A new home for short fiction.
Join the waitlist for access to the closed beta.
Spotify for short stories.
Unlock the power of short fiction.
Readers and writers deserve a beautiful home. Sanctuary Stories is a free app for original and classic short fiction — stories that you can finish in one sitting, from writers you won't find anywhere else.
Find your next favourite story.
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We hand-pick all Sanctuary writers. If it’s on Sanctuary, you can trust that it’s worth your time.
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Explore personalised recommendations, sorted by genre, length, and similarity to your favourites. Find hidden gems from undiscovered writers, or stay current with your favourite series.
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Discuss, suggest, and share your favourite stories for others to enjoy. Browse your friends’ libraries to find suggestions, and curate your own personal collection. Leave reviews to share feedback on stories.
A platform for talented writers.
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When you publish on Sanctuary, your stories have the opportunity to gain significant traction. Elevate your writing career, carve your niche or simply share the joy of storytelling.
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Apply to write on Sanctuary and receive a response within 48 hours. No experience is necessary — we’re looking for talent, not pedigree. Once you’re approved, you can publish as much as you choose.
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Effortlessly transform your stories into expressive audiobooks to share to your audience.
Press play on short audiobooks.
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Life can be busy. Sometimes, you just don’t have time to sit down and read. Enrich your life with narrated audiobooks — whether you’re running, cleaning, lying in bed, or on the morning commute!
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Sanctuary uses the very latest in high-fidelity Text-to-Speech (TTS) tools to augment your listening experience, placing your stories at the forefront of advancements in voice quality and accuracy.
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![Listen to audiobooks online on Sanctuary.]()
Audiobooks
On Sanctuary, every story is converted into an ultra-high quality audiobook.
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![Read on Sanctuary.]()
Read Widely
Enjoy curated recommendations, browse our top picks, or find your favourite writers.
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![Become a writer and post your short stories on Sanctuary.]()
Get Eyes on Your Work
It’s never been this easy to publish your stories. Create a portfolio or give writing a go.
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![Build a library on Sanctuary.]()
Build a Library
Save stories to your library, leave reviews and get recommendations from friends.
Who can use Sanctuary?
Reading should be fun for everyone, whether you’re an experienced reader & writer or just trying it out.
Due to anticipated demand, we’re currently onboarding people from the waitlist in the order that they sign up.
FAQs
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Sanctuary is entirely free to read. We’re passionate about making reading accessible, not extracting value.
As a thank-you to early adopters, Beta users will have a complementary Sanctuary Premium membership to read and listen for free.
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Yes! Stories are available to listen to as audiobooks, with the latest ultra-high quality voice narration technology used to generate a powerful voiceover. We’re always working on integrating new technology to improve the listening experience.
We know that sometimes it’s hard to find the time. You can listen to your favourite stories on the go with the click of a button.
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Sanctuary is compatible with all mobile operating systems and screen sizes. We’re working on a Desktop version perfect for longer reads!
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Absolutely! You don’t need any prior experience or accomplishments to publish on Sanctuary. Make sure you check our content guidelines and copyright policies before publishing.
If you’re new to Sanctuary, we invite you to submit a low-stakes writing sample here. We read every sample, respond within days, and approve the vast majority of authors.
If you’re reluctant to share your writing, we would encourage you to take a chance and put it out there. You never know who your writing might connect with.
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Beta refers to an early release version of Sanctuary, wherein our team is working hard to make continual improvements before rolling out globally.
“A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies. The man who never reads lives only one.”
— George R.R. Martin