Introducing Exclusive Stories

Exclusive Stories is a Vocal+ feature. Upgrade to Vocal+

Today we are excited to announce Exclusive Stories — a new Vocal+ feature that lets you share premium content with your most loyal fans through paid subscriptions.

What Are Exclusive Stories?

Exclusive Stories allow you to offer content directly to your fans through paid subscriptions. Whether it’s serialized fiction, special behind-the-scenes insights, or any other premium content, Exclusive Stories give you the flexibility to decide what stays exclusive.

Here’s how they differ from free stories on Vocal:

• Published to your author page: Exclusive Stories are available only on your author page, from the direct link, and are not part of any community.
• Engagement with your subscribers: Exclusive Stories can receive reads, likes, and comments from your paying subscribers. This creates a more intimate and engaged community around your work.
• No word count restrictions: Exclusive Stories have no word count minimums, giving you complete freedom to express yourself however you choose.
• Instant publishing: Your Exclusive Stories are published instantly to your paying subscribers without waiting for review. However, we still moderate them to ensure they meet our community guidelines and safety standards.
• Not eligible for Challenges: Keep in mind that Exclusive Stories cannot be submitted to Vocal Challenges, as they’re meant to remain exclusive to your subscribers.

Why We Made This Change

We’re always looking for new ways to help you grow as a creator on Vocal, and we realized that our Pledging feature could have been better. That’s why we’ve transformed it into Exclusive Stories. We know that offering exclusive content through a subscription model is a powerful and enduring way to connect with your audience. Now, you can reward your most dedicated fans with content that’s uniquely yours, deepening the connection with those who believe in your work the most.

How It Works

To offer Exclusive Stories to your audience, you’ll need an active Vocal+ subscription and a connected Stripe account. This feature is enabled by default in your settings, but you can turn it off whenever you want. Just keep in mind that if you disable Exclusive Stories or cancel Vocal+, your paid subscribers will lose access to your exclusive content and you will no longer earn from their subscriptions. We’re also working on a “pause” feature to give you more flexibility.

Once you’re set up, creating an Exclusive Story is easy. Just create your story as usual, and when you’re ready to publish, you’ll see a new option to mark it as an Exclusive Story.

You can still choose to allow comments, add a content warning, or label it as AI-generated. Once published, your story goes live immediately. You can share the link on social media and via email, and your paid subscribers will see it in their Vocal feed and receive notifications.

You can keep track of both your free and paid subscribers in your Stats, and monitor your earnings from them in your Wallet. You’ll also receive notifications in your activity feed whenever someone new subscribes, helping you stay on top of your audience growth.

As for the app, due to Apple Store restrictions, Exclusive Stories won’t be available at launch. However, we’re actively working on adding this feature in the future to enhance your experience on all platforms. We appreciate your understanding and patience.

How to Make the Most of Exclusive Stories

Here are some creative ideas to get you started:

• Serialized Fiction: Release chapters of your novel or series exclusively to subscribers, keeping them engaged and eager for more.
• Extended Universes: Explore spin-offs, character backstories, or alternate endings that only your subscribers can access.
• Behind-the-Scenes Content: Share insights into your creative process, early drafts, or reflections that are reserved for your subscribers.
• Exclusive Poetry Collections: Offer themed poetry collections that provide a unique, personal experience for paying subscribers.
• Workshops and Tutorials: Host exclusive writing workshops or share in-depth tutorials tailored for your subscribers.
• Interviews and Collaborations: Provide access to exclusive interviews or collaborations with other creators, available only to your subscribers.

These ideas can help you create content that not only rewards your subscribers but also strengthens the connection between you and your most loyal fans.

How It Works for Your Audience

Your audience can upgrade to a paid subscription directly from your author page or from within an Exclusive Story. Once they become a paid subscriber, they’ll gain full access to your exclusive content and have the ability to leave comments on your Exclusive Stories. These comments are visible only to you and other subscribers, creating a more intimate and engaged community around your work.

Exclusive Stories isn’t just another feature—it’s a powerful tool to help you deepen your connection with your audience and grow your creative career on Vocal. This is your chance to offer something truly valuable to the people who support you the most.

We’d love to hear your thoughts—how do you plan to use Exclusive Stories? Share your ideas, ask questions, or let us know what you think in the comments. Your feedback is important as we continue to improve and innovate on Vocal.