Author FAQs

Getting Started

What does Theo stand for?

Theo stands for “The O.” If you know, you know. 💦

I’m an author. How do I get started on Theo Reads?

All authors are welcome to create an account on theoreads.com and begin using the editor. However, any stories that are submitted will still need to go through the story approval process once we launch—it may take us up to three business days after launch to review and approve stories.

Every story must meet our content guidelines, and every book cover must meet our guidelines for book covers, in order to keep the platform a space space for all readers. After launch, once a story is submitted, it can take us up to three days to review it.

If you’re new to Theo, we recommend:

Reading our Terms of Use to understand royalties, rights (you keep them!), and other details.
Learn about why we started Theo Reads, and why authors should join the platform.
Connect with Parneet, our co-founder, to learn more. You can email her at parneet@theoreads.com or schedule a chat here.

Who is a “Founding Author”?

Founding authors are Theo’s OG authors who have worked closely with us to design the platform, have been a strong influence on finalizing terms, exclusivity, and more. Think of them as Theo’s Board of Authors. After launch, we will not accept any more Founding Authors, but all authors are always welcome to join and publish their stories on Theo at any time!

If you’re interested in publishing your romance and “spicy” stories on Theo, we get into why we started Theo Reads, and why authors should join the platform on our blog.

What types of stories can be published on Theo?

Theo welcomes stories of all spice levels—from sweet and wholesome to extra spicy—provided they meet our content guidelines. We accept stories, novellas, and full-length e-books with a minimum of 500 words.

Writing a Story

Can authors use AI to write a story on Theo?

No, we believe AI can’t fully capture emotions, intimacy, and the human experience. While Theo’s tools offer assistive features similar to Grammarly, they are not designed to rewrite substantial sections of your story.

Theo’s tools are assistive only, similar to Grammarly.

How do I upload a story or full-length e-book?

While we’re working on allowing uploads directly from Word or Google Docs, you’ll need to copy and paste your story for now (we’re working on it!). If you have a longer story, our team is happy to assist—just reach out!

I have a full-length e-book. Should I serialize the chapters or submit them in one book?

This is such a nuanced question, but at a high level, Serialized stories work best when:

You’re still writing the book.
You want to test new characters or plotlines.
Your chapters have cliffhangers encouraging readers to return.
Chapters can stand alone as short stories.
You aim to monetize aggressively but align with the above factors.

How do I create chapter headings?

This process is a bit clunky (sorry!). For now:

Highlight the chapter name.
Select H# in the editor’s top menu.
You’ll need to do this for each chapter—thank you for your patience!

Why can’t I see ‘Chapter 1’ in my story’s table of contents?

Check if there’s text before your first chapter’s heading. Only prefaces or similar sections that belong in your story’s table of contents should precede the first chapter heading.

Use Theo’s Share feature, similar to Google Docs.

Can Theo suggest alternate story titles and/or blurbs?

Yes! After clicking “Publish,” select the Suggest option for the title or description.

Select Publish.

Then, select ‘Suggest’ for the title and/or description (aka blurb).

I’m stuck and need help rephrasing short sentences or key phrases. Can the editor help?

Absolutely! Highlight the part you need help with and select Rephrase in the top menu. The editor provides assistive support for short sections and phrases, not longer paragraphs. This feature is meant to be assistive (tool to support you in your writing), not generative (writing the story for you).

Highlight the part of the story you need support with, and select ‘Rephrase’ in the top menu.

Let the editor know what tone etc. you need help with.

How should I price my story?

While we provide general guidance on how to price your story, pricing is quite nuanced. Popular tropes, sub-genres, or niche spicy content may warrant higher pricing.

Our guidance on pricing is based on word length.

500 - 1,250 words: $1.49
1,251 - 5,000 words: $1.99
5,001 - 10,000 words: $2.99
10,001 - 50,000 words: $4.99
50,001 - 90,000 words: $6.99
90,001 - 150,000 words: $7.99
150,001 - 300,000 words: $9.99
More than 300,000 words: $11.99

Can readers get a preview of a story before logging in or paying for it?

Yes, readers can preview the first 250 words by default. For multi-chapter stories, you can allow a preview of up to a set number of chapters. Note that Quickos don’t offer previews due to explicit content.

What is a “Quicko”?

Quickos are our category of explicit stories crafted for readers who want their fantasies served hot and unfiltered, while keeping the experience safe for all readers:

Extra Spicy with 4 peppers. Packed with explicit themes, including triggering themes such as non-consent.
Ultra-Short. Usually bite-sized at 5,000 words or less.
Behind Login Only. Due to their brevity, these stories don’t offer a preview but are fully accessible once a reader is logged in.

Quickos are useful for:

Instant Engagement. Short stories with explicit appeal are perfect for readers looking for quick entertainment.
Creative Freedom. Unlike standard Theo Reads stories, you can choose explicit titles and design more provocative covers.
No Preview. Since there is no preview, there may be explicit words in the first 250 words of the story, unlike other stories.

Note that stories must meet 2 conditions in order to be categorized as a Quicko:

It must be extra spicy, with 4 peppers. 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
The story length must be 5,000 words or less.

Submitting a Story

Haalp, I submitted my story but can’t find it on the website!

Stories will be published for reading only after we launch, after which we may take up to three business days to review and approve a story. We are a small but mighty team, and we always have to balance author convenience and reader safety.

At any point, now or after launch, you may find all your stories and view their status on your post-login author page.

Can I make changes to a story that’s already been submitted or published?

Yes! You can make changes at any time. Revised content will undergo a review process (up to three business days).

How do I submit a book cover for my story?

After launch, we’re prioritizing a book cover interface for authors to be able to drag and drop to design covers from Theo’s library of images. Until then, we’re doing it manually. We prioritize quality, as compelling covers help drive story sharing and success (for Theo and authors).