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What is story.one?

story.one is a platform that helps you turn existing knowledge, experience, conversations, presentations, documents, audio or video material into a professionally structured printed book. The process runs from orientation and outline to manuscript, design, order and optional publication in retail.

story.one does not work like a single prompt. The foundation is your material, your orientation, your target audience and your approvals. Responsibility for content, rights and publication remains with you.

Who is story.one for?

story.one is for people and organizations who want to turn knowledge, experience or existing material into a lasting book format. This includes authors, experts, entrepreneurs, consultants, speakers, coaches, researchers, teams, companies, universities and organizations.

story.one is especially useful when material already exists: a talk, podcast, interview, slide deck, notes, manuscript, research report, workshop, internal document or a collection of chapters.

What can I create with story.one?

You can use story.one primarily to create printed non-fiction books, expert books, keynote books, books from podcasts, books from interviews, company books, research and project books, guidebooks, experience-based books and collaborative book projects.

The result is a designed hardcover in the story.one format. Depending on your goal, you can use it privately, internally, for clients, programs, events or with an ISBN in retail.

Is story.one an AI writing tool?

No. story.one is not a general AI writing tool for arbitrary texts. The guided book creation process, which may be called Story Editor in parts of the platform, analyzes your material, audience, perspective and instructions and develops an outline, manuscript and editable book draft from them.

You review the results, give feedback, edit content and decide when your book moves to the next step. Authorship and responsibility remain with you.

How is story.one different from classic self-publishing?

Classic self-publishing usually starts when a manuscript is already finished. Then come layout, cover, printing and publication.

story.one starts earlier. The platform helps you develop a book orientation from existing material, then an outline, then a manuscript, and finally a designed book draft. story.one is therefore not only a publication platform, but a guided path from your material to a finished book.

Do I need a finished manuscript?

No. A finished manuscript is not required. You can start with unstructured material: notes, talks, presentations, recordings, interviews, podcasts, documents, links or existing texts.

If you already have finished chapters or a manuscript, you can use them as well. story.one then helps with structure, condensation, book logic, design and publication.

Do I remain the author of my book?

Yes. You remain the author of your book. story.one supports you with analysis, structuring, text work, design, printing and optional publication.

Content decisions, responsibility for statements and rights, and final approval remain with you. Before ordering or publishing, you should carefully review the print preview, content, imprint and all book information.

Why is the printed book the central result?

story.one is built for books, not for temporary documents or social media content. A book condenses knowledge into a form that can be shared, read, gifted, sold, archived and used over time.

That is why the central result is a physical book: a clearly structured, designed hardcover that makes knowledge visible and lasting.

Can I also create an e-book?

No, story.one does not create e-books and focuses on printed books. The central result is a physical hardcover.

Since the rights to your own texts remain with you, you may generally use your content elsewhere as well. The story.one design, platform elements and story.one branding may not be used elsewhere without permission.

Can I create a novel or fictional book?

The guided book creation process is primarily designed for non-fiction, knowledge, experience, expert, guide and company books. Pure fiction, novels or literary works are currently not the main use case for this process; the publication process does not provide separate fiction categories.

You can write individual literary or personal chapters manually and use them as chapters or previews. For publication, you should check whether the book fits meaningfully into the available categories.

How do I turn my knowledge into a book?

You start a book project, upload existing material and define in the orientation what the book is about, who it is for, which perspective it should take and how close it should stay to your material.

story.one then creates an outline. Once the orientation is right, the full manuscript can be created. You then design your book and decide whether to use it privately, internally or with an ISBN in retail.

Can I turn a keynote or talk into a book?

Yes. You can provide a keynote or talk as text, presentation, audio or video file. Additional material such as slides, notes, examples, sources, a transcript or supporting documents is especially helpful.

The guided book process does not create a mere transcript. It develops a book structure with chapter logic, audience guidance, title suggestions, book description, sample chapters and later a full manuscript.

Can I turn a podcast into a book?

Yes. Podcasts work especially well when they contain longer conversations, recurring themes, strong examples or a clear point of view. You can upload audio or video files or use suitable links if they are publicly accessible and processable.

It is helpful to describe who the book is for and which insights from the podcast should become especially visible in the book.

Can I turn interviews into a book?

Yes. Interviews can be a strong foundation for a book because they reveal voice, attitude, experience, examples and thinking patterns. You can upload interview transcripts, audio or video files.

The guided book process can derive themes, chapters, lines of argument and suitable manuscript text from them. Names, technical terms and dialect expressions should be checked in the result because transcription is not always error-free.

Can I turn presentations, slides and notes into a book?

Yes. Presentations, slides, notes and workshop documents can be used together. PowerPoint files are processed primarily through their text; image content is currently not evaluated as a material source.

For a strong book, additional explanations are often useful: What is the central thesis? Which slides are important? Which examples must be included? Which audience should understand the book?

Can I turn company knowledge into a book?

Yes. Company knowledge can become a book if the relevant material is available: guidelines, internal documents, white papers, case studies, interviews, presentations, workshop material, event material or keynotes.

