Privacy Policy

1. Information We Collect

When you sign up for or enter Whimsy, we may collect the following:

• Your name and email address, provided when signing up or submitting a story
• Payment information, processed securely through Stripe — we do not store card details ourselves
• Your story submission and any associated contest data (whim chosen, Object, entry month)
• Technical information such as IP address and browser type, collected automatically for site security and analytics purposes

2. How We Use Your Information

We use your information to:

• Process your contest entry and payment
• Send you your monthly prompts, submission reminders, and results
• Publish your story on the Whimsy site if it is selected as the monthly Spotlight (with your permission)
• Display your opening line on the Wall of First Lines if selected
• Contact you about potential inclusion in the annual Whimsy anthology
• Send occasional newsletters and contest updates if you have opted in
• Comply with our legal obligations
• We process your personal data to fulfil our contract with you (running the contest and delivering your entry) and, where applicable, on the basis of your consent (for example, for marketing communications).

We will never sell your personal information to third parties or use it for any purpose unrelated to Whimsy.

3. Payments

All payments are handled by Stripe. When you purchase an entry, you are directed to Stripe's secure checkout. Whimsy does not have access to your full card details at any point. Stripe's own privacy policy applies to payment processing.

4. Cookies and Analytics

Whimsy uses cookies and Google Analytics to understand how our site is used and to improve the experience for visitors. Google Analytics collects anonymous data about how you interact with the site. No personally identifiable information is shared with Google Analytics.

You can opt out of Google Analytics tracking at any time using the Google Analytics Opt-out Browser Add-on.

5. Data Retention

We retain your personal information for as long as necessary to run the contest and fulfil our obligations to you. If you ask us to delete your data, we will do so promptly — though contest-related records (such as submission data and results) may be retained in anonymised form for our own records.

6. Your Rights

You have the right to:

• Access the personal information we hold about you
• Request that we correct inaccurate information
• Request deletion of your personal data
• Withdraw consent to marketing communications at any time by unsubscribing

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at hello@whimsyfiction.com.

7. Third-Party Services

Whimsy uses the following third-party services which may process your data:

• Stripe — payment processing
• MailerLite — email communications
• Squarespace — website hosting
• Google Analytics — site analytics

Each of these services operates under their own privacy policies.

8. Changes to This Policy

We may update this policy from time to time. Any changes will be posted on this page with an updated date. Continued use of Whimsy following any changes constitutes acceptance of the revised policy.

9. Contact

If you have any questions about this privacy policy or how we handle your data, please get in touch at hello@whimsyfiction.com.