How do I invite a co-author?
Open Settings → Collaborators, type the person's email, choose Editor or Viewer, and choose Send invite. They get an email with a link to join. Once they accept, the universe appears on their Your universes page.
Only the universe's owner can invite people.
Send an invitation
- In the universe, open Settings → Collaborators.
- Under Invite a collaborator, enter their email address.
- Choose Editor or Viewer.
- Choose Send invite.
The invitation shows in the list as "invited" with its role until it's accepted. The link lasts 14 days and works once.
What the invited person does
They open the link in the email, which shows the universe's name and who invited them. If they're not signed in, they choose Sign in to accept and get a sign-in link by email. Then they choose Accept as their email address.
They don't need an account beforehand; signing in creates one. The invitation isn't tied to the address it was sent to, so whoever accepts it joins. Send links only to the person you mean.
Roles
| Owner | Editor | Viewer | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Read everything | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Add and edit entries, facts, events, books, maps | Yes | Yes | No |
| Import AI replies, undo changes | Yes | Yes | No |
| Invite, change roles, remove people | Yes | No | No |
| Publish the reader wiki | Yes | No | No |
| Restore a backup, delete the universe | Yes | No | No |
Working together
Everyone sees edits live. When others have the universe open, their initials appear at the bottom of the sidebar with "editing now", and the sidebar shows "All changes saved" once your own edits are stored.
Every change is recorded in History with who made it and how. In Collaborators, the their changes link next to each person opens History filtered to them.
Change a role or remove someone
As the owner, use the role menu next to a person to switch between Editor and Viewer, or the remove button to take away their access. Changes apply immediately, even if they have the universe open.
A co-author can leave on their own from Settings → General with Leave universe. You can invite them again any time.
Common questions
What's the difference between an editor and a viewer?
Editors can change everything in the universe except its members and publishing. Viewers can read everything but can't change anything.
How long does an invitation last?
14 days. After that, or once it has been used, send a new one.
Can a co-author delete the universe?
No. Only the owner can delete the universe, manage members, publish the reader wiki or restore a backup.
Keep your story straight
Who Where When keeps every character, place and date in your books, and tells you when the story contradicts itself.
Start your story bibleMore in Sharing and publishing
- How do History and undo work?History records every change to a universe, who made it and where it came from. Undo reverses a change without overwriting later edits.
- How do I publish a reader wiki? PROPublish a companion wiki for readers from Settings. Readers pick how far they've read and only see what's been revealed by then.
Related
- How do I sign in to Who Where When?Who Where When has no passwords. Enter your email and open the one-time sign-in link we send you. Here's what to do if it doesn't arrive.
- How to keep a long series consistentWhat drifts between books in a series, how a series bible stops it, and how to handle spoilers, old books and co-writers.