What is Laterpress?
Laterpress is a free publishing platform enabling authors to share fiction online and earn 100% (less payment processing fees) directly from readers. Unlike traditional retailers taking 30-70%, the platform keeps zero percent of direct payments.
The service creates a direct connection between authors and readers, not with a company or marketplace, offering independence from platform lock-in.
How does it work?
1. Publish your fiction online
Authors can publish to branded subdomains (e.g., iliad.laterpress.com) or custom domains (e.g., planargates.nategillick.com). Custom domains allow readers to remain unaware of Laterpress involvement, preventing reader loss if authors switch platforms.
2. Sell your books as epubs and web-native experiences
Laterpress offers downloadable epub files and web-native reading experiences. Readers can navigate chapters through swiping or sliders, customize fonts, spacing, and themes. The platform automatically saves each reader’s place in your book.
3. Charge what and how you want
Authors connect Stripe accounts and choose from three pricing models:
- Entire book fee: Single price for full access
- Chapter bundle fee: Pay-per-chapter-group (ideal for serials)
- Subscription fee: Annual access to all published works
Authors can combine options or offer free chapter previews.
4. Release your book all at once or serially
Authors add chapters whenever desired with scheduling capabilities. Your readers can receive automatic email notifications whenever new content is available.
5. Gather insights about readers
The dashboard displays high-level metrics and downloadable reports showing what chapters people are reading and where they might be dropping off. Stripe integration provides earnings breakdowns.
6. Build a mailing list and community
Readers are prompted to join author mailing lists upon account creation. Authors export lists to services like Mailchimp or ConvertKit for direct communication.
7. Control the platform you publish on
Laterpress makes binding User Commitments in its Terms of Service — including 0% fees on direct sales, no advertising marketplace, minimal content removal, and data portability — with a change process that requires 180 days notice and grandfathering for existing users.
Does Laterpress help readers discover authors?
Yes. Optional Author Community features help grow readership, which authors can enable or disable.
What does Laterpress cost?
Publishing is free with 0% platform fees on direct payments. Stripe charges approximately 2.9% - 3.4% + 30 cents per transaction. Author Community feature purchases incur a maximum 15% fee in addition to Stripe’s payment processing fees.
What happens if I leave Laterpress?
Authors can export everything — your books, subscriptions, and mailing list — with no restrictions. Custom domains allow authors to maintain URLs when departing the platform.