Kindle Vella is Growing via Free Days
Longtime readers know my love for web novels, those long regularly updated works of art that can go on for years. We have watched Amazon’s foray into this realm through Kindle Vella, and I submitted a serialized novel to the platform when it first opened.
Those of us who sail these waters pointed out a couple of shortcomings in Amazon’s approach from an author’s perspective. There is no place for reader comments. The comment section on chapters in platforms such as Royal Road offer an opportunity for immediate feedback. My serials over there are places where readers tell me what they like or don’t like about story arcs, characters and other things. They also discuss topics amongst themselves, sometimes arguing, sometimes bringing newcomers up to speed on finer details of the plot.
In short, these other web novel serialization platforms offer more opportunities for communities to form at the very text of the story itself, and Kindle Vella does not do that.
Another frequent criticism of Kindle Vella, this time from the reader’s side, is that they only allow the first three episodes to be free. Other platforms, Asian ones in particular, offer a hundred or so chapters free, and readers become truly hooked and willing to pay for more. American serialization sites tend to allow all episodes free, with new ones coming out early on a pay per view basis set up by the authors themselves. Three episodes barely lets the reader settle in and get comfortable. Granted, additional chapters on Kindle Vella are just pennies, but they require the purchase of tokens, something with which many Kindle Unlimited readers are unfamiliar.
In this regard, at least, Kindle Vella is doing something to address these concerns. Through Oct. 11, Kindle Vella is free. Amazon readers in Kindle Vella markets can read up to 100 episodes per day for free. This is a great way to try Vella out, and I encourage you all to go over there right now and take a look.
You can start with my book Earthbound Spirits, first in the ParaDiv Ops series. The gist of the plot is, as colonial ships approach the speed of light over their centuries in space, more and more spiritual phenomena occur. It’s the job of the space marines’ Paranormal Division to check them out. You can read the entire book for free during this promotion, which does end soon.
Will Kindle Vella make it? I think they will. Amazon is showing commitment to the platform and efforts such as this free promotion show there is a concerted will to not let Vella whither on the vine. As with everything else, stay tuned to find out more.