Such books can be used publicly, internally, for clients, programs, events, knowledge transfer, onboarding or positioning.

Can I create a book for HR, recruiting or employer branding?

Yes. A story.one book can help turn company culture, ways of working, values, leadership, employee voices or specific projects into a credible book format.

Such books can be used for recruiting, onboarding, internal communication, programs or selected candidates. The foundation can include interviews, internal documents, presentations, mission statements, workshop material, existing text or contributions from several people.

Can I create a book for onboarding or internal knowledge transfer?

Yes. If company knowledge is currently spread across presentations, guidelines, workshops, notes or internal documents, story.one can help turn it into a structured book.

Such a book can help new employees, teams or program participants understand context, attitude, processes and experience-based knowledge. The central material, target audience and intended use should be clearly described in the orientation.

Can I create a book to share a vision, strategy or point of view with a team?

Yes. A book can help make a vision, strategic direction, leadership point of view or organizational change understandable and lasting for a team.

The foundation can include strategy documents, presentations, interviews, leadership notes, internal texts, workshop results or speeches. The book can be shared internally, used with leadership teams or used for programs, offsites and change processes.

Can I turn a workshop, strategy process or offsite into a book?

Yes. Workshop material, notes, presentations, audio or video recordings, decision documents and strategy results can become a book.

The guided book process does not create only meeting minutes. It creates a structured book form with a clear thread, audience guidance, framing, chapter logic and clear language. It is important to describe who the book is for and which insights, decisions or principles should become especially visible.

Can I create a book for a product, trade show or B2B sales?

Yes. A product or topic book can explain which problem a product solves, which idea it is based on, which technology or method is used and which benefit it creates for clients.

It can be used at trade shows, in client meetings, in sales processes or as high-quality supporting material. Presentations, white papers, case studies, product documents, client examples, interviews and existing website text are especially useful.

Can I turn case studies, client projects or white papers into a book?

Yes. Case studies, client projects, white papers, project reports, interviews and presentations can be condensed into a book.

Such a book can make experience, methods, results and insights easier to understand. It can be useful for client communication, sales, expert audiences, conferences, programs or internal learning.

Can I create a book about the history of a company or organization?

Yes. Interviews, timelines, archives, image material with descriptions, presentations, internal documents and personal memories can become a company or organization book.

Such a book can make turning points, people, values, decisions and future perspectives visible. It is suitable for anniversaries, internal communication, clients, partners, events or selected recipients.

Can I create a book about the life of a founder, entrepreneur or another person?

Yes. Interviews, conversations, memories, talks, articles, documents, timelines, image material with descriptions or existing texts can become a biographical or experience-based book.

The person can be the author, or the book can be prepared by someone else, for example as a tribute, gift or internal memory book. If the book is about another person, consent, rights, sources, images and personal information must be clarified carefully and reviewed before publication.

Can I prepare a book for an executive, founder or expert?

Yes. A book can make the attitude, experience, method, vision or expert perspective of an executive, founder or expert visible.

The foundation can include talks, interviews, podcasts, articles, presentations, notes, existing manuscript parts or internal material. Input and feedback can be used to involve additional people in preparation and review.

Can I adapt an existing document, manuscript or book for a new direction?

Yes. You can use existing documents, manuscripts, reports, white papers or an already published book as source material if you have the required rights.

story.one can help develop a shorter, differently structured, updated or more audience-specific book version from it. A different book language can also be part of the orientation if it is available in the process. When condensing, updating, translating or adapting expert material, you should check terminology, facts, sources, quotes and rights especially carefully.

Can I turn research, studies or technical material into a book?

Yes. Technical material, academic papers, research reports or studies can form the basis for an understandable non-fiction or expert book. The guided book process helps structure the material, define terms, specify an audience and choose the right level of depth.

Important technical terms, sources and statements should be checked carefully. For expert or current topics, additional research can help strengthen context and source quality.

Can I create a coaching, training or workshop book?

Yes. Coaching and training material can work as a book if it contains not only slides but also attitude, method, examples and audience relevance.

Depending on the book orientation, it can become more narrative, reflective, solution-oriented or practical. Reflection questions or practical impulses can be embedded if they fit the book type.

Can I create a book for clients, teams or events?

Yes. Many story.one books are not primarily created for public retail, but for sharing: with clients, employees, participants, guests, program members, networks or initiatives..

You can use the book privately or internally, or publish it with an ISBN. You make that decision in the publication and ordering process.

Which material can I upload?

You can use texts, documents, presentations, notes, interviews, recordings, audio and video files, and relevant links. The material must be relevant for your book, and you must have the right to use it.

Especially valuable are materials that reveal your point of view, experience, examples, terminology or line of argument.

Which file formats are supported?

Supported formats include PDF, Word (.docx), text files (.txt, .md), PowerPoint (.pptx), and audio and video files such as .mp3, .mp4, .m4a, .wav and .webm.

For presentations, primarily the text is processed. For audio and video, quality depends strongly on transcription quality.

