Newsletters seem to be gaining popularity as a marketing tool for authors , as well as musicians and other artists. I have subscribed to a few newsletters from authors that I enjoy such as Lee Child, Harlan Coben , Craig Johnson , and  Libby Fischer Hellman . I would probably subscribe to the newsletters of all of the authors whose books I read regularly, but I hardly have time for the books, let alone read all the newsletters that would appear in my mailbox. What I like about most about the newsletters I have subscribed to, is that they are brief and they usually include something personal from the author, so I get to know them beyond just the books they write. It's almost as good as meeting them in person. Being somewhat reluctant to add one more thing to my list of things to do that take me away from working on my latest book, I didn't start my own newsletter until last fall. When doing some reading about the pros and cons of newsletters, I picked up some good ...

When I started using a professional email service, I decided to use Vertical Response. Frankly, my decision was made because I got a newsletter from Michael Connelly, and he was using VR. I haven't used any other service, so I'm sharing what my experiences have been with a sample size of one. Things to consider when choosing an email service: 1. Cost. Vertical Response has a "pay as you go" option which is perfect for someone like me, who has a relatively small number of subscribers and sends 4 newsletters a year. 2. Ease of use. It's nice to have some basic templates. It's also nice when you can modify them, and even nicer when there's someone at the other end to help you out. I found all of these options very user-friendly. I can copy and paste from Word, create links, and add images. If you have a blog or website you maintain, you've got more than the skills you need. 3. List maintenance. VR lets me create as many mailing lists as I wan...

Yesterday we looked at some of the reasons you might want to consider building a mailing list and starting an email newsletter. Today we’ll cover the frequency and content questions that arose from Dani’s introductory post . How Often Should You Send a Newsletter? Susan Wittig Albert has a long-standing weekly newsletter, as does Angela Hoy of WritersWeekly and Hope Clark of Funds for Writers . Our own Terry Odell told us she sends her newsletter out quarterly, which she has found to be sufficient (and Terry will tell us more about her strategies and the email service she uses on the 18th). However, Terry blogs daily , so she already has the element of predictability and reliability with which to draw her readers. Sending a newsletter weekly is a good strategy. You can become part of your reader’s weekly habits. For example, she knows your email pitches up in her inbox on the same day she goes to the gym and it’s ideal for a quick read while she finishes her coffee. An i...

At the start of the month, Dani posted about electronic newsletters and generated some great discussion in the comments. So, today I’d like to address some of the questions that came up—the “why” of mailing lists and newsletters. Tomorrow I’ll be back with more ideas on strategy, content, and frequency. Why Do You Want, or Need, a Mailing List? A mailing list is a valuable commodity and is evidence of a platform. If your statistics are good, you can use them in query letters to agents and publishers. If you’re an indie author, you can sell or trade advertising in your newsletters (never sell access to your actual mailing list, though). And that’s before you’ve even begun using it to market your own books. According to Copyblogger.com email marketing still generates more sales than other online communication options. Why not...? - Blogging, Instead of Email? A blog is an excellent platform to build, but you have little to no control over whether a first-time reader will ev...

One of the best things about the Internet is ease and speed of communication between book professionals (authors, agents, editors, publishers) and readers. I love social media connections like Facebook and Twitter. But direct mail is a great way to give and get pertinent information, and direct e-mail is no different. I've signed up for quite a few e-letters to receive news and information from authors I regularly read, as I appreciate having an early heads-up about new book releases and promotions. Do you have a newsletter you regularly email to a mailing list of fans you've gathered? If not, the best way to develop one is by subscribing to a few and analyzing what you do and don't like about them. One of my favorites is the long-running All About Thyme e-letter written by Susan Wittig Albert. It's billed as a "weekly calendar of times and seasonings" and it celebrates "the mysteries, magic, and myths of herbs". Anyone who reads Susan's C...