Serialized storytelling has become increasingly popular with readers and viewers alike. Whether it’s Outlander, Harry Potter, Stephanie Plum, or Cedar Grove, we all have our favorite book series. Streaming television series and box office movies has also helped create an audience that’s ready to follow ongoing storylines. Amazon has responded to the growing interest in serial stories with a new opportunity for self-published authors: Kindle Vella. The experts at Self-Publishing Relief have reviewed this latest entry into the publishing industry (currently scheduled to launch in mid- to late July 2021) to determine what authors need to know about this unique storytelling option.
Kindle Vella: New Opportunities For Authors And Readers
With Amazon’s Kindle Vella platform, U.S.-based authors who write in English will have the ability to publish serialized fiction one short entry at a time. These “episodes” are made available to readers on the Kindle iOS app and on Amazon.com. You can publish your episode immediately or schedule the publication for a future date.
The length of each episode of the story can run from 600-5,000 words. And Amazon has made this new platform author-friendly: You can create episodes directly from your KDP dashboard in just a few steps.
Earn fifty percent of the profit. Authors who periodically post serialized content, or episodes, through Kindle Vella can expect to earn fifty percent of what readers spend on “tokens.” Tokens are similar to “coins” on Wattpad. The first three episodes of a story will be offered for free to help generate interest and build an audience. After the free introductory phase, readers will pay for tokens to access new episodes as they are released by the author. The number of tokens required for readers to unlock new content depends on the length of the episode.
Interact directly with readers. The platform has an “Author Notes” feature that allows authors to leave messages for their readers. This type of direct interaction with readers is a great way for writers to connect with their audience and to keep fans coming back for more details—and more episodes!
Readers can award “likes.” Readers who purchase tokens are able to click a thumbs-up icon and “fave” symbols to show their appreciation if they enjoy the content. The more “likes” a story or episode earns, the more visible it will be made to the larger community on Kindle Vella. Stories on Kindle Vella can also be made more discoverable through the use of tagging by topic and genre. Be sure to research the tags to learn which will be most effective for promoting your story.
Will Kindle Vella be the next big thing in self-publishing?
As of this writing, Kindle Vella will only be available in the Kindle Vella store on Amazon.com and in the Kindle app on iOS. It may become available on other platforms like Kindle e-readers and on Android devices if it becomes a hit with readers and indie authors. For writers who want to self-publish a digital version of their serialized story, Kindle Vella may be the perfect way to reach their audience and generate potential profit.
Question: Do you think Kindle Vella will catch on with writers and readers?
Excellent idea. I will serialise my first published story all ready on Kindle Amazon. The Shanghai Rainbow Is the name of my story.
Genre is Romance Fantasy and Magic. Thank you. .