Kindle Vella: The New Writing Frontier
Image from Amazon’s Kindle Vella
Last month I learned about Amazon’s Kindle Vella from my favorite authors, and one that I proudly call my friend. I started learning more about the process of reading to read my friend Christina Farley’s serial novel, ‘The Dream Heist’ (I recommend). I also noticed one of my favorite authors, Beth Revis, using Kindle Vella too for her serial novel, ‘Blood & Feathers’ (currently reading).
It made me curious to find out more about this new area of publishing, especially through Amazon. I’ve looked at traditional publishing and self-publishing, and my heart kept going back and forth on deciding. As I moved toward learning more about how this format worked. I knew it would be the right fit for my Kindle Vella serial novel, ‘Liberty Calling.’
If you know me, I care more about gaining readers to my work than money (though it’s nice when you work part-time). I think this is a good step for me to get my story out there, gain readership, and move ward towards publishing more of my work, and more steps as a writer. It’s also a chance for me to learn how to publish on a certain platform, as well as figure out how to promote myself. That’s something that I’ll need no matter what steps I do going forward.
How does it work? You share episodes of your story at a time in a constant schedule. Several weekly over a month or more. It’s really up to you, but it might help to plan a bit ahead of time. As you go on, you revise determine on the responses you get. It also helps that I’ve already revised and edited my episodes ahead of time, but I try my best to make them as best as they can be.
Your first three chapters are free to readers, and for limited time, Kindle Vella will give up to 200 tokens to new readers. After that, readers will have to pay for tokens to unlock episodes, as well as have the option to “fave” their top story to crown it in the top faves each week. At the very end of each episode, readers can “like” (thumb up). Both of these options, as well as reviews, can help attract readers as well as raise your story up the Top Faves list.
Before getting started, I received feedback that episodes are best if they’re quick and less descriptive, but it’s also determining on the genre. It’s similar process to creating a novel, but you have to make sure that the story fits the format. While my story isn’t quick reading, I believe the importance of the story will keep people reading. It can benefit to have a bit of time in between to get those episodes read. As a educator, I know the importance of time. Plus in between that time, I can get new episodes ready, promote, and work on other things.
If you’re curious about this new frontier, as a writer or reader, I recommend starting as a reader. Read your favorite stories and authors and then learn a bit more about the process. Decide if this is the right fit for you and your story. You never know what might happen.
Now that I’ve finished reading Christina Farley’s ‘The Dream Heist,’ I can reflect on how it inspired me as a reader and a writer. As a reader, it was fun to read a fast paced story and have episodes to look forward to. It really helps to “follow” that helps to get Kindle app reminders. That lead me to read as soon as possible. Along with Christina’s posts. I love all of Christina’s stories, but this is my top favorite. She blended a lot of my favorite things into one story, while also making me feel like I was traveling to different locations virtually.
Something about her story is similar to my TV pilot project I’m working on, but different. That was exciting to see. I can’t wait to see where our writing takes us moving forward. As a writer, Christina Farley’s Kindle Vella serial novel inspired me to realize that this format would be the right fit to publish ‘Liberty Calling.’ It gave me, as well as Beth Revis’ serial novel going forward, a way to see what authors are doing with their stories on this format. It also continues to help that I have a good support team that continues to grow. I’m also proud to be one of the authors on this format and along side them.
I can’t wait to see where Kindle Vella takes me, as well as all my writing, as I move forward. I wouldn’t take this risk if Jeremy Jordan hadn’t taught me the importance of risk taking to make your life worthwhile. It’s no wonder why my serial novel is dedicated to.
Currently, my Kindle Vella serial novel, ‘Liberty Calling,’ has nine episodes, but I will continue to update with more episodes each week this month. Stay tuned. I will update here with more posts soon.
I followed my Kindle Vella serial novel just so it would be included with my Top Faves. I can’t wait to see what’s next.
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