Writing Serial Fiction on Kindle Vella from Udemy

Amazon just launched Kindle Vella – a publishing service where authors can release stories one episode at a time.

Do you want to take advantage of the opportunity provided by services like Kindle Vella? Do you want to capture the hearts and minds of readers and leave them hungry for more episodes?

Maybe you’re anxious to get started in serial fiction but aren’t sure how. This course is for you.

“Write Serial Fiction on Kindle Vella” is taught by Jason Link, a published author and best-selling writing instructor on Udemy. He has over 20 years of storytelling experience and has taught students from all over the world.

His bite-sized course will teach you how to jump into the world of serial fiction and publish your first episode on Kindle Vella.

(NOTE: Kindle Vella is currently only offered to authors in the USA.)

What Students are Saying

"[Jason] is very personable and knowledgeable. It makes me WANT to learn more. " Kathryn, Udemy Student

"Mr. Link is an experienced, knowledgeable and kind-hearted instructor. He knows his craft well and also knows how to pass on the knowledge and experience he possesses to his learners effectively.” Parmeshwar, Udemy Student

What We’ll Cover

The first sections of this course will get you acquainted with the world of serial fiction and Kindle Vella, and we’ll get you set up with a Kindle Direct Publishing account so you’ll be able to publish your stories on Amazon.

In the next sections, we’ll work on your story itself, briefly helping you develop interesting characters and a solid structure. This is where you’ll produce your first episode to put out into the world.

We’ll conclude by looking at where you can get a great cover image to capture the attention of potential readers.

By the end of this course, you will have published your first episode of serial fiction.

The Opportunity Ahead

You could be among the countless other authors who have taken advantage of serial fiction.

While publishing services like Kindle Vella, Wattpad, and Radish may be relatively new, serial fiction itself has a long-established history.

For over a hundred years, authors like Charles Dickens, Agatha Christie, and Truman Capote have found success releasing their stories as serials.

Popular novels like:

A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens
20,000 Leagues Under the Sea by Jules Verne
War of the Worlds by H.G. Wells
Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas by Hunter S. Thompson
The Martian by Andy Weir
and many more

…were first released as serials in newspapers or blogs before they were bound in book form.

Today you have the opportunity to join the ranks of successful serial writers and publish your writing on services like Amazon’s Kindle Vella.

Will you take advantage of that opportunity?

If so, join me in this course so we can launch your first episode of serial fiction out into the world.

What's inside

Learning objectives

Write serial fiction
Publish your first episode
Setup a kindle vella account

Submit stories and episodes to kindle vella
Acquire a cover image

Write serial fiction
Publish your first episode
Setup a kindle vella account
Submit stories and episodes to kindle vella
Acquire a cover image

Syllabus

Introduction

Welcome!

What is serial fiction?

World of Serial Fiction

Section Intro

Serial Fiction Market

Different Types of Serial Fiction

Assignment: What kind of serial fiction will you write?

Kindle Vella

Creating Your Cover

What is Kindle Vella?

Create Your KDP Account

How to Submit a Story

Creating Characters

Getting to Know Your Character

Personality and Ethics

What Your Character Wants

Revealing Character

Assignment: Fill out character bio

Writing Serial Fiction

Plotting vs. Pantsing

Structuring Your Story

Assignment: Outlining Your Story

Write Your First Episode

The Crappy First Draft

Writing Session

Editing

How to Submit Your First Episode

Cover Image Requirements

Getting Your Cover Image

Adding Your Cover Image

Conclusion

Congratulations!

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Writing Serial Fiction on Kindle Vella with these activities:

Reading 'On Writing' by Stephen King

Show steps

Improve your writing skills by reading a book on writing. This will help you develop a consistent writing habit and approach storytelling with authenticity.

View On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft (A Memoir of... on Amazon

Show steps

Obtain a copy of 'On Writing'.
Read the book, taking notes on key concepts.
Reflect on how to apply King's advice to your serial fiction.

Review basic plot structures

Show steps

Solidify your understanding of plot structures. This will help you create a compelling narrative for your serial fiction.

Browse courses on Plot Structure

Show steps

Research common plot structures.
Identify a plot structure that fits your story.
Outline your story using the chosen structure.

Develop a character bible

Show steps

Create a detailed character bible for your main characters. This will ensure consistency and depth in your serial fiction.

Show steps

Choose your main characters.
Develop detailed backstories for each character.
Outline each character's personality and motivations.
Document your findings in a character bible.

Four other activities

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Write a sample episode outline

Show steps

Practice outlining an episode of your serial fiction. This will help you refine your storytelling skills and plan future episodes.

Show steps

Choose a scene from your story.
Outline the key events of the scene.
Write a brief summary of the scene's purpose.
Refine your outline based on feedback.

Study 'Save the Cat! Writes a Novel'

Show steps

Learn how to structure your serial fiction by studying a book on novel writing. This will help you create engaging episodes with clear beginnings, middles, and ends.

View Save the Cat! Writes a Novel: The Last Book On... on Amazon

Show steps

Obtain a copy of 'Save the Cat! Writes a Novel'.
Read the book, focusing on the fifteen plot points.
Adapt the plot points to your serial fiction.

Create a promotional plan

Show steps

Develop a promotional plan for your serial fiction. This will help you attract readers and build an audience.

Show steps

Research different promotional strategies.
Identify your target audience.
Create a promotional calendar.
Implement your promotional plan.

Critique each other's episodes

Show steps

Get feedback on your episodes from other writers. This will help you identify areas for improvement and refine your writing.

