🆘Frequently Asked Questions
An answer to almost anything, even the meaning of life.
Copyright & privacy
Will I keep the copyright over my creative work?
Yes, you do! We value transparency. Let us make it clear that:
Everything you create within Fortelling is your creative work.
You own the full ownership rights of everything.
Your project will never be shared with others.
We will never share or use your data for training AI
monst...models.We will never claim any rights over what you created.
Am I required to credit Fortelling when I publish?
No, you're not required to mention or credit us in any way. If you do ever share your final story somewhere, we'd of course love to know.
Who can access my content?
Only you can access your content (and the co-authors you've added). The Fortelling team will not access your project unless you provide explicit consent by inviting them using a collaboration code. You can use the blue check mark to verify our identity. You remain in control and can remove collaborators at any time.
Which company is behind Fortelling?
Fortelling is developed and published by AJP Digital Tools B.V.. We're located in Maastricht, The Netherlands. Our chamber of commerce number: KVK 76795349
Projects
General
How do I delete a project?
Open your project > menu > project settings > tap 'Move to Archive'. The project has now been moved to your archive. Open the archive folder on your app's homescreen to permanently delete the project. Homepage > Archive > confirm deletion.
Story elements
What is a story element?
Story elements are the basic building blocks of your story. Examples are characters, character groups, locations, items, species, and languages. With a Fortelling Pro subscription, you can create your own custom tools (e.g., magic schools).
How can I re-shuffle items?
You can re-order items by entering 'shuffle' mode.
Tap the icon with the two crossing arrows to enable item reordering. At the end of the item, two lines will appear, one above the other; this is the drag indicator.
Long-press or click this, and the tile will follow your finger or cursor while you move it.
Release the drag indicator to put the chapter at that position in the list.
Tap the checkmark button to exit the 'shuffle' mode and save everything.
Customization
What are templates?
Fortelling offers a few default world-building tools. For example, locations. Within these tools are several templates with attributes that you can fill in, including biomes, buildings, and countries. With a Fortelling Pro subscription, you can customize these templates to your personal preference. Learn more.
Tldr: templates are forms within tools.
Can I create my own tools?
If you need a tool that isn't currently supported on Fortelling, you can create it yourself. For example, magic schools and their departments.
Open your project > menu > settings > tools > yellow plus button. Tap the plus button to select a category in which the new tool will be added. After you select a category, you can choose an icon and a name. If you open the newly created tool, you can change a few settings.
Ensure that you create a template, as this is necessary to create elements within the tool. The tool is now ready for use. Return to your project homepage and add new story elements.
Can I create my own templates?
With a Fortelling Pro subscription, you can create your own tools and templates. Open your project, go to Settings, then Tools, and select the tool for which you wish to create a template.
Once you've pressed the yellow plus button, you can fully customize the template. Start by creating the first category. A pop-up shows a field selector. Ensure that you select an icon and name it correctly. Then select the fields you want to include. You can use the default fields from Fortelling or create your own custom fields. Learn more.
Timeline
How do I use the timeline tool?
A timeline is used to order events and moments in a specific order. It can cover a variety of periods, such as a conversation, a war logbook, or historical events from a book. It's a very powerful tool for arranging items in a specific order. Learn more.
Can I create multiple timelines?
Yes, it is possible to create multiple timelines within Fortelling. Tap the big yellow plus button in the list view to create a new timeline.
What is the difference between an event and a moment?
A moment is a specific point in time. This can be described as a timestamp (16:15), a date (28th of January), or a very short description of your liking (Era of the Talis). An event is a description of what happens during a moment. This can be anything you can come up with, for example, the coronation of a new queen.
Links
What are the 'links' between story elements?
All story elements can be linked together. You can use links to describe the relationship between two things. Try to describe a link in 1 or 2 words. The perspective field allows you to add more depth to the relationship. How does item A see item B?
How do I create a link between 2 story elements?
Open one of the story elements you'd like to link. Tap the link button and select the other story element. Fill in the form that appears and save it.
