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Last updated: May 13, 2026

Presentation is part of the reader experience. These Formatting Guidelines ("Guidelines") outline the visual, structural, and presentation standards that apply to all books, chapters, covers, and metadata submitted or published through our website, publishing services, and community platforms (collectively, the "Services"). They exist to ensure a consistent, readable, and professional experience for every reader on the platform.

These Guidelines complement our Content Guidelines and Terms of Service, which govern what you may publish. If you do not agree to follow these standards, you should not submit or publish content through the Services.

Your cover is the first thing readers see. This section covers technical requirements and formatting expectations for covers and visual assets.

1.1. Cover quality

  • Covers should be clear, readable, and visually representative of the story.
  • Blurry, heavily compressed, distorted, or extremely low-quality images may be rejected.
  • Text on covers should remain readable at thumbnail size.

1.2. Technical specifications

  • Recommended ratio: 5.5 × 8.5 (standard paperback ratio).
  • Minimum width: 500px.
  • Accepted formats: JPG, PNG, WEBP.

1.3. Title formatting

  • Avoid excessive emojis, decorative symbols, or visual clutter.
  • Do not use misleading capitalization such as excessive ALL CAPS.
  • Titles and subtitles should accurately reflect the work.

1.4. Inline images

  • Inline images should support readability rather than distract from it.
  • Avoid excessive image spam or formatting that disrupts chapter flow.
  • Large images should be optimized for web viewing.

For rules on ownership, AI-generated artwork, and prohibited content, see our Content Guidelines.

Books and chapters should be formatted in a way that supports readability across desktop and mobile devices.

2.1. Readability standards

  • Use proper paragraph spacing and line breaks.
  • Avoid large walls of uninterrupted text.
  • Ensure dialogue formatting is clear and consistent.
  • Do not intentionally obscure text using unusual symbols or formatting tricks.

2.2. Supported formatting

  • Standard emphasis formatting such as italics and bold is permitted.
  • Separators may be used to structure chapters.
  • Overly excessive formatting that harms readability may be removed.

2.3. Chapter organization

  • Chapters should follow a logical order.
  • Placeholder chapters or empty uploads are not permitted.
  • Extremely short spam-like chapter uploads for the sake of gaining visibility may be removed or rejected.

Accurate metadata helps readers discover stories that match their interests and expectations.

3.1. Descriptions & blurbs

  • Descriptions should accurately summarize the story.
  • Avoid keyword stuffing or misleading promotional claims.
  • Descriptions should remain readable and professionally presented.

3.2. Classification

  • Use genres and tags that genuinely reflect the story.
  • Do not misuse popular tags for visibility.
  • Required maturity and content warnings must be applied accurately.
  • Do not manipulate series fields for discoverability purposes, such as labeling a standalone work as part of a numbered series that does not exist.

3.3. Language & presentation

  • Avoid excessive emojis or decorative Unicode spam in metadata.
  • Titles, descriptions, and tags should remain understandable to readers.
  • Formatting intended to manipulate search visibility is prohibited.
  • Works written in a language other than English must be correctly categorized using the language field to ensure accurate filtering and discoverability.

Saphly is a curated platform. Submissions should meet a baseline level of readability and presentation quality. We look for:

  • Readable prose and clear writing that a reader can follow without difficulty.
  • Coherent structure, logical chapter flow, and a story that makes sense.
  • Grammar and spelling that does not significantly hinder understanding.

Common formatting-related reasons for rejection include:

  • Extremely low quality that renders the work unreadable.
  • Books consisting primarily of placeholders, spam, or formatting abuse.

Minor mistakes are expected and do not result in moderation action. We encourage creators to continue refining and improving their work over time. Rejected submissions receive specific feedback—revise and resubmit as many times as needed.

For content-related reasons for rejection such as AI writing, sapphic focus, and prohibited material, see our Content Guidelines.

We encourage creators to consider accessibility and reader comfort when formatting their work.

  • Avoid flashing imagery or rapidly changing visual elements.
  • Use readable capitalization and punctuation.
  • Keep formatting consistent throughout the work.
  • Ensure content warnings are visible where appropriate.

Saphly reserves the right to review, moderate, and take action on all content published through the Services. Enforcement actions may include:

  • Content removal or unlisting.
  • Rejection during the publishing review process.
  • Temporary or permanent account suspension.
  • Referral to law enforcement where content involves illegal material, particularly child safety violations.

We may act without prior notice where necessary to protect the platform or its users. Where possible, we will provide an explanation of the action taken.

If you believe a moderation action was taken in error, contact us via the Contact page to request a review.

If you encounter content that violates these Guidelines, please report it through our platform or contact us via the Contact page. We take all reports seriously and review them promptly.

We may update these Guidelines periodically, indicating any changes through the "Last Updated" date. Continued use of our Services after changes constitutes your acceptance of the new Guidelines. Where changes affect what is permitted, we will not take enforcement action against content published in good faith prior to those changes without first notifying the author and providing a reasonable opportunity to comply.

These Guidelines are governed by the laws of Portugal, without regard to its conflict of law principles. Any legal action or dispute arising from these Guidelines will be resolved in accordance with these laws and regulations.

If you have any questions about these Guidelines or need assistance, please contact us via the appropriate email address or form you can find on the Contact page. For real-time assistance or community support, you can also reach us on our Discord server.