Sound cues belong where they support the manuscript rather than where they decorate the interface. Add one small cue first, then preview it in context.
- Open a manuscript in the manuscript editor.
- Select the block that should receive a start or end cue.
- Choose an existing asset or effect preset.
- Preview the cue when the UI offers a preview action.
- Listen to a short section before scaling the pattern across the manuscript.
If an asset cannot be used yet, see An audio asset is not ready.
Expressive directions shape selected prose: select text and use Expressive directions in the selection toolbar. Bold and italics alone do not direct the voice. Vocal cues add a voice performance such as a laugh or pause: place the caret and choose Insert > Vocal Cue in the block actions menu. Select a cue and press Enter or double-click to edit or remove it.
Preview auditions a copied draft without saving annotations or changing the selected voice or payment source. Apply directions or Insert cue saves your choice. Support depends on the narration engine. If support is missing, partial, or unavailable, the preview warns you; annotations are retained and the voice is not switched automatically.
Vocal cues are not uploaded sound effects. Use an audio file for a recorded sound and a silence sound cue for an exact duration; a performed vocal pause is not exact silence.
Audio reuse is an advanced setting. Group reusable audio by shows heading levels with their configured names; a level is not necessarily a chapter. Pause narration pauses the voice while a sound cue plays. Sound effects add sounds to the story; voice effects change narration.