The art of writing is the art of discovering what you believe.”
Gustave Flaubert, novelist
Today’s article is the fourth in my four-part series on author newsletters. Read the first article on why you should have an author newsletter here, the second article on creating an effective newsletter here, and the third on keeping your audience engaged here. Today’s article covers dos and don’ts for your newsletter.
After compiling these articles directed toward author newsletters, I realize just how long I have been producing newsletters. I recognized early in my writing career that newsletters are the main connection to my fans and potential clients. Newsletters should educate, entertain, and inform. And while each newsletter has and has had its own style, they pretty much do the same thing.
It is about connection. It is about having that one-on-one conversation with each reader. After all, he signed up of his own free will, so I must make sure I meet or exceed his expectations.
As writers, this is an area where we should excel. We write all the time, most of us, so churning out a newsletter on a subject our readers will enjoy should not be a problem. And if you detest sales (I’m raising my hand!), or you are an introvert, and you would rather write than focus on marketing (even though you do have to market your newsletter, but it is not so intense), producing a newsletter is really your best use of your time.
You also have complete control over your newsletter, so what is stopping you?
If you have read through the series (and yes, there will be more articles) then chances are, you know the value of your author newsletter, whether or not you have it started.
The following is a list of dos and don’ts in addition to my previous three articles. These are items to think about as you start or continue to build your subscriber list. If your list has not grown or you contemplate how you can attract new readers, see if the listed items apply to you and might help.
Author newsletter dos
Have a lead magnet. What do we mean by lead magnet? Just as it sounds: it attracts leads, almost as if by magnetic force. Kind of sounds science fiction, doesn’t it? This is your marketing tool for your newsletter to get subscribers. Your lead magnet should fit your author brand. It could be a worksheet, a short story, a writing workbook, or anything that would attract the attention of your readers. For example, my lead magnet is a workbook: “The Pleasure of Writing—9 Writing prompts to boost creativity” that a subscriber receives after signing up. It does not have to be fancy, but it should be interesting and practical. It needs to be an item they cannot get anywhere else unless they sign up.
Have an editorial calendar. An editorial calendar is a simple file, perhaps on Excel, where you keep track of the themes you plan on sharing in your newsletter, with deadlines and publishing dates. You can plan several weeks to the entire year if you wish. This helps you keep track of what you plan to and have published so you are not scrambling at the last moment wondering what to write. Not only does it help with organization, but it might help you see how else you can share the article. Perhaps posting a part of your article on your social media? Can you write more than one article out of one theme? Overall, the calendar will help you maintain a consistent schedule and keep focused.
Write brief.I talked about this in previous articles, but it should be emphasized. I cannot tell you how many newsletters I quickly tire of because I must scroll a lengthy article. Keep the lengthy article on your website and post the teaser or first few paragraphs in your newsletter with a link to take your reader back to your website. This leaves the responsibility in your reader’s hands, but more important, it tells you whether they are interested in that subject based on your click rate. This helps you plan future content.
Write quality content. As writers, we are held to higher writing standards. The competition is great and a little fierce. Why should subscribers choose you over someone else? Because they like your work. But if your writing is sloppy, they will not stick around. And if you are not writing content that meets their needs or interests, they will unsubscribe. I wrote about content at length in my second article in this series. Your content is the absolute key in your newsletter, so make sure it is effective and well written.
Connect your newsletter to your website. As stated above, you want to direct your readers back to your website. Why? Because that is your sales outlet. That is where your books and other works are laid out. That is where your About page is, your media interviews, and anything else about you they should know. Your website is your main marketing tool. Your newsletter is your second, designed to aim fans back to your website. Each piece in your newsletter should bring your reader back to your site if they desire more. Again, write brief and link back to your site.
Use it to inform, connect, engage. Your subscribers need to feel your newsletter is about them. They initially signed up with the mentality: “What’s in it for me?” You are educating them on something, something you are qualified to teach. Maybe it is your research from your books, subjects they would be keen on knowing more about. But your newsletter is designed to be your one-on-one connection with each fan. Make sure they feel a part of your world by engaging them.
Write what you want but aimed at your audience’s interests. Writing about a subject you enjoy makes the process fun and a bit easier. But do steer the direction toward your readers. What interests them in the subject? How can you shape it to show you are in tune to them? Click tracking will help, which is why I emphasize adding the links in. Your newsletter subject is not about you, but them. Keeping them in mind will help.
Take advantage of social media. While I cannot advocate for putting all your hopes in social media as it is falling severely by the wayside (you might have 100,000 followers today, but that can change overnight, and you lose every single one), I can say that while you have it, make sure you advocate for your newsletter. If you lose your social media account, your subscribers will ensure you have a connection to your fan base. Keep your newsletter front and center on your social media channels and encourage sign ups. More on this in my first article.
Author newsletter don’ts
Don’t use it as a sales pitch. This is the biggest turnoff for readers. A sales pitch should come in the form of email marketing, not your newsletter. Your newsletter is designed to inform, educate and entertain, not throw products and books at people with your “buy me” sales pitch. That does not mean you cannot talk about your books or your latest novel, but it should not be the theme, the main article, or the only subject. In one of my newsletters, my article did talk about my first published book and one I am in the process of writing, but the article was more focused on the writing journey to publishing. I included practical steps to encourage my readers to pitch and/or publish their work. To push past the voice within telling us we cannot do it. And since my books are not under my author name, I did not even include links. It was not about me, but the journey we all share.
Don’t send it only when you have a new book, training, or service coming out. I see this coming instantly. I do not hear from a newsletter writer and suddenly she or he is in my inbox in droves. Weekly, even daily, my inbox fills with her newsletter sales pitching me to sign up for her workshop or training. Please do not do that to your subscribers. If you keep your newsletter on a consistent schedule, writing topics for your reader, then sneaking in a quick teaser about an upcoming training or your new book will go over much better. But if you go into hiding then suddenly inundate your readers when it benefits you, you have lost your loyal fans because they feel tricked.
Don’t address your opening to “dear reader.” Your newsletter is your living room coffee chat with each reader as a friend. Make sure they feel that way. You are writing as if it was only the two of you. Therefore, starting out with: “Dear Reader,” or “Hi, Reader,” reminds us that we are a number, not even a name.
Don’t start off with a paid subscription. You can eventually, if you desire, turn your newsletter into a paid subscription. But I would not recommend doing this right away. Why? (1) You do not have a following i.e., subscribers. (2) Who are you? (3) People expect free newsletters. Authors and others who have a decent living wage paid newsletter subscription are (1) ones who have been at it a long time and already have attracted hundreds to thousands of subscribers. (2) They are well known with an established author brand. (3) Have both paid and free versions. Yup. Two. You want to keep your loyal fan base, but some of those fans eventually might be willing to pay for more content you share only for them because you have spent years earning their trust.
Hopefully this series on author newsletters has given you more ideas to start or improve your newsletter. The suggestions on how to create an effective marketing tool through your newsletter in gaining more fans will, hopefully, inspire you.
As always, if you have more questions or are leery about starting one of your own, feel free to reach out.
Follow Emma Kathryn Harris on Facebook and Instagram.
