Why Every Author Needs a Newsletter

By Terry Whalin @terrywhalin

I can “hear” the reader’s objections to the title for this article saying things like I’m an author and I don’t have or need a newsletter. Yesterday I spoke with an author and she said that she didn’t need a newsletter or know what she would say in one. From working with authors, I often hear these objections. One of my authors who was publishing his third book with Morgan James Publishing, told me outright he hadn’t created an author newsletter. 

Other authors decide they can’t devote the time to write and send a newsletter. Others object they have nothing to say to their readers. I understand these objections and like any aspect of the work, there are challenges for authors. In this article, I’m going to help you to see the importance of having this direct connection to your readers.

Let’s think about how you use email. I read my email on my desktop computer but I also read it on my phone. I look at the subject line and decide if I’m going to open and read the email. I would assume my email practices are similar to others.

Email is a direct connection to your readers--provided they open and read it. That’s why your newsletter program will typically measure and display the open rates. I understand not everyone reads their email. This week one author was telling me about another friend who had declared to a class that he had over 700 unopened emails. I add this story to show the importance of creating an enticing subject line for your newsletter. While I don’t answer every email and I get a lot of it. I do open or process my email all the time--early and late in the day.

For over 17 years, I have been writing and sending newsletters. I knew my target reader but here’s been my personal issue: consistency. I was sending about once a month which is infrequent and readers forget they subscribed to your newsletter. About a year ago, my newsletter program and my shopping cart went out of business. With a large personal effort, I moved my newsletter to convertkit.com which has changed to kit.com.  

For over a year (in fact currently for over 100 weeks), I have been sending a short email with publishing insights each week to my subscribers. If you aren’t on this list, use this link to subscribe. When you do, you will receive a free 87-page Ebook. Each author has to determine the frequency of their newsletter such as daily, five days a week, once a week, twice a month or once a month. After you determine your newsletter schedule, it is important to deliver consistently on your schedule. 

Every author has to select a newsletter program to use. Some people use MailChimp while others use constant contact or AWeber or something else. Each one has different functions and costs involved. On Right-Writing.com, I have a series of additional articles about newsletters.

Everyone begins their newsletter with a small list of subscribers. Then you grow email list using lead magnets. In 2019, I wrote a detailed article about lead magnets with specific examples. Follow this link to see this information.

Unlike social media platforms like YouTube, Facebook, LinkedIn, etc, email is your direct connection to your readers. To follow the rules of email, each newsletter gives the reader a simple way to unsubscribe. Each week, I have people who unsubscribe and that’s fine with me. I want people to receive my publishing insights who want to receive them. It’s that simple. 

An email newsletter is your direct connection to your audience. Through my acquisitions work at Morgan James Publishing, authors will raise objections to building a newsletter. From my perspective, this newsletter is one of the best and most important tools for every author.

Do you have a newsletter? Are you using it consistently? What steps are you taking to build your subscribers? I look forward to reading your comments. Don’t forget to join the conversation. 

Tweetable:

For every author, one of the most important tools is their newsletter. Get the detailed reasons and actions from this prolific author and editor.  (ClickToTweet)

My Writing In Other Places:

With these articles, I encourage you to publish your work beyond your blog in other places. Below are three articles which were published in other online locations than this blog. While it's been a couple of months since I highlighted this section, I have continued to write each month on each of these websites. Find your opportunities to get your work into some other websites through guest blogging.

What’s Behind A Successful Book? In this article, I give some detailed examples about what it takes to create a successful book. It is not writing another book. Read it at:  https://bit.ly/4wPDCf5

Each month at Almost An Author, I write about some aspect of book proposal creation (an important skill for every writer). In this article I detail How To Catch Attention. Read it at: https://bit.ly/4h06JaO 

Each month, I guest blog on Writers on the Move. This month I wrote about how the gatekeepers (editors and literary agents) are looking for authors who will market their books. In Beef Up Your Proposal Marketing Section, I detail how to add this information into your pitch and also explain why it is important. https://bit.ly/4wvbJJ3 

Currently I’m working with my third publisher as an acquisitions editor. During these years, I’ve spoken with many authors about their expectations, dreams and desires for their books. I find many unrealistic expectations. Many aspects of the publishing process are outside of anything an author can control. I wrote 10 PUBLISHING MYTHS to give authors practical help. You can get decades of insights in 10 PUBLISHING MYTHS for only $10, free shipping and over $200 of bonuses. 

Subscribe to Terry’s Newsletter:

During the last year, once a week I’ve been sending a short free newsletter. Just follow this link to subscribe. When you are added to the newsletter, you will receive a FREE 87-page Ebook which is packed with insights for every writer.

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Since 2004, I have blogged about The Writing Life over 1,800 entries and one of the top 27 content writers. With this simple form, each week you can get my new articles, encouragement and insights at: https://t.co/W6uU64u6aA