If you have been following me on social media, you already know how excited I've been about the launch of Amazon's newest platform: Kindle Vella - a reintroduction of the serial novel.
A few years ago, when the idea for The Hunt series first surfaced in my mind, I wanted to publish it in a serial format. At that time, I struggled with the paperback formats and size restrictions and failed in my vision of how I wanted it to be told. I settled for a three book series and, though I do love the story, I'm not happy with the execution of the format. Kindle Vella is like an answer to my prayers!
Serial novels are nothing new. In fact, many of the classics you were forced to read in school began as serial novels. In the Victorian era, publishing costs were expensive and publishers were extremely picky on who they invested their money in. It was far cheaper to publish novels in smaller parts through weekly trade magazines and newspapers. The format helped launch several authors careers and gave them a large following. (This also explains why the novels, once put together in a traditional form, were so long).
Fast forward to modern times. Publishing costs are far less expensive with the print on demand and ebook formats. Our biggest struggles now lie in setting aside time to read. Staring at a 300 to 500 page novel can seem like an impossible task. Enter, the serial novel.
Put simply, much like your favorite television series, it's a means for authors to share their stories one episode at a time, on a schedule they determine. Readers in turn can unlock episodes one at a time at their convenience.
This week Kindle Vella was launched and my first serial novel is live!
You can read episode one, Death and the Maiden, free!
I am hoping to continue publishing episodes weekly so be sure to follow my story, The Witching, to recieve updates when they are published. I have many more ideas on my project board. So many, that I decided to dedicate a new page on my website that will give you links to all of them when I begin publishing!