I just realized, watching the index page, that so many RPs now are rated very high. You guys to realize that a rating of PG-17 means that people under 17 shouldn't be there, or should at least be careful and maybe have parental guidance to be there? PG-17 is equivalent to M in the fiction rating system. That's right, Mature.
I've heard people say "I rate my RP PG-16 because I want people to be free to do anything and let any player in". But it's kind of the other way around. Sure, you are free to write about romance and violence if you rate it high. But if you rate it T (for Teen), more people can feel at ease when playing it.
12 year olds shouldn't be in RPs rated M, if you follow the guidelines. Before you rate your RP, think it through again, and if you realize that you don't HAVE to have that high rating you planned for it (in most cases, you really don't), rate it T instead. Or even K+, if you for instance have a journey RP where the only violence will be similar to the anime battles. They aren't bloody, or even realistically violent, if you think about it.
That's my two cents.