Frequently Asked Questions

Loser Story is a place to share setbacks, difficult experiences, and what happens next. Read other people’s stories, acknowledge shared experiences, and respond in the ways each author welcomes. You do not need a happy ending to belong here.

Your account and published stories are shared across web and app. Story limits and response permissions are the same. Buttons and layouts can differ, but a missing comment or reaction on “Just hear me” is intentional, not a bug.

Choose Share a story or Post your story. Add a title and story, choose a category and subcategory, optionally select tags and an image, choose your current journey stage, then select how readers may respond. Choose whether private whispers are allowed and whether to publish anonymously. Review your choices before submitting for moderation.

Use a title of 10–60 characters and a story of 100–1,200 characters after trimming spaces at the edges. These limits apply when creating and editing. Optional “what helped” text can contain up to 600 characters; it has no minimum and you do not have to describe a recovery.

The category is the broad area of life, and the subcategory identifies the kind of experience. Choose the closest fit for your story. Changing the category clears the previous subcategory, so select one from the new category before continuing. Tags add context; they do not replace classification.

Overlapping older categories have been consolidated: Relationships & Family into Relationships & Love; Creativity & Passion into Creativity, Dreams & Public Failure; Sports & Competitions into Sports, Gaming & Competition; Technology & Digital Life into Digital Life & Online Harm. Family, Parenting & Childhood remains distinct. Existing stories retain their subcategory links. Refresh the category list if an old name is cached.

Tags are optional. Add up to 10 tags, each 1–40 characters. Existing suggestions and custom text count toward the same total. Letters and numbers from supported writing systems are allowed, with spaces, apostrophes and hyphens. Use meaningful labels; the app checks the structure, not dictionary spelling or truth.

Leading # marks and extra spaces are normalized. “#Work” and “work” count as the same tag, including when one came from suggestions. Blank labels, emoji-only labels, punctuation-only labels, unsupported symbols, tags over 40 characters, and more than 10 tags are rejected. Edit or remove the tag rather than adding a differently capitalized copy.

You may attach an optional story image. The current story creation flow does not provide video posting. Avoid exposing someone else’s personal details in images. If an upload fails, check the format and size message before retrying.

The creation flow saves a draft locally as you write. Return on the same browser or device to resume it. Drafts are not published stories and are not guaranteed to sync across devices; clearing browser or app storage can remove them. An internet connection is required to submit.

No. Anonymous posting is a choice you review before submitting. It hides your public author identity for that story; it does not make the story private, hide its content from readers, or make you anonymous to the service and moderation team. Check both the story identity choice and your profile privacy settings.

Yes. New stories enter review before publication. Check My Stories for the current status. An edited story is submitted for review again. We do not promise a fixed approval time. If a revision is requested, read the moderation feedback and update your story.

First check My Stories and refresh its status. Pending, returned, removed or deleted stories are not normal public feed entries. A published story may also be excluded by your search or filters. If the status and display disagree after refreshing, contact support with the story ID and the problem, without sharing your password.

Open your own story in My Stories and use its available edit or delete action. Editing enforces the same title, story and tag limits and sends the story back for review. You can only manage your own stories. Deleting a story is irreversible through the normal interface, so read the confirmation before proceeding.

The author chooses the kind of support they welcome. “Just hear me” turns off public comments and ordinary reactions. “Encourage me” and “Share your experience” welcome public responses. Private whispers are a separate author choice. The “Just hear me” information label explains this on feed cards.

The author wants their story to be heard without public comments or ordinary sentiment reactions. You can still say “I hear you” or “Been there.” Private whispers depend on the author’s choice. Respect this boundary; you do not need to advise, debate or fix their experience.

On an eligible “Just hear me” story, a signed-in reader can add one acknowledgment and remove it later. Repeated taps or retries do not add extra acknowledgments. It is not an intensity score or public competition: the acknowledgment count is visible to the author. Authors cannot acknowledge their own story.

It acknowledges that you recognize or have experienced something similar. It remains separate from ordinary reactions and available on “Just hear me.” It is not a judgment about whether the story is true, a promise to offer help, or permission to send private messages.

“Encourage me” invites supportive encouragement. “Share your experience” invites relevant experiences or what helped you. Both allow ordinary reactions and public comments under the normal interaction rules. Neither requires you to give advice or respond, and private whispers still depend on the author’s choice.

Where the author welcomes reactions, choose the available reaction that matches your response to the story. Where an intensity control is offered, it uses a 1–5 scale. These describe your response, not a score of the author’s worth or whether their experience is believable. Ordinary reactions and intensity controls are off for “Just hear me.”

