In case you don’t read your Kindle author newsletter (and why would you, really?), Amazon’s Kindle Vella program is about to be ding dong dead.
Amazon has discontinued several programs related to books over the years, and this is our running list of those. These programs often catered to niche audiences or provided specific tools and opportunities for authors and readers. Some of them failed because they were dumb (like StarMeter), and some failed because Amazon didn’t publicize them enough (like MatchBook, which was and still is a great idea), and some got subsumed into other (hopefully better) programs like Kindle Unlimited.
Here’s an overview of some notable discontinued Amazon book-related programs:
1. Amazon Giveaways
(2015 – 2019)
- What it Was: Allowed authors and creators to host giveaways for books or other items directly on Amazon.
- What It Did: It was a way for authors to promote their books and increase visibility by encouraging social shares and participation.
- Why It Was Discontinued: Amazon retired the program in October 2019, likely due to limited adoption or profitability.
- The Workaround: If your readers loved giveaways, keep doing them by using KingSumo, Gleam, or Rafflecopter. Of course, never do a giveaway without having a solid reader magnet/ email signup in the book you are giving away! That goes without saying, right? RIGHT?!
2. Kindle Scout/ Kindle Press
(2014 – 2018)
- What it Was: A crowdsourcing platform where authors submitted manuscripts, and readers voted on which ones should be published under Kindle Press.
- What It Did: It gave authors a chance at traditional-like publishing with Amazon’s support, while readers could participate in the selection process.
- Why It Was Discontinued: Kindle Scout program ended in April 2018. Amazon shifted focus toward other publishing initiatives and Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP). For some unknown reason (even thought Amazon is still perfectly capable of offering publishing services), Kindle Press was also discontinued at this time.
- A Workaround: The “crowdsourcing” element could be handled by a GoFundMe, I suppose. Joanna Penn covers author GoFundMes in more depth if that interests you.
- A Word of Caution: There’s really no workaround for this, as Amazon is just not offering publishing services anymore. However, I do just want to make you aware of a scam in the vanity press industry that developed after this program closed: the “Amazon Publishing” problem. This is when a vanity press will use the name “Amazon Professional Publishers” or a similar name to give authors the impression that they are working with Amazon. Just for the record, AMAZON DOES NOT OFFER PUBLISHING SERVICES, so do not give your money to any company that represents themselves in this way is trying to scam you. Here is a whole Reddit post where you can read more about some of those.
3. Amazon Author Central Customer Discussions
Discontinued in 2018
- What it Was: A forum where readers could discuss books with authors through that author’s Author Central page.
- What It Did: It facilitated direct interaction between authors and readers.
- Why It Was Discontinued: Amazon removed the feature, citing low engagement and a shift toward more modern methods of author-reader interaction, like social media. I think this is dumb. I feel like they were just sick of dealing with authors bugging them (just my conspiraspeculation).
4. Amazon MatchBook
- What it Was: Allowed customers to purchase discounted Kindle versions of books they had already purchased in print.
- Why It Mattered: It was a win-win for readers who wanted both physical and digital copies and for authors seeking more sales.
- Why It Was Discontinued: Amazon ended the program in 2019, likely due to insufficient usage.
- The Workaround: Offer the matching eBook for free to people who buy your print books. It’s a good way to get email subscribers. I wrote all about that right here.
5. Kindle Worlds
- What it Was: A platform where authors could write and sell fan fiction based on licensed worlds (e.g., “The Vampire Diaries” or “G.I. Joe”).
- Why It Mattered: It legitimized fan fiction as a publishing model, allowing authors to earn royalties and reach established fanbases.
- Why It Was Discontinued: Ended in August 2018 due to declining participation and possibly challenges in managing licensing agreements.
6. CreateSpace
- What it Was: Amazon’s self-publishing platform for print-on-demand books before it was absorbed into Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP).
- Why It Mattered: It was a user-friendly way for authors to publish and distribute physical books.
