Are you a writer who wants to reach a new audience, earn some extra income, and have fun along the way? If so, you might want to check out Kindle Vella, Amazon’s new platform for serial fiction.
Kindle Vella is a service that lets you publish short episodes of your stories and get paid by readers who consume them. You can write in any genre, from romance to sci-fi, and tap into a growing market of mobile readers who love binge-reading.
In this article, I’ll show you how to get started with Kindle Vella in five easy steps. You’ll learn how to plan, write, publish, promote, and monetize your stories on this exciting new platform. By the end of this article, you’ll be ready to unleash your creativity and earn money and fans with Kindle Vella.
What is Kindle Vella?
Kindle Vella is a new way of publishing and reading stories on Amazon. It allows you to write and publish episodic fiction, which is a form of storytelling that consists of short chapters or episodes that are released periodically.
Readers can access Kindle Vella stories on their phones or tablets using the Kindle app or on their browsers using the Amazon website. They can read the first few episodes of any story for free, and then pay for the rest using tokens, which are Amazon’s virtual currency. They can also interact with the stories by leaving likes, comments, and ratings, as well as following their favourite authors and stories.
Kindle Vella launched in July 2021 in the US only, but it plans to expand to other countries soon. It currently has over 10,000 stories across various genres, such as romance, fantasy, mystery, thriller, horror, comedy, and more.
Why should you publish on Kindle Vella?
Kindle Vella offers many benefits for writers who want to try something different from traditional publishing or self-publishing. Here are some of the reasons why you should consider publishing on Kindle Vella:
- You can reach a new audience of mobile readers who prefer short-form content over long-form books.
- You can experiment with different genres, styles, formats, and ideas without committing to a full-length novel.
- You can get instant feedback from your readers and adjust your story accordingly.
- You can earn money from tokens and subscriptions, as well as bonus payments and badges based on reader engagement.
- You can grow your fan base and cross-sell your other books or products.
If you’re interested in publishing on Kindle Vella, here are the five steps you need to follow:
Step 1: Plan your story
Before you start writing your story, you need to do some planning. This will help you create a coherent and engaging story that will attract and retain readers. Here are some of the things you need to consider:
i. Choose a genre and a target audience
The first thing you need to decide is what genre and target audience you want to write for. This will help you shape your story and appeal to the right readers.
Kindle Vella supports any genre, but some of the most popular ones are romance, fantasy, mystery, thriller, horror, and comedy. You can also mix and match genres or create your own sub-genres, as long as they fit the episodic format.
You also need to think about who your ideal reader is and what they want from your story. For example, if you’re writing a romance story, you need to know what kind of romance your readers like, such as sweet, steamy, historical, paranormal, etc. You also need to know what kind of tropes, characters, conflicts, and endings they expect and enjoy.
ii. Outline your plot and characters
The next thing you need to do is outline your plot and characters. This will help you structure your story and avoid plot holes, inconsistencies, and boredom.
Your plot should have a clear beginning, middle, and end, as well as a main conflict and a resolution. You should also have subplots and twists that keep your readers hooked and surprised.
Your characters should be well-developed and relatable, with distinct personalities, goals, motivations, and flaws. You should also have a main protagonist and antagonist, as well as secondary characters that support or challenge them.
You can use various tools and methods to outline your plot and characters, such as the three-act structure, the hero’s journey, the snowflake method, the character sketch, etc. You can also use software or apps that help you organize your ideas, such as Scrivener, Evernote, Trello, etc.
iii. Decide on the length and frequency of your episodes
The last thing you need to plan is the length and frequency of your episodes. This will help you pace your story and meet your readers’ expectations.
Kindle Vella allows you to publish episodes that range from 600 to 5,000 words each. The recommended length is between 1,000 and 1,500 words. You should aim for a consistent length that suits your genre and style.
Kindle Vella also allows you to publish episodes as often as you want. The recommended frequency is at least once a week. You should aim for a consistent schedule that suits your writing process and your readers’ demand.
