What is Theo Reads?
Theo Reads is a reader-facing platform for human-written romance and erotica, across all heat levels and orientations. Authors keep their rights, choose whether to publish exclusively, and earn published royalty rates of 35% to 50% non-exclusive or 70% exclusive. It is built as an author-friendly alternative to Kindle Unlimited and Amazon KDP, with no content banning, no coin or token systems, and reader discovery based on how stories make people feel.
You can also read more about Why We Exist and our origin story - why Theo Reads was founded.
Do I keep my rights?
Yes. You own your work, always. Publishing on Theo Reads grants us a license to distribute your story in digital format. It does not transfer your copyright, and it never will.
Do I have to go exclusive or leave Amazon?
No. You can publish here and keep selling the same story on Amazon, Kobo, Apple, your own site, anywhere you already are. Exclusivity is a choice you opt into, story by story, in exchange for a higher royalty. If you never want to be exclusive, you never have to be.
Will my spicy, dark, or queer content get banned or buried?
No. We do not ban, delist, or shadow ban based on heat level, theme, or orientation. We publish across all heat levels, from sweet romance to erotica. Our content guidelines spell out where we draw the line e.g. no incest.
MM, sapphic, queer and straight/het stories are all treated the same in discovery. Orientation is a search filter and a way readers find you on Theo Reads, not a reason you get hidden.
What are Theo Reads' royalty rates, and how much will I earn?
Readers pay two ways, so you earn two ways.
When a reader buys your story (pay-as-you-go):
When a reader reads it under a subscription:
Why completion (50% of story, or more), not clicks or starts? It keeps the pool honest. Paying only on genuine completion (50% of story, or more) takes away the reward for flooding the platform with thin or AI-generated stories just to skim the pool - something that is a real problem on Amazon and every other platform. Every story already gets reviewed by our human team and run through AI-detection tools, but no detector is foolproof yet, so completion-based payout is one more safeguard that keeps Theo Reads human-written and worth finishing.
Additional context: Amazon and Apple are device companies. Kindle and Apple Books exist largely to sell hardware and keep readers inside an ecosystem, so a single author's success is a rounding error to them. That's why they offer little to no marketing or editorial help, and why their economics can look generous on paper.
Books are not a side business for us. They are the whole business. When you do well, we do well, so the royalties and the support are built around that.
Read our complete Terms of Use for authors, to learn more.
Can I bring my backlist, and does it raise my royalty rate?
Yes, and we encourage you to bring yours. Non-exclusive royalties are tiered, and they reward depth of catalog. The more you publish, the higher your percentage climbs across all of your non-exclusive stories, not just the newest one.
First, a simple rule for how stories count:
| Story length | Counts toward your tier |
|---|---|
| Full-length (70,000+ words) | 1 count |
| Novella (20,000 to 69,999 words) | 0.5 count |
| Short story (under 20,000 words) | Doesn't count, and stays at the 35% base rate |
Then the tiers:
| Your non-exclusive catalog | Non-exclusive royalty |
|---|---|
| Default | 35% |
| 3-4 counts | 40% |
| 5+ counts | 50% |
When you cross into a new tier, the higher rate applies to every full-length and novella you have on the platform, not just the one that pushed you over. Short stories stay at the 35% base rate.
Read our complete Terms of Use for authors, to learn more.
Still have questions? Email us at realhumans@theoreads.com.
Can I get my readers' email addresses?
Like every reading platform, we legally can't hand over readers' contact information. The platforms where authors do have reader emails, like Ream, work that way because the author brought their own mailing list to begin with. What we give you instead: post a weekly announcement to every reader who follows you, and exchange 1:1 DMs with your followers. You reach the people who actually read you, directly, through the platform.
Do you allow AI-written stories?
No, and this is our one true non-negotiable. The narrative prose a reader experiences on Theo Reads must be written by a human. Every story includes a short attestation at publishing: this story was written by me, and the narrative prose is my original work, not generated by AI. The full reasoning is in our AI Policy of a Platform That Gives a Damn.