Show steps

Find a group of writers to critique each other's work.
Share your episodes with the group.
Provide constructive feedback on each other's work.
Revise your episodes based on the feedback.

Career center

Learners who complete Writing Serial Fiction on Kindle Vella will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Web Novelist

A Web Novelist writes and publishes novels online, often in serial format. This course is directly relevant to this career path, focusing on writing serial fiction for platforms like Kindle Vella. The course covers character development, story structuring, and episode creation, all essential for success as a web novelist. The section on creating a KDP account may be especially helpful.

See salaries and explore the career path for Web Novelist

Fiction Writer

A Fiction Writer crafts imaginative and engaging stories for various audiences. This course helps build a foundation for writing serial fiction, providing insights into crafting compelling narratives and characters, both crucial for success in a fiction writing career. The course also offers a structured approach to developing stories, writing episodes; and editing them. The assignments on character development in the course could prove especially helpful for this role. The information provided about Kindle Vella may also be especially valuable.

See salaries and explore the career path for Fiction Writer

Story Writer

A Story Writer focuses on crafting narratives for various mediums, like books or online platforms. This course helps story writers build a foundation for writing serial fiction, covering character development, structuring stories, and publishing episodes on Kindle Vella. The course offers a practical approach to creating engaging serial content. The discussion on different types of serial fiction may be particularly interesting.

See salaries and explore the career path for Story Writer

Author

An Author creates written works, often books, for publication. This course directly addresses preparing work for services like Kindle Vella, and helps build a foundation in serial fiction. Focusing on episode creation, structure, and character development, this course is invaluable, and helps authors adapt to modern publishing platforms. The section on obtaining a cover image may be very useful. Aspiring authors wishing to publish online should consider taking this course.

See salaries and explore the career path for Author

Content Creator

A Content Creator develops engaging material for online platforms. The course directly helps content creators explore the world of serial fiction on Kindle Vella, providing a structured approach to crafting stories, developing characters, and publishing episodes. The techniques taught in the course may be useful for creating content across various media formats. The editing tips may be especially helpful.

See salaries and explore the career path for Content Creator

Creative Writer

A Creative Writer crafts original content such as stories, poems, and scripts. This course may be useful for a creative writer who wants to explore serial fiction, offering guidance on character development, story structure, and episode creation. The course helps creative writers adapt to evolving publishing platforms and formats. The tips on creating a cover image may also be helpful.

See salaries and explore the career path for Creative Writer

Freelance Writer

A Freelance Writer provides writing services to diverse clients, often working on various projects simultaneously. This course may open up opportunities for freelance writers by equipping them with the skills to create serial fiction for platforms like Kindle Vella. The course covers the essentials of serial writing, from character development to episode publication. The tips on editing may be very helpful.

See salaries and explore the career path for Freelance Writer

Blogger

A Blogger creates written content for a website, often focusing on a specific niche or topic. This course may be useful for bloggers who want to incorporate serialized fiction into their content strategy. The course provides a structure for writing and publishing episodes. The discussion on cover image requirements may be relevant.

See salaries and explore the career path for Blogger

Editorial Assistant

An Editorial Assistant provides support to editors and publishers. This course may be useful for understanding the creation and publication process of serial fiction on platforms like Kindle Vella. The course helps you gain familiarity with the different stages of bringing a serial fiction to life. The discussion on different types of serial fiction may be particularly interesting.

See salaries and explore the career path for Editorial Assistant

Copywriter

A Copywriter writes persuasive content for marketing and advertising purposes. While this course focuses on fiction, the principles of engaging readers and structuring content translate to copywriting. Learning to write compelling serial fiction can hone your skills in capturing attention and maintaining interest, valuable assets for a copywriter. The editing section may be particularly helpful.

See salaries and explore the career path for Copywriter

Social Media Manager

A Social Media Manager handles a company's online presence. This course may be of use for social media managers looking to promote serial fiction or engage with authors on platforms like Kindle Vella. Understanding the content creation process and the nuances of serial storytelling can enhance a social media manager's ability to connect with relevant audiences. The course's structure will help you understand the writing process.

See salaries and explore the career path for Social Media Manager

English Teacher

An English Teacher instructs students in writing. This course may be useful for inspiring students to write and potentially publish on a site such as Kindle Vella. The course covers the essentials of serial writing, from character development to episode publication. The assignment on outlining your story may also prove useful in your profession.

See salaries and explore the career path for English Teacher

Journalist

A Journalist researches and writes news articles and features. While this course focuses on fiction, the principles of storytelling and engaging readers are transferable skills. This course may be helpful for journalists to explore creative writing techniques and understand different forms of narrative storytelling. The editing section may be particularly helpful.

See salaries and explore the career path for Journalist

Marketing Manager

A Marketing Manager develops and executes marketing strategies to promote products or services. This course may be useful for understanding the content creation process and how to market serial fiction effectively. The course helps gain insight into the audience engagement strategies used in serial storytelling. The section on where you can get a cover image may be particularly helpful.

See salaries and explore the career path for Marketing Manager

Librarian

A Librarian manages library resources and assists patrons with research. This course may be useful for librarians to better understand the world of digital publishing and serial fiction platforms like Kindle Vella. The course helps them stay informed about emerging trends in literature and assist authors interested in self-publishing their works. The course's structure will help you understand the writing process.

See salaries and explore the career path for Librarian

Writing Serial Fiction on Kindle Vella

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Learning objectives

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