Frequently Asked Questions

What do I do if I didn’t receive a verification email?

Please check your email ‘spam’ box as verification emails can be filtered as spam or junk mail. If you still didn’t receive the email please log into your account again and select ‘resend verification email.’ If you continue to have problems please contact support.

What do I do if I forget my password?

You will see a ‘forgot your password?’ link on the account log-in page. Simply enter your email address and follow the instructions in the email.

How do I change my email address?

You can change your email address on the account settings page. You will need to verify the new email address so please check your email inbox for the instructions to do so.

How can I change my WriterLink user name?

Navigate to your profile page and use the ‘edit’ button to change the name or your profile description.

How do I change my profile picture?

Click on the image icon and upload a picture.

How can I close or cancel my account?

You can delete your WriterLink account from your account settings page. Please note this is permanent and a deleted account and its data can not be recovered.

Is WriterLink free?

It is free to create an account and join and create writing groups at WriterLink. Site members can create one free community writing group each. However, if you want to create more than one writing group, or to promote a professional writing business a monthly fee is payable and you will need to update to a 'Pro' account. We have a simple pricing policy, there is no fee for most community writing groups, but there is a monthly fee for commercial writing groups and businesses that use the site to promote their activities. Read more about our pricing structure here.

A writing group is asking me for a fee, isn’t WriterLink free?

Most community writing groups do not charge members. Some commercial writing businesses use the site and will charge writers to attend events or use services. Fees for services offered by writing businesses are not managed by WriterLink. If you have questions about payment for a writing course or service you should contact the business directly.

I have a paid account, can I cancel or pause the payments?

You can cancel your WriterLink paid membership from your account settings page at any time. You will no longer be charged and you will revert to basic membership. Basic membership means you will only be able to manage one community writing group. Our community rules suggest it is good practice to inform group members that you intend to step away from group ownership. If it is an active group we recommend that you try to find a new group administrator. Please contact support if you have questions about moving a group to a new owner.

Why are you offering a 3 month Free Trial?

WriterLink is offering a generous 3 months free trial because the website is new and we're trying to build a community. We're inviting writing businesses to use the site without any fee to create useful content for our users.

Can I cancel my WriterLink Pro account before the end of the trial without being charged?

Yes, you can try WriterLink Pro without any risk of being charged. We hope you like the site, but if you don’t want to pay you can cancel your subscription at any time by visiting your account page. We will send a reminder email 7 days before your trial expires so you’ll have an opportunity to cancel before any payment is taken.

How do I choose a group to join?

You can explore groups using our search page. Look for online groups based on writing genres or styles, or search for places near you to find local groups.

Why do some groups have no option to join?

All WriterLink groups display messages about how to join. If a group says, ‘public and open for everyone’ then joining is automatic when you apply. If a group says ‘Invitation required’ then you can apply to join, and a group admin will review your request. Some WriterLink groups are closed to new members and do not show in search. These private groups use WriterLink facilities but do not seek new members.

I tried to join a group but it says ‘pending’, what does that mean?

A ‘pending invitation’means that the group manager needs to approve your request. Please be patient as it can take a few days. You could send a message to the group manager if you feel a need to enquire about the group application.

If I join a feedback group and upload my writing who can read it?

Only group members or invited guests at a feedback event can access your uploaded writing. These groups are designed for people to share work with trusted group members, so only members with access to the event page can read the work.

My WriterLink group is suspended, what does that mean?

A 'Professional' WriterLink group can be suspended if the owner cancels their account or stops paying for their premium subscription. In rare circumstances a community writing group may also be suspended. In these situations we will always try to keep a group going if possible. Often a member of the group will volunteer to take over management of the group. If you have questions about a suspended group please write to support and we will try to help.

I want to create a group but which settings should I use?

The default settings for any new WriterLink group is a ‘Public’ group that is ‘Open’ to new members. We recommend these options because it gives the best chance of a group finding new members and becoming a success. You can always change the settings later. For example if your group becomes popular you may wish to change group settings to ‘Closed’ so that new members can no longer apply.

I’ve never run a group before, what activities should take place in my writing group?

Check out our guide to running a writing group. It’s full of tips on how to set up your group, and describes the most popular group activities.

Can a WriterLink group be private and just for friends?

Yes, if you set the group settings to be ‘private’ and ‘closed’ then your group will be completely private. You can invite people you know to join and use features, such as submissions for feedback

I have received an application to join my group but I don’t know whether to approve it, what do I do?

It can be helpful to send a message to potential group members and ask them about their writing interests, and what they expect from the group. If you want to deny membership you can always explain that your group does not seem the right fit for the applicant. There are many groups on WriterLink and you can suggest they seek one more suited to their interests.

I’d like to stop running my WriterLink group, what now?

If you cancel your WriterLink membership any groups you are running will be suspended. This means that group functions such as accepting new members and creating events will no longer work. If you have a busy and successful group then, before you end your subscription, you should ask members if anyone would like to take over management of the group. If you get in touch we will transfer group ownership to them.

How do I report a user who is abusive?

In the first instance please report a user to your group manager, you can message them through the site to report a problem. Managers have the ability to moderate group and event chat, and can implement rules to sanction group members. If they are unable to deal with the problem please let us know.

Are my profile details and groups I join visible to other users?

The public groups you join will show to other members on your profile page, however private groups will not show on your profile page. Private groups will be secret, and show only to yourself and the other members.

How do I found out what behaviour is expected from WriterLink members?

Please read WriterLink’s Community Rules which explains how members and group organizer’s should treat other members of the WriterLink community. In some cases WriterLink members can have their accounts or groups closed, so please act responsibly and follow our rules.