As the year comes to a close, I find myself reflecting on the journey that was 2024. It was a year filled with highs, lows, and hard lessons. For the past three years, I devoted an incredible amount of time and energy to the Kindle Vella platform. I knew going in that it was a beta program with a limited market, but considering the sheer population of the United States—and Amazon's massive reading base—it felt like a promising opportunity.
It was an exciting challenge, one that seemed tailor-made for my writing style. Kindle Vella’s episodic structure and firm deadlines brought a level of productivity I hadn’t experienced before. For the first time, I had a platform that demanded my all, and I gave it more than 100%. It was exhilarating to see my writing output soar, even if it came at a cost. Life, after all, is about balance, and my focus on writing meant my art took a backseat—a familiar pattern for me to exchange one for the other yet rarely have I embraced both with equal effort.
This year, however, brought some harsh realities. Kindle Vella saw a decline in bonuses, as more authors entered the platform and the competition grew fiercer. Amazon was smart to reward those who brought in new readers, but despite my best efforts, I fell short in that area. The readership I built was loyal, and for that I’m endlessly grateful, but it wasn’t enough to make a significant impact on the metrics that mattered most.
I held onto hope for as long as I could, pushing myself to keep going even as burnout crept in. Burnout is a sneaky, heavy thing—it builds quietly until, one day, you realize you have nothing left to give. When Amazon announced they were pulling the Kindle Vella platform, it felt like the final blow. The loss of income was difficult, but the real sting was the loss of structure, of the deadlines that had become my anchor.
“What’s the point?” That question loomed large for a while. I withdrew from projects, from plans, from people. I needed time to step back, to regroup, and to strategize. Was this my last hoorah? The end of the road?
Or was it simply a chapter closing, with a new one waiting to be written?
As I sit here now, I don’t have all the answers. But I do know this: 2024 was a year that challenged me in ways I didn’t expect. It pushed me to my limits and forced me to confront uncomfortable truths. It also reminded me of my resilience, my creativity, and my passion for storytelling.
This isn’t a post about what’s to come in 2025. That will come later. For now, I want to close out the year with gratitude—for the lessons learned, for the stories shared, and for the readers and supporters who have been there every step of the way.
Here’s to saying goodbye to one chapter and holding space for whatever comes next.
Yours truly,
Jen Sequel
Comentarios