Features for Authors
Everything you need to distribute review copies, gather feedback, and build your reader community.
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Grow Your Audience
Turn new readers into loyal fans
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Reader Discovery
Your campaign appears on the public Browse Books page, where readers actively look for new ARCs and books to read.
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Featured Campaigns
Pin your campaign to the top of the main page to get more eyes on your book.
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Author Spotlight
Your pen name, bio, book covers, and active campaigns surface on genre browse pages to readers actively looking for books like yours. Automatic — no submission needed.
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Reviewer Newsletter
Readers get a twice-monthly email of available campaigns, based on their genre preferences.
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Build Your Mailing List
Automatically collect reader emails. Export to CSV or integrate with Kit and MailerLite.
Distribute Your ARCs
Easy campaign management with you in control
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Campaign Dashboard
Manage multiple campaigns from one place. Set limits and track everything at a glance.
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Custom Campaign URLs
Create branded links like insidestory.app/signup/your-book-title. Professional and easy to share.
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Pre-Approval Controls
Set automatic approval rules. Create pre-approved lists and blacklists. You decide who gets access.
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Automated Reminders
Reminders are automatically sent to readers who haven't finished. Increase completion rates.
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Track Completion & Reviews
Monitor how many readers finished and reviewed. See engagement at a glance.
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Custom Signup Questionnaire
Add custom questions to your campaign's application form so you can screen readers before approval.
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Multi-Pen Name Support
Manage campaigns across multiple pen names.
Simple File Management
Upload once, reach readers everywhere
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Multiple Formats
Upload EPUB, DOCX, or PDF. We handle the formatting.
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In-Browser Reading
Readers engage directly in browser with inline commenting and progress tracking.
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Download for eReader
Readers can download to read on their eReader, or read directly in their browser.
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Watermark Protection
Each download is personalized to the reader for security.
Get Better Feedback
Know exactly what's working in your manuscript
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Inline Comments & Highlights
Readers leave feedback on specific passages. See exactly what confused or excited them.
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Compiled Feedback Dashboard
All comments organized in one place. Export everything.
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Custom Beta Questions
Ask readers specific questions about pacing, characters, or plot. Get targeted feedback on what matters most.
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Heat Map Analytics
See where readers drop off. Know which scenes need work before you publish.
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Story Secrets
A private, chapter-gated discussion room for your ARC team. Readers can only see posts up to the chapter they've reached — no spoilers. Post yourself to leave notes, answer questions, or guide the conversation.
Plan Your Book Launch
Never drop a launch task or miss a deadline again
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Launch Planner: Story Launch
Set your publication date and Inside Story generates a week-by-week task list, starting months before release and running through the post-launch window.
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Multiple Plan Types
Choose from Standard (3-months) timeline, Sprint (6-week rapid turnaround), or Slow Burn (gradual audience build with longer pre-orders) depending on your situation.
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Customize Your Plan
Add, remove, or rearrange tasks based on your preferences.
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Task Reminders by Email
Set reminder lead times for individual tasks and Inside Story emails you when tasks are coming due.
Create Social Content
Turn your book into shareable graphics in minutes — no design skills needed
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Book Mockup Templates
Place your book cover on an eReader, paperback book, or just display the cover. Your cover is loaded automatically.
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Story Studio Templates
Readers Wanted, Cover Reveal, Cover Tease, Release Day, Tropes, Review Showcase, and Book Ad templates. Your cover, book details, campaign information, and review texts are all pre-loaded: you customise the text and layout, and export as JPG ready to post anywhere.
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Review Quote Graphics
When readers leave reviews on the platform, they can turn them into shareable graphics.
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Saved Templates
Save your favourite designs as reusable templates. Set your brand fonts and colours once and reuse them consistently across everything you make.
Build Your Author Brand
A professional home for all your books — and for the readers who follow you
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Author Profile Pages
Showcase all your books — ARCs, published titles, and works in progress — alongside your bio, social links, and buy links. Readers who discover one book can immediately find everything else you've written.
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Author Followers
Readers can follow your pen name to be notified of new releases and ARC campaigns.
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Collections
Group your books into curated collections: a series, a shared universe, a themed bundle, a recommended reading order. Showcase your backlist or bundle with other authors.
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Reading Challenges
Create reading challenges within a collection that readers can accept, auto-add the books to their reading list, and have the books auto-populate in their Reading Challenge card upon completion.
Plan Comparison
Simple, transparent pricing. Start with our free tier to list one book at no cost. Upgrade as you grow to unlock unlimited campaigns and advanced features.
Save up to $40 with Pro on annual billing
Starter
$8.33/mo
Billed $100/yr (save $20)
Pro
$16.67/mo
Billed $200/yr (save $40)
| Feature | Free | Starter | Pro |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plans & Limits | |||
| Books with uploaded files (PDF/EPUB) | 1 | 3 | Unlimited |
| Active campaigns at once | 1 | 3 | Unlimited |
| Reader downloads per month | 50 | 500 | Unlimited |
| Pen names | 1 | 2 | 5 |
| Campaigns | |||
| Campaign types: ARC, Beta, or general | |||
| Automated reader reminders | |||
| In-browser reading + inline comments | |||
| Personalized watermarks on downloads | |||
| Custom watermark message | |||
| Custom campaign URLs | |||
| Custom signup questionnaire | |||
| In-browser-only mode (no downloads) | |||
| Finding Readers | |||
| Reader browse listing (discovery) | |||
| Featured campaign slots / month | — | 1 | 2 |
| Author spotlight on genre pages | |||
| Reviewer newsletter | |||
| Access Controls | |||
| Reader applications & approval | |||
| Blacklist readers | |||
| Whitelist readers | |||
| Custom screening questions | |||
| Mailing List & Growth | |||
| Email collection (CSV download) | |||
| Email integration (Kit, MailerLite) | |||
| Link click tracking | |||
| Feedback & Analytics | |||
| Review tracking (readers log where they posted) | |||
| Compiled feedback dashboard | |||
| Basic analytics | |||
| Heat map analytics | |||
| Custom beta questions | |||
| Comment management & resolution | |||
| Export all data (CSV) | |||
| Story Secrets (campaign discussion room) | |||
| Story Studio | |||
| Book mockup templates (paperback, phone, tablet…) | |||
| Readers Wanted template | |||
| Cover Reveal & Cover Tease templates | |||
| Release Day, Tropes, Review Showcase & Book Ad templates | |||
| No Inside Story branding on exports | |||
| Saved Studio templates | 5 | 50 | Unlimited |
| Launch Planning | |||
| Story Launch — Standard plan | |||
| Story Launch — Sprint & Slow Burn plans | |||
| Task reminder emails | |||
| Author Brand & Profile | |||
| Author profile page | |||
| Author followers | |||
| The Nook (customisable dashboard) | |||
| Claim published books on profile | |||
| Convert ARC to published listing with buy links | |||
| Profile colour customisation | |||
| Profile background image | |||
| Collections (series, reading challenges) | |||
Ready to Launch Your Book?
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