Kindle Worlds

Recently back from the Novelist’s, Inc. (NINC) National Conference where there was a lot of talk about Kindle Worlds, the new publishing platform from Amazon.

For years, fan fiction has operated in the shadows, with occasional breakout successes, the best-known perhaps being E. L. James’s “Fifty Shades of Grey,” which began as a story set in the world of Stephanie Meyer’s Twilight series.

With Kindle Worlds, writers have the original authors’ and publishers’ agreement to create and sell unique stories based on their characters and settings.

The Kindle Worlds program is not limited to fan fiction. It gives experienced authors a new way of collaborating. By sharing characters, settings, and the promotion of their books, they can explore new aspects of stories that readers love.

Writing In Another Author’s World

Stories are inspiring. In a great story, the characters seem to exist off the page. With Kindle Worlds, readers and writers can make that closer to reality by creating new stories for main characters or supporting characters in books they love.

Want to see more of a particular character? Ever wondered what happened after the final scene of a certain novel? With Kindle Worlds, you can fill in those gaps and share your ideas with like-minded readers.

Thriller Awards Nominee Diane Capri is a fantastic example of how Kindle Worlds is part of a trend of authors teaming up to write together. Diane is the author of several series. As the name suggests, her The Hunt for Jack Reacher Series ties into the world of Lee Child’s ex-military tough guy.

In an interview on Simply Creating (https://sharonkowensimplycreating.wordpress.com/2012/02/04/dont-know-jack-interview-with-diane-capri/), Diane explains that she got the idea for her series while chatting with Lee Child at a conference. She says that they had a bristly conversation about what Reacher does between books and she began wondering what would happen if a determined, ambitious woman attempted to take down such a powerful opponent.

Through Amazon’s program, Diane has been able to explore her idea and reach a multitude of fans who crave more of Reacher’s world and who want to see the development of this compelling premise handled by a great writer.

Rooting Your Story In A Community

Kindle Worlds is an excellent marketing tool because each world has an existing fan base. It’s an exciting and effective way for writers to connect with readers. It also brings readers closer to their favorite authors.

Is this Fan Fiction Fan Friction?

Authors and publishers who opt-in to Kindle Worlds give others authors the artistic freedom to run with their ideas. They can shape characters and stories in new ways as long as they follow the basic content guidelines attached to each world.

Kindle Worlds is shaking up the publishing scene, but it’s not an entirely new concept. People who were already writing stories like these for love are discovering that this is a new avenue for reaching an audience and monetizing their work.

We’re sure to see that a story based in a world created by another writer is not inherently of lesser value than an entirely original story. In TV and film, think about the much-borrowed world of Ian Fleming’s James Bond 007 and Gene Roddenberry’s original Star Trek series.

This kind of collaboration is an excellent example of how one plus one can equal more than two, with writers working together to create deeper, more immersive experiences than might be achieved when working alone.

What’s In It For Authors?

For the authors of source books in Kindle Worlds, they see a tribe form around their work. It’s a fantastic way to connect with fans, to learn what they love about the work, and to discover what aspects they want to explore more.

All KindleWorld Books are featured on Amazon, which is good for both the source books and the fan fiction stories.

As a writer, you can indulge in your favorite stories and explore these established worlds in a respected, professional arena. The platform can supply you with an instant audience for your fiction and it provides a straightforward framework for monetizing your work.

Whether you only write fan fiction as a hobby or you are an established author with a backlist, Kindle Worlds could be a great opportunity for you to shine while enjoying the realms of your favorite books.