5 Tips for Kindle Vella Authors: Writing Serials for Amazon

If you’re like me, you’ve wondered if Vella is a good use of your time, writing, and marketing resources. The short answer: Maybe. The longer answer: Possibly, if you have a marketing platform already. And the longest answer? Well, that’s a complicated algorithm, as Amazon would say… and it’s perhaps as mysterious as how they compute their bonuses or select featured authors. 

Amazon’s new platform offers authors the chance to share their works, short or long, in a serial format much like those offered on Wattpad and other “mobile first” (as Amazon describes it) platforms. This month I jumped on the Vella train and began publishing my own serial (A People’s History of Magic). In a true Novemberish Nanowrimo-like burst of energy, I’ve been releasing episodes in a frenzy by reworking a novel I had reluctantly set aside, thinking I’d never have the time to edit.

Of course, I still don’t have the time. I just write it anyway. Vella is addictive. 

Here’s my sage arcane newly-gleaned knowledge:

Tip # 1: The greatest downfall of Vella is that Amazon doesn’t know how to promote it. Be prepared to promote yourself, and find a way to make it fun.

Tip # 2: Sure. You don’t have to put this work in. After all, you’re busy writing a serial! But if you’d rather have an audience than languish in obscurity, you’ll want to find a way to enjoy the marketing process. At that point, consider a new marketing launch with every episode, or even every other. Why is this important? Because when you launch a traditional book on Amazon, that’s when you create the biggest buzz. But then the buzzing stops buzzing… and before long your hard work is a dead fly littering Amazon’s shop window. 

Statistically, with a traditional Kindle release, if you miss this brief window of momentum, you’re sunk. All that can save you is an expensive booklist blitz or the happy chance that Neil Gaiman tweets about your novel. But with Vella, readers who tune in at any point will be directed to episode 1. So even if a title or graphic for episode 10 is what finally grabs someone, they’ll still be funneled to the start of your serial.

Also, when promoting new episodes instead of the serial in general, marketing yourself won’t feel as repetitive. After all, you’re genuinely sharing fresh content (and hopefully some fresh artwork) with readers.

Tip # 3: Compose interesting episode titles. Now is not the time to be literarily uptight or conduct yourself like you’re in a stuffy MFA program. Create titles that would grab your attention. If you’re posting to social media, who knows what new, unique base each of your funky titles might reach through SEO’s.

As an example, my last two episodes were titled “Palantirs, Monkeys’ Paws, and Pomegranates” and “Occam’s Razor and Kevin Spacey Coffee.” Why? I dunno. Because it was fun. I have no regrets. (All right, that’s not true. I feel slightly guilty for positioning William of Ockham anywhere near Kevin Spacey.) 

Tip # 4: Another technique is to utilize the comments area at the bottom of each episode to improve story pacing. Most authors use this feature to engage with the reader or offer their contact info, since no links are allowed in Vella. But Vella lends itself to short, fast-paced plotting, and if you’re breaking down a more traditional novel, like I am, it can be difficult to find stopping points that will hook the reader.

Voila! A teaser in the comments area can help propel readers to the next episode even if your current episode wraps up rather neatly.

Tip # 5: Lastly, if you’re unable to devote the amount of time (or to imbibe the amount of caffeine) necessary to frequently release new content, try adapting writing that you weren’t planning to sell in a traditional format anytime soon. There’s little to lose by publishing on Vella (Amazon currently allows authors to later re-release their stories in book form), and you can experiment with reader response rates and build a following while practicing your craft.

My current Vella is a comedic science fantasy and adventure mashup that crosses several genres and would be hard for me to traditionally promote, but on Vella, I’m already addicted to watching it unfold. Now I get to learn if there’s a market for my bizarre Umbrella Academy-meets-Luke Danes from the Gilmore Girls-meets-The Office ensemble cast of misfits. 

And if there’s not? At least I had fun naming the episodes.

Please drop me a line and send your thoughts on Vella; I’ll be posting another blog with more tips soon! 

Kendra Griffin is an indie author, writing teacher, and developmental editor who has never met a good dog or a good underdog she didn’t fall in love with. Learn more about Kendra on her website or follow her on Twitter or Facebook. Her Vella serial is called A People’s History of Magic, and the first 3 episodes, like all Vella serials, are free.