Can I use links?

Yes. You can use publicly accessible webpages and links if they are relevant for your book. This may include your own websites, blog posts, expert articles, case studies or Wikipedia pages.

Google Docs must be shared so that “anyone with the link” has access and viewing rights are enabled. YouTube links can be processed if a transcript or subtitles are available and the link is publicly accessible.

What happens if a link cannot be processed?

First check whether the page is publicly accessible. Alternatively, upload the material as a file.

Processing can fail for protected pages, incorrectly shared Google Docs, YouTube videos without transcript or subtitles, or technically blocked websites.

What is core material?

Core material carries the basic orientation of your book. Topic, attitude, perspective, examples and argumentation should be derived from it.

Core material can include your own texts, interviews, talks, manuscripts, presentations, notes or other content. At least one core material item is required for an outline.

What is supplementary material?

Supplementary material supports your book but does not determine its core orientation. It can provide background, examples, data, sources, context or additional perspectives.

The central voice and perspective of the book should come from your core material and orientation.

How much material do I need?

You need at least a solid content foundation. The decisive factor is not only quantity, but relevance: the material should show what the book is about, what stance it takes and who it is for.

After upload, you receive an initial assessment of whether your material is a good foundation, seems rather limited or is too extensive for one book.

What happens if I have little of my own material?

A book can still be created with limited own material. The result then depends more strongly on how clearly you define the orientation and whether you allow additional material, research or model knowledge.

A book with little own material may feel more factual or general. If you want personal attitude, examples or a strong author voice, add more of your own material.

What does “model knowledge” mean?

General knowledge means that the system may use general knowledge from the AI model to supplement your own material when it is not sufficient for a full book. This can help fill gaps, but it is not the same as sourced research.

Choose this option only if you accept general additions and are willing to check facts, names, examples and statements especially carefully. If traceable sources matter to you, additional research or more of your own material is usually the better basis.

What is the difference between uploading more material, research, model knowledge and continuing without enrichment?

Uploading more material is usually best when you can add your own examples, attitude or facts. Additional research is useful when the book needs traceable external sources, current data or expert context.

Model knowledge can fill general gaps, but it is less traceable than researched sources. Continuing without enrichment means the book works more strictly with the existing material; the result may be shorter, more general or less deep.

What happens if I upload a lot of material?

If you upload a lot of material, the book must make stronger selections. One story.one book needs a clear orientation. Too much unstructured material can weaken focus, dramaturgy and reader guidance.

In that case, prioritize which material is central and which only supports the book. A good book is often created through selection, not by including everything.

Can I add material after upload?

Yes. You can add more material during the orientation stage. Later, you can also upload additional material for individual chapters if a specific chapter should consider additional information.

Additional material should be used in a targeted way. Too much new information in one chapter can overload it.

What does “orientation” mean?

The orientation is the briefing for your book project. It defines what the book is about, who it is for, which attitude it carries, which material is central and how the book should sound.

It does not create finished manuscript text, but the frame from which outline, chapter structure and later manuscript are derived.

Which inputs are most important in the orientation stage?

Four areas matter most: the book description, author context, target audience and core material. They help the system understand what the book should do.

The remaining settings can often start with defaults. You can change them if you need a clearer or more specific orientation.

Why is the target audience so important?

The target audience determines how deeply a topic must be explained, which examples make sense, which terms can be assumed and which questions the book should answer.

You do not need to describe a real person. A precise reader model is enough: What does the reader already know? What is missing? Which question do they bring to the book?

What does age group mean?

The age group describes not only age, but expected reading ability, language level, depth of explanation and prior knowledge. A book for adults may use different terms, sentence structure and examples than a book for teenagers or children.

Choose the age group according to the actual reading experience you want to create.

Why is author context important?

Author context helps the system understand the experience, role, attitude or expert perspective from which the book is written. It affects not only the author biography, but also framing, voice and book logic.

It is especially helpful to describe what you see differently about your topic, what is often misunderstood and which experience shaped your view.

What does writing style mean?

Writing style describes how the book is led in language: factual, experience-based, explanatory, dialogic, scientific, business-oriented, psychological or more narrative.

You can let story.one choose a suitable style, select a story.one style yourself or upload your own writing sample.

When should I upload my own writing sample?

A writing sample is useful if the book should stay close to a specific voice, sentence rhythm, word choice or way of thinking. This is especially relevant for personal authors, experts with a distinctive tone, memoir-like projects, keynote books or existing manuscripts.

A representative sample of about 20,000 to 30,000 characters is recommended; more than 40,000 characters is usually not useful. Without a suitable sample, the system relies more strongly on topic, audience and selected style. That can work well, but often feels less individual for a very personal voice.

What does tonality mean?

Tonality gives the book a rhetorical color and orientation. It affects whether the book feels more analytical, persuasive, solution-oriented, reflective or light-hearted.

The tonality should fit the target audience, topic and author stance.

What does the balance between information and narration mean?