Can I switch the story elements once a link is created?
It is possible to replace a story element with another one in an active link. 1) Open the link. 2) Press the edit button. 2) Select the image in the header. 3) Select a new story element. Learn more.
Boards
How can boards help me keep track of all the elements in my novel?
Boards can be used to create a relationship board for all the items in your novel. By drawing lines between the elements on the board, you can easily visualize the relationships and connections between characters, plot points, and other important story elements. This can give you a perfect overview of your story and help you keep track of everything as you write. Learn more.
How do I move an element?
To move an item to a new position, simply drag it across the screen. The best part is that this action will sync in real-time with other users you're collaborating with.
How can I resize an element?
You can scale an item by dragging the bottom right corner of the element. However, keep in mind that each element has a minimum size, so you may not be able to make it smaller than that.
How can I prevent an element from being moved or removed?
To prevent an element from being moved or removed, you can lock it by long-pressing the element. Once locked, a grey lock item will appear at the top corner of the element. This action will prevent the element from being moved or removed, but you will still be able to create/edit its links. To unlock the item, simply long-press it again.
How can I create a link between elements?
To create a link between elements, follow these steps:
Tap on the element you'd like to link.
Tap on the link button in the menu.
Tap on the other element to create a link.
Edit the link style to your liking in the pop-up.
How many links can exist between 2 elements?
There's no limit on how many links you can create between elements.
How can I recenter a link bubble?
Link bubbles can be moved to a custom position like any other element. Once moved, it will be pinned to this position. To recenter a link bubble, simply long-press it.
How do I add a description to an image?
Tap on an image and enter some text. This description will appear below your image as if it were a Polaroid image.
How do I use the sticky notes?
You can use sticky notes to quickly write down your thoughts and to-dos. Simply add the sticky notes to your board to get started. To quickly open the edit screen for a particular note, double-tap on it. Additionally, to bring more structure to your notes, you can recolor them with one of the six available colors.
How does multi-select work?
Tap on the multi-select icon in the taskbar. Every item you select will now be highlighted in dark blue, indicating it has been added to the multi-select. You can move, duplicate, and delete items in bulk.
Labels
How do I use the label tool?
You can use labels to structure your story elements. Using the filter tool on each main screen, you can filter story elements by a label.
How can I create a new label?
To create a new label, simply go to the place where you use labels (e.g. in a character). Press the yellow add (+) button to create a new label.
Files & images
Where did the image gallery go to?
Since Fortelling 4.0, we have merged the image gallery with the notes tool. This new tool is called Files. It now also allows you to upload your own files for reference.
Books & chapters
How do I reshuffle my books?
Long-press on a book to enter wiggle mode, drag it in the proper order, and tap the checkmark to save.
What file types can I import?
You can only import a '.fortelling' file. A .docx file can not be imported just yet. The easiest way to import your current writing with formatting is to copy and paste it into the web version.
What if I import an already existing chapter?
You get two options if you import a local save (.fortelling file). You can either overwrite the existing chapter or create a new chapter with the file's content.
Can I write offline?
Chapters support offline writing on our mobile apps. If you are offline and come back online, the app will sync the content to the cloud. If another team member made online changes, you can manually merge both versions to prevent data loss.
What are merge conflicts?
When you've worked offline and another team member made changes to the same chapter, this is a merge conflict.
Can I save my writing locally?
Yes, export your chapter as a .fortelling file and save it locally. You can always import it again later.
Does the chapter editor auto-save?
The chapter editor saves automatically every 5 seconds. You can always go to the version history to create a new save.
How do I use the chapter status?
You can assign each chapter a status. This status reflects how far this chapter is in your writing pipeline. In the end, you'll have all the chapters done. It is yet to be possible to add custom statuses. Learn more.
How is my writing streak calculated?
A streak is calculated based on the entries in your logbook. Each consecutive writing log counts as one day in your writing streak.
Collaboration
How do I add team members?
Open your project > menu > collaborate > activate collaboration. Now, a collaboration code will appear on the screen. Share this code or the collaboration link with your friend, and they can request access. You need to approve this request once more.
