Definition
An author newsletter is an email you send to people who've opted in to hear from you. It's your direct line to readers, completely independent of social media algorithms or platform changes. Most authors send newsletters on a regular schedule - weekly, biweekly, or monthly - sharing some mix of writing updates, personal stories, book recommendations, and new release announcements. The key thing is that you own your email list, which means no platform can take your audience away from you.
Why It Matters
Social media reach is unpredictable and constantly shrinking, but an email lands directly in someone's inbox. For a working writer, your newsletter list is arguably your most valuable professional asset. Even if you're years away from publishing a book, starting a newsletter now means you'll have an engaged audience ready and waiting when that day comes.
Types of Author Newsletter
Famous Examples
Blends writing advice, book announcements, and unfiltered personal voice in a way that makes subscribers feel like insiders.
A curated list of interesting things he found each week - simple format, massive audience, proves you don't need to overthink it.
Used his massive email list to launch a record-breaking Kickstarter for four secret novels in 2022, proving the power of a direct reader relationship.
Common Mistakes
Start now. Share your writing journey, craft insights, or reading recommendations. Build the relationship before you need to sell anything.