The balance defines how factual or narrative a book should be. An expert book usually needs more facts and clear framing. An experience-based or guidebook can work more with stories, examples and reflection.

Each story.one style has a default. You can keep it or adjust it.

Which narrative perspectives are available?

You can choose between several perspectives: “I – personal narrative”, “I – analytical perspective”, “We” for teams or organizations and “He/She” for third-person narration.

The perspective affects whether the book speaks from personal experience, observes analytically, speaks as an organization or describes another person.

Can I specify important quotes?

Yes. In the orientation step, you can provide up to three quotes that are especially important and should be considered as literally as possible.

Quotes are kept in their original language and are not automatically translated. Before publication, check whether you may use them and whether wording, source and context are correct.

What does “stay close to my own material” mean?

It means that the book should be derived as strongly as possible from your uploaded material. Additional research plays no role or only a very limited role.

This is suitable if your material already contains enough substance, examples, stance and structure and you do not want a broader content expansion.

What does “add for the target audience” mean?

It means that your material can be framed and supplemented so that it becomes clearer, more relevant and better guided for the intended readers.

Context, explanations, transitions or additional information may be researched and included. Your material remains the foundation.

What does “deepen the topic” mean?

It means that additional research plays a stronger role. This option is suitable if your book should become broader, more current, more source-based or deeper in content.

Researched secondary sources are documented and can later be made transparent in the imprint.

What is an outline?

The outline is the first content draft of your book. It shows the orientation the book is taking, the planned chapter structure and how the book voice may work.

Depending on the project, it includes title suggestions, table of contents, sample chapters, book description, author biography and dedication. You review the outline before the full manuscript is created.

Why does story.one create an outline first?

The outline is an important control point. It prevents a full book from being written immediately in the wrong orientation.

You can review whether topic, structure, audience, tonality, title and sample chapters fit. Only once the orientation is right should you create the full manuscript, because that step requires significantly more credits.

Can I change the outline?

Yes. You can review and give feedback on title, table of contents, sample chapters, book description, author biography and dedication.

If only individual elements need adjustment, you can give feedback. If the overall orientation is wrong, you should return to orientation and re-brief the book project.

What does re-briefing mean?

Re-briefing means sharpening the orientation of your book again: topic, audience, perspective, style, material weighting or research mode.

Re-briefing can be useful when the basic orientation is not yet right. But it is not a small text edit; it is a new intervention in the foundation of the book project.

What happens during re-briefing if manuscript text already exists?

If you return to orientation and start re-briefing after manuscript text has been created, the previous outline and manuscript text may no longer be available in the current working state. This is especially important for projects where credits have already been used for manuscript creation.

Before re-briefing, check carefully whether you really want to change the basic orientation. If you want to keep an existing version, duplicate the book project first.

What does “create manuscript” mean?

It means that the full chapter texts of your book are developed from orientation, outline and material.

The texts are created on the basis of your book project, not independently from it. Afterwards you can review chapters, edit manually, give feedback or regenerate individual chapters.

Why should I review carefully before creating the manuscript?

The full manuscript is a larger book step than the outline and requires more credits. If the basic orientation of the outline is wrong, the manuscript will also be created in the wrong direction.

Before starting the manuscript, review title, table of contents, sample chapters, audience, tonality and source logic. Small text corrections are possible later; a wrong basic orientation should be corrected first.

Can I regenerate individual chapters?

Yes. You can regenerate individual chapters. The chapter is considered, as far as possible, in the context of the whole book.

If you regenerate a chapter, a version that you manually edited before may be overwritten or replaced. Save important wording before regeneration or state it clearly in your feedback.

Can I edit chapters manually?

Yes. You can edit chapter text manually. Manual changes apply to that chapter. They are not automatically coordinated with all other chapters.

If you want a chapter to be realigned with the entire book, you can regenerate it. Then check whether any manual edits should be preserved.

What does “what your readers might be curious about” mean?

This function shows possible questions or expectations readers may have after reading the current text. It helps you identify points that may still be unclear, interesting or worth explaining.

If you insert an answer, it is used as additional input for further editing. It does not automatically appear unchecked in the finished book. After each revision, check whether the answer was correctly and appropriately included.

Do I need to check facts that I add in feedback?

Yes. If you add names, places, roles, numbers, education, employers, studies, prices, quotes or other factual information in feedback, you should check them yourself. The system can incorporate such information linguistically, but it does not replace fact, legal or source checking.

This especially applies to author biographies, book descriptions, sample chapters, real people, organizations and legally relevant statements.

Why is a chapter sometimes too long?

The story.one format uses three text pages per chapter. If you add text manually, a chapter may become too long. The chapter editor then shows a warning.

The binding check is the print preview or “check layout”. If a chapter is too long, you need to shorten or regenerate it.

Can I upload additional material for a single chapter?

Yes. You can upload additional material for a specific chapter if that chapter should consider extra information.

It is best to explain in your feedback which parts of the material are relevant. The upload should remain targeted so the chapter is not overloaded.

What happens when the manuscript is complete?

