Guide

This guide explains how to get the most out of a conversation on slowshop, whether you are here for five minutes at lunch or an hour late at night.

Start with tone, not portraits

Read two or three character pages before choosing. The profiles describe pace, humour and favourite subjects, which tells you far more about how a conversation will feel than an image ever could.

Open with something real

A companion responds to what you actually give her. Instead of hello, try the thing that is currently on your mind, however small. The first honest sentence sets the register for everything that follows.

Say what you want from the conversation

Company, distraction, a story, a sounding board: naming it early saves both of you five minutes of circling. Every slowshop character adjusts immediately when you state a preference.

Build a story together

For collaborative fiction, set the scene in one sentence and let the companion add the next. Take turns. If a direction is not working, say so and rewind; nothing is fixed.

Keep some structure

A short opening question in the morning and a short reflection at night gives the week a gentle shape. Several companions are written specifically for that rhythm.

Know when to close the tab

Good company should send you back into your day, not keep you from it. If a conversation stops feeling light, leave it and come back later.

Start chatting

Fictional girls. Intended for an audience aged 18 and over.