Another way to spread the word about your new book and keep readers updated is through an email newsletter. That’s right. Don’t just send one email. Send many. Invite friends, family and readers to sign up for your newsletter either online or at your launch party. If you commit to writing a newsletter you should send it quarterly, monthly, or weekly depending on your schedule.
To set up an email newsletter, you can use MailChimp, Mailigen, MadMimi, Brevo or more. MailChimp is the most popular. Author Summer Kinard uses MailChimp because “It’s free and easy to use and follows important laws.”
When creating your newsletter, remember that content is king (or queen). Don’t just write about yourself and your book. Think about the themes you cover in your writing, the settings you feature, and the types of characters you create. What do they all have in common? Is there a general thread you can pull from that to create content for your newsletter?
For example, Summer created the Tea and Crumples blog and newsletter, which are all about the love of tea. She mixes in personal anecdotes and essays, steeping her readers in an environment they are naturally prone to love.
Do: Build your mailing list by offering readers the chance to sign up for it at events, readings, and appearances. Make sure to include future events and book signings in your next newsletter, as well.
Do not: Try to send your emails through your regular mail server. You could be missing important legal details or your emails may be marked as spam. Use a professional newsletter service instead.
