diff --git a/USAGE.md b/USAGE.md
index 7f5e9a66b..6068eb966 100644
--- a/USAGE.md
+++ b/USAGE.md
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ version 2, notcurses will honor Semantic Versioning.
 * [Planes](#planes) ([Plane Channels API](#plane-channels-api))
 * [Cells](#cells) ([Cell Channels API](#cell-channels-api))
 * [Reels](#reels) ([ncreel Examples](#ncreel-examples))
-* [Widgets](#widgets)
+* [Widgets](#widgets) ([Readers](#readers))
 * [Channels](#channels)
 * [Media](#media)
 
@@ -2101,6 +2101,44 @@ xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx│Quit   Ctrl+q│xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
 xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx╰─────────────╯xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
 ```
 
+### Readers
+
+```c
+typedef struct ncreader_options {
+  uint64_t tchannels; // channels used for input
+  uint64_t echannels; // channels used for empty space
+  uint32_t tattrword; // attributes used for input
+  uint32_t eattrword; // attributes used for empty space
+  char* egc;          // egc used for empty space
+  int physrows;
+  int physcols;
+  bool scroll; // allow more than the physical area's worth of input
+} ncreader_options;
+
+// ncreaders provide freeform input in a (possibly multiline) region,
+// supporting readline keybindings. 'rows' and 'cols' both must be negative.
+// there are no restrictions on 'y' or 'x'. creates its own plane.
+struct ncreader* ncreader_create(struct notcurses* nc, int y, int x,
+                                 const ncreader_options* opts);
+
+// empty the ncreader of any user input, and home the cursor.
+int ncreader_clear(struct ncreader* n);
+
+struct ncplane* ncreader_plane(struct ncreader* n);
+
+// Offer the input to the ncreader. If it's relevant, this function returns
+// true, and the input ought not be processed further. Almost all inputs
+// are relevant to an ncreader, save synthesized ones.
+bool ncreader_offer_input(struct ncreader* n, const struct ncinput* ni);
+
+// return a heap-allocated copy of the current (UTF-8) contents.
+char* ncreader_contents(const struct ncreader* n);
+
+// destroy the reader and its bound plane. if 'contents' is not NULL, the
+// UTF-8 input will be heap-duplicated and written to 'contents'.
+void ncreader_destroy(struct ncreader* n, char** contents);
+```
+
 ## Channels
 
 A channel encodes 24 bits of RGB color, using 8 bits for each component. It
diff --git a/doc/man/index.html b/doc/man/index.html
index 4e8e1681b..3247d8509 100644
--- a/doc/man/index.html
+++ b/doc/man/index.html
@@ -35,15 +35,16 @@
   <a href="notcurses_input.3.html">notcurses_input</a>—collecting input<br/>
   <a href="notcurses_lines.3.html">notcurses_lines</a>—drawing lines and boxes on <tt>ncplane</tt>s<br/>
   <a href="notcurses_menu.3.html">notcurses_menu</a>—menus on the top or bottom rows<br/>
+  <a href="notcurses_multiselector.3.html">notcurses_multiselector</a>—high-level widget for selecting items from a set<br/>
   <a href="notcurses_reel.3.html">notcurses_reel</a>—high-level widget for hierarchical data<br/>
   <a href="notcurses_output.3.html">notcurses_output</a>—drawing text on <tt>ncplane</tt>s<br/>
   <a href="notcurses_palette.3.html">notcurses_palette</a>—operations on notcurses palettes<br/>
   <a href="notcurses_plane.3.html">notcurses_plane</a>—operations on <tt>ncplane</tt> objects<br/>
   <a href="notcurses_plot.3.html">notcurses_plot</a>—drawing histograms and lineplots<br/>
+  <a href="notcurses_reader.3.html">notcurses_reader</a>—high-level widget for collecting input<br/>
   <a href="notcurses_refresh.3.html">notcurses_refresh</a>—refresh an externally-damaged display<br/>
   <a href="notcurses_render.3.html">notcurses_render</a>—sync the physical display<br/>
   <a href="notcurses_selector.3.html">notcurses_selector</a>—high-level widget for selecting one item from a set<br/>