Step 2: Write your story
Once you have planned your story, you can start writing it. This is the most creative and fun part of the process, but also the most challenging. Here are some tips to help you write a great Kindle Vella story:
i. Follow the best practices for writing episodic fiction
Episodic fiction is different from traditional fiction in many ways. It requires a different approach and mindset from writing a full-length novel or a short story. Here are some of the best practices for writing episodic fiction:
- Start with a hook that grabs your readers’ attention and makes them want to read more.
- End with a cliffhanger that leaves your readers in suspense and makes them want to read the next episode.
- Use short sentences and paragraphs that are easy to read on mobile devices.
- Use dialogue and action that move the story forward and reveal the characters’ emotions.
- Use sensory details that immerse your readers in the setting and atmosphere of your story.
- Use foreshadowing and flashbacks that add depth and intrigue to your story.
- Use author notes that give your readers extra information or insights about your story or yourself.
ii. Use cliffhangers and hooks to keep readers engaged
One of the most important elements of episodic fiction is the cliffhanger. A cliffhanger is a device that creates suspense by ending an episode on an unresolved or dramatic situation. It makes your readers curious about what will happen next and motivates them to read the next episode.
A hook is similar to a cliffhanger, but it occurs at the beginning of an episode. It introduces a new situation or problem that catches your readers’ interest and makes them want to read more.
You should use cliffhangers and hooks in every episode of your Kindle Vella story. They will keep your readers engaged and loyal to your story. Here are some examples of cliffhangers and hooks:
- A character is in danger or has a close call
- A character makes a shocking discovery or revelation
- A character faces a difficult choice or dilemma
- A character has a secret or a lie exposed
- A character has an unexpected encounter or confrontation
- A character receives bad news or a threat
- A character experiences a twist or a change of fortune
iii. Edit and proofread your episodes carefully
The final step of writing your story is editing and proofreading it. This will help you polish your story and make it error-free and professional.
Editing involves checking your story for content, structure, style, tone, voice, consistency, clarity, logic, flow, etc. You should edit your story at least twice: once after finishing each episode and once after finishing the whole story. You can use tools and apps that help you edit your story, such as Grammarly, Hemingway, ProWritingAid, etc.
Proofreading involves checking your story for spelling, grammar, punctuation, capitalization, formatting, etc. You should proofread your story at least once before publishing it. You can use tools and apps that help you proofread your story, such as SpellCheckPlus, LanguageTool, Ginger, etc.
Step 3: Publish your story
After you have written your story, you can publish it on Kindle Vella. This is the most exciting and rewarding part of the process, as you get to share your story with the world and earn money from it. Here are some of the things you need to do to publish your story:
i. Create an eye-catching cover and title
The first thing you need to do is create a cover and a title for your story. These are the first things that your potential readers will see and judge your story by. They should be eye-catching and appealing, as well as relevant and accurate.
Your cover should be a high-quality image that represents your genre and style. It should also include your title and your name in a clear and readable font. You can use tools and apps that help you create covers, such as Canva, Adobe Spark, BookBrush, etc.
Your title should be catchy and memorable, as well as descriptive and unique. It should also include keywords that relate to your genre and topic. You can use tools and apps that help you generate titles, such as Portent, CoSchedule, Title Generator, etc.
ii. Write a captivating description and author bio
The next thing you need to do is write a description and an author bio for your story. These are the second things that your potential readers will see and judge your story by. They should be captivating and informative, as well as personal and professional.
Your description should be a short summary of your story that highlights the main plot, characters, conflict, and genre. It should also include a hook that entices your readers to read more. You can use tools and apps that help you write descriptions, such as Blurb Generator, Book Description Generator, Descriptionari, etc.
