Although Inkitt cannot compete with major platforms such as Amazon and Rakuten, it has carved out a distinct niche in the digital reading market. The application provides thousands of free books from independent authors and promotes them on its sister application, Galatea. What is unique about the Inkitt app is that anyone can write a story. If the story gains enough traction and becomes popular, the writer will be offered a contract and published on Galatea.
Inkitt can be described as a social media platform for indie writers, where the popularity of your content can lead to various monetization opportunities.
Reasons for Inkitt’s Popularity Among Readers and Writers:
- Free to Use: It is free for readers and writers to publish and read content.
- Large Collection: Inkitt features a vast array of works from indie authors.
- Customizable Features: The app offers personalization options, including background colours, fonts, and auto-scroll settings.
- Censorship-Free Content: There is no censorship policy, and the platform includes content warnings.
- Integrated Writing Application: Writers can utilize an in-app writing tool.
- Community Engagement: The platform fosters a community where readers can interact with authors and each other.
- Compatibility: Inkitt is compatible with iOS 13.4 or later, iPad 13.4 or later, and visions 1.0 or later; it can be found on Google Play.
Benefits for writers:
The main attraction for writers is the opportunity to earn money through the platform. Writers retain 100% of the royalties for their content and are not confined by the traditional and often conservative rules set by publishers. For instance, published authors must adhere to their publishers’ schedules, bear the costs of marketing and royalties, and face potential censorship.
Inkitt allows writers to publish as frequently as they choose. However, the Inkitt team must vet each story before it can be published on the platform. While not every piece may be accepted, prolific writers can increase their chances by writing more often.
Benefits for readers:
Readers are drawn to Inkitt because they can access hundreds of free books from new authors. The books are free from censorship, and readers play an active role in helping determine which titles gain popularity.
Inkitt employs an AI-driven, reader-powered algorithm to select which books receive publishing contracts. The decision to publish a story on Galatea is based on critical metrics such as reviews, reader interactions, notes, and highlights.
Galatea is where the best books go to reach millions of readers worldwide. It operates on a membership basis to promote books and compensates writers with royalties.
Inkitt is fun and unique, and it best describes itself as “The world’s first reader-powered publisher, providing a platform to discover hidden talents and turn them into globally successful authors.”
Featured Image by Çiğdem Onur from Pixabay
Writing has always been her passion and a voice for those who cannot speak. She considers herself fortunate to write every day and says her mantra is, “I drink coffee, write, and I know about people and technology.” Her writing is diverse and can be found online on websites like LifeHack, You Have a Calling, Medium, TechCrunch and, She Knows.