- Why It Was Discontinued: Merged into KDP in 2018 to streamline Amazon’s self-publishing services.
- The Workaround: You don’t really need one because this just got folded into KDP, but some alternatives to Amazon book publishing are: IngramSpark, Barnes & Noble,
7. Amazon Unlimited Lending Library (for Prime Members)
(2011 – 2014)
- What it Was: Offered Prime members the ability to borrow one Kindle book per month from a selection of titles.
- Why It Mattered: Provided an incentive for authors enrolled in KDP Select and allowed readers to discover books without buying them outright.
- Why It Was Discontinued: Replaced by Kindle Unlimited, a subscription-based service with broader access to titles.
- The Workaround: Put your book in Kindle Unlimited, but don’t put it in there without a solid reader magnet/ email signup! If you’re going to limit your reach like that, you better get something good in return!
8. Starmeter on Author Central
(R.I.P 2016)
- What it Was: A ranking system based on an author’s popularity, similar to IMDb’s Starmeter for actors.
- What It Did: Gave authors insight into their visibility and popularity.
- Why It Was Discontinued: Removed as part of a broader overhaul of the Author Central platform, and (probably) because it was kind of lame and no one used it.
- The Workaround: I mean….. there really isn’t one, aside from social media, I guess? You don’t need to be a “star author.” You need your books to be bestsellers, so use Publisher Champ to monitor your books’ rankings and sales.
9. Amazon Vine for Self-Published Books
(2007 – 2016)
- What it Was: Allowed self-published authors to submit books for reviews by Amazon Vine members (trusted reviewers).
- What It Did: Gave self-published authors access to professional reviews that could boost their book’s credibility.
- Why It Was Discontinued: Amazon restricted Vine participation to larger publishers and higher-priced products, phasing out books, because why would they want to help indie authors?
10. Kindle Serials
(2012 – 2014)
- What it Was: A platform for serialized storytelling where readers could purchase a series upfront and receive installments as they were published.
- What It Did: Encouraged a unique format of storytelling and reader engagement.
- Why It Was Discontinued: Removed around 2014, as interest in serialized formats diminished.
11. Amazon Storyteller
(2013 – 2015)
- What it Was: A tool that allowed authors to turn their books into graphic novels using automated technology.
- Why It Mattered: Made visual storytelling accessible to authors without artistic expertise.
- Why It Was Discontinued: Amazon stopped supporting the tool, likely due to limited demand.
12. Amazon Write On
(2014 – 2017)
- What it Was: A writing and reading community similar to Wattpad, where authors could share drafts and receive feedback from readers.
- Why It Mattered: It created a platform for new authors to test their work with an audience before publishing.
- Why It Was Discontinued: Shut down in 2017 due to competition from other platforms and lack of user growth. In other words, Wattpad did it better so why compete with them?
- Workaround: Wattpad! Especially if you are a
13. Kindle Vella
(2021 – TBD)
- Dates: Launched in July 2021, discontinuation date TBD (not officially discontinued but has limited adoption).
- What it Is: A platform for serialized storytelling, where readers unlock episodes using tokens.
- Alternative/Workaround:
- Use Radish Fiction, Wattpad, or Substack for serialized storytelling.
- Offer serialized chapters through Patreon or via an email newsletter.
- Publish serialized content as shorter eBooks on KDP and later compile them into a single volume.
14. The Amazon Textbook Buyback Program
- Dates: 2011- 2020
- What it Is: allowed customers to sell their used textbooks and other eligible books back to Amazon in exchange for Amazon gift cards.
- Alternative/Workaround:
- Sell your books yourself on the Amazon marketplace
While these programs no longer exist, they reflect Amazon’s continuous experimentation with ways to support authors and readers. Many of these ideas live on in different forms, such as through KDP, Kindle Unlimited, and Amazon’s ongoing focus on tools for indie authors. For authors, the lesson is clear: keep adapting to the ever-changing publishing landscape.
