes, and customer support;

  6. Send newsletters and updates about new challenges, retreats, and programs, if you have signed up (you can unsubscribe at any time);

  7. Publicly recognize challenge winners and share media as permitted by the terms you agreed to;

  8. Understand how the Site is used and improve our Services;

  9. Protect the security of the Site, prevent fraud, and comply with legal, tax, and accounting obligations.

2.2 We do not sell your personal information, and we do not use your writing or creative content to train artificial intelligence models.

3. HOW WE SHARE YOUR INFORMATION

3.1 Service providers. We share information with trusted third parties that help us run the Services, only as needed for them to perform their work for us. These providers have their own privacy policies, which govern how they handle your information.

3.2 Judges, speakers, and retreat partners. We share challenge submissions with judges and administrators. For retreats, we share the information needed for your stay and safety (such as your name, dietary restrictions, food allergies, and roommate assignment) with venues, caterers, and other vendors.

3.3 Other participants and the public. Content you post in a community is visible to other members of that community. Challenge winners’ names, story titles, rankings , and excerpts may be published on the Site, in newsletters, and on social media, as described in the Writing Challenge Terms.

3.4 Legal and safety reasons. We may disclose information if required by law, tor respond to legal process, to protect  the rights, safety, or property of the Company, our participants, or others, or in an emergency.

3.5 Business transfers. If the Company is involved in a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets, personal information may be transferred as part of that transaction.

3.6 With your consent. We may share information for other purposes with your permission.

4. EMAIL COMMUNICATIONS

4.1 If you sign up for our newsletter or create an account, we may send you updates about our challenges, retreats, memberships, and programs.

4.2 You can unsubscribe at any time by clicking the “unsubscribe” link in any marketing email or by contacting us. We will still send you transactional messages about your purchases, account, or participation.

5. COOKIES AND ANALYTICS

5.1 The Site uses cookies and similar technologies to keep the Site working, remember your preferences, and understand how visitors use the Site.

5.2 Our website platform sets its own cookies and provides us with visitor analytics.

5.3 You can control cookies through your browser settings. Disabling some cookies may affect how the Site works.

6. HOW LONG WE KEEP YOUR INFORMATION

6.1 We keep personal information for as long as needed to provide the Services and for the purpose described in this Policy, including to meet legal, tax, and accounting requirements and to resolve disputes.

6.2 Medical, dietary, and emergency contact information collected for a retreat is kept only as needed for that retreat, unless we must keep it longer for legal reasons.

7. HOW WE COLLECT YOUR INFORMATION

7.1 We use reasonable administrative, technical, and physical safeguards to protect personal information, and we rely on established service providers with their own security measures.

7.2 No method of transmission or storage is completely secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security. Please use a strong, unique password for your accounts and never share your login details.

8. YOUR RIGHTS AND CHOICES

8.1 You may:

  1. Access, correct, or update your personal information;

  2. Ask us to delete your personal information, subject to legal or contractual reasons we may need to keep it;

  3. Unsubscribe from marketing emails at any time;

  4. Update or delete content and profile information on our community platforms, or ask us to do so.

8.2 Depending on where you live, you may have additional rights under local law, such as the right to receive a copy of your information, object to or restrict certain processing, or withdraw consent. To make a request, email us at info@woodlandwriters.com.  We may need to verify your identity before responding, and we will not discriminate against you for exercising your rights. 

9. AGE REQUIREMENTS

9.1 The Services are intended for adults. Challenges, memberships, and cohort programs are open to people aged 18 and over, and retreats to people aged 21 and over, unless otherwise stated.

9.2 We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you believe a child has given us personal information, please contact us and we will delete it.

10. INTERNATIONAL VISITORS

10.1 The Company is based in the United States, and our service providers may process information in the United States and other countries. If you use the Services from outside the United States, you understand that your information will be transferred to and processed in the United States, where data protection laws may differ form those in your country.

11. THIRD PARTY LINKS

11.1 The Site may link to other websites and platforms. We are not responsible for their privacy practices, and we encourage you to read their privacy policies.

12. CHANGES TO THIS PRIVACY POLICY

12.1 We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will post the updated version on this page with a new “Last updated” date and, for material changes, notify you by email or through the Services.

13. CONTACT US

13.1 If you have questions about this Privacy Policy or how we handle your information, contact us at:info@woodlandwriters.com 

14. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION FOR VISITORS IN THE EUROPEAN UNION AND UNITED KINGDOM

This section applies if you are located in the European Economic Area (EEA) or the United Kingdom, where the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) or the UK GDPR applies.

14.1 Controller. Woodland Writers is the controller of your personal information. You can contact us at 

14.2 Legal bases. We process your personal information on the following legal bases:

  1. Performance of a contract: to provide the Services you sign up for, process payments, run challenges, programs, and retreats, and support your account;

  2. Consent: to send marketing emails, to set non-essential cookies, and to process health information for retreats (see 14.3). You may withdraw consent at any time without affecting processing already carried out;

  3. Legitimate interests: to operate and improve the Site, keep our communities safe, enforce our terms, prevent fraud, and recognize challenge winners, where these interests are not overridden by your rights;

  4. Legal obligation: to meet tax, accounting, and other legal requirements.

14.3 Health information. Dietary restrictions, food allergies, and medical information shared for a retreat are special category data. We process this information only with your explicit consent, given on the retreat registration form, and only to plan for your safety and needs. If you withdraw consent, we may be unable to accommodate those needs.

14.4 Your rights. You have the right to access, correct, or delete your personal information; to restrict or object its processing; to receive a copy in a  portable format; and to object at any time to direct marketing. To exercise these rights, email info@woodlandwriters.com  

14.5 Complaints. You have the right to lodge a complaint with the data protection authority in the country where you live or work. We encourage you to contact us first so we can try to resolve your concern.

14.6 International transfers. Your information is transferred to and processed in the United States. Where required, these transfers rely on safeguards recognized under the GDPR and UK GDPR, such as the European Commission’s Standard Contractual Clauses or the EU-U.S. Data Privacy Framework and its UK extension, as used by our service providers.

14.7 Cookies. We use non-essential cookies for visitors in the EEA and UK only with their consent, which you can give or withdraw through your cookie banner.

14.8 Automated decisions. We do not make decisions about you based solely on automated processing that produce legal or similarly significant effects.