When the response mode allows comments, use an available suggested comment or write a short respectful response. The current custom-comment limit is 60 characters. Public comments can be seen by other readers; use a whisper only when you need a private exchange and the author allows it. Never put private contact or sensitive information in a public comment.

First check the author’s response choice. “Just hear me” has no public comments. When comments are allowed, the current limit is three comments per reader per story; deleting a comment does not reset that allowance. Duplicate suggested comments are also prevented. Follow the message shown rather than repeatedly retrying.

Use the actions available beside that comment or reply. You can delete your own contribution and report inappropriate content. Reply controls follow the story’s response permissions. Reporting does not guarantee immediate removal, and you should not repost removed content or use reports to punish a differing experience.

A whisper is a short, private exchange connected to a story, not an open-ended direct-message channel. An eligible reader starts it with the story’s author when whispers are allowed. Public reactions, “Been there,” or an acknowledgment do not automatically grant permission to whisper.

The author must allow private whispers, both accounts must be eligible, and the story must be available to you. Your account must be at least 24 hours old. For ordinary conversation modes, leave at least one public comment on that story first. For “Just hear me” with whispers enabled, no public comment is required. Blocking, privacy restrictions and active-thread limits can prevent a new whisper.

Whispers are turn-based: the person who sent the last letter waits for the other person. Each participant can send three letters, for six total. Letters 1–2 allow up to 300 characters each, letters 3–4 up to 200, and letters 5–6 up to 150. The thread closes after the sixth letter. You are never obliged to reply.

You may already have an active thread with that author, have reached the limit of 10 active whispers you started, or be waiting for the other participant’s turn. An author can also reach the pending-thread limit for a story. A closed, declined or expired conversation cannot accept another normal reply. Read the displayed reason before retrying.

Yes. Use the decline action when it is available, or choose not to reply. Whispers are optional. Pending conversations can expire; there is no requirement to respond to keep a status, earn a reward or protect someone else’s feelings. Report or block unwanted contact through the available safety controls.

These describe where the author feels they are now: in the difficulty, making their way through it, or standing more steadily. They are self-selected stages, not grades, deadlines or verified claims of recovery. A story may begin at any stage, and returning to an earlier stage is allowed.

A story arc is the original story together with its later stage changes and chapters. As the author, use the story’s update or stage action to share where you are now. A stage change can include an optional note of up to 500 characters and up to three predefined “what helped” tags. You do not have to change stage to share a chapter.

They show the latest three actual stages recorded for that story, in order. Earlier icons are muted and the current stage is named. Storm → Climbing does not imply the author has reached Standing Tall. Repeated same-stage check-ins do not add icons, and returns to an earlier stage remain visible. The detail page provides the fuller history.

A chapter adds what happened next without replacing the original story. Only the author can add one, to an eligible story. Use 2–2,000 characters. Editing changes the original title, body or tags and sends that original story for review; a chapter is a separate continuation. Do not include personal details that someone else has not agreed to share.

Use Rooting for this or the Chapters notification button on an eligible story. Both control the same subscription to that story’s stage changes and new chapters. You can turn it off later. Saving is separate. Delivery depends on notification settings, and a subscription never makes private or otherwise unavailable content visible.

Saving keeps a story in your saved collection for later reading. Following opts into that story’s stage changes and new chapters. They are separate, reversible choices. A saved or followed story can become unavailable if it is removed, deleted, blocked or otherwise no longer eligible for you to view.

Select a section heading to open or close it. This keeps reading first. Where they are now shows the current stage; Chapters contains later updates. What pulled people out of this shares real contributions from similar stories while the current story is in the Storm or on the Climb. Missing optional contributions do not mean a story is broken.

No. Authors choose their own stage. Moving from Storm to Climb is a step forward, not a declaration that everything is resolved. Standing Tall is also self-reported. People can move back, remain where they are, or leave no update. There is no deadline, score or obligation to show progress.

On your own story, choose Update my status and select a new stage. For an upward move, you may choose up to three predefined what helped tags and add an optional note of up to 500 characters. A downward move uses an optional what happened note. These fixed help tags are separate from the up to ten discovery tags on the original story. A note or tag is never required.

Authors do not enter this number. Saving a stage change records the earlier stage, new stage and optional help tags or note. The system counts distinct other eligible stories with an actual upward change from a known stage, such as Storm to Climb or Climb to Standing Tall. Five means five stories, not five unique people or five verified recoveries. Posting a first stage, writing a chapter, reacting or checking in at the same stage does not increase this count.

