Author.Today
Platform · this deep dive is built from the official pages of the platform itself and of the tools that support it.
Overview
Author.Today is a Russian self-publishing platform: authors post prose chapter by chapter, readers subscribe to the continuations and buy finished books. The platform describes itself as "a social network that brings creative people together", and that is more precise than "library": every author has a page, a feed, a blog and comments, and a book is published in front of its audience.
The key mechanic that ordinary blogging platforms lack is the paid subscription to a draft. The author opens access to an unfinished book and posts chapters as they are written; the platform says outright that the subscription gives "access to the draft: the author publishes new chapters as they are written, without a final edit". Money starts coming in before the book is finished.
The operator is a sole proprietor rather than a company: the public offer names the seller as sole proprietor Sergey Igorevich Shapin, OGRNIP 316500300053688, registered on 26 May 2016, Vidnoye. The language of the platform is Russian.
Who's here
The content is in Russian, and the genre core is science fiction, fantasy, LitRPG, romance and horror; genre lists and bestseller selections are placed right on the home page. The audience is accordingly a Russian-speaking readership rather than a general blogging one.
Getting started
Registration is free. The platform's journal describes signing in by email or through VK ID, Yandex and Google, and warns about one important detail: an author can change their name or pen name themselves only once.
You can publish a book right after registering — free of charge and without review. Selling, however, is not allowed: that requires a separate commercial status, which is applied for in your account dashboard and grants the right to set prices, receive rewards and run discounts.
A cover is mandatory: the platform's journal notes that without one a book does not reach the storefront widgets.
Rights stay with the author. The platform states that it does not restrict authors from publishing on other platforms or with publishing houses.
What you can publish
The format is text divided into chapters, plus illustrations and a portfolio on the author's page. The rules set a guideline for the size of a part: the recommended maximum size of a single part is no more than 100 000 characters including spaces.
There is a ceiling on release frequency: no more than 5 releases of novellas and novels per 30 days, of which no more than 2 without a co-author. Excerpts and audiobooks do not count towards this. The same page bans republication: long forms cannot be posted again as a new work.
The prohibitions named in the rules: any advertising of third-party books, authors, groups and channels inside the text of a book; works with adult content must carry the "18+" status. Neural networks are addressed separately: text created with the help of AI must be marked with a checkbox, otherwise the administration may apply the mark itself or hide the book.
How to grow
The platform's storefront is a set of widgets on the home page. The platform's journal lists them together with the conditions for getting in: "Popular" is refreshed every hour; "Hot new releases" — books no older than two weeks; "Latest updates" — updates of more than 15 000 characters; "Bestsellers" — paid books. From this follows the working rhythm the platform itself recommends: roughly 3 continuations a week of 15 000 characters each.
The discount tool is likewise limited by the storefront rules: discounts may be run no more than 2 times a month, at 10–80 %, lasting 1–3 days.
There is no paid promotion from the support service itself: the support page separates the roles and warns outright that support does not handle commercial matters, for which there is a separate commercial division.
Path to monetization
Money goes directly from the reader to the author, and the platform keeps a commission. The agency offer states it as a number: 30 % of the sums received for sales of works and 10 % for monetary rewards. So the author keeps 70 % of sales and 90 % of donations.
There is a higher rate for exclusivity. The page about the platform says that authors receive between 70 and 85 % of revenue, and the platform's journal spells out the mechanics: the 30 % commission is the standard one, 15 % is for exclusive books. Exclusivity is granted by agreement with the administration.
The price of a book is not set freely: the range is 49–500 roubles, and the sample part is no more than 2/3 of the volume.
A subscription to a draft is a commitment. The platform requires that the author complete publication of the book within 6 months of opening the subscription; the first chapters stay free, the rest are paid, and on completion the price of the subscription carries over into the price of the book.