Where do I enter a collaboration code?
A collaboration code is your access token to a project created by another user. After you enter a code, the project admin needs to accept your request before the project will appear on your homepage. To enter a code, tap on the button with a person and a plus sign.
Can I transfer my admin rights?
No, you can only make other people an admin. You can not leave a project as an admin. Contact support to remove you from a project.
What can a user with reading access do?
A reader can browse all your story elements. They can also read your chapters. They cannot make any changes to the database and, thus, your project content.
What can a user with write access do?
A user with write access can create, update, and delete story elements. They are allowed to export data. They cannot change the project's archive state, name, etc.
How do I determine who can see which elements?
You can select a story element and open the context menu. Within this menu, you can already see who can access this story element. Open the menu item "Visible for:" and edit which roles have access.
Can I create custom roles?
No, as of right now, only the pre-defined roles (admin, editor, viewer & public) can be used.
How can I leave a collaborative project?
Go to the collaboration page of the project and tap on the button with the leave icon.
What happens when I delete a collaborative project?
The project will also be removed for all the other users.
Public wiki
What is a public wiki?
A public wiki in Fortelling is a special feature that lets you share selected story elements from your project with others via a public link. It allows you to showcase your world-building (like characters, locations, magic systems, or organizations) without exposing your full manuscript or chapters. Think of it as a public-facing encyclopedia for your story universe.
This feature is part of the Fortelling Pro plan.
How do I turn my project in a wiki?
Enable Collaboration
Go to your project settings.
Turn on collaboration.
Activate Wiki Mode
In the same Collaboration tab, toggle on “Wiki”.
A public link will be generated.
Choose what to share
Open your story elements (like a character profile).
Use the “Public” toggle to make that item visible on your wiki.
Share your link
Copy and paste your wiki link anywhere: social media, email, or your personal website.
How do I manage what elements are public?
You decide what gets shared; nothing is public by default. You’ll manually choose which elements (like characters or locations) are visible.
Fortelling app
Can I revert to an earlier version of the app?
Unfortunately, this is not possible due to technical limitations.
How do I know what version I'm on?
Open the app menu and scroll to the bottom, your version and build number should be there.
How do I access the web version?
Visit the following link using your browser on your desktop: https://web.fortelling.app Learn more.
Is the web version free?
The Fortelling web version is part of Fortelling Pro. You'll need a subscription to access it. However, all our basic mobile tools are free, with no limits.
Is there an installable desktop version?
There is no native installable version of Fortelling. However, you can install the web app as a PWA on your desktop.
How can I change the language of Fortelling?
Open the app menu and select "Language". Fortelling supports 13 different languages. Learn more.
Can I contribute translations in my own language?
At Fortelling, we crowdsource and verify the app's translations through our community. Don't see your language in the list? Join the translation team!
Currently, our translation platform is unavailable. You can reach out to us via email to sign up for the translators team. [email protected]
Does Fortelling support dark mode?
Yes, we know most writers are night owls, and we don't want to hurt your eyes. Go to homepage -> menu -> theme
Can I use Fortelling offline?
Fortelling is an online-first application. Some features are available offline (e.g., creating, updating, and deleting story elements), while others are only accessible online (e.g., creating projects and collaborating). Make sure to go online periodically, before the cache runs out, to prevent data loss.
We're doing our best to offer all functionalities offline in the future, but as an indie developer, this is a huge task.
How many people are working on this app?
Fortelling is being developed by 1 developer, Albert-Jan. If you want to support me in making the best writing app in the world, please consider upgrading to Fortelling Pro.
Fortelling Pro
How do I upgrade to Fortelling Pro?
Upgrading to Fortelling Pro is easy and gives you access to powerful features like an ad-free experience, the web app, custom tools, advanced export options (.EPUB, .DOCX), role-based access, public wikis, and more.
To start your Fortelling Pro subscription:
Visit the web app:
Tap the blue star button:
This opens the Fortelling Pro shop.