What if I want to leave?
You can unpublish any non-exclusive story at any time. Exclusive stories carry a 6-month commitment (read our complete Terms of Use for authors, to learn more), but everything else is yours to remove whenever you like.
Non-subscribing readers who bought your story a la carte keep their copy. Subscribers don't keep stories they read under their subscription, the same way a Kindle Unlimited reader loses access when they cancel. That's standard across every subscription reading platform. Either way, the rights stay yours.
What does Theo stand for?
Theo stands for "The O." IYKYK.
I'm an author. How do I get started?
Go to the main author landing page at https://www.theoreads.com/author. Create a free account and start writing in our custom editor. It really is as simple as that.
Submitted stories go through a review process, typically 3 to 5 business days. Email your book cover to bookcovers@theoreads.com, since we can't publish a story without one. Every story must meet our content guidelines, and every cover must meet our cover guidelines, so the platform stays a safe space for all readers.
If you're new, we recommend:
Who is a Founding Author?
Founding Authors are Theo's OG authors who helped design the platform and shape our terms, exclusivity, and more before we launched publicly. Think of them as Theo's Board of Authors. We're so grateful to them for helping us get started.
Can I publish erotica, spicy romance, or dark romance on Theo Reads?
Stories of all spice levels, from sweet to extra spicy, and all lengths, from shorts to novellas to full-length books, as long as they meet our content guidelines. Romance stories need an HEA or HFN, erotica stories don’t, although we like an emotional arc for all stories (hey, explicit stories can have an emotional arc too!).
Minimum length to publish is 2,500 words.
Do I earn anything for referring other authors?
Yes. Every time you refer another author who signs up and publishes, you earn 10% of the royalties they make under pay-as-you-go pricing, net of promotions and refunds, for their first year. See the Referral Agreement for details.
Is Theo Reads a Amazon KDP and Kindle Unlimited alternative?
KU pays from a shared per-page pool and requires exclusivity to participate, and many authors of spicy, dark, or LGBTQ+ content have seen titles lose visibility, get recategorized, or get pulled with little recourse. Theo Reads pays a defined royalty on completed reads, never requires exclusivity, and does not bury content by theme or orientation.
Is Theo Reads a Draft2Digital and Smashwords alternative?
These are distribution aggregators or pipes that push your book out to retailers like Apple, Kobo, and Barnes & Noble and take a cut along the way. They are useful for reach, but they are a pipe, not a destination, and the downstream stores set their own content rules. Theo Reads is a reader-facing home with its own audience, loyalty mechanics and rewards, and discovery built around how stories make people feel.
Is Theo Reads a Inkitt and Galatea alternative?
Posting to the free Inkitt app keeps your rights, but getting picked up for Galatea means signing a publishing contract. Authors reporting on that contract describe it as taking broad rights across e-book, audio, film, and TV at a royalty of around 6% of net, with editorial changes allowed without your sign-off, and writer advocacy groups have flagged the long terms and difficulty getting out. Theo Reads is a platform, not a publisher: we take none of those rights, our rates are published and plain at 35% to 50% non-exclusive or 70% exclusive, there's no coin system, and you can pull a non-exclusive story whenever you want.
Can I use AI to write my story?
Not the story itself. The narrative prose has to be human-written, which is our non-negotiable. Using AI to generate passages, scenes, or chapters, even if you edit them after, isn't allowed. AI is welcome for the labor around the story, like grammar checks and optional blurb or caption help, never for the storytelling itself.
How do I upload a story or full-length book?
For now, copy and paste your story into the editor or directly upload your Word or Google Doc.
Should I serialize my chapters or publish as one book?
On Theo Reads, a series can be one of the following:
Please do not charge for a chapter at a time, as readers perceive this as extractive. Instead, combine multiple chapters into a medium-length story. Anything under 2,000 - 3,000 words qualifies as a chapter.
Important Note: If a serialized work can reasonably be packaged as a single full-length book, it should not be published as serialized chapters (i.e. a “series”) on Theo Reads. This creates a better reader experience—and ultimately leads to stronger performance for authors.