Ask (me to ask) a Literary Agent at My Upcoming Writers Conference

Yup! I’ll do my level best to get your question answered by an agent as I attend the Pikes Peak Writers Conference next weekend (May 1-4) in Colorado Springs.

Either ask by commenting on this blog, or use the “Contact Me” form to ask me a question.*

Photo by Negative Space on Pexels.com

Writing conferences, although pricey, are a fantastic way to get real-time, expert advice on specific questions pertaining to marketing, querying, synopses, market trends, first pages, and loglines. I have no affiliation with PPWC, although it’s my favorite. For advice for the PP conference and how to get the most out of writing conferences in general, click here. For more info on how to get an agent’s attention at writing conferences, click here.

If you don’t have an agent yet, you’re only likely to get tailored information from one in two ways: by checking out their agency websites to see if they’re answered your specific questions on wishlists, blogs, pubrants, etc– or by catching them when they hold open sessions, usually at a conference. They’re so dang busy reading queries and marketing their authors that it’s understandable, although frustrating, that they can’t give a specific reason why they rejected, or seemingly ignored, your query.

Here are two questions I’ve had answered from a variety of agents in the past few years at conferences.

Question:

What should I include on my query bio section if I’m unpublished?

Answer:

Relevant education (briefly), participation in current critique groups (this shows understanding of the exhaustive need for revision before submission and the ability to take feedback), related skills or experience (editing, presenting on writing, teaching writing), and published writing besides the novel in question. Also, this is a good place to include your credentials for writing on this topic, especially if you’re writing non-fiction or fiction about a marginalized population in general. A link to your author platform if not already provided.

Yup! Every agent said something different, and really, you want to keep this part brief if you’re unpublished. Your goal is to seem knowledgeable and demonstrate people/social skills that won’t send them running from the idea of forming a business relationship with you. Don’t get too cutesy here, although you might demonstrate having something in common with the agent if you’ve researched them.

Question:

“Is my novel more marketable because it’s part of a series?”

Answer:

Possibly, but not if you’ve only written one that’s dependent on sequels that you may never write (these agents can’t bank their income on the idea that a new author will write the rest of the series).

Best advice: say it’s a “standalone with series potential” (if that’s true) and then note if you have written the others already. If it’s not a standalone, it’s going to be really hard for an agent to take you on as a new author. I have heard agents might be happy to know you’ve already written a few sequels. In general, emerging authors will do best by querying novels that fall squarely within industry standards for word count. (Here’s my post on “How to Wallop Your Word Count” if you’re struggling with novel length).

Here are some questions I’ll be asking, so tune in for my post-conference blog! I’m attending with friends and students, so they can help me get the scoop.

How should I handle multiple POV in my query letter? And can my query be longer if I have multiple protagonists?

Where can I find good examples of successful novel synopses?

I have an ethnically diverse ensemble cast. Do I need to specify ethnicity in the novel when characters are introduced (which seems fake) or can I simply describe the characters’ appearances when it feels natural? Follow up: it seems annoying of me to highlight ethnicity of supporting characters in a query, but should I if they are major?

Do I need to include authors’ names in comps, or just the book titles? How old can a comp be before it’s irrelevant?

Is it okay to mention other current books or movies in my novel? For example, if someone has named their pet mouse “muggle” or if kids reference Dumbledore as part of their everyday pop culture experiences, is this an infringement or just an allusion (artistic license)?

If I write children’s novels, to whom should my author platform be aimed?

Where can I find good info on self-publishing vs. industry publishing?

Is the dystopian genre trending again with agents?

Thanks for reading! Stay tuned for as many answers as I can glean, and good luck with your writing until then!

*You knew there’d be an asterisk… Please keep questions reasonably simple and pertaining to novels (not other genres). I can’t read your novel for context. If you ask “How do I write a query letter” I’ll direct you to my favorite resources.

*If you send me your question, you’re agreeing that I can SHARE your question, and any answer, on my next blog. If you don’t want your name used, email me the question and tell me to omit the name. Please consider following my blog as a courtesy, so I can prove to agents that I exist in the land of zeroes and ones.

*In the spirit of supporting the conference, I won’t mention agents or anyone else by name, I’m not recording anything, and I’ll focus on only on questions asked by myself or a friend who gave permission. Depending on the question, I might answer with what I’ve gleaned from other conferences/prior experience.

Cheers!