Your author bio should be a short introduction of yourself that showcases your personality, credentials, achievements, and interests. It should also include a call to action that invites your readers to follow you or check out your other works. You can use tools and apps that help you write author bios, such as Bio Generator, Bio Templates, Reedsy Bio Maker, etc.
iii. Set your price and distribution options
The last thing you need to do is set your price and distribution options for your story. These are the things that will determine how much money you will make from your story and how widely it will be available.
Your price is the amount of tokens that readers will need to pay to unlock each episode of your story after the free ones. Tokens are Amazon’s virtual currency that readers can buy with real money. One token equals 100 words of content. You can set your price between 1 and 200 tokens per episode. The recommended price is between 10 and 20 tokens per episode.
Your distribution options are the settings that control where and how your story will be displayed on Amazon. You can choose to make your story available in the US only or worldwide (if available). You can also choose to enroll your story in Kindle Unlimited or not. Kindle Unlimited is Amazon’s subscription service that allows readers to access unlimited stories for a monthly fee.
Step 4: Promote your story
After you have published your story on Kindle Vella, you need to promote it. This will help you increase your visibility and reach more readers. Here are some of the ways you can promote your story:
i. Use social media and other platforms to market your story
One of the most effective ways to promote your story is to use social media and other platforms to market it. You can use platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Reddit, Quora, Medium, etc. to share your story with your followers and potential readers. You can also use platforms such as Goodreads, BookBub, Wattpad, etc. to connect with other writers and readers in your genre and niche.
You should post regularly and consistently about your story, using catchy headlines, images, videos, teasers, excerpts, reviews, etc. You should also engage with your audience by responding to comments, questions, feedback, etc. You should also use hashtags, keywords, tags, links, etc. to optimize your posts and reach more people.
ii. Interact with your readers and get feedback
Another way to promote your story is to interact with your readers and get feedback from them. You can use the features of Kindle Vella to communicate with your readers and encourage them to interact with your story. You can also use other channels such as email, blog, podcast, etc. to connect with your readers and provide them with more value.
You should thank your readers for reading your story and leaving likes, comments, ratings, etc. You should also ask them for their opinions and suggestions on your story and incorporate them into your writing. You should also offer them incentives and rewards for reading your story and sharing it with others.
iii. Join the Kindle Vella community and network with other authors
The last way to promote your story is to join the Kindle Vella community and network with other authors. You can use the forums and groups of Kindle Vella to meet and interact with other writers who are publishing on the platform. You can also use other communities and networks such as Facebook groups, Twitter chats, online events, etc. to connect with other writers in your genre and niche.
You should support and collaborate with other authors by reading their stories, leaving feedback, sharing tips and resources, cross-promoting each other’s stories, etc. You should also learn from their experiences and successes and apply them to your own story.
Step 5: Monetize your story
The final step of publishing on Kindle Vella is to monetize your story. This is the most satisfying and rewarding part of the process, as you get to earn money from your story and see the results of your hard work. Here are some of the ways you can monetize your story:
i. Earn royalties from tokens and subscriptions
The main way to monetize your story is to earn royalties from tokens and subscriptions. Royalties are the percentage of revenue that you receive from Amazon for each episode that readers unlock or read through Kindle Unlimited.
The royalty rate for tokens is 50% of the token price that you set for each episode. The royalty rate for subscriptions is based on a share of a global fund that Amazon sets aside each month for Kindle Vella authors.
You can track your earnings and performance on the Kindle Vella dashboard on Amazon. You can also adjust your price and distribution options at any time to optimize your earnings.
ii. Unlock bonus payments and badges from reader engagement
Another way to monetize your story is to unlock bonus payments and badges from reader engagement. Bonus payments are extra payments that Amazon gives to Kindle Vella authors based on how much their stories are liked by readers each month. Badges are icons that appear on your story’s cover that indicate how popular or well-received your story is by readers.
There are four types of badges that you can earn for your story:
- Trending: This badge shows that your story is one of the most read stories in a given week.
- Fave: This badge shows that your story is one of the most liked stories in a given week.
- All-Star: This badge shows that your story is one of the top 100 stories in terms of reader engagement in a given month.