For more, read our Guidelines for Creating a Successful Series on Theo Reads.
How do I create chapter headings?
Highlight the chapter name, select H# in the editor's top menu, and repeat for each chapter.
Why can't I see "Chapter 1" in my table of contents?
Check whether there's text before your first chapter heading. Only a preface or similar front matter that belongs in the table of contents should come before "Chapter 1."
How do I share my story with editors or beta readers?
Use Theo's Share feature in the top menu of the editor, which works like Google Docs.
Can Theo suggest titles or blurbs?
Yes. After clicking Publish, select Suggest for the title or the description.
How should I price my story?
Pricing must balance two priorities—our guidelines reflect the sweet spot where those two values intersect. Low friction for readers: Pricing should feel intuitive, familiar, and fair. We call this reader-friendly pricing. Sustainable income for authors: Your craft has value — pricing should honor that while keeping discovery easy.
Every author should have at least one gateway story — a low-friction entry point that makes it easy for a new reader to fall in love with your voice. Stories with reviews often make ideal gateways because they already carry social proof.
1. The Free Story Rule
Free stories are a powerful discovery tool — but a catalog that's mostly free doesn't sustain the authors who write it. To keep Theo Reads a platform where your work earns, no more than 20% of your published stories on Theo Reads may be priced at free at any time. If you publish 10 stories, up to 2 may be free. If you have 5, 1 can be free.
This isn't a restriction on generosity but a guardrail that protects your income and the platform's ability to pay royalties. Readers who come in through a free story need somewhere to go — and that somewhere should be a paid story they're excited to buy. Every author should have at least one free or low-cost gateway story. The rule simply ensures it stays a door, not the whole house.
As a reminder, stories that are free elsewhere, on other platforms, may not be published as paid stories on Theo Reads.
2. The Baseline “Fair Market” Word Value
Across the indie romance and erotica ecosystem at the time of writing this guide (December 2025), full-length novels (80k–100k) are priced between $4.99–$5.99. This places the approximate value of a single word at: $0.00006 per word (see Pricing Case Study). This is not a literal pricing formula. It simply anchors the relative value of different story lengths so pricing stays fair, balanced, and aligned with digital fiction norms.
3. Why We Round to Reader-Friendly Price Points
Digital readers overwhelmingly prefer prices that end in: $0.69, $0.99, $1.49, $1.99, $2.49, $2.99, $3.49, $3.99, $4.49, $4.99, $5.49, $5.99. These numbers feel trustworthy, familiar, intentional and professionally calibrated. Prices like $0.47 or $1.12 feel accidental or low-trust, even when mathematically accurate. That’s why Theo Reads uses psychological price points — because they reduce friction and increase reader confidence.
4. The Law of Diminishing Returns
As stories get longer, the cost of writing increases — but the reader’s perceived incremental value increases more slowly. This is why: 5k → free | 5k–10k (free or $0.69) | 10k - 20k → $0.99 | 30k–60k → $1.49–$3.49 | 80k+ → $4.49–$4.99
Charging too high, too early makes discovery harder and slows your growth. Your goal is to choose a price that: honors your craft but keeps the door wide open for new readers. That’s why stories under 5k words are free on Theo Reads.
5. Theo Reads Standalone Story Pricing Table
These are our recommended prices for standalone stories, based on your story’s length, market norms, and reader psychology. These are strongly recommended, but not required as we understand that you may have these stories published elsewhere and consistent pricing is important.
Note that a story is published as a free story elsewhere, may only be published as a free story on Theo Reads as well.
