Kindle Vella Guide: Publishing Your Story One Episode at a Time

The Kindle Vella model is different from the standard KDP ebook model.

For Readers:

• Discover and Sample: Readers can browse stories on the Kindle Vella store. The first three episodes of every story are always free.

• Unlock with Tokens: To continue reading past the third episode, readers purchase “Tokens.” The number of Tokens required to unlock an episode is based on its word count (approximately 1 Token per 100 words).

• Engage with the Story: Readers can “Follow” stories to be notified of new episodes, give a “Thumbs Up” to episodes they enjoy, and award a weekly “Fave” to their favorite story.

For Authors:

• Publish Short Episodes: Authors write and publish their stories in short, self-contained episodes, typically ranging from 600 to 5,000 words.

• Earn Royalties: You earn a 50% royalty on the money readers spend on Tokens to unlock your episodes. You also receive a monthly bonus based on your share of the total customer engagement (like Faves and Thumbs Ups).

• Interact with Readers: Authors can leave an “Author’s Note” at the end of each episode, allowing them to speak directly to their readers, ask questions, and share behind-the-scenes insights.

The Strategic Benefits of Publishing on Kindle Vella

• Reach a New, Engaged Audience: Vella targets a different type of reader—one who enjoys a faster-paced, serialized experience and is active on mobile devices.

• Get Real-Time Feedback: The interactive features (Follows, Faves, Thumbs Ups) provide you with instant feedback, letting you know what’s resonating with your audience.

• Low-Risk Way to Test a New Idea: Not sure if your new story concept has an audience? Publishing it on Vella is a great way to test the waters without having to write an entire novel first.

• Build a Following for a Future Book Launch: You can use Vella to build buzz and a dedicated readership for a story before you eventually publish it as a complete book. The strategy of serialized fiction has a long and successful history, a topic often explored by writing resources like Jane Friedman’s blog.

How to Get Started on Kindle Vella

The publishing process is simple and managed directly from your KDP dashboard.

1. Go to Your KDP Bookshelf: From your KDP account, you will see a tab for “Kindle Vella.”

2. Start a New Story: You will be prompted to create your main story page, which includes uploading a story image (a square, not a book cover) and writing your overall story description.

3. Upload Your First Episode: You will then upload the text for your first episode, give it a title, and you can start publishing.

4. Keep Publishing: The key to success on Vella is a consistent publishing schedule. Aim to release new episodes regularly (e.g., once or twice a week) to keep your readers engaged.

If you have a great idea for a serialized story but need help with the writing, our ghostwriting services can help you craft compelling episodes. Our broader Amazon KDP publishing services can help you with the eventual transition from Vella to a full ebook.