How to listen to The Sietch stories with text-to-speech
Download the story as an EPUB with WP Downloader, then open it in a reader that can read the text aloud. You can also use the accessibility tools on your phone or tablet.
Download the story as an EPUB
Stories on the-sietch.com are published as forum threads. WP Downloader collects the threadmarked chapters and combines them into one book.
Copy the URL for the story thread. It should look like this:
https://www.the-sietch.com/index.php?threads/some-story-name.123456/- Open The Sietch Downloader.
- Paste the story thread URL into the box.
- Choose EPUB as the output format.
- Choose whether to include the story’s images.
- Download the EPUB.
WP Downloader is a free web tool, and there is nothing to install. EPUB downloads are free for everyone. You can also download a PDF with a free Discord sign-in, but the readers in this guide use EPUB files.
WP Downloader downloads the whole story from The Sietch. It cannot download individual chapters or lists. If the thread gets new chapters, paste its link into WP Downloader again and download a new EPUB. An existing EPUB will not update automatically.
You can sign in with your The Sietch account to reach members-only stories that the account can read. Signing in is optional. WP Downloader uses your credentials only to fetch the story you requested and does not bypass access restrictions.
See The Sietch download guide for more help with downloading a story.
Listen on an iPhone or iPad
Apple Books opens EPUB files, and the built-in Speak Screen accessibility feature can read the page aloud.
To turn on Speak Screen:
- Open Settings.
- Select Accessibility.
- Select Spoken Content.
- Turn on Speak Screen.
Open the EPUB in Apple Books, then swipe down with two fingers from the top of the screen to start reading it aloud.
Listen on Android
You can listen with an EPUB reader or Android’s Select to Speak accessibility feature.
Moon+ Reader
Moon+ Reader opens EPUB files and has a built-in text-to-speech mode. Open the story in Moon+ Reader and use its read-aloud option.
@Voice Aloud Reader
@Voice Aloud Reader can read EPUB files aloud. Open the downloaded story in the app and start its reading function.
Select to Speak
Turn on Select to Speak under Accessibility in Settings. Once it is enabled, tap items on the screen to hear them read aloud.
Listen on Windows, macOS, or Linux
Thorium Reader and calibre can both read EPUB files aloud on a computer.
Thorium Reader
Thorium Reader is a free EPUB reader for Windows, macOS, and Linux. Open the EPUB and use the read-aloud feature to listen.
calibre
calibre is a free desktop app. Add or open the EPUB, launch it in calibre’s e-book viewer, and select Read aloud.
Why the voice sounds different
These readers and accessibility tools use the text-to-speech voices installed on your phone, tablet, or computer. The available voices determine how natural the narration sounds, so the same EPUB may sound different on another device.
Read the EPUB on an e-reader
To read the story on an e-reader, follow the guides for sending The Sietch stories to Kindle or reading The Sietch stories on Kobo.
FAQ
Can WP Downloader turn a The Sietch story into an audiobook?
No. WP Downloader creates EPUB and PDF files. To listen to a story, open its EPUB in a reader with a read-aloud feature or use your device’s text-to-speech accessibility tools.
Do I need an account to download from The Sietch?
No account is needed for public stories. Signing in with a The Sietch account lets WP Downloader reach members-only stories that the account can read.
Can I download a single chapter?
No. WP Downloader collects the threadmarked chapters and downloads the whole story as one book.
Why does the voice sound different on another device?
Readers and accessibility tools use the text-to-speech voices installed on each device. The available voices determine how the narration sounds.
Will my EPUB update when the story gets a new chapter?
No. Paste the story link into WP Downloader again and download a new copy to get the latest threadmarked chapters.