Readers can discover how much content is available for free before reaching a paywall by accessing the book’s Table of Contents.
Lock Symbols Indicate Paid Content
Chapters with a lock symbol next to them indicate that chapter is not part of a free preview. In most cases, this signals that payment will be necessary to continue reading beyond that point.
Free Books with Limited Previews
An author may offer an entire book at no cost but restrict the complimentary preview section. In this scenario, readers must log in or create an account to access content beyond the preview. Upon logging in, they receive a prompt asking whether they wish to receive author updates. This benefits readers by notifying them of new publications and helps authors gather contact information and build direct communication channels. Declining update notifications does not prevent access if the entire book is free.
When Lock Icons Appear
Lock icons only show up once chapters have been published beyond the length of the free preview. For instance, if an author serializes a novel with a ten-chapter preview, lock symbols won’t appear until Chapter 11 releases.