Because of credit-card processor requirements, the lowest price we can offer on Theo Reads is $0.50.
| Range - Word Count | Reader Friendly Pricing |
|---|---|
| 1k–5k | Free |
| 5k–10k | $0.69 ($0.50 is the lowest permissible) |
| 10k–15k | $0.99 |
| 15k–20k | $0.99 - $1.49 |
| 20k–30k | $1.49–$1.99 |
| 30k–40k | $1.99–$2.49 |
| 40k–55k | $2.49–$2.99 |
| 55k–70k | $3.49–$3.99 |
| 70k–90k | $4.49–$4.99 |
| 90k–110k | $5.49–$5.99 |
| 110k–130k | $6.49–$7.49 |
| 130k–150k | $7.99–$8.49 |
| 150k–180k | $8.99–$9.49 |
| 180k+ | Split into a series or duology |
Read our pricing guidelines for more.
Can readers preview a story before buying?
Yes. By default, readers preview the first 250 words. For multi-chapter stories, you can extend that to a set number of chapters. We strongly recommend ending the preview on a cliffhanger, the moment that makes a reader need to know what happens next.
I submitted my story but can't find it on the site.
After submission, our team takes up to 3-5 business days to review and approve, balancing author convenience with reader safety. You can always find your stories and their status on your Author Dashboard. And, you’ll get an email confirmation when your story is approved or rejected.
Can I edit a story after submitting or publishing?
Yes, anytime. Revised content goes back through review, up to 3-5 business days.
How can I preview my story to see what the reader sees?
In the editor, click the eye icon in the top toolbar to switch into reader view.
How do I submit a book cover?
Email it to bookcovers@theoreads.com. We're building a Canva-style cover designer with drag-and-drop from Theo's image library. Until then, we handle covers manually, and we prioritize quality, since strong covers drive sharing and sales for you and for us.
Should I add content warnings?
Yes, always. Content warnings in romance make for a much better reading experience, and they pull double duty in discovery: readers use them in search filters both to screen out flags they don't want and to seek out the ones they do. A warning isn't only a caution, it's another way the right reader finds your story. Many, many readers are actively searching for romance reads by red flag warning!
When should I use additional tags, other than trope, sub-genre, and kink?
Reach for a tag when the trope, sub-genre, or kink you want isn't already in our list, or when you want to add color the standard categories don't capture. If you've spent time on AO3, this will feel familiar. Tags let you describe your story in your own words, and they help readers searching those exact terms land on it.
What are story emotions, and how many should I add?
When you publish, you can tag up to 5 emotions a reader is likely to feel, though we recommend no more than 3. Emotions are central to how stories get discovered on Theo Reads. Instead of hunting by star rating, romance and erotica readers come looking for a specific feeling, and your emotion tags are how your story meets them there. Readers also tag what they actually felt when they finish, and on your story page those reader picks take priority over yours.
What is section tagging, and why should I bother?
Section tagging lets you attach emotional tags to specific moments inside your story, right from the editor toolset (look for the tag icon in the editor toolset). Here's why it earns the effort: almost nobody leaves reviews anywhere, anymore. On Amazon it's often well under 1% of readers, and while it runs much higher on Theo Reads, a review still can't show someone what a story feels like moment to moment. Section tags fill that gap. You mark the moments that land, using the same language readers already use to describe stories on BookTok and Bookstagram, and a browsing reader gets a real taste before they buy, including the spicy bits. Longer stories unlock more sections to tag, so the more you write, the more you get to play with.
How do I set or change the price for an already published story?
For a new story, you set the price in the publishing flow when you submit it. To change the price of a story that's already live, go to your author dashboard and click the ⋮ menu next to the story. Update the price there, and it takes effect immediately, with no resubmission or re-approval needed.
The lowest price Theo Reads can charge is $0.50, set by our card processor. For guidelines on how much to price by word count, see our Pricing Guidelines, and remember you set the final price and can change it anytime.
Theo Sees (monthly market intelligence)
A monthly report on what readers are reaching for next: trope momentum, what's gaining and losing heat, pricing and cover comps, and news actually moving the romance and erotica market. Delivered the first week of each month. Available to authors who published on Theo Reads in the last six months, with one sample issue open to everyone. It's view-only on the platform. Here’s a sample report for a taste of what you can expect.