Once the manuscript is complete, a book draft is created in design. The chapters are also stored in your “My chapters” area.

In design, you define cover, chapter images or quotes, author biography, book description, category, imprint and print preview.

What happens in design?

In design, the finished manuscript becomes a concrete book draft. You define cover, vignette, back cover, chapter images or quotes, author biography, book description, book information, category, hashtags and imprint.

Design is the step in which you review your book as a finished work.

What is a book draft?

A book draft is the editable working version of your book. It can be created through the guided book process or manually assembled from saved chapters.

In the book draft, you can review content, select or sort chapters, adjust design elements and check the print preview.

What is the print preview?

The print preview shows how your book will be printed in the final layout. It is the most important check before ordering or publishing.

Carefully review cover, back cover, chapter order, chapter text, images, quotes, book description, author biography and imprint.

Why does every chapter have three text pages?

The story.one book format uses a fixed chapter structure: one chapter consists of three text pages plus one additional page for an image, quote or blank space.

This format supports readability, rhythm and reliable design. If a chapter is too long, it must be shortened or regenerated.

Can I use my own cover images?

Yes. You can upload your own cover images if they are technically suitable for printing and you have the rights to use them.

For a good print result in the standard 5 × 8 inch format, the image should have 300 DPI. As a guideline, a portrait cover image for the front cover should be at least 1500 × 2400 px. A continuous image across front and back cover should be at least 3000 × 2400 px.

Important image elements, faces or text should not be too close to the edge, because print trimming occurs. Uploading a custom cover image may be a paid additional service; the current cost is shown directly in the design process.

What does an individual color on the back cover cost?

For the back cover, you can use the standard story.one red or an existing cover image. If you select a custom background color for the back cover, a small additional service fee may apply. The current cost is shown directly in design.

For readability, the text color of the back-cover book description remains fixed.

Can I use images from the story.one image database?

Yes. You can use images from the story.one image database. These images are intended for use in story.one books and can be used for covers or chapter design.

Alternatively, you can use your own images if you have the rights to them.

What can appear on the first page of a chapter?

The first page of a chapter can contain an image, a quote or remain intentionally blank. Quotes should be short and fit the chapter. Your own images must have sufficient quality and legal rights for use.

This page gives each chapter a visual or conceptual signal.

What belongs in the book description?

The book description gives readers a first impression. It should clearly name the topic, perspective and relevance without exaggerating.

It can appear on the back cover and, when published with ISBN, also be used for online shops.

What belongs in the author biography?

The author biography introduces you as the author. It should explain who you are, which experience or role connects you to the topic and why your perspective matters for the book.

The biography is limited to one page in the book. A photo can be added. Check biographical information especially carefully because it often contains real institutions, education, roles or publications.

What are book category and hashtags?

The book category classifies your book thematically and is relevant for publication. In non-fiction, available categories include biographies & non-fiction, self-development & guides, and collaborative book projects.

Hashtags help books and previews become discoverable by topic. If a hashtag is used often enough, it may have its own hashtag page.

What belongs in the imprint?

The imprint can include copyright notes, image credits, source references and additional information.

If supplementary research sources were used, you can optionally display a link to those secondary sources in the imprint. This increases transparency and traceability.

What is a chapter at story.one?

A chapter is a book building block. It can be written manually, taken from manuscript text, saved, made visible as a preview or used in a book draft.

Chapters are not social posts; they are parts of books or selected insights into a book project.

What is the difference between draft, saved and visible preview?

A draft is an automatically saved chapter that is not yet finished. A saved chapter is available to you and can be used in book drafts.

A visible preview is publicly visible and can be shared or submitted to collaborative book projects.

Can I write individual chapters myself?

Yes. You can create individual chapters manually. They are saved automatically and can later be completed, made visible as a preview or used in a book draft.

Manual chapters also follow the story.one format with limited chapter length.

What is a preview?

A preview is a publicly visible chapter. It gives others an insight into your book, topic or book project.

You can hide a preview again later. The chapter remains saved, but is no longer publicly visible.

Can a chapter be used in multiple books?

Yes. A saved chapter can be used in multiple book drafts. This is useful if you collect chapters as building blocks, create variants of a book or use individual chapters in different contexts.

Can I manually create a book from existing chapters?

Yes. You can manually assemble a book from saved chapters and visible previews. Chapter drafts are not shown because they are not yet completed.

The design process that follows is the same as for a book created through the guided book process.

Can I mix automatically created and manually created chapters?

Yes. In a book draft, you can combine saved chapters from different sources: automatically created chapters, manually written chapters and visible previews.

The requirement is that the chapter is saved or visible as a preview.

What happens if I remove a chapter from a book?

If you remove a chapter from a book draft, the chapter text remains saved as a building block unless you delete it.

Removing a chapter from a book draft does not automatically delete the chapter itself.

What is a collaborative book project?

A collaborative book project is a book to which several authors can contribute chapters. An editor or organizer defines the topic, description, submission period, category, language and framework.

Selected chapters later become a collaborative book.

Who is the editor?