Each bar counts distinct matching stories that selected that help tag during an upward stage change. A story counts once for a given tag even if the tag was selected on several moves, but can count under several different tags. The bar totals therefore need not equal the story total. The longest bar sets the visual scale; the bars are counts, not percentages, ratings or proof that a particular action will help you. Up to six help tags are shown.

The system looks at other visible stories in the same category, excluding the story you are reading. If at least three eligible stories also match its keyword, it narrows to that keyword; otherwise it uses the category. Removed or deleted stories, ineligible authors, blocked relationships and stories marked not interested are excluded. The scope label tells you which group is being used, so readers can see different results.

They are excerpts of optional notes written by other story authors when they recorded an upward move. The section can show up to three recent eligible notes, with one per story. Open a note to read its story and context. These are human contributions, not generated testimonials, professional advice or promises of recovery.

Counts are recalculated from eligible recorded stories. New stage changes, category or keyword changes, removal, blocking or discovery preferences can change the pool. An earlier upward move remains a historical contribution even if its author later moves back down; the chart is not a count of people currently Standing Tall. What pulled people out of this is hidden when the story you are reading is Standing Tall. If it moves back down, the section can return.

A story status check-in confirms where the author is on that story. After thirty days without a recorded stage activity, an optional reminder can appear. Still here records the same stage without treating it as progress or adding to the chart count. Choosing a different stage is a stage change. The daily check-in is a separate personal reflection. Both can be skipped.

It subscribes you to that story’s stage and chapter updates. Rooting and the Chapters notification button control the same subscription, so switching one updates the other. It does not send a whisper, award points or require a reply. Only the author sees the follower total in this section; your identity is not displayed there. You can stop following at any time, and delivery depends on notification settings.

After an author records an upward move to Standing Tall, the system may suggest an eligible story in the Storm in the same category, prioritizing one with little support. Read it if you want, or choose Maybe later. Nothing is sent automatically. Any response must respect that story’s settings, including whether whispers are allowed. Helping is optional, and reaching Standing Tall does not create an obligation.

Browse recent stories and use the available search, category and journey-stage controls to narrow them down. Category preferences help discovery, while each story retains its own response settings. Web and app can present filters differently. A quiet “Just hear me” card is not missing data just because it has no comment or reaction controls.

It helps you find eligible stories and experiences related to your interests or the kind of difficulty you recognize. It is a discovery feature, not proof that another member shares your identity or wishes to receive a private message. Read the story and respect its chosen response boundaries.

Spotlight is a discovery area for selected stories and content. It is not a reward leaderboard or a ranking of whose hardship matters most. Older references to a Jewel tab describe a retired label and should not be used to find the current feature.

It is a personal reflection you can open from the daily check-in action. It is separate from posting a story or updating a story’s journey stage. You can skip it; it does not require a public post or a positive answer.

Anonymous posting controls the author identity shown on an individual story. Profile privacy controls which profile details other members may see. Choosing one does not automatically configure the other. Review the privacy settings and any profile-view request controls before sharing information.

Where profile-view requests are enabled, you decide whether to accept or reject a request. You can also turn off new requests in your privacy settings. Accepting a profile request does not change a story’s response mode or automatically permit whispers.

Use the report action available on the content or profile and select the reason that best fits. The moderation team reviews reports; removal is not automatic. Blocking is a separate personal boundary. Never include passwords, verification codes or unnecessary private information in a report.

Share your own experiences honestly and treat other people with care. Do not post hate, harassment, threats, impersonation, spam or someone else’s private information. A different experience is not a reason to attack someone. Respect “Just hear me” and other response choices. Community stories and replies are not professional advice or emergency assistance.

Check the email address or phone number you entered and any spam folder. Use the resend action when its wait period ends. Enter the newest code and follow any expiry message. Never send a verification code or password to another member or to a support conversation.

Use Forgot Password on the sign-in screen and follow the available verification steps. If you cannot access the registered email or phone, contact support using the provided contact route. Do not create repeated reset requests while a wait message is displayed.

Request deletion in your account or profile settings. The current flow schedules deletion after 14 days and allows cancellation during that period, including by signing back in. Read the on-screen deadline and confirmation. Account deletion is different from deleting one story.

Yes. Sign into the same account to access its server-saved stories and settings. Locally saved writing drafts may remain only on the device or browser where you created them. After a change, refresh the other device before assuming its old display is current.

