Now Your Audience Can Listen To Your Stories On The Go
With Medium’s new audio feature, readers can spend more time with your stories, no matter where they are or what they’re doing
We’re always looking for ways to make your ideas easy to share and absorb. That’s why we excited to tell you that readers can now listen to Medium stories both on the website, and on our iOS app. All they have to do is click on the Listen button at the top of most stories to hear them read aloud. It’s that simple.
We’ve heard from many readers that listening to stories has helped them enjoy more stories than ever before — by as much as 3x. We’re not surprised; instead of having to carve out specific times in their day, listeners are able to enjoy your stories whenever is most convenient for them — while walking, relaxing, or taking care of housework, for example.
The Listen feature is powered by AI text-to-speech technology from our friends at Speechify. We aim to continue working with them to expand audio on Medium. That means adding new product experiences, language options, and voice diversity as it becomes available on their platform.
Editing on the web
The Listen feature does more than provide readers a new way to enjoy your stories. We know the importance of self-editing, and we’ve heard from writers that it can be helpful to hear someone else read your own writing before you publish. Audio on Medium.com helps you do just that.
Now you can use the Listen feature as an editing tool to hear your drafts before publishing. Here’s how: Click the three-dot menu in the upper right of your draft (next to the “Publish” button). Select “Share.” Use the link you find there, and you will be able to listen to one of the AI voices read your draft to you.
Writer FAQs
How will this feature affect my earnings?
We’ll factor listen time into the payout calculations for eligible writers with metered stories.
Can I narrate my own stories?
Not currently. We’ve received great pieces of feedback during the initial website launch, including requests for the ability for writers to narrate their own stories. It’s something we’ll consider for future product updates.
Can non-members listen to my metered stories?
The same paywall rules apply to listening as to reading. Only members will be able to listen to stories that are behind the paywall.
Can I disable this feature for my stories?
Because we believe that text-to-speech will help more people gain access to great writing and ideas on Medium, disabling the feature is not possible at this time.
Will I be able to see how many people listened to my stories, or who listened?
Not yet, but as we advance this feature, we may provide more listening insights so you can learn more about your audience.
