Bye-bye, Kindle Vella - What next?

You've probably already heard, but in case you haven't: Kindle Vella will wrap up early 2025. There are many authors who are saddened by this, but there were some signs it isn't working as well as Amazon hoped (new rules in the last few months, for example).

One of the reasons in my opinion, is that it was limited to the US. What was Kindle Vella? Basically, a space where authors could serialize their stories and readers could read chapter-by-chapter. And it required exclusivity - something that Amazon loves (Kindle Unlimited, for example).

But I digress.

Stories Serialized: Alternatives

There are many alternatives where you can serialize your stories and none requires exclusivity. For example, Patreon is a very popular place, lots of people (including readers) know of its existence. But there are many types of creators there (e. g. comic artists, youtubers), so it's not specifically geared toward writers. You can see this from the interface.

Another one you can check out is LaterPress. It integrates in your website as a subdomain (for example, I could set up a stories.katalinsauthorservices.com ), it is made with writers in mind, you can even sell your whole story as an ebook.

Additionally, I would like to mention Ream. This one was made by writers for writers. If you're writing very high heat romance, no problem (Patreon, on the other hand, does have an issue with it). It has a community discovery feature which comes in handy.

Who should serialize their books?

This might seem like a trivial question, but it's not. Not everyone is fit to write serialized fiction.

If you can write steadily and consistently, then serializing your story might generate a good income and will bring you closer to your fans.

However, if you're inconsistent, sometimes you don't write for weeks or months, then suddenly, with a burst of energy, you write an entire book in a month or two, then... serializing your fiction might not be the best option for you. It might even put so much pressure on you that it makes you burn out.

When it comes to serials like these, readers expect an update at least once a week, even better if you can offer two or more updates. They are excited about your story and want to read more and know more about your characters. But if you write slowly or inconsistently, they will be disappointed.

And you don't want that.

So take your time and think it through. You do not have to serialize your stories. You can write them, then publish them* as books when they're finished. A happy writer is a productive writer - and that keeps readers happy, too!

*I might've skipped a few steps here, we'll get into that process later.