Editor’s Note: See Jane Write publishes guest articles by writers who identify as women, non-binary folks, and our allies. Learn more here.
By: Delany Diamond
You need a newsletter.
You’ve probably seen that advice more times than you can count, but building a newsletter can be overwhelming. So, many authors dismiss the idea, choosing instead to focus on social media interactions with readers.
Unfortunately, that places you at the mercy of those platforms. That’s why you need a newsletter. It’s one of the greatest tools in your writerly tool shed.
I’m a firm believer that without my mailing list, I wouldn’t have an author career today. So first, I’ll explain why you need a list, give you advice on how to build a list of subscribers, and then suggest content for your newsletter.
Why You Need a Newsletter
On social media, you’re at the mercy of the platform. The algorithms on apps like TikTok, Facebook, Instagram and X determine what subscribers see in their feed. So if the algorithms change, followers who used to see your posts might not anymore.
Another problem to consider is that you could lose your account. It’s not uncommon to hear of someone losing their account for a terms of use violation they’re not aware of. It happened to me on Instagram years ago. When that occurs, all your followers and your handle are gone, and typically, there’s no way to get them back.
Ultimately, these problems mean lost revenue since you can’t communicate with the people who love your work. This is not to suggest that you abandon social media altogether. It’s a useful marketing tool but has limitations.
Here’s how having a newsletter list safeguards against those limitations.
- A newsletter means direct access to your readers, without the concern of algorithms determining whether or not your subscribers see your communication. Each time you send an email, it lands in your subscribers’ inbox, and if you think email is outdated, think again. Email outperforms social media on metrics from open rate to ROI, and 60 percent of consumers prefer to be contacted by brands via email.
- You can take your subscribers with you. Make a habit of downloading your list of subscribers. Add the task to your calendar to be completed at least once a month. Should your newsletter service go out of business, your account get shut down, or for some reason you want to move on to a new provider for a better deal, you can take your list with you and upload it to the new account. You can’t do that with social media.
- As a marketing tool, a newsletter list is an excellent driver of revenue. When you promote your book release or a sale, you’ll see better results because more people see and open your emails than see and read your posts on social media.
How to Build a List of Subscribers
Choose a platform
First, you have to decide which newsletter platform (aka email marketing platform) to choose. Think about the cost and ease of use when doing your comparison shopping. Some of the more popular ones are Aweber and ConvertKit, but if cost is a major factor, SendFox, Email Octopus, and MailerLite all have a free option. I’ve used MailerLite [affiliate link] for years for its ease of use, and the first 1000 subscribers are free.
But there are dozens of platforms, and it seems new ones are cropping up every few months. Comparison shop on a neutral site like Email Tool Tester to find the best fit for your needs.
Now that you’ve chosen a service, it’s time to build your list.
Offer a reader magnet
Keep in mind your current audience and the audience you want to attract—readers. Let them know about your reader magnet, which is the freebie you offer as an incentive to sign up for your newsletter.
A free short story or novella works very well in this case—even better if it’s related to another book or series. By connecting the freebie to a paid book, you’ll have built-in marketing. A prequel works in the same way because it’s connected to a published work.
When those new subscribers have completed reading the freebie, there’s a greater chance they will buy the published piece, so make sure you mention it in the back matter.
Some authors offer a full novel or multiple novels as an incentive, which is best done when you have a deep catalog. The key is to offer a free book from a series. In that case, the full novel brings the reader onto the author’s newsletter list, and if they enjoyed the story, they go on to read other books in the series.
Get the word out about your newsletter on social media, make sure the sign-up for it is prominently displayed on your website, and include a sign-up link in the back matter of all your books.
Then use BookFunnel to handle delivery of the story. If your reader has trouble downloading your freebie, they take care of the customer support.
Content Suggestions
Now that you have a newsletter and subscribers, what do you send them?
Again, keep in mind that you’re communicating with readers, and steer clear of offering writing tips or discussing the business of being an author. While there might be some interest in those topics, they should not dominate your newsletters.
It’s important to build a relationship with readers, so you’re not only asking them to buy. Do that by giving them updates on your projects. Let them know when you start writing or when you’ve completed a project and it’s in the editor’s hands.
Offer exclusive content not shared elsewhere, such as deleted chapters, character profiles, bonus scenes, and cover reveals.
Share information about yourself, as much as you feel comfortable—such as your hobbies, books you’re reading, and plans for the weekend. Pictures of pets are popular, as are photos of trips and reader events you’ve attended.
Tell readers about interesting research related to your book, share funny stories, announce signings or virtual interviews, and celebrate book anniversaries.
Let them know about spinoff series and alternative formats of your books (audio, foreign translations, large print, etc.).
Encourage engagement by having giveaways of free books (print or digital), conducting reader polls where you ask about their favorite genres or which of your villains they liked best.
Finally, let your subscribers know about sales and new releases.
Start Now
While it’s never too late to start a newsletter, the sooner you start, the better.
Get started in three easy steps:
- Decide which newsletter platform you want to use.
- Brainstorm what your reader magnet will be.
- Share your sign-up link everywhere, including on your website.
- Draft the first newsletter to your subscribers.
Make sure you reach out to your readers at least once a month, and your message doesn’t have to be long. A paragraph or two is enough to stay in touch. As you publish more books, you’ll find you have more to share.
Follow these steps to find success as an author and build a career for the long term.
***
If you’re considering starting a Substack newsletter, join the See Jane Write Collective for a virtual panel discussion on Tuesday, November 18 at 6:30 p.m. CT about all things Substack. This is for members only. Not a member? You can join TODAY.
Delaney Diamond is the USA Today Bestselling Author of more than 50 contemporary romance and romantic suspense novels, and dozens of romance short stories. When she’s not spinning tales of romantic fiction, she’s in the kitchen trying out new recipes, dining at one of her favorite restaurants, or traveling to an interesting locale. She enjoys learning about time management and ways to increase productivity and shares her recommendations on the For Authors page of her website. She also offers self-publishing consultations, leveraging her extensive experience to guide and support authors through the writing and publishing process.