The editor starts and manages the collaborative book project. They describe topic and goal, invite contributors or open the project, review submitted chapters and decide which contributions are included.

The editor then assembles the book draft and leads it toward publication.

How can I contribute to a collaborative book project?

You can submit a chapter if it is visible as a preview and fits the topic of the book project. Depending on the project, you can participate yourself or be invited.

After submission, the editor reviews whether your chapter will be included.

What happens if my chapter is accepted?

If your chapter is accepted, you receive a notification. Later, you are invited to view the book draft and give final approval for the use of your chapter.

By approving, you confirm that your chapter may appear in the collaborative book.

Why is final approval required?

Final approval protects everyone involved. A chapter should only appear in a collaborative book if the author knows the actual book draft and agrees to the use.

Without approval, the chapter cannot be used in the final collaborative book.

What happens if someone declines final approval?

If an author declines final approval, that chapter may not appear in the collaborative book. The editor must adjust the book draft or choose another chapter.

Can a collaborative book be published?

Yes. A collaborative book can be designed, ordered and optionally published like other story.one books. The editor guides the book draft through design, review and publication.

Do I have to publish my book?

No. You decide how your book is used. You can order it privately, share it internally, use it for clients or events, or make it available in retail with an ISBN.

Retail publication is optional.

What does publication with ISBN mean?

Publication with ISBN means your book receives an international book number and can be ordered through retail. It can then be listed in online and physical bookstores.

An ISBN is useful if your book should be publicly available.

What does internal publication mean?

Internal publication means that your book does not appear in retail with an ISBN, but can be ordered as a printed book and used internally or privately.

This option is suitable for private books, internal company books, programs, events or selected recipients.

Can an internal book later enter retail with the same ID?

No. Once a book has been internally published, it already has its own internal identifier. This cannot be converted into an ISBN afterwards.

If an internal book should later appear in retail, you need to publish a new book draft.

Where is a book with ISBN available?

A book with ISBN can be ordered through common online and physical retailers. In German-speaking markets, this includes major book retail platforms and many bookstores.

Visibility and delivery information depend on each retailer.

Does story.one review my book before publication?

Before publication, story.one checks technical and basic requirements, such as compliance with publication standards. This does not replace a full spelling, grammar, fact or legal review.

Responsibility for content, rights, sources, names, images and imprint remains with you.

What do status badges such as Orientation, Outline, Book Draft or In Review mean?

Status badges show which step a book project is in. “Orientation” means the basic information is being prepared. “Outline” means the first structural book draft is being created or reviewed. “Manuscript” means full chapter texts exist, “Manuscript created“ and “ready for design” means the book can be edited further in design.

“Book draft” means the book draft is in design, “In Review” means a book or publication is being checked. “Published – Private” means the book is available internally or privately. “Published – Retail” means the book has been published with ISBN.

Can I revise my book after publication?

Yes. Smaller text corrections can be included through a revised reorder. Fundamental changes such as a new title, new cover, new chapter order or different structure may require a new edition and a new ISBN.

Can I duplicate a published book?

Yes. You can duplicate a published book. The duplicate is a new editable version in design, but without the original ISBN.

If you publish the duplicate, it receives a new identifier or ISBN.

Can I stop book sales?

Yes. You can stop active distribution of a book. Retailers can no longer order new copies once the stop takes effect.

Copies already delivered may remain in circulation. A stopped book may remain visible in retailer databases even if it is no longer available.

When do I order my book?

Order your book after design and print preview have been checked. Before ordering, make sure that cover, chapters, images, book description, author biography, imprint and print layout are correct.

Can I order only one copy?

Yes. Single copies are possible. Larger quantities are useful if you want to give your book to clients, employees, participants, guests or partners.

How do I choose the right quantity?

The right quantity depends on use. A single copy is suitable for review or personal use. Larger quantities are useful for events, programs, client meetings, internal distribution or targeted bookstore visibility.

How long do printing and delivery take?

Production and delivery of author copies usually take about 7 to 12 days. In individual cases, it can be faster or slower.

For particularly time-sensitive productions, an express production option may be available. If available, production typically takes around 4–5 days. Please contact story.one as early as possible to discuss availability.

Which countries does story.one deliver to?

Available delivery countries are shown in the order process. Shipping costs, delivery times and available shipping methods can vary by country.

If you plan a larger quantity or delivery to a specific country, check the available options before placing the final order.

Which payment methods are available?

Available payment methods are shown at checkout and may vary by country and order. Common online payment methods such as credit card, PayPal, Klarna or Apple Pay / Google Pay may be available.

You see the exact selection before completing the order.

What is a reorder?

A reorder means printing additional copies of an already published or orderable book. The book content remains unchanged.

What is a “reorder with revision”?

A “reorder with revision” means that you can make smaller text corrections before a new order. It is intended mainly for typos, grammar, smaller wording changes or individual corrections.

The book is moved back into design for this purpose. This additional service may be paid; the current cost is shown in the order process.

