A compose form for drafting a message is presented inline within a window along with a message list. For example, instead of overlaying the message application's user interface (UI) with a new window for composing a message, the compose form is displayed within a portion of the window reserved for viewing content of messages. While composing the message using the compose form, the rest of the message application's UI remains visible and accessible to the user. For example, the user may navigate to another folder and/or move to another message/conversation by interacting with the tree view/message list view. A draft of the message being composed may be automatically saved when the user navigates away from the compose form (e.g. by selecting another conversation in the list view).