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The Writers In Touch Help Page
Please read this help page before contacting me.
Hopefully the answer to most people's questions can be found in this page. If the answer is not here, please contact me and I will endeavour to help - your question will more than likely appear in this page.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why can't I login?
If you are having problems logging in (i.e. the site is ignoring your attempts), it's because your browser is not allowing cookies to be stored. You need to check the security settings for cookies in your browser options or preferences (I am not going to give instructions for browsers because each version of IE is different, and each O/S has different browsers).
Why is my expiry date out of date?
The expiry date is irrelevant for free members. When you pay to upgrade, then I will change it manually for you.
Why haven't I received my enabling code?
Sometimes the e-mails are blocked. If you haven't received your enabling code within an hour, please contact me and I'll enable your account for you manually.
Why Do I Not Receive Notifications?
To receive email notification of comments to your writing on the site, you must switch on notification in your profile (via MyProfile). If you are not receiving notifications of friends adding articles, it's because you need to switch them on for each friend. If you still receive no notifications, it's because you are probably using Hotmail, which sometimes has bars against some email addresses. You can switch these off in your options in Hotmail.
I paid to upgrade - why hasn't my membership changed?
It is a manual process. Also, you may need to log out and log back in to see the change. I live in London and tend to work all night and sleep all morning. So - I might be asleep when you're awake, I might be shopping for groceries, or it might be one of those rare occasions when I go away for the weekend, but rest assured, it will be done within an hour of my waking or my return.
The number of comments/feedback I have left is wrong - why is that?
There are several reasons why they may appear to be wrong. Firstly, comments on your own work aren't included in the total. It's fine to say thanks when someone leaves you feedback, but it shouldn't count towards your comment total. Secondly, if you've commented on an article and the article is removed later, the comment is counted (so it will go towards increasing your post limit), though it can't be seen on the site. Another discrepancy can arise if the author of the article removes your comments, in which case they will no longer count towards your post limit.
More General Questions...
What is Writers In Touch?
Writers In Touch is a creative writing site for writers of all descriptions to post their work and receive feedback. In return it is hoped they will cast their eye over other people's work and give their thoughts.
How do I take part?
Joining Writers In Touch is free, but to take part you need to 'enable' your account. Once you have joined and logged in, you will notice a link under your name on the left of the screen to 'Enable' your account. This takes you to a form where you can both send and submit a 'code'. The code is sent to the email address in your profile, and when re-typed into the 'submit' box, will switch your account on. It's purpose is to confirm that your email address is real. Once enabled you can add artciles and comments to the site. If you change the email address in your profile, your account will be disabled automatically.
What are the 'Memberships'?
In order to stop the site being absolutely swamped, we limit people initially to posting 5 pieces of their own work - they may however comment as much as they like. To post more than 5 pieces you must purchase a membership (more details are on the Upgrade page), which will give you a higher posting limit depending on the membership level you buy. You can of course remove your old work if you have hit your posting limit.
How do I know when somebody comments on my work?
If you look in 'MyProfile', at the foot of the 'Profile' tab there is a checkbox to switch on comment notifications. This means when somebody comments on your work, the site will send you an email to let you know. Your account must be enabled for this to happen.
What is the 'Friends' system?
If you regularly watch out for another author on Writers In Touch, you can mark them as a 'friend' - this can either be done from the friends tab of their author page, or at the foot of one of their articles. This then lists them in the friends tab of your own author page, and in MyProfile - where you can switch on notification for each friend. This means whenever your friend posts a piece on the site, you will be sent an email letting you know.
How do I get a picture next to my name in the site?
The little pictures are called 'Avatars', and you just need to edit your profile (in MyProfile). If you click on 'change' avatar, a form will pop up showing you the available avatars. Remember to submit your change or nothing will happen.
What if somebody leaves a nasty comment?
If you receive a comment on your work that you feel is unwarranted, you can remove it. The header of the comment will remain, but the body will be replaced by a notice that you removed it. The original comment will still be available to read in the commenting user's Author page.
What if I find a really horrid article?
If you object strongly to an article posted on Writers In Touch you should always notify an administrator (either the webmaster of the editor). Never take action yourself. I have the power to remove articles, comments and users from the site in extreme cases.
Why has no-one commented on my article?
First, be patient - a lot of people find the site, read it and move on - they're not members and don't comment, so it's natural to have a lot more views than comments.
Apart from that, there could be various reasons - always use a spell-checker and read it through to ensure it's reached the stage that you're happy with it and you want to know what others think. It's not fair to expect others to read your work if you haven't read it yourself! This is good advice too if you want to get published.
Or it could just be that it's a different genre from other writers and they skip over it. If that's the case, get your friends to join or invite people you meet online in chat rooms or newsgroups.
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