Earning gems for reading is only available for Featured stories with the blue border and the Episode ‘E’ icon.
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I think the only reason I dislike Episode’s gem model (how they implement gem choices in their featured stories) is that the choices are formatted/worded as pay to win. Most of us know in featured stories you get the same outcome no matter what (which I like. It would be absolutely unfair if it was actually pay to win). While I think paying for an extra scene or cute clothes is fun and acceptable I don’t like how when you do the choice isn’t remembered. You pay to kiss the boy? The boy acts the same next chapter whether you did or not. I also dislike how polarized the options are. Kiss him or turn him down. It’s so bizarre. And this format is what I hope stays out of user stories.
I had a point… and now I’ve forgotten it. 
Basically I’m very excited to use gems in my stories and I’m excited for the direction the community will take it.
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I think that’s just for the writer’s in payments? But yeah, I took part in the first gem test and honestly I found it really difficult to include choices that I felt added value without detracting from the story in every episode. Especially the first episode. One thing I said when I gave feedback was that I’d be more likely to include gems if it didn’t have to be in every episode. 
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What I like as a format for gem choices is if there is one non-gem choice which has a good outcome, one that has a bad and one gem choice which has an amazing outcome. I like it when the gem choice is obviously the good choice and the others involve understanding the characters and the stories to decide which to pick!
For example, if someone is upset and you have a choice to either help solve their problem or listen to them and be compassionate as the non-Gem choices and then buy them cupcakes as the gem choice. That way, you have the opportunity to not have a terrible choice by figuring out which they would appreciate as a unique character or you can just pay for the gems and be sure of a good one, if that makes sense.
When it’s a good gem choice and a bad non-Gem choice, I feel like Episode is taunting me and making it clear I can’t afford to have the story I choose!
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So authors will get paid for gem choices ONLY IF they are in the writer’s program, which now requires 100k reads a month or 500k total? So if authors aren’t in the writer’s program, then they don’t get paid at all?
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Pretty much, I guess. It sucks and it’s a total rip-off to the readers in my opinion since (if they actually like the author) they might actually want to support them. And it would be nice, judging on the fact that gems are not that easy to earn, and if we could gain them from our readers that’d be cool.
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100k gem chapter reads over 60 days or 500k reads (regular and gem choice) over 60 days.
But yes.
The only real benefit of gem choices to authors not in payments is that they can qualify faster.
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Oh, sorry, 2 months. I read it wrong. Thanks for clarifying.
No problem 
Basically instead of 500k in 2 months you need to reach 100k (but only the episodes with gem choices in them count towards this total). For some people, this will be quite doable. For others, not so much.
Someone above suggested that authors who aren’t in payments should get some gems as a reward instead. I personally hope something like that gets implemented.
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True, it does suck and is a rip off. 
I don’t think I’ll be using gem choices in my stories, so people could enjoy reading them without having to pay. Plus, I doubt I’ll get 100k or 500k reads even in over two years, let alone 60 days.
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May I get an opinion please?
Do you think I should put a Gem choice on a character customization, not for the main character but a love interest?
or
Do you think the reader would would be displeased?
Honestly? I’d be annoyed if I saw that.
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I agree.
I think the best way to promote gem choices would be an otome-like story. Where you have to gain points to unlock an ending of a love interest. Let’s say you need 7 points for this. Each chapter you can gain 2 points, but you failed and missed some of them, with a small talk with your love interest you can gain 2 points and get closer to unlocking their ending. What do you guys think? Would you read something like this?
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Yes! That’s an excellent idea.
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Does everyone have to use gem choices when they are fully relased or is it optional? I mean… I’m 13 and I really don’t have the money to get any gems. I didn’t really understand how readers get more gems… can you please explain? ty xoxo ly💗
It’s optional, no need to use nor buy them! 
Amazing!
Hey Turtle. The way you suggested to use gems choices is not possible, because the tutorial says that result of used gems must be seen immediately in the same chapter.
That’s weird