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Help Center

Friendly, practical help for reading, writing, and sharing on The Manslaughter.

You can use this guide whether you are just reading stories or publishing your own. Steps are written exactly for what people see on the site.

Quick Start

If you are brand new, these five steps are the fastest way to go from reading to publishing.

  1. Read stories from Home (desktop) or Feed (mobile-style view).
  2. Tap any headline to open the full story.
  3. Use Share to send, text, email, or copy a link.
  4. If you write, open the editor, add image + story fields, then Publish.
  5. Use Story Update + Story ID only when you want to connect stories together.

Sign Up, Login, Reset Password

Your account lets you comment, publish stories, and manage your profile. If anything fails, start by confirming login first.

Sign Up

  1. Open the account/login window.
  2. Choose Sign Up.
  3. Enter email + password.
  4. Enter your email verification code.
  5. Set your handle if prompted.

Login

  1. Open login.
  2. Enter email (or username) + password.
  3. If you were sent to login from an action, you return automatically after login.

Forgot Password

  1. Choose forgot password from login.
  2. Request code.
  3. Enter code + new password.
  4. Log in with the new password.

Profile

Your profile is your public writer identity. Keep it current so readers know who they are following.

  • Update avatar, bio, location, phone, and email from your account page.
  • Use reset password there if needed.
  • Use logout to fully end your session.

Desktop + Mobile

The site has two reading paths: desktop site and mobile Feed. Both show the same stories with different layouts.

Desktop

  • Use the top navigation for sections.
  • Use the Apple/Android icon in the top-right header to open Feed.

Mobile

  • If someone shares an article link to your phone, it opens in the mobile experience automatically.
  • Feed is designed for phone reading and quick actions.

Article Buttons

These are the quick actions readers use most. If you know this row of buttons, you can navigate everything quickly.

  • Comment: open comments for that story.
  • Story Update: start a new story using the current story as context.
  • Share: open the share menu.
  • Like: like/unlike the story.
  • Follow: follow/unfollow the author.

Comments

Comments are where readers react, argue, and add context under each story.

  • Comments are tied to each story.
  • Login is required to post.
  • Comment counts appear on story cards and full stories.

Story Updates

When stories are linked, readers see a Story Updates section above comments on the article page.

  • Each tile is a linked story in that chain.
  • Tap any tile to open that related story.

Creating a Story

A story is your full article package: headline, summary, main image, body, location, date, caption, and category tags. When these pieces are complete, readers get the full intended experience across desktop and mobile.

For satire, the strongest stories usually keep a straight face: write deadpan, use specific details, and let the absurd part feel \"official\" instead of explained. Ground the joke in a recognizable real-world context, then escalate calmly.

  1. Add headline + summary.
  2. Upload the main image.
  3. Write the body.
  4. Add story location and date.
  5. Add caption.
  6. Select category tags.
  7. Save draft or publish.
Publish requires key fields (headline, summary, image, location, category).

Image Crop

Cropping sets what readers notice first. Use it to protect the key visual detail before publishing.

  1. Click Click to Upload Photo.
  2. The crop window opens.
  3. Adjust the crop area to frame the image you want.
  4. Click SAVE to apply, or CANCEL to back out.
  5. If needed, upload again and re-crop.
  • Main image upload limit is 5MB.
  • For body images, use the upload button in the editor instead of pasting raw clipboard images.

Story ID Linking

Story ID links one story to another so readers can follow ongoing updates in the same chain. Use it when your new story is a continuation, follow-up, or new angle on an existing story.

If your story is unrelated, leave Story ID off and publish as a standalone piece.

Link a Story Update

  1. In editor, enable the Story ID checkbox.
  2. Paste a Story ID in the field (example: ART_1234567890123).
  3. Save or publish.

Remove a Link

  1. Uncheck Story ID.
  2. Clear the field.
  3. Save or publish.
Naming parity used across product: Story Update, Story Updates, Story ID, Copy Story ID.

Draft vs Publish

Use Draft while writing. Publish only when the story is ready for readers.

  • DRAFT keeps the story saved but not live.
  • PUBLISH pushes the story live.
  • Save Changes appears when editing an existing story.

AI Tools

AI tools are optional helpers. They are best for first drafts and cleanup, not final voice.

  • Auto-Write Article: creates a first draft from image + headline context.
  • Refine: rewrite pass based on your instruction.
  • Suggest Summary & Caption: quick helper text.

Share Menu

The share menu gives readers and writers quick ways to send stories and pull IDs.

  • Share: opens the square image creator page.
  • Messages: opens text message share.
  • Email: opens email share.
  • Copy Link: copies the article URL.
  • Copy Story ID: copies story ID when available.
  • Share (X): opens X share.
  • Facebook: opens Facebook share.
  • Report Issue: flags the story for review.

Instagram Image Tool

This is the built-in square image maker for social posting.

  1. Open article Share menu.
  2. Tap Share (first item).
  3. A square canvas opens with your image + headline.
  4. Move/resize the image so important parts stay visible.
  5. Move the headline box so it does not block key image details.
  6. Tap CREATE.

What happens next

  • On phone: you get a save/share flow. If prompted, long-press image to save.
  • On desktop browser: the square JPG downloads to your Downloads folder.

Troubleshooting

If something feels off, check this list first before rebuilding a story.

I do not see “Copy Story ID” in Share menu

  • Refresh the page once.
  • Some older pages may need a full refresh to load latest menu labels.

Story Updates section is not showing

  • Make sure the article was saved with Story ID enabled.
  • Re-open the article after saving.

Story will not open for editing

  • This can happen on older stories with missing metadata.
  • Rebuild that story manually in the story creator if needed.

Crop looks wrong after save

  • Upload again, reframe crop, and press SAVE.
  • Use a larger original image when possible.

FAQ

Can I publish without a main image?

No. Main image is required for publish.

Can I add Story ID later by editing?

Yes. Add Story ID, then save changes.

Can I remove Story ID later?

Yes. Uncheck Story ID, clear field, and save.

How do I grab a Story ID quickly?

Open Share menu and tap Copy Story ID.