The App Store or Google Play installs updates when they are available for your account and compatible device; automatic updates depend on your store settings and may arrive later. Loser Story checks for advertised published releases at startup and when returning to the foreground. You can also use Check for updates in Settings. Normal update notices let you choose Later. A successful store installation replaces the app, while your account and published stories remain on the service. Do not uninstall just to check for an update, because local drafts can be lost.

The device may already have the latest release available to it, or a new release may still be in review, testing, propagation or a limited rollout. Store country, account and device compatibility can affect availability. Uploading a build is not the same as releasing it. The app cannot change the store’s button or install an unavailable release. After installing the advertised update, reopening the app should not ask for that same release again. If a notice disagrees with the store, choose Later when available and report your installed version and platform to support.

Notifications relate to activity such as story review, permitted responses, whispers and followed chapters. Delivery depends on the event, your settings, permissions and device connectivity. Check the in-app notification list and the relevant story or conversation before retrying an action. Following a chapter does not guarantee immediate push or email delivery.

Some actions have cooldowns or interaction limits to reduce repeated requests and unwanted contact. A wait message can also follow retries, expired codes or an active conversation. Read the specific reason, wait for the indicated interval and avoid repeated taps. If it persists after the wait, contact support with the action and time.

Previously loaded content or a local writing draft may remain available, but publishing, commenting, reacting, whispering and changing settings need an internet connection. A failed request is not confirmation that your action was saved. Refresh after reconnecting before submitting again.

Use the available Contact or Support link. Describe what you were doing, the screen, approximate time and any error message. Include the story ID if relevant. Do not send passwords, verification codes or private conversation text unless needed and appropriate. Update the app and refresh the web page before checking again.

The story response and journey features are not a points competition. “I hear you,” “Been there,” reactions and stages are ways to understand or acknowledge an experience, not a score of a person’s worth. You are never required to reply, publish a chapter or claim progress to participate.

A Whisper is a private message sent by a reader to the story creator after reading a story. It is not visible to the public, and only the recipient can choose to reply or ignore it.

Yes, you will receive both in-app and email notifications when a Whisper is replied to. Make sure your notification settings are enabled.

No, Whispers can’t be manually deleted. If ignored, they are automatically removed after 14 days. Completed conversations are wiped after 365 days.

Whispers are only allowed if your account is at least 24 hours old and you have posted at least one comment on that story. Some stories may also have Whispers disabled.

Yes, the creator can respond with a reply (also 300 characters). After that, each side can send one more message (150 characters each) — and then the conversation ends.

Whispers are private but not anonymous. Your username and profile picture (if enabled) will be visible to the recipient. However, the conversation stays strictly between you and the story creator — it’s never public.

Some moments hit deeper than a public comment can express. Whispers let you privately connect with the story creator when something resonates — it’s for when “Ditto” doesn’t feel like enough.

Comments are public and visible to all readers — great for support, solidarity, or reactions. Whispers are private messages that go straight to the story creator. Use a Whisper when you want to share something personal, ask a sensitive question, or offer support directly.

Send a Whisper when a story hits you in a personal way and you want to connect directly — whether to say “me too,” ask something private, or just let the creator know they’re seen. Use it with care, not casually.

Whispers are meant to be meaningful, not ongoing chats. Each reader can send one message and, if the creator replies, one more. That’s it. This keeps Whispers safe, respectful, and emotionally lightweight for both sides.

Not all Whispers receive replies. The story creator may not feel ready to respond, or they may have reached their reply limit. Every Whisper is seen, even if it’s not answered. It still matters.

Not every story feels the same — and neither should the way we react.\nLoser Story separates stories into three types: Loss-Only, Mixed, and Resolved.\nEach story type unlocks a specific set of emoji reactions that match its emotional tone.\nThis helps keep feedback authentic and relevant — because “🔥 Encouraging” doesn’t belong on a story about grief, and “🥶 Numb” might not feel right on a comeback.

Each sentiment emoji is carefully matched with:\n- A core feeling (like “Raw” or “Hopeful”)\n- A color that visually represents the vibe\n- A description to help you choose what resonates\n\nFor example:\n- 🩸 Raw — Deep, painful, unfiltered\n- ❤️ Heartfelt — Emotional and genuine\n- 🌟 Hopeful — A spark of light in dark times\n\nThe colors aren’t just pretty — they reflect emotional depth and help paint a picture of how people felt when reading.

Yes — and you can do more than just change it.\nYou can tap on as many sentiments as you feel.\nFelt “Numb” and “Heartfelt”? Click both.\nTap again to remove one if it no longer fits.\nYou’re in control — no judgment, no lock-ins.\nReactions reflect emotions, and emotions shift.