Writing.Com 101

Authorized Secondary Accounts (ASA)

Authorized Secondary Accounts (ASA) allow members with an Upgraded membership or higher to create additional accounts that can be used for writing and participating on Writing.Com while remaining anonymous.

Each member may create up to two Authorized Secondary Accounts. These accounts are often used to keep certain writing projects or activities separate from a primary account.

To create an ASA, the member’s primary account must have an active paid membership. The system verifies that the primary account is current before allowing access to the secondary account.

Authorized Secondary Accounts must also maintain their own Upgraded membership or higher.

You can manage or create an ASA through your My Account page.

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Quick Summary

• Members with Upgraded membership or higher can create ASAs
• Each member may have up to two secondary accounts
• ASAs must maintain their own Upgraded membership or better
• ASAs cannot rate or review items
• ASAs are identified by a “2nd” portfolio icon
• The identity of the ASA owner is known only to site staff

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How Authorized Secondary Accounts Work

An Authorized Secondary Account functions much like a normal Writing.Com account.

To use it, you log into it just like any other account. However, a member may only be logged into one account at a time, so you must log out of one account before logging into another.

The features available on the ASA — such as portfolio size and tools — are determined by the membership level assigned to that account, just like with a primary account.

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Rules for Authorized Secondary Accounts

The following guidelines apply to all ASAs:

• ASAs are intended primarily as an anonymous venue for writers
• ASAs are identified by a “2nd” portfolio icon
• ASAs may not rate or review items
• ASAs may communicate through other site features
• ASAs may not use costumicons
• ASAs will remain Registered Users or Registered Authors and will not be promoted
• ASAs must maintain an Upgraded membership or better
• ASAs may not be used to deceive, attack, or harass other members
• ASAs may not have secondary accounts of their own
• Each member is limited to two ASAs

Please note: Only site staff know the true identity of ASA owners.

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Common Uses for Secondary Accounts

Many members find ASAs helpful for different creative situations. For example:

• Experimenting with different writing styles or genres
• Keeping personal writing separate from a main portfolio
• Teachers who wish to keep their personal writing separate from student accounts
• Acting as an anonymous helper or “angel” when assisting other members

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Creating an ASA

To create an Authorized Secondary Account:

1. Visit your My Account page
2. Click Create an Authorized Secondary Account
3. Follow the instructions provided
 

The process typically takes only a few minutes.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Can I have more than one secondary account?

Yes. Members may create up to two Authorized Secondary Accounts.

Do I have to use Gift Points to create an ASA?

Yes. The initial membership for a secondary account must be purchased using Gift Points at the time the ASA is created.

How can I renew the membership for my ASA?

Once your ASA has been created, you can log into it and renew the membership using any payment method supported in The Writing.Com Shop.

Why didn’t I set a password when creating my ASA?

When your ASA is first created, its password is automatically set to match the password of your primary account. After logging into the ASA, you can change the password at any time.

Can my ASA use a costumicon?

No. Each secondary account uses the “2nd” portfolio icon so that members can easily recognize secondary accounts.

What is the difference between a primary and secondary account?

Aside from the “2nd” portfolio icon and the inability to rate or review items, there are no major functional differences.

What happens if my ASA membership expires?

If the paid membership on the ASA expires, you will not be able to log into that account until the membership is renewed.

The same expiration policies described in "When Your Paid Membership Expires..."  apply to secondary accounts.

What happens if my primary account membership expires?

The actions described in "When Your Paid Membership Expires..."  also apply to the primary account.

If the paid membership on your primary account expires, the system will be unable to verify that the account is current. As a result, you will not be able to log into your Authorized Secondary Account.

All documents stored in the secondary account will remain active, but you will not be able to access the account to edit or manage them.

However, those items may still be viewed depending on their access settings.

For example:

• If you are viewing the site as a guest (logged out), you will be able to see any items that are accessible to everyone, but not items restricted to Registered Authors or above.

• If you are viewing the site while logged into your primary account, and that account has Registered Author access, you will be able to view items that are accessible to Registered Authors or above, as well as those open to everyone.

Once the paid membership for the primary account has been reinstated, you will again be able to log into the secondary account.

If the primary account is abandoned and eventually deleted after the grace period, the secondary account will continue to exist until its own membership expires. However, you will never again be able to access it, since the system will no longer be able to verify the primary account.

Can I change my ASA username?

Yes. Log into the ASA, visit your My Account page, and select Change My Username. Please note that there is a cost associated with this action.

What about older secondary accounts created before these rules?

Some secondary accounts created before August 2004 were approved under earlier guidelines. These accounts are grandfathered under their original terms, though they may be converted to the current ASA system in the future.

Is there an example ASA to look at?

Yes: Example ASA .

Do I have to keep my ASA anonymous?

No. The system allows anonymity, but you are free to share the identity of your secondary account with anyone you choose.

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