Bookmark rewards for events
3D-printed, spice-coded Theo Reads bookmarks to hand out at your events. Most conference swag ends up in the trash. Spice-coded, 3-D printed bookmarks don't. Readers collect them, use them, show them off. Hand one to a reader and you've got their attention before you say a word.
You can order by tier, based on your publishing activity on the platform:
| Event | Bookmarks | Lead time | Frequency |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Book Club | Up to 15 | 4 weeks | 2x per year |
| The Book Signing | Up to 35 | 6 weeks | 2x per year |
| The Book Conference | Up to 50 | 6 weeks | 1x per year |
Shipping to the continental United States only. Fulfilled in-house by Theo Reads.
Marketing resources
Most platforms hand you a dashboard and wish you luck. We build you the author marketing playbook. Theo Reads offers a growing library of free author marketing guides and courses, built by a 3x CMO, to help you actually find readers, not just upload and hope.
We go deep on one platform at a time, starting with Instagram:
The library keeps growing every week across Bluesky, TikTok, YouTube, podcasting, and more. Everything is free for everyone, published on Theo Reads or not.
How does Theo Reads help me find readers?
Beyond the Instagram courses and Theo Sees above, discovery on Theo Reads runs on Readers Felt, which surfaces the emotions readers actually experienced rather than star ratings, so your story reaches the reader looking for exactly that feeling. We may also feature your stories in seasonal calendars and promotions. We're not obligated to promote, but when we do, royalties are calculated on the promotional price for the duration of the promo.
Can you run promotions on my stories?
Yes. We may run limited-time promotional pricing for up to 7 consecutive days per promotion. During a promo, royalties are based on the promotional price. You set your standard list price the rest of the time.
Authors are also be able to set promotional pricing on your own, without requiring approval (coming soon, as of June 17, 2026).
Do I get data about my readers and my stories?
Yes, free, in your author dashboard. You get account-level insight into reader behavior on your stories plus broader industry and platform-level insight, with no separate author subscription required.
Money gets weird on a lot of platforms, and I didn’t want that here. I want you to know what you’re earning, why the numbers look the way they do, and when you can actually get paid, without having to decode fine print or chase support.
Before we jump into royalty-related FAQs, two things to keep in mind:
If something doesn’t make sense, please ask - you can reach me anytime at parneet@theoreads.com.
With love, Parneet 🤍
How are royalties calculated?
Royalties are calculated as a percentage of net revenue from each sale or subscription read. Net revenue means the amount remaining after standard payment processing costs and refunds.
Theo pays authors for each Story per the Reader Pricing Guidelines. Details on pricing, promotions, and eligibility are covered in the Author Terms of Use (linked in the website footer).
Authors earn two types of royalties on Theo Reads.
Where on the Theo Reads platform do I enter my bank account information?
Go to the menu in the top right corner of your screen, then navigate to Settings.
Once on the Settings page, scroll down to Author Preferences to enter your bank payment details. This takes you to an independent page hosted by our payment processor. Please create a new account — separate from your Theo Reads account — to enter your banking details.
Does my royalty apply to the listed book price or something else?
Your royalty applies to net revenue, not the list price. In practice:
This is the same model used by major publishing and reading platforms, but with more transparency since we don't hide behind tokens and coins.
Do readers see any payment processing fees?
No. Readers always see one clear list price at checkout. Payment processing costs are handled at the platform level and are not shown to readers to minimize friction during checkout.
Do authors pay payment processing fees directly?
No. Authors are never charged processing fees outright. Processing costs are shared proportionally as part of the revenue split, meaning authors only bear their percentage share, not the full cost.
For example, if:
Then:
You are not charged the full $1 processing cost.
How do royalties work for subscription reads?
For subscriptions:
When do my royalties become available?
Royalties accrue as soon as a reader purchases or reads your story. Balances update in your dashboard on a monthly basis (coming soon). Payouts are made in the first week of the following month, if your account meets the minimum threshold of $25 for both domestic and international authors.
What is the minimum payment threshold?
Theo Reads uses a single minimum payout threshold of $25 for all authors.
