Clear expectations make the room work.
This room depends on a few shared agreements. They exist to protect focus, keep the time usable, and make sure everyone knows what they’re walking into before they join.
Nothing here is meant to police behavior. The rules simply describe how the room stays functional.
Rules & Expectations
Why cameras are required
This is a working room, not a class.
We keep cameras on during the writing block so the room can feel occupied by people actually doing the work. Seeing other people sit down and write creates both pressure and support, which is the point of being here.
This isn’t about watching anyone.
It’s about making the work visible in the room.
What “cameras on” means here
Cameras-on is intentionally simple:
Your face or your workspace is visible
There’s no requirement to speak
No requirement to perform
No requirement to make eye contact
No requirement to look presentable
You can wear pajamas.
You can frame the camera on your desk or hands.
You can turn your chair sideways.
You just need to be visibly present while the work happens.
About exceptions
Cameras-on is the normal expectation.
Short, human exceptions are understood:
illness
caregiving needs
temporary bandwidth issues
If being off-camera most of the time is important to you, this probably isn’t the right room. The format only works if everyone agrees to the same structure.
Why this format works
This isn’t:
a lecture
a critique group
a class
a webinar
It’s a working room.
In a working room, people can see that work is happening.
Seeing other people stay focused helps regulate your own focus. That’s a well-established effect in study halls, coworking spaces, and writing rooms, and it’s what this format is built around.
The principle, stated plainly
We keep cameras on during the writing block because the work is the point.
