Frequently Asked Questions

We believe writers of all races, sexualities, genders, and backgrounds can be published authors. That said, StoryForge was created specifically for writers of works like novels, poems, plays, screenplays, short stories, autobiographies, and self-help books without footnotes. It is not for academic publications, scientific publications, peer-reviewed publications, or anything with footnotes and an audience who will be evaluating the underlying content for accuracy. Fan fiction will also be featured, but will likely not have a path to publication.

If a user does not choose to stay with StoryForge, that's OK! It's not for everyone. We think it's awesome, and hopefully many other people will too... but if it isn't for you, then we want to help you find another way forward so that your story can be the best it can be. All work that was created on StoryForge will be sent to the email on record — not lost into the ether like on some other writing platforms.

In addition, authors can download their work from StoryForge at any time. We will only delete work when specifically requested to do so.

Other widespread platforms simply give you a place to publish your work and promote it based on the money you pay. Or platforms like Critique Circle and Scribophile exist to get writers feedback for their work. We’re ultimately interested in getting authors published — we make the writing / rewriting / publication process more fun than any other option. And with StoryForge, you don’t have to pay to play 😆

StoryForge is always free to use. We have subscription options for those looking to speed up their writing journey, as well as fun customizations you can make to your library or pet. But no matter how you choose to use StoryForge, we will never paywall you from our key features.

As the author, you will always keep all rights to your work. For content published on our platform, StoryForge gets a limited license to do things like promote your story or share it on our social media. (This is commonly known as “Universal Rights.”) But we’ll never share your story without crediting you, and we’ll never sell your work or share the rights with anyone else.

Absolutely! Authors can download their work from StoryForge at any time. We will only delete work when specifically requested to do so.

Writers are the core of our mission, and protecting your intellectual property is something we take very seriously. StoryForge keeps a record of every draft of every work, and can provide proof of provenance in the event of an argument over ownership.

Yes, you really can get published through StoryForge. There are two paths that you can take — the first is to level up your work until you feel it’s ready for a traditional publisher. You can take what you’ve done and submit it to a publishing house. The second path is to level your work in StoryForge until it’s Legendary — then we’ll publish and distribute your work for you!

Legendary manuscripts are stories that have been revised, shared, and edited by a wide network of StoryForge users. Manuscripts earn the title of Legendary when their reputation progress bar is fully completed. StoryForge authors always know exactly where they are in their journey toward Legendary status and publication. Legendary works also unlock the right to be published and distributed by StoryForge.