Writing.Com 101

Portfolio Icons

You will see many different portfolio icons within the community, varying in color and style.1

Userlink and Portfolio Icon Functions
A userlink displays the member's handle. Userlinks can also display the community recognition number, the portfolio icon, the email icon, and the Plus, Favorite, or Fan icon: . Hovering your mouse over each part of the userlink provides member information and/or says what it does when you click it.

Clicking on a portfolio icon next to a member's handle will open that portfolio to be viewed. Hovering your mouse over a member's portfolio icon displays the username, online status, and account creation date. Some userlink variations do not display the portfolio icon. Clicking on the handle opens the userlink menu which includes a link to that portfolio. Right-clicking on a member's handle opens another userlink menu which contains additional options and a copy of the username that can be copy/pasted.

Portfolio Icon Colors
Portfolio icons come in seven different colors, each representing a different member level within the Writing.Com community:

Registered Member

Registered Members are denoted by gray portfolios. The portfolio icon is always shown as empty gray. All Registered Members have the ability to fully participate in Writing.Com. They can post in forums and the newsfeed, vote in polls, add to interactive stories, review items, keep their favorite authors and items, and so on. Registered Members are also able to create portfolio items. Registered Members who create an item in their portfolio become Registered Authors.

Registered Author

Registered Authors are denoted by black portfolios. Registered Members become Registered Authors instantly when they create their first item. Authors have full access to the community tools and features and can do whatever their free or paid membership level provides. Registered Authors include the Authorized Secondary Accounts (ASA), which show "2nd" on their portfolio icon.

Preferred Author

Preferred Authors are Registered Authors who have been hand selected and promoted by Writing.Com Staff for such reasons as positive community involvement and interaction with other members, quality and quantity of their reviews and ratings, quality and variety of items in their portfolio, technical understanding of the site and their willingness to help other members. For complete information on promotions to Preferred Author, please read Promotion to Preferred Author.

Moderators

Moderators are Preferred Authors who have been hand selected and promoted by Writing.Com Staff because they have shown to be extra helpful to other members. Moderators are considered volunteer leaders within the community and are usually able to answer most site related questions for members who need help or to be pointed in the right direction. For complete information on promotions to Moderator, please read Promotion to Moderator.

Senior Moderators

Senior Moderators are Moderators who have been hand selected and promoted by Writing.Com Staff because they have a genuine concern for our aspiring authors and are a great inspiration to other members of Writing.Com. They are focused on writing and helping others write well, our first and foremost goal here at Writing.Com. Senior Moderators have a higher level of responsibility within the site than Moderators. Besides Staff, the position of Senior Moderator is the highest position achievable at Writing.Com. This position is not based on the length of time of membership (18 month minimum), but more on the overall activity, improvements and achievements since the member's very first login.

Staff

Staff members are responsible for duties including promotions within the community, improving the website, managing day to day activities and maintaining Writing.Com policies and procedures. Staff is the highest level possible on Writing.Com. [Note that some accounts that display a red portfolio icon are accounts used for site operations, and are not people.]

Memorialized Authors

Writing.Com respects and honors the memories of our members who have passed away, allowing their portfolios to live on as everlasting tributes to them and their writing. For more information about Memorialized Authors, please read Request a Deceased Member Be Memorialized.

Portfolio Icon Images
You may have seen many of the portfolio icons replaced with miniature rectangular images. These icon images are called Costumicons and are automatically included with any Premium or Premium Plus paid membership. Larger versions of the images can be seen in the member's portfolio, or by hovering your mouse over the image in the member's userlink or in your Costumicon tab on your My Account page. Costumicons are not used for Registered Members, Authorized Secondary Accounts, or Memorialized Authors.

Member Levels
Member levels are among the options that can be used when setting access restrictions for your items and portfolio tabs. For more information, please read Access Restrictions.

Recommended Reading

1. Costumicons
2. Promotion to Preferred Author
3. Promotion to Moderator
4. Request a Deceased Member Be Memorialized
5. Authorized Secondary Accounts (ASA)
6. Access Restrictions

Footnotes
1  Updated by northernwrites.