This helps ensure payouts remain meaningful and that authors, especially those outside the U.S., don't lose a large portion of their earnings to banking or currency conversion fees. Once your balance reaches $25, payouts are processed in the first week of the following month. Your earnings continue to accrue in the meantime, and nothing expires.
Payouts to domestic authors are done via ACH - payment processing time is approximately 2-3 days to clear at the beneficiary bank.
Payouts to international authors are done via local bank transfers or international bank transfer - payment processing time is approximately 2-3 days to clear at the beneficiary bank. International payouts typically involve higher banking and currency conversion costs. A higher threshold helps ensure:
This approach aligns with industry standards across global publishing platforms.
Are there fees when my payout is sent?
Yes, but these are payment processor or payout transfer fees, not royalty fees, and are deducted at payout time, after royalties are calculated. When your earnings are transferred to your bank account:
Do payout fees vary by country?
Yes. Transfer fees vary by country and banking system and are typically fixed, not percentage-based. If currency conversion is required, an exchange rate fee may apply based on your bank or payout provider.
Can I reduce payout fees?
In most cases, yes:
What happens if a reader requests a refund?
If a sale is refunded or reversed:
You'll always see these adjustments reflected in your dashboard (coming soon).
Does Theo Reads withhold taxes from my payout?
By default, Theo Reads does not withhold taxes for U.S.-based authors.
For non-U.S. based or international authors, tax withholding may apply depending on your tax residency, the information you provide, and whether a tax treaty is in place. In many cases, submitting the appropriate tax form (such as a W-8BEN) reduces or eliminates withholding. Any required withholding is determined by tax authorities, not by Theo Reads.
Will I receive a tax form?
Yes. U.S.-based authors receive a 1099 form in January of the year following the calendar year in which their royalties were paid (e.g., a 1099 will be issued in January 2027 for any royalties paid out in 2026).
Non-U.S. based or international authors receive a 1042-S in March of the year following the calendar year in which their royalties were paid. These forms are issued for reporting purposes and do not change how or when you are paid.
Where can I see my royalties and payouts?
You can get to your payout dashboard from the upper right corner of your screen: Settings >> Author Preferences, which takes you to a website hosted by our payment processor. Once you've created an account (note: this is not the same as your Theo Reads account), you'll be able to access your account dashboard — a centralized hub that shows your recent payments, payout methods, and tax forms.
Contact us at realhumans@theoreads.com for any questions regarding your author account.
What exactly does exclusivity commit me to?
Choosing exclusivity on a story means it stays digital-exclusive to Theo Reads for a minimum of 6 consecutive months, which earns you 70% from day one. Print editions, audiobooks, and live readings are not restricted. The 6-month clock doesn't pause or reset, and it survives even if you unpublish or leave. Break exclusivity early and the rate drops to the non-exclusive rate from the date of the breach, with any overpayment recoverable from future royalties.
Can I take my stories down?
Non-exclusive stories, anytime. Exclusive stories must stay published for their full 6-month term.
Can I use a pen name?
Yes, up to five. Add one while submitting a story or update your profile anytime.
What happens if I delete my account?
It permanently removes your stories, their reviews, and your interactions. You can do it from your My Account page.
Who do I contact with payout or account questions?
realhumans@theoreads.com or via our Contact Us website form.
What can my code look like?
Between 4 and 20 characters, letters and numbers only. No spaces, hyphens, or punctuation. Codes are case-insensitive.
Once a code has been used, you can’t reuse the same word for a new code.
Does this work on all my stories?
Yes. Every story and series you’ve published, exclusive or not.
How often can I run a promo code?
Once a month. One code whether it covers one story, a series, a bundle, or your whole catalog.
How long can a promo run?
Between 1 day and 14 days. Seven days is the default.
The once-a-month limit is a rolling 30 days from when your last promo started.
How many times can a code be redeemed?
Up to 200 by default, and you can raise it if you sell out.
Where do promo codes work?
Everywhere your readers are. One code, one setup, every country Theo Reads sells in.
Do I have to keep my price the same before or after a promo?
