Comments are how readers talk to authors, and to each other, about a
story.
The two places comments appear
On the story page. Scroll down to the "Comments" section. This is
the whole conversation about the story, in one list.
In the reader. While you're reading, a comment drawer is available.
It is scoped to the passage you're on, so you see what people said
about this part rather than the whole book at once.
These are not two separate systems. A comment always belongs to the
story. So a comment you leave in the reader drawer also appears in
the Comments section on the story page, and a comment left on the
story page can surface in the drawer too.
What you can do with a comment
- Reply — replies are threaded, so an exchange stays attached to
the comment that started it instead of drifting to the bottom. - Edit — change your own comment after posting. It then shows
"(edited)", so nobody is misled about what was there before. - Delete — you'll be asked to confirm: "Delete this comment?". A
deleted comment leaves a "[deleted]" placeholder behind, on purpose:
the replies underneath still make sense that way. - Like / Unlike — with a count beside it. You cannot like your
own comment.
The two badges
Two badges can appear next to a name:
- Author — this is the person who wrote the story you're reading.
- OutaStory Team — someone from us.
Everyone else is a reader like you.
Who can comment
Reading comments needs no account. Writing one does: you have to be
signed in.
If you're signed in with an account belonging to a reader under 13,
an age notice appears where the comment box would be, instead of the box
itself. Nothing is broken — that account simply doesn't post comments.
When a comment is hidden
Sometimes, in place of a comment, you'll read:
This comment is hidden while moderators review reports.
That means the comment has been reported and our moderators are looking at
it. It hasn't been deleted, and it isn't a fault at your end — the text is
just not shown while the review runs. Depending on the outcome it comes
back or it goes.
If you're the one who wants to flag something, see
Reporting content — reporting a
comment takes a few seconds and goes to a real person.
Getting the tone right
A comment section is the closest thing a story has to a room full of
readers. A few things that help:
- Say what worked before you say what didn't. Authors read every word.
- Warn people before you spoil a twist.
- Reply to the comment you mean, so the thread stays readable.
- Disagree with the story, not with the person.
If a comment crosses a line, don't argue with it — report it.