Frequently Asked Questions
-1) What is EMBED?
If you have your own website (or blog), copy and paste the code highlighted in blue (just like youtube) to display a mini-dublit player (aka Widget) on your website (or blog). That way, people can play your audioshort without leaving your site.
Note: this code is only available for "public" audioshorts.
0) Um...what the heck is a dublit?
Excellent question. Click here for our "about Us" page.
1) Is membership really free?
Yes, this community is supported primarily by the labor of writers and readers/listeners like you. Emerging and professional Writers offer their stories for download, in order to gain exposure for their whole body of work and to receive feedback on specific stories from other writers and from the greater public. Readers (listeners) download material to enjoy, and leave feedback for writers.
2) Can I submit a story?
Yes. Yes. Yes you can. There are a few very simple requirements which include that you MUST "dub" the story into an "audioshort," which is an audio recording of the story, and a text manuscript of the recording (highly suggested - as it gives readers the opportunity to "read along," but not technically required). The story must be an original work (not copyrighted by someone else, unless you have permission from the author to submit it on his/her behalf), must begin with "Title, by {author}, read by {reader}" and must be no more than 30 minutes long.
3) How do I create an mp3 recording?
Don't worry it's pretty easy. You can prepare a recording on your computer using 3rd party sound recording software of your choice, or you can use our "Record Audio " tool which allows you to record in almost -real-time via the internet.
RECORD NOW (Found under Step 2 of Submit Audioshort - must be logged in)
All you need to use the "Record Audio" tool is a microphone and an internet connection. We assume you have the latter (since you are reading this).
If you have a new mac, you probably have a built-in mic (and if not, a mic is probably still sitting in the big cardboard box in which your PC came).
If you really don't have a mic (or you chucked the box), you can buy one inexpensively. Like many things, there are many different "types" of computer microphones, but even cheapish ($10-20) ones seem to work well enough to get started, but if you're able to spend a bit more, the sound quality will likely be better. You can visit your local Bestbuy or internet retailer (many selections here).
RECORD USING SOFTWARE ON YOUR COMPUTER
There are many methods you may use to record your work into mp3 format. One free recording tool is called audacity, and you can find more information about it here.
To create mp3 audioshorts with Audacity you will need to download 2 files:
1. Audacity Software
2. LAME encoder (translates .WAV format into .mp3)
If you have an mp3 player, chances are you can also record with it. The quality will vary, but you can even use your iPod (with a little effort):
Tips: We encourage you to always read your piece out loud at least once before attempting to record it. Have a glass of water handy, especially if your story is on the long side. Without practice, the recording process can be a bit frustrating. Do your best with the recording but don’t fret too much if it’s not “professional” quality.
For a more complete tutorial on creating mp3 files, please visit one of these sites:
4) How long will it take to see my story online?
It will appear almost immediately after your upload is complete (sort by Date to see the most recent postings).
5) What genres do you accept? How about plays or poetry?
Currently we are building our library of short fiction, non-fiction, essays and poetry, and the occasional short play. If you are interested in submitting a format that is currently not accepted, please let us know by visitng our forums.
6) How does dublit make money?
Our primary aim is to create a community that people want to join and a web platform that is satisfying to use. The costs for this endeavor are currently paid for by a group of people who are passionate about writing. In the future, as the community grows, we may introduce methods of recouping those costs and the costs to sustain the site but as yet, we're honestly not sure which methods will be best.
The best stories, as ranked by our members, may be offered in printed collections and offered for sale both online and through retail booksellers, in which case any proceeds would be split with the authors.
We are also planning to offer professional (from published authors and educators) consulting, to include in-depth reviews and workshopping, for a fee, to writers interested in gaining professional feedback and assistance.
We are also negotiating support from relevant industry partners like publishers, online and "brick and mortar" book retailers.
7) Do I lose my rights to the story?
Not at all. Your work can be copyrighted by any method you choose and you are free to upload and delete your work at any time. dublit offers you the ability to easily copyright your work through Creative Commons licensing, but if your wish to register your work with a separate legal database or reserve additional rights, you may denote it on dublit. You are welcome to register your work with the Writers Guild of America ($20 fee paid to WGA), if you prefer. Here is a link to their online registration page. Please refer to our Terms of Use to ensure that you understand where we stand with respect to broader copyright law.
8) How do you protect my rights to my story?
Intellectual property is very important to us and we take serious precautions to prevent any breach of your copyrights. You retain complete control over the posting of your stories. You can remove them from dublit at any time for any reason. If you feel that someone has breached your copyrights, contact us at copyright@dublit.com for immediate attention. Again, please refer to our Terms of Use for more specifics.
9) Can I tell my friends about this site?
Yes, of course. The easiest way is by using our "Invite a Friend" tool. We are introducing more features all the time, and currently we have some basic social networking features which allow you to create contacts and to email other members. We will introduce many exciting and powerful features in the future which will allow members to create special-interest groups, share and search by preferences, and many other cool features.
10) This is great but I have some ideas for improvement – how can I make suggestions?
We love to hear from our members. We say member instead of user because it better reflects our intent – to build a supportive community. You can visit our forum (click link below) and post a comment, or email us directly at feedback@dublit.com.