How To Read a Kindle Vella

Good morning! I hope everyone enjoyed Easter. 

Welcome back to this succinct series about Kindle Vella, the serial reading publishing program Amazon started in 2021.

The Vella program drew little attention when it first started, but now there are hundes of Vella serials available in every genre and sub-genre. I may be underestimating the numbers in fact.

If you missed the first part of this series, just click the link here: Why Amazon Created Kindle Vella. 

Now, here's the rest of the information you need to know to get into this as a reader.

 HOW TO READ A KINDLE VELLA

1. Kindle Vella is currently available only to residents of the U.S.A.

2. Vella doesn't work on Kindle ereaders. I think because it's dynamic content that can change mre quickly than that in an ebook. You see, authors can edit an episode after it's been published. This would be problematic on a Kindle reader because it's set up to download an ebook after purchase and that content is usually not capable of being updated with a new version.

The only exception to that is if an author can convince Amazon that a new version is significantly better. Then they will notify those who already bought the ebook that there's a new version available for free download. They do this through the purchaser's Manage Digital Content page.

3. Kindle Vella episodes can be read on a computer or with the Kindle Reading App on your smartphone. The Kindle Reading App is available for iOS and Android smartphones.

4. If you intend to read on your smartphone rather than on a computer, go to your phone's App Store, whatever it's called, and download the Kindle App which is called simply Kindle.

4. Once you have decided how you'll read and have downloaded an app for your Smartphone  if that's your choice, you'll want to browse the Kindle Vella store. Go to the Vella section on Amazon. 

5. You can also click any Vella link like this one for Stone Angel, a time travel romance. You'll see a bar right above the title of my Vella. On the left of the bar are the words Amazon Vella and on the right is a small image of a key which should show the number 500 in it. 

6. Before you start browsing, immediately claim your 500 free tokens by clicking that icon of the key. A window will open and the tokens will be deposited for you. 

7. Browse the Vellas much as you'd browse a book in a store or online by reading a few pages. 

You can search for Genre or keywords or simply enter a search phrase in the search box. 

The first 3 episodes of any Vella are free so sample as many as you want.

8. When you find a Vella that interests you, use your free tokens to purchase other episodes. 

When you use up all your free tokens, you can purchase more on a tiered pricing system.

By the way, each episode beginning with Episode 4 of every Vella is priced by Amazon, not the author, and is based on the word count of the episode.

Small Sins, a romantic suspense, is my second Vella. I'll be changing the cover on it to something more colorful. I hope you'll give it a try.

TAKEAWAY TRUTH

I hope this will encourage you to try Kindle Vella. There are some great stories out there.