Payouts
The offer sets the thresholds and the deadlines: payment on the author's request within 30 calendar days once the minimum sum is reached; the first payment no earlier than a month after acceptance of the contract. The minimums differ: for residents of Russia — 100 roubles once a quarter or 1000 roubles once a month; for non-residents — 1000 roubles a month, with sums from 30 000 roubles going through without a fee, otherwise 700 roubles is withheld. The methods are bank transfer or a YooMoney wallet.
Authors pay their taxes themselves: the agent does not act as a tax agent and does not report income data to the tax authorities.
Tools and automation
What comes as standard: an account dashboard with the application for commercial status, price and discount management, and a sales report. The platform claims that the sales report is available to the author in real time.
Support works through a form, chat and private messages; the stated response times are 1–2 days by email on average and up to 30 minutes in chat.
Limits and rules
- Size of a part. No more than 100 000 characters including spaces.
- Release frequency. No more than 5 per 30 days, of which no more than 2 solo.
- Price. 49–500 roubles; free sample — up to 2/3 of the volume.
- Discounts. No more than 2 times a month, 10–80 %, 1–3 days.
- Subscription deadline. The book must be finished within 6 months.
- AI. Works created by neural networks must be labelled.
- Refunds. As a general rule refunds are not made, except for technical payment errors; support must be contacted within 7 calendar days. Gift codes cannot be returned or exchanged.
- Buyer's access. A paid work opens within 24 hours of payment confirmation; resale and downloading by automated means are prohibited.
The legal framework is Russian: the operator is registered in Russia, settlements are in roubles, payouts go through Russian banks and YooMoney. For authors outside Russia this means a separate withdrawal minimum and a fee, both set out in the offer.
Who it's for
Suitable for Russian-speaking authors of fiction who are ready to write regularly: the platform's storefront is built around frequent updates, and a subscription to a draft brings income before the book is finished. The commission — 30 % (15 % for exclusivity) — is clear and stated as a number, which is rare in self-publishing.
Suitable for those who want to keep their rights: the platform does not require exclusivity by default.
Not suitable for non-fiction and non-Russian-language projects: the interface, the storefronts and the settlements are built for the Russian market. Not suitable if you want to publish rarely and in large pieces — the storefronts will not see you. And not suitable for automated publishing pipelines: the release limit directly caps the flow of books.
Verified data
The checked data this deep dive rests on.
About the platform
the platform describes itself as follows: «Read books online completely free and without registration. An electronic library of contemporary literature, Samizdat Author.Today - read and download books online from a phone or a computer, full versions, all genres.»
This is the platform's statement about itself, not an independent assessment
source, checked 2026-07-28
the seller and operator is named as sole proprietor Sergey Igorevich Shapin, OGRNIP 316500300053688, registered on 26 May 2016, Vidnoye
The seller's public offer
source, checked 2026-07-28
the platform describes itself as «a social network that brings creative people together»
Self-description, not an independent assessment
source, checked 2026-07-28
Account and access
in the general terms for selling finished books the requirement is written in one line: «Автор старше 18 лет» (our translation: the author is over 18)
the quotation is verbatim, the source language is Russian. The requirement concerns selling; no minimum age for registering as a reader is named either in the site rules or in this article
source, checked 2026-08-07
after the application is approved, personal data is required: «После одобрения заявки на коммерческий статус автору будет необходимо указать личную информацию для заключения договора» (our translation: once the application for commercial status is approved, the author will need to provide personal information in order to conclude a contract); acceptance of the contract means filling in a Form with passport details, address and bank details
the quotation is verbatim, the source language is Russian. The contents of the form come from section 1 of the agency contract at https://author.today/pages/agent-offer. No requirement to be a sole trader or a legal entity was found either in the contract or in the knowledge base
source, checked 2026-08-07
Business terms