Important: Larger changes are not intended here. This includes a new cover image, a new title, a new chapter order, deleting or adding chapters or a fundamentally different book structure. Such changes usually require a new edition or a new book project and, for retail publication, a new ISBN.

Can print quality differ between copies?

For retail production, small differences can occur because individual copies may be produced by different print partners. Author copies are usually produced more consistently.

What does MeinBuch@Buchhandel mean?

MeinBuch@Buchhandel is an optional way to create additional visibility in selected bookstores when placing a larger first order or reorder.

The option is currently unlocked from 50 author copies, if it is available for your book and order. You can then choose from the bookstores shown in the order process. Your book is presented there for a limited period.

The concrete availability, participating bookstores, presentation period and conditions are shown in the order process.

What can I do without costs?

You can create an account, prepare a book project, collect material and define the basic logic of your book without paying immediately. Costs arise only when you deliberately trigger a paid step, such as outline creation, manuscript creation, research, chapter regeneration, additional services, printing or publication.

Before every paid step, the required credits or cost are shown.

Do I receive starting credits?

At the beginning, starting credits are credited to your account so you can try the first book step. Currently, this is 200 credits.

You can see available credits in your account. If starting credits or promotions change, the display in your account applies.

What are credits?

Credits are the internal unit for specific steps in the guided book process. You use credits, for example, for an outline, more extensive research, full manuscript or regenerating individual chapters.

Before a paid step, the required number of credits is shown.

Which credit steps exist?

Typical credit steps are:

  • Outline: 200 credits
  • Outline including in-depth topic research: 400 credits
  • Full manuscript: 600 credits
  • Regenerate one chapter: 20 credits
  • Re-briefing or new orientation, if shown: 200 credits

The current display in the product is binding.

How many credits does a typical book project require?

A typical flow consists of outline and manuscript. Without additional research, this currently requires about 800 credits: 200 credits for the outline and 600 credits for the manuscript.

With in-depth topic research, the typical flow currently requires about 1,000 credits: 400 credits for the outline with research and 600 credits for the manuscript. Additional costs may arise if you start re-briefing, regenerate chapters, select additional services, print books or publish.

Why is cost transparency before the manuscript important?

The outline is the less expensive control point. You should use it to review orientation, title, chapter structure, target audience and sample chapters.

The manuscript requires significantly more credits. If you notice only after manuscript creation that the basic orientation is wrong, re-briefing can require additional credits and replace already created manuscript text in the current working state.

Which credit packages are available?

Credits can be purchased in packages. Currently, the usual packages are:

  • 1,000 credits for €50
  • 2,200 credits for €100
  • 5,000 credits for €200

The credits are added to your account and can be used for suitable book steps. The price shown in the purchase process is binding.

Is there a recurring fee?

No. story.one does not require an ongoing fee. You do not pay for mere access to the platform.

Costs arise only for concrete steps, printing, orders or optional additional services that you choose deliberately.

What does printing cost?

Printing costs depend on quantity, delivery country, options and order process. Single copies are possible; larger quantities usually lower the unit price.

The exact costs are shown before you pay.

Are regenerations available without additional costs?

Certain regenerations, for example title suggestions, book description, biography, dedication or smaller text generations, are available without additional cost under fair use.

To maintain system stability, very frequent regenerations can be limited temporarily. Outline creation, manuscript creation, re-briefing and chapter regeneration are separate and may require credits.

Do I receive an invoice?

Yes. Invoices are created for credit purchases, orders and other paid services. For company orders, additional tax details may be required.

Do I receive royalties from book sales?

Yes, if your book is sold through retail with an ISBN. Royalties are calculated from the 11th retail copy sold. Author copies that you order yourself through story.one do not count toward royalties.

How much royalty do I receive?

For retail sales of a book with ISBN, you receive royalties from the 11th retail copy sold. The first 10 retail copies are not paid out as royalties. Author copies you order yourself through story.one do not count toward retail royalties.

The current tiers are:

  • 11th to 3,000th copy: 10% of the gross retail price
  • 3,001st to 10,000th copy: 12% of the gross retail price
  • from the 10,001st copy: 16% of the gross retail price

At a book price of €18, 10% equals €1.80 per book.

Settlement is based on the sales reported by retail partners in regular accounting periods. Once a payable royalty amount is available, you can request payout in your account. The applicable conditions and the display in your account are binding.

Where can I see my sales?

In your account, you will find the “Sales & Royalties” area. There you can view sales development for published books and available royalties.

Why do I not see sales data yet?

Sales data can appear with a delay because books are produced, delivered, stocked or sold later in retail. The display is based on data reported by distribution partners and may update with a time lag.

When are sales numbers final?

Final accounting numbers are determined at the relevant accounting dates. Interim sales overviews are for orientation and are not necessarily final.

When can I request a royalty payout?

Once a payable royalty amount is available, you can request payout in your account. You need to enter the required payment details.

How long does payout take?

After a successful payout request, the amount is usually transferred to the specified account within the next 30 days.

Do I need to pay tax on royalties?