Follow the purchase flow:
You can choose between:
$4.99/month
$49.99/year (2 months free)
Your subscription will sync across all your devices: buy once, use everywhere.
How do I redeem a Fortelling gift card?
Open: https://web.fortelling.app
Check you're logged in with the correct account. The lifetime can not be transferred to another account later.
Tap on the blue upgrade star.
Select the lifetime plan and tap on 'Continue to Checkout'. A new screen will open.
Select the 'Add promotion code' on the left side and fill in the gift card number.
The full amount of the gift card should now be deducted.
You'll be redirected back to Fortelling and able to enjoy Fortelling Pro.
How to purchase a Fortelling gift card?
Buying a gift card for a fellow writer is easy:
Choose your gift card amount
Enter the recipient's email address and a personal message
Complete your purchase using your preferred payment method
The gift card will be sent directly to the recipient's email
Why is Fortelling a subscription?
Fortelling uses a subscription model because it helps support the app’s continuous development and growth. It helps cover the monthly server costs and keeps the app online.
Is there a difference between a monthly and an annual subscription?
Yes, there is a key difference between a monthly and an annual Fortelling Pro subscription: with the annual plan, you save 2 months compared to the monthly option.
Is there a one-time payment option instead of a subscription?
A lifetime license is available. Make sure to scroll down on the upgrade page.
Can I use my subscription on multiple devices?
Your subscription will sync across all your devices, buy once, use everywhere.
Can I share my subscription with others?
You are not allowed to share your account with others. Violation of this might lead to removal of your account.
How do I cancel my subscription?
Please follow the steps in this article: learn more.
My account
How do I logout?
Open the app menu, tap on your account banner, and select the three vertical dots at the top right. Finally, select logout.
Homepage > Menu > My Account > Logout
How can I change my password?
You cannot change your password if you used a social login like Google or Apple Sign-in.
Open the app menu, tap on your account banner, and select the three vertical dots at the top right. Open the edit account page and select "Change password".
Homepage > Menu > My Account > Edit Account > Change password
How can I change my email?
You cannot change your email if you used a social login like Google or Apple Sign-in.
Open the app menu, tap on your account banner, and select the three vertical dots at the top right. Open the edit account page and select "Change email".
Homepage > Menu > My Account > Edit Account > Change email
How can I delete my account?
Sorry to see you go. If we can help you with something, please email us at [email protected].
Homepage> Menu > My Account > Edit Account > Delete account
How can I get verified?
The verified status is for exceptional users of Fortelling. Participate in challenges and provide constructive feedback through comments. This way, you might get verified one day. It is not possible to pay for a verified status ;)
Writing challenges
Why should I participate in challenges?
Participating in Fortelling's challenges is a fun and motivating way to stay consistent with your writing, explore new ideas, and connect with other storytellers in the community. Whether you’re overcoming writer’s block or just looking for inspiration, challenges help your creative juices flow.
When are new challenges published?
New challenges are published on Fridays at 12 PM UTC. Just in time for the weekend!
Are there certain rules for submissions?
As long as you stay on-prompt and follow the community guidelines, you're good.
How can I report unsettling challenge submissions?
Make sure to report unsettling submissions by tapping on the Flag icon.
How can I share my stories with people who are not on Fortelling?
You can copy the link of your submission and share it with others. To prevent web scraping, they will need to make an account before they can read your story.
Support
What's the best way to contact you?
We're very active on Discord and Telegram. Feel free to stop by for a chat! However, the best way to receive a private and in-depth answer to your questions is to send an email: [email protected]
Are you open for feature requests?
Absolutely! We put the community at the center of Fortelling. It's a tool by writers for writers. However, there's only one developer working on the app, so it may take a bit before we can implement your request. Nothing is set in stone.
How can I report a bug?
Fortelling has a built-in bug-reporting tool. We encourage you to use this tool, as it also sends us more relevant debug information. You can find the tool in the menu (Homepage > Menu > Report Bug). Please share your email address with us so we can contact you for a follow-up.
Miscellaneous
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