the stated support response times are 1–2 days by email on average and up to 30 minutes in chat; support does not handle commercial matters
The platform's claim about its own service
source, checked 2026-07-28
Content
a paid work opens to the buyer within 24 hours of payment confirmation
The seller's public offer
source, checked 2026-07-28
Promotion
home page storefronts: «Popular» is refreshed every hour, «Hot new releases» — books no older than two weeks, «Latest updates» — updates of more than 15 000 characters, «Bestsellers» — paid books
The platform's journal recommends about 3 continuations a week of 15 000 characters each
source, checked 2026-07-28
How the money works here
the commission is withheld from revenue: «Согласно договору, автор получает на свой счёт: 90% от стоимости награды; 70% от выручки с продаж «по подписке» и законченных книг» (our translation: under the contract the author receives into their account 90% of the value of a reward and 70% of the revenue from «subscription» sales and finished books)
the quotation is verbatim, the source language is Russian. Knowledge base article «Commission», section «Commercial status», last changed 28.09.2023. It matches clause 3.1 of the agency contract: 30 % on a sale and 10 % on a reward
source, checked 2026-08-07
exclusive selling lowers the platform's commission: «Эксклюзивная продажа книг дает автору в первую очередь низкую комиссию — всего 15%» (our translation: selling books exclusively gives the author, first of all, a low commission — only 15%)
the quotation is verbatim, the source language is Russian. Article «Exclusivity», last changed 19.06.2023. Exclusivity is not granted to everyone; the conditions are in the monetization/eligibility_exclusive line
source, checked 2026-08-07
Who is admitted. commercial status (without which you can neither sell books nor receive paid rewards) is granted on the author's numbers, but the platform names no figures: «На текущий момент возможность получить КС зависит от ваших показателей: - Часов чтения в сутки на книге; - Количества подписчиков (включая друзей); - Количества пользователей, которые добавили в библиотеку книгу, на основании которой вы хотите получить КС» (our translation: at present the chance of obtaining commercial status depends on your numbers — hours of reading per day on the book; number of subscribers, including friends; number of users who have added to their library the book on the strength of which you want to obtain commercial status)
the quotation is verbatim, the source language is Russian. Article «How do I obtain commercial status?», last changed 14.06.2022. The platform gives no numeric threshold at all in this article — neither subscribers nor reading hours
source, checked 2026-08-07
the minimum for applying for commercial status: «Для того, чтобы получить коммерческий статус, автору необходимо опубликовать как минимум одно произведение на АТ и подать заявку» (our translation: in order to obtain commercial status, an author must publish at least one work on AT and submit an application)
the quotation is verbatim, the source language is Russian. This is the only quantitative requirement the platform names outright: one work
source, checked 2026-08-07
subscription to a draft is not opened from scratch: «Открыть подписку возможно только в том случае, если у автора уже есть законченные романы и повести, опубликованные на Author.Today» (our translation: opening a subscription is possible only if the author already has finished novels and novellas published on Author.Today)
the quotation is verbatim, the source language is Russian. Article «What is it and what is it for?», section «Commercial status», last changed 28.09.2023
source, checked 2026-08-07
for exclusivity (15 % commission) a figure is named: «Для новичков с одной-двумя платными книгами эксклюзив выдается, как правило, если в прошлом месяце было продано не менее 100 экз. книг. Однако это не жесткое условие» (our translation: for newcomers with one or two paid books, exclusivity is normally granted if at least 100 copies were sold in the previous month; this is not a hard condition, however); «статус «эксклюзив» выдается только новым книгам, которые ранее не продавались и не были опубликованы целиком» (our translation: «exclusive» status is granted only to new books that have not been sold before and have not been published in full)
the quotations are verbatim, the source language is Russian. The platform itself calls the condition soft, and that caveat is its own, not ours
source, checked 2026-08-07
an application for commercial status is reviewed by hand: «На этом этапе каждая заявка рассматривается администрацией в индивидуальном порядке. Условия могут меняться в зависимости ситуации на площадке» (our translation: at this stage every application is considered by the administration individually; the terms may change depending on the situation on the platform)