Whether and how royalties are taxable depends on your country, residence and personal situation. story.one does not provide tax advice. If you have questions, consult a tax professional.

What does “collect input for this book” mean?

With the input and feedback collector, a story.one editor or project lead can invite other people to submit information, material and feedback for a book project.

This is especially useful when a book is being prepared for a client, executive, organization or another author.

When is the input collector useful?

The input collector is useful when the person managing the book project is not the same person who has all material or makes all decisions. An invited person can add information about orientation, target audience, author context and material.

This allows a book project to be prepared together.

Does the invited person need an account?

Yes. To submit information and material through the input collector, the invited person must use a story.one account. This allows input to be assigned and processed confidentially.

Can another person review the outline?

Yes. An outline can be shared for review and feedback. The invited person can add comments and send feedback back.

The project lead or story.one editor then decides how the feedback is incorporated into orientation, outline or manuscript.

Can another person review the manuscript?

Yes. Manuscript text can also be shared for feedback. This is especially useful for client books, expert books or projects with several stakeholders.

Only once feedback has been considered and the text is approved should the project move to design.

Who decides when the project moves to design?

The person managing the book project decides when outline and manuscript have been reviewed sufficiently and the project moves to design. For client projects, this should happen only after subject-matter and manuscript approval.

Who owns the rights to my book?

The rights to your own material and texts remain with you. story.one receives only the rights necessary to process, print and, if applicable, publish your book project.

For manuscripts created through the guided book process, story.one does not claim its own copyright in your book.

hat do I need to consider when using third-party material?

You may only use material that you are allowed to use. This applies to texts, images, quotes, transcripts, documents, webpages, trademarks, names and personal information.

If you name real people or use images of people, you must ensure that personality rights and consent are clarified.

How does story.one use AI?

story.one uses AI-supported processing to analyze and structure material, create outlines and manuscript text, reduce redundancy, improve audience guidance and classify research sources.

AI does not replace your responsibility as author. You review, edit and approve the result.

How does story.one avoid hallucinations?

The guided book process works step by step: material is processed, orientation and context are defined, sources are researched if needed, outline and manuscript are checked. This means the book is not simply written freely from one prompt.

Nevertheless, you must check facts, names, quotes, sources and legally relevant statements before publication.

What are secondary sources?

Secondary sources are additional sources beyond your own material that are considered for framing, supplementation or deeper context. They may matter when using “add for the target audience” or “deepen the topic”.

You can review the secondary sources used and optionally make them transparent in the imprint.

What is mine and what has story.one added?

Your core material, orientation, decisions and approvals form the foundation of the book. If research, supplementary framing or model knowledge is used, additional explanations, transitions, context information or examples may be created.

Not every individual sentence is automatically marked as “from material”, “from research” or “supplemented”. Therefore, check all statements, especially facts, names, numbers, sources, quotes and legally relevant information. If secondary sources were used, you can make them transparent in the imprint.

Are AI and research made transparent in the book?

You can state in the imprint that an AI-supported story.one application was used for structuring and text work. If secondary sources were used, you can also publish a link to those sources.

Responsibility for content and approval remains with the author or editor.

Are my materials treated confidentially?

Your uploaded materials are processed for your book project and treated confidentially. They do not become publicly visible unless you publish them yourself, make them visible as a preview or approve them as part of a publication.

Does story.one train AI models with my material?

Your material is not used to train AI models without your consent. The applicable privacy policy and terms apply.

Where can I find terms, privacy policy and imprint?

The current terms and conditions, privacy information and imprint are available in the website footer. Before ordering, publishing or using third-party content, review these documents.

How do I create an account?

You can create an account through registration. You enter name, email address, password, date of birth, country and preferred language, and accept the required terms.

Why do I need to confirm my email address?

Email confirmation ensures that you have access to the address provided and can receive notifications about your book project. Sometimes these emails land in the spam folder.

Can I change my profile information?

Yes. In Profile & Settings you can edit details such as name, short biography, profile picture, country, preferred language and social media links.

A profile picture can later also be used for author biographies.

Can I reset my password?

Yes. Use “reset password” to receive a link by email and set a new password. If you cannot find the email, also check your spam folder.

Which notifications can I manage?

In your settings, you can choose which email and online notifications you want to receive, for example about collaborative book projects, comments, chapter approvals, submissions or royalties.

What is the newsletter?

The newsletter contains curated insights on books, publishing, knowledge structuring, new book projects and developments around story.one. You can subscribe and unsubscribe at any time.

What is the Academy?

The Academy explains central functions, workflows and decisions around story.one. It helps you better understand orientation, outline, manuscript, design, publication and continued work.

Where can I get help?

The Help Center contains answers to common questions. The Academy explains the most important workflows. If you cannot find a solution there, contact support.

Helpful details include the affected book title, the step in the process, a precise description of the issue and screenshots if available.

Can I delete my account?

Yes. You can request deletion of your account through support or by email to [email protected]. If you have published a book with ISBN in retail, active distribution of that book must first be stopped.

Still have questions?

Contact us