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The status bar at the bottom of the editor shows your current word and character count, updated as you type.

Your work is automatically saved to your browser's local storage as you type (with a brief delay). This means:

• If your browser crashes or you accidentally close the tab, your work is preserved
• When you return to the editor, you'll be prompted to recover your local draft if it differs from the server version
• Local saves are stored on your current computer/browser only

When enabled, your chapter is automatically saved to the server every minute. This provides an additional layer of protection for your work.

• Auto-save is enabled by default
• You can toggle it on/off using the switch in the status bar
• Your preference is saved per computer - if you disable it on one device, it stays disabled on that device but not others
• Auto-save only works for existing chapters, not new ones (you must create the chapter first)

The status bar shows the state of your local draft and of the server copy. Each one has an icon and a label that says the state in words, so you never have to rely on the icon or its colour:

• "Local saved" or "Server saved" (checkmark, green) - Successfully saved
• "Local unsaved" or "Server unsaved" (X mark, red) - Unsaved changes
• "Local saving" or "Server saving" (spinning circle, blue) - Currently saving
• "Local save failed" or "Server save failed" (X mark, red) - Save failed

If you close a new chapter form before creating it, your draft is saved locally using the book's identifier. When you open the "Add New Chapter" form for that book again, your previous draft will be restored.

Chapter pages answer these keys when nothing on the page has keyboard focus (for example after you click on the text or press Escape to leave a box):

• Left arrow and Right arrow - previous and next chapter
• Space - play or pause text-to-speech, where the author allows it
• Escape - stop text-to-speech
• Alt with Up arrow and Alt with Down arrow - move text-to-speech back or forward a sentence

The keys are ignored while you are typing in a search box, a comment, a review or the chapter editor. If they still clash with your screen reader or your own keyboard commands, switch them off on your Edit Profile page under Content Preferences, Keyboard Shortcuts. The switch applies wherever you are signed in.

Your writing stays exactly where it is. Series, books and chapters are never removed when a subscription ends, and readers can keep reading everything you have published. Authors can publish on Writer's Grove for free, so your account simply goes back to the free plan.

If you cancel, premium stays on until the end of the billing period you have already paid for, and ends on that day. When premium ends:

• Your author subdomain is switched off. Your page stays available at its regular Writer's Grove address
• Your paid subscription tiers are hidden, so new readers cannot sign up to them
• Readers who already subscribe to one of your tiers keep their subscription and their access. They pay you directly through your own Stripe account, and they can cancel from their Subscriptions page at any time
• You can no longer set up early access for paid readers on new series or books, or change existing release schedules. Any series or book you already set up keeps its schedule, and that includes new chapters you add to it
• Analytics, ad code and the larger cover upload limit stop until premium is active again

If you subscribe again later, your tiers become visible again on their own. Your subdomain can be switched back on from the author dashboard.

Yes. If a renewal payment fails, nothing changes straight away. Premium stays on for a 15 day grace period while Stripe retries the payment.

• Stripe retries the card several times over those 15 days and emails you after each failed attempt with a link to update your payment details
• You can also update your card at any time from Manage Billing on the author dashboard
• If a retry succeeds, your subscription carries on as normal and the grace period is cleared
• If no payment succeeds within the 15 days, the subscription is canceled and premium ends as described above

The date your premium access ends is shown on the author dashboard as soon as a payment fails.

Premium and reader subscriptions are paid through Stripe today. Stripe does not accept some kinds of content, including adult fiction. We plan to integrate custom payment solutions so authors who need a different payment processor can still be paid by their readers.

If this applies to you, email support@writersgrove.net and tell us which processor you use, so we know what to build first.