the quotation is verbatim, the source language is Russian. In a separate article the platform explains that refusal is possible: «Why we do not grant access to everyone» — https://help.author.today/knowledge_base/item/268662
source, checked 2026-08-07
the platform names whom it refuses commercial status: «к сожалению, мы не рассматриваем на коммерческий статус авторов, у которых опубликованы только книги с превалирующей эротикой в тексте или фанфики» (our translation: unfortunately, we do not consider for commercial status authors who have published only books with predominantly erotic text, or fan fiction)
the quotation is verbatim, the source language is Russian
source, checked 2026-08-07
Where it is available. the agency contract expressly covers both residents and non-residents: «3.4. Условия вывода средств для резидентов (граждан РФ или лиц с видом на жительство РФ)»; «3.5. Условия вывода средств для нерезидентов (валютный перевод)» (our translation: 3.4. withdrawal terms for residents — citizens of the Russian Federation or persons with a Russian residence permit; 3.5. withdrawal terms for non-residents — foreign currency transfer)
the quotations are verbatim, the source language is Russian. The contract contains no list of countries from which one may not work. The payout thresholds differ: 100 roubles once a quarter or 1000 roubles once a month for residents, 1000 roubles once a month for non-residents
source, checked 2026-08-07
the platform's commission on sales of works — 30 % of the sums of money received
Agency offer; the author keeps 70 %
source, checked 2026-07-28
the platform's commission on monetary rewards — 10 % of the sums of money received
The author keeps 90 %
source, checked 2026-07-28
the platform states that authors receive between 70 and 85 % of revenue
The upper bound corresponds to the exclusive commission rate of 15 %
source, checked 2026-07-28
a commission of 15 % instead of the standard 30 % — for exclusive books, by agreement with the administration
The platform's journal; the open rules contain no formal conditions for exclusivity
source, checked 2026-07-28
the price of a book is set within the range of 49–500 roubles
The platform's journal
source, checked 2026-07-28
the sample part — no more than 2/3 of the book's volume
The platform's journal
source, checked 2026-07-28
discounts — no more than 2 times a month, of 10–80 %, lasting 1–3 days
The platform's journal
source, checked 2026-07-28
payment on the author's request within 30 calendar days once the minimum sum is reached; the first payment no earlier than 1 month after acceptance of the contract
Agency offer
source, checked 2026-07-28
residents of Russia — 100 roubles once a quarter or 1000 roubles once a month; non-residents — 1000 roubles a month, sums from 30 000 roubles go through without a fee, otherwise 700 roubles is withheld
Payout methods — bank transfer or YooMoney
source, checked 2026-07-28
the agent does not act as a tax agent and does not report income data to the tax authorities
Declaring income is the author's own obligation
source, checked 2026-07-28
Limits and restrictions
the recommended maximum size of a single part is no more than 100 000 characters including spaces
The rules are worded as a recommendation, not a hard ban
source, checked 2026-07-28
no more than 5 releases of novellas and novels per 30 days, of which no more than 2 without a co-author; excerpts and audiobooks are not counted
Republishing long forms as new works is prohibited
source, checked 2026-07-28
the author must complete publication of the book within 6 months of opening the subscription
The platform's knowledge base
source, checked 2026-07-28
Restrictions
text created with the help of neural networks must be labelled; the administration may apply the label itself or hide the book
The platform's rules
source, checked 2026-07-28
any advertising of third-party books and authors, of one's own and third-party groups, channels and accounts in the text of a book is prohibited
The platform's rules
source, checked 2026-07-28
works with adult content must carry the «18+» status
The platform's rules
source, checked 2026-07-28
Legal
as a general rule refunds are not made, except for technical payment errors; support must be contacted within 7 calendar days
Gift codes cannot be returned or exchanged (knowledge base)
source, checked 2026-07-28
Languages
the interface language of the home page: ru
The language is taken from the markup attribute, the versions from hreflang
source, checked 2026-07-28
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