Draft access modes: Private, Free, and Paid

Every draft has an access mode that controls who can read it and how. You can change this at any time from the Studio settings or your book's dashboard page.

The three modes

Private
Only you can see the draft. The default for all new drafts. Use this while you're writing and not ready for readers.

Free
Any logged-in reader can read the draft. The manuscript appears in your public book page with a free-to-read badge. Good for authors building an audience or releasing serially.

Paid
Readers need an active subscription (or a gift code) to access the manuscript. The book page shows a paywall prompt to non-subscribers.

Draft status

Separately from access mode, a draft can be marked as In Progress or Finished. The status badge appears on public book pages to set reader expectations.

Beta readers and access mode

Beta campaigns work independently of access mode — approved beta readers get access regardless of whether the draft is Private, Free, or Paid. This means you can keep a draft Private for general readers while running a beta campaign simultaneously.