-  <a href="notcurses_multiselector.3.html">notcurses_multiselector</a>—high-level widget for selecting items from a set<br/>
   <a href="notcurses_stats.3.html">notcurses_stats</a>—notcurses runtime statistics<br/>
   <a href="notcurses_stdplane.3.html">notcurses_stdplane</a>—acquire the standard <tt>ncplane</tt><br/>
   <a href="notcurses_stop.3.html">notcurses_stop</a>—collapse the context<br/>
diff --git a/include/ncpp/NotCurses.hh b/include/ncpp/NotCurses.hh
index 0015014af..4a31ff731 100644
--- a/include/ncpp/NotCurses.hh
+++ b/include/ncpp/NotCurses.hh
@@ -36,12 +36,7 @@ namespace ncpp
 		NotCurses (NotCurses &&other) = delete;
 		~NotCurses ();
 
-		operator notcurses* () noexcept
-		{
-			return nc;
-		}
-
-		operator notcurses const* () const noexcept
+		notcurses* operator*() noexcept
 		{
 			return nc;
 		}
@@ -58,7 +53,7 @@ namespace ncpp
 
 		static bool is_notcurses_stopped ()
 		{
-			return *_instance == nullptr || _instance->nc == nullptr;
+			return _instance == nullptr || _instance->nc == nullptr;
 		}
 
 		static const char* ncmetric (uintmax_t val, unsigned decimal, char *buf, int omitdec, unsigned mult, int uprefix) noexcept
diff --git a/include/ncpp/Reader.hh b/include/ncpp/Reader.hh
index 1106876ee..f305827b9 100644
--- a/include/ncpp/Reader.hh
+++ b/include/ncpp/Reader.hh
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ namespace ncpp
 	{
 	public:
 		explicit Reader (NotCurses *nc, int y, int x, const ncreader_options *opts)
-			: Reader (reinterpret_cast<notcurses*>(nc), y, x, opts)
+			: Reader (*nc, y, x, opts)
 		{}
 
 		explicit Reader (NotCurses const* nc, int y, int x, const ncreader_options *opts)
diff --git a/include/notcurses/notcurses.h b/include/notcurses/notcurses.h
index a38b44869..101a64406 100644
--- a/include/notcurses/notcurses.h
+++ b/include/notcurses/notcurses.h
@@ -2789,6 +2789,11 @@ API int ncreader_clear(struct ncreader* n);
 
 API struct ncplane* ncreader_plane(struct ncreader* n);
 
+// Offer the input to the ncreader. If it's relevant, this function returns
+// true, and the input ought not be processed further. Almost all inputs
+// are relevant to an ncreader, save synthesized ones.
+API bool ncreader_offer_input(struct ncreader* n, const struct ncinput* ni);
+
 // return a heap-allocated copy of the current (UTF-8) contents.
 API char* ncreader_contents(const struct ncreader* n);
 
diff --git a/src/lib/reader.c b/src/lib/reader.c
index d6a296312..994cb14d7 100644
--- a/src/lib/reader.c
+++ b/src/lib/reader.c
@@ -33,6 +33,14 @@ ncplane* ncreader_plane(ncreader* n){
   return n->ncp;
 }
 
+bool ncreader_offer_input(ncreader* n, const ncinput* ni){
+  if(nckey_supppuab_p(ni->id)){
+    return false;
+  }
+  // FIXME add ni to n->content
+  return true;
+}
+
 char* ncreader_contents(const ncreader* n){
   return strdup(n->contents);
 }
diff --git a/src/libcpp/Root.cc b/src/libcpp/Root.cc
index 04d0b908b..40c04022b 100644
--- a/src/libcpp/Root.cc
+++ b/src/libcpp/Root.cc
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ using namespace ncpp;
 
 notcurses* Root::get_notcurses () const
 {
-	notcurses *ret = NotCurses::get_instance ();
+	notcurses *ret = *NotCurses::get_instance ();
 	if (ret == nullptr)
 		throw new invalid_state_error (ncpp_invalid_state_message);
 	return ret;
diff --git a/src/poc/reader.cpp b/src/poc/reader.cpp
index b2a4e3684..0d55c6bf4 100644
--- a/src/poc/reader.cpp
+++ b/src/poc/reader.cpp
@@ -17,7 +17,16 @@ auto main() -> int {
   opts.physrows = dimy / 2;
   opts.physcols = dimx / 2;
   opts.egc = strdup("░");
-  ncpp::Reader ncread(nc, 0, 0, &opts);
+  //ncpp::Reader nr(nc, 0, 0, &opts);
+  auto nr = ncreader_create(*nc, 2, 2, &opts);
+  char32_t id;
+  ncinput ni;
+  nc.render();
+  while((id = nc.getc(true, &ni)) != (char32_t)-1){
+    if(!ncreader_offer_input(nr, &ni)){
+      break;
+    }
+  }
   nc.render();
   nc.stop();
   return EXIT_SUCCESS;