Since we're close close to opening, I'm going to go ahead and post the rules and guidelines for journals in this game. I've been in a lot of games that didn't have them and each game seems to work a little differently so I figured for this game we can go ahead and have a standard for the journals.

The Journals

The journals are linked on a network so everyone can see everyone's journals. This includes those in Azkaban. Parts of the journal can be crossed out and parts (or all) of the journal can be hexed to certain people/groups or hexed from certain people/groups. See below for more information on strikeouts and hexes.

As for the activity rule, I would like to see more than a line in a journal (but if you post more than one a week, the others can be as long or short as you like them). This doesn't mean, however, that the whole thing has to be visible to all characters. If you have one line visible and several hexed private, that still counts for activity.

Strikeouts

This is where I've seen the most disagreement as to how it should be done.

Strikethrough Just a simple strike through can be read only by people close to the person/people who know their handwriting).

Bold Strikethrough Bolded strike through can not be read by anyone.

Privacy Hexes

Part or all of the journal can be hexed private to yourself, to certain people/groups of people or even from certain people/groups of people. The formatting for this generally differs from player to player, but as long as you make it clear what part of the journal is hexed private and to who, I don't mind. Hexes can not be broken without permission of the person writing the journal.

Private or Private to Self Can't be seen by anyone else.
Private to (Name) Can only be seen by the person listed. For example, if Ginny is ranting to Hermione that Harry is still ignoring her, she'll likely hex that part to Hermione so only she can see.
Private to (Multiple Names) You can also hex a certain part to more than one character. Maybe Ginny wants to say the same thing to Luna that she said to Hermione.
Private to (Group Name) This can only be seen by whoever officially falls into this group. Maybe the Death Eaters want to communicate, this would only be seen by marked Death Eaters. Maybe the Order or Dumbledore's Army wants to communicate because of suspicious activity. And no, Marietta Edgecombe no longer counts as DA member.
Private From (Name) This can be seen by anyone except the person listed. Maybe Ginny is planning a birthday party for Hermione and she wants to tell people about it in journals but she doesn't want Hermione to find out.
Private from (Multiple Names) Once again, more than one person but not an entire group can be hexed against as well.
Private From (Group Name) It can also be hexed against a certain group, maybe Slytherins or Gryffindors for example. Or Death Eaters or Order.

In lieu of "private" you could also use "hexed" or "warded" where the Privacy hex is. If there is text after the hex, please be sure to mark the end of the hex so we know what can be seen. If a hex is easily breakable or very strong you're also welcome to include that in the hex.

When replying to a group or multi-person hex, if you use the writer's name for the hex for the reply back, that is the only person can see it. If it's a hex to the Order you can also simply hex your replies to the Order so it can be seen by anyone else in the Order. If it's a hex to several names and you don't want to write all of them in the reply you can also say "same hex" or "same ward" then anyone who could see the original hex in the entry can see your replies.

I know that some of this is probably redundant to those of you who have been rping on IJ for a while, but I felt that guidelines were a must as to how they are handled in this particular game.