On Tuesday, I talked about why readers should subscribe to author/writer newsletters. Now let’s talk about some reasons why writers should have one. They’re similar to why readers should subscribe, but a little different.
1. Publishers want authors with newsletters. Social media is a fickle thing. The algorithm can decide to tank your posts, but aside from random spam glitches, your email newsletters will land in a reader’s inbox. Plus, social media platforms (or at least yours) could just be gone one day. Email has been around long enough that it’s not going anyway. Newsletter subscribers are sort of followers that publishers and you can depend on.
2. A newsletter is a way to build a core group of supporters. For some reason, people seem willing to follow lots of people on social media, but we’re selective about who we let into our inbox. If someone subscribes to your newsletter, it means that they probably like your writing and want to support you. And you can build a deeper relationship with those followers by giving them sneak peeks, behind the scenes, or just talking about life. Invest in your readers, and they’ll invest in you (aka, probably buy your book).
3. Newsletters are easier to sustain than social media. I send out my newsletter once a month. The service I use doesn’t care about how often I send an email, or if I’m using all of their features. It always sends the email to all of my subscribers. Social media, on the other hand, is fickle. Are you using their app and posting often? Are you using their latest feature? It goes on.
With my newsletter, I only have to spend an hour or two a month on it, vs the numerous hours social media takes. If social media isn’t your thing, you should definitely do a newsletter. And if it is your thing, do a newsletter too. 😉
So, how should you structure your newsletter? My biggest recommendation for learning how to do a newsletter/what to put in it is to look at other writers’/authors’ newsletters. What do you like about theirs?
Do you have a newsletter? Let me know in the comments!
PS: You can sign up for my newsletter here!
Hailey Huntington 