- Top Fave: This badge shows that your story is one of the top 10 stories in terms of reader engagement in a given month.
You can increase your chances of earning bonus payments and badges by writing high-quality episodes that attract and retain readers, as well as promoting your story and encouraging reader engagement.
Grow your fan base and cross-sell your other books
The last way to monetize your story is to grow your fan base and cross-sell your other books. Fan base is the number and quality of readers who follow you and your stories on Kindle Vella and other platforms. Cross-selling is the process of selling your other books or products to your existing readers.
You can grow your fan base by providing value and entertainment to your readers, as well as building trust and rapport with them. You can also use various strategies to increase your fan base, such as offering freebies, giveaways, contests, newsletters, etc.
You can cross-sell your other books by mentioning them in your author notes, description, bio, etc. You can also use various strategies to cross-sell your other books, such as offering discounts, bundles, samples, etc.
By growing your fan base and cross-selling your other books, you can increase your income and reputation as a writer.
Conclusion
Kindle Vella is a new and exciting platform for writers who want to publish and monetize their episodic fiction. It offers many benefits and opportunities for writers who want to reach a new audience, experiment with different genres and formats, get instant feedback from readers, earn money from tokens and subscriptions, unlock bonus payments and badges from reader engagement, grow their fan base and cross-sell their other books.
To publish on Kindle Vella, you need to follow five easy steps:
- Plan your story
- Write your story
- Publish your story
- Promote your story
- Monetize your story
By following these steps, you can create a successful Kindle Vella story that will attract and retain readers, as well as earn money and fans.
If you’re ready to start your Kindle Vella journey, sign up for a free account on Amazon and start writing today!
FAQs
Here are some of the frequently asked questions about Kindle Vella:
1. Q: How do I sign up for Kindle Vella?
A: To sign up for Kindle Vella, you need to have an Amazon account and a Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) account. If you don’t have them already, you can create them for free on Amazon’s website. Once you have them, you can access the Kindle Vella dashboard on KDP and start publishing your stories.
2. Q: How do I format my episodes for Kindle Vella?
A: To format your episodes for Kindle Vella, you need to use a word processor that supports HTML formatting, such as Microsoft Word or Google Docs. You need to use the following HTML tags to format your episodes:
- <p> for paragraphs
- <b> for bold text
- <i> for italic text
- <br> for line breaks
- <h1> for episode titles
- <h2> for section headings
- <h3> for subheadings
- <blockquote> for quotes
You also need to use the following special tags to add extra features to your episodes:
- <author-note> for author notes
- <fave-button> for fave buttons
You can find more information and examples on how to format your episodes on Amazon’s website.
3. Q: How do I upload my cover and title for my story?
A: To upload your cover and title for your story, you need to go to the Kindle Vella dashboard on KDP and click on “Create a new story“. You will be asked to enter your title and upload your cover image. Your cover image should be a JPEG or PNG file that is 1600 x 1600 pixels in size. You can also edit or change your cover and title at any time by clicking on “Edit story details”.
4. Q: How do I set my price and distribution options for my story?
A: To set your price and distribution options for your story, you need to go to the Kindle Vella dashboard on KDP and click on “Publish episodes”. You will be asked to enter the number of tokens that you want to charge for each episode after the free ones. You will also be asked to choose whether you want to make your story available in the US only or worldwide (if available), and whether you want to enroll your story in Kindle Unlimited or not. You can also edit or change your price and distribution options at any time by clicking on “Edit story details”.
5. Q: How do I track my earnings and performance for my story?
A: To track your earnings and performance for your story, you need to go to the Kindle Vella dashboard on KDP and click on “Reports”. You will be able to see various metrics and charts that show you how much money you have earned from tokens and subscriptions, how many readers have read, liked, commented, rated, and followed your story, how many bonus payments and badges you have unlocked, and how your story ranks among other stories on Kindle Vella. You can also filter and download your reports by date, story, episode, etc.
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