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Frequently asked questions

Quick answers to the most common questions about Voctale: account, payments, player, subscription and more.

For listeners

What is Voctale?

An audio story and podcast platform. Some titles are linear, like a classic audiobook. Others are interactive: at key moments you choose what happens next, and every decision opens a different path.

How do interactive stories work?

The story pauses at certain points and offers you several options. Your choice shapes what happens next. So the same story can be experienced multiple times, with scenes and endings you didn't hear the first time.

Can I re-listen to a story?

Yes. Once purchased, a title stays available from your account, as many times as you want.

Can I listen offline?

Not yet. The web version works in streaming. Downloads will arrive with the mobile app.

How can I protect children's listening?

You can create child profiles protected by a PIN code. Each profile filters the catalogue by age, and access to purchases, the blog and community features is blocked.

Author payment

How am I paid?

70% of the sale price goes to the author, 30% to the platform. The split is the same for everyone and is not negotiable. There are no advances and no flat fees: your earnings come from your title's sales.

Who sets the price of my story?

You do. You choose the price of your title, or you offer it for free. What doesn't change is the split: 70% for you, 30% for the platform.

When do I get paid?

As soon as your earnings reach the payout threshold you chose. You set it yourself from your author area, for example 10, 20, 50 or 100 euros.

If I invite someone onto my podcast, do they need to be paid?

That's for you to agree with your guest. Voctale only handles the split between the title's author and the platform.

Rights

Do I keep the rights to my text?

Yes. You remain the owner of your work. Voctale gets a non-exclusive distribution licence for the audio format: you can publish your text elsewhere, in another form or on another platform.

I already have a publisher – can I still publish on Voctale?

It depends on your publishing contract. Audio adaptation rights are sometimes held by the publisher, in whole or in part. You need to check with them before committing.

Who signs the contract?

Contracts are signed with Itamde, the studio operating the platform.

Formats and content

What formats do you accept?

Three. Interactive stories, where the listener chooses their path. Linear stories, like a classic audiobook. And podcasts, released episode by episode.

Which genres do you accept?

All of them, except erotica.

How should I structure an interactive story?

Scenes between two choices work well between six and nine minutes. Any shorter and the listener doesn't have time to settle into the situation, while production keeps growing without the listening experience improving. On the number of choices, better to start small: every branch has to be written, recorded and edited, and the volume grows fast.

Can I use artificial intelligence?

AI is discouraged for the creative side (generated text, generated illustrations). Purely synthetic voices (classic robotic TTS) are rejected automatically. Natural voice cloning is accepted as long as the result is indistinguishable from a human voice. Either way, a minimal audio edit is still needed to ensure listening quality — that's what our built-in studio takes care of automatically.

The voice

Do I have to read my text myself?

No. You can if you want to, and for some texts the author's voice really adds something. Alternatively, you can hire a narrator you trust to handle the reading.

Does my voice need to be professional?

No. The main thing to adjust is pace: what feels slow while recording usually turns out to be the right tempo when listening back.

What equipment do I need?

Not much to start with. A quiet room, fabric around you to absorb the echo, and a decent USB microphone. The platform includes a studio that removes background noise, evens out the volume and compresses, so your recording doesn't need to be perfect from the start.

Publication

How does the validation process work?

Every text is read in full before publication and rated by age band. Recordings go through a quality check.

How does age rating work?

The platform has a children's area with parental controls. Every title gets a rating, and sensitive content is flagged before listening. If your text already carries warnings, tell us: they serve as the basis for the rating.

How long before it goes live?

A few days once the title is approved.

Does Voctale help with the writing?

No. Your story is yours and we don't interfere with it. We provide the technical specifications, and we remain available if you want an outside opinion on a structure or a format question.

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