Story Pricing Guide
Understanding story length categories and payment structure on Anthill
Story Length Categories
Anthill uses three pricing tiers based on word count to ensure fair compensation for your creative work
Flash Fiction
500 - 1,000 words
Quick, impactful stories that deliver a complete narrative in under 1,000 words
Examples:
Short Story
Up to 5,000 words
Traditional short fiction with developed characters and plot
Examples:
Novella
Up to 35,000 words
Extended narratives with complex plots and character development
Examples:
Payment Structure Breakdown
Understanding where your money goes and what you actually earn
Weekly Payouts: You can cash out your earnings once your balance reaches K100.00. Balances under K100 roll over to the next week.
Example: Short Story (K55)
Platform Fee (15%)
Covers editorial review, platform maintenance, and hosting costs. This is significantly lower than traditional publishing (which takes 70-85%).
Transaction Fee (K8.50)
Fixed payment processing fee charged for each transaction. This is why our pricing tiers are set at the levels they are - to ensure you still earn well after fees.
Important: Transaction Fee Impact
There is a fixed K8.5 transaction fee on every payment. This is why we have minimum pricing tiers.
Why we don't allow custom pricing below K40:
- •At K30: You'd earn K13 (43% of sale price)
- •At K20: You'd earn K8.50 (42.5% of sale price)
- •At K15: You'd earn K4.25 (28% of sale price)
Our pricing tiers ensure you receive fair compensation (around 70% of the sale price) even after all fees are deducted.
Automatic Pricing & Validation
How Anthill ensures correct pricing for your stories
Automated Safeguards
- ✓Word count is automatically calculated when you upload your story
- ✓Pricing tier is automatically assigned based on word count
- ✓System prevents pricing below minimum thresholds
- ✓Warnings displayed if word count doesn't match category
- ✓Editorial team reviews pricing for accuracy
What This Means For You
- →You don't need to calculate pricing - it's done automatically
- →You can't accidentally underprice your work
- →Readers know exactly what to expect based on category
- →Fair compensation is guaranteed after fees
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I set my own price?
Pricing is automatically assigned based on word count to ensure fair compensation for all authors. However, you can discuss special pricing with the editorial team if you have unique circumstances.
What if my story is between categories?
Stories are assigned to the category they fall within. For example, a 4,500-word story would be priced at K55 (Short Story category).
When do I get paid?
Payments are processed weekly to your bank or mobile money account. You can request a payout as soon as your available balance reaches the K100.00 minimum threshold.
Can readers purchase multiple stories at once?
Currently, each story is purchased individually. This ensures proper payment tracking and allows readers to buy exactly what they want to read.
Ready to Start Earning?
Sign up as an author and start sharing your Zambian stories with readers