No. You can change your price whenever you like.
Do promo reads count toward bookmarks for readers?
Yes. Promo reads count one point. Full-price reads count double.
What happens if I set a code to 100% off?
Readers get the story free and you earn no royalty on those redemptions. It still counts as a read and still counts toward reader bookmarks.
Can I change a code after readers start using it?
Everything except the code itself. Once redeemed, the code string is locked, but dates, discount, limits, and status stay editable.
Do you email my readers for me?
No.
What is a reader magnet, and how many can I create on Theo Reads?
A reader magnet is a free story you give away in exchange for an email address. On Theo Reads, you can create up to 5 magnets at a time concurrently, a limit that protects reader inboxes.
Traditionally, authors have built magnets using tools like BookFunnel. While these remain good tools, using reader magnets on Theo Reads gives you the additional benefit of getting more reader data on how many readers are actually clicking on your links, starting your stories, and finishing them.
Do I get the email addresses?
Yes, for every reader who agrees to share their address. You can export emails from the magnet stats page for up to 30 days after a magnet ends.
Readers who do not consent still get the story and still count as your readers on-platform, but you can’t email them off-platform.
Can I use a paid story as a magnet?
Yes. You may use any story published by you on Theo Reads. For paid stories, only readers who land on the magnet page get free access.
How long can a magnet run?
As long as you want. End date is optional.
What happens after a reader enters their email?
Theo Reads emails a link so they can start reading immediately using the provided code.
Can I change the story on a magnet?
Not once it’s live. End that magnet and create a new one. Dates and category remain editable.
What if my link ends up on a freebie site?
That can happen. If you want to stop it, end the magnet. The link will then redirect readers to the story detail page.
What is an ARC?
An Advance Reader Copy: your story shared free with a small team before launch to collect feedback and reviews.
Which of my stories can have an ARC?
Any unpublished story. Once a story is published, an ARC cannot run on it.
Can I ARC a whole series?
No. One story per ARC.
How many ARCs can I run at once?
There’s no limit.
Where do my ARC readers come from?
You bring them (newsletter, reader group, prior launch list, etc.).
How many readers can I send to?
Up to 500 per ARC. Most teams are 20–50.
How long can an ARC run?
Default is 30 days, adjustable from 7 to 45 days, and always on or before story publish date.
Who sends the email, me or Theo Reads?
The author sends it. Theo Reads hosts the ARC flow and validates invited emails, then sends the sign-in code to validated ARC readers.
Can I take someone off?
If they haven’t opened their copy yet, yes. Once they’ve started reading, no.
Can the link be forwarded?
Only invited emails can use it. ARC copies are watermarked to the reader account.
Can ARC readers leave a review before the story is live?
Yes. It carries over and displays on the story detail page once the story goes live.
What happens to the link when the ARC ends?
It redirects to your regular story detail page.
Do ARC readers keep the story after the story goes live?
Yes. Anyone who claimed their copy keeps it in their Theo Reads library.
Does “finished” mean they read every word?
No. Finished means at least 50% read.
Do ARC reads count toward my story’s numbers?
No. ARC performance is tracked separately until story goes live.
How do I know when I’ve earned a bookmark?
Your dashboard updates when you cross a milestone, and you also get an email from RealHumans@theoreads.com.
What counts as a completed story?
A story counts at 100% completion (end-of-story prompt shown). Paid stories count 2x, free stories count 1x, and re-reads don’t count again.
How do I add or update my shipping address?
Update it from the Shipping Address field on your bookmarks page, and via milestone emails when earned.
When will my bookmark arrive?
Bookmarks ship in weekly batches and usually arrive in 3–5 business days after shipment for eligible U.S. addresses.
Can I pick the color of my bookmark?
Yes. You can pick from available colorways at milestone confirmation before print.
What if I miss a week of reading?
You get two automatic streak freezes per quarter. If freezes are used up and a week is missed, streak resets.
Can I earn bookmarks outside the US?
Currently, only residents in the continental U.S. are eligible.
