Messages

Messages let you talk with other writers and give every Chapter a casual member chat. You will find them behind the message icon in the top bar, next to your notifications, and at /messages.

Direct messages

Open a direct message from another writer's profile with Send a message, or from the message icon with New. Search by handle or pen name, pick a writer, and start typing. There is one conversation per pair of writers, so you always pick up where you left off.

Messages are plain text with a few extras. Press Enter to send and Shift+Enter for a new line. You can paste a link and it stays clickable, add emoji, and send a GIF. You can reply to a specific message (the quoted line shows above your reply), react with a small set of emoji, edit your own message for a few minutes after sending, and delete your own messages. A deleted message reads as "Message deleted" so the thread still makes sense.

To send a GIF, open the GIF button next to the emoji picker, search for one, and pick it. It sends as part of your message and plays inline. GIFs are free for everyone, in direct messages, group threads, and Chapter Chat.

Below your latest message you will see Delivered once it has been sent, and Seen with the reader's avatar once they open the thread (in a group, you will see who has caught up). You can also see when the other person is typing.

Sending direct messages is a paid Pro feature. Receiving them is free, so anyone can reply once a Pro writer has reached out.

Group threads

You can also start a thread with a few writers at once. Choose New, add more than one person, and give the group a name. It works like a direct message, with everyone in the room. Starting a group thread follows the same Pro rule as a direct message.

Chapter Chat

Every Chapter has its own chat for members. Open it from the Chapter page with Chapter Chat. It works like a direct message thread, but everyone in the Chapter is in the room. Mention a member with @ and their handle and they will get a notification. Chapter owners and moderators can remove any message in the chat. Chapter Chat is free for every member of the Chapter.

Keeping your inbox in order

A few controls keep conversations manageable:

• Mute a thread to stop it lighting up your message icon, without leaving it.
• Archive a thread to tuck it out of your main list. It comes back the moment there is a new message.
• Delete for me clears a conversation from your side. The other person still has their copy.
• Search finds a thread or a phrase across your messages.

Unread and notifications

The message icon shows a count of unread messages, and it clears the moment you open a conversation. Direct messages stay out of your notification bell on purpose, so the two are easy to tell apart: the bell is for activity on your work, the message icon is for conversations. The one exception is an @mention in a Chapter Chat, which does send a notification.

Who can message you, and blocking

Anyone with Pro can message you by default. If you would rather not receive new direct messages, turn off Allow direct messages in Preferences. Conversations you already have stay open. You can block a writer straight from a thread, and a writer you have blocked can never message you again. Reporting a message sends it to the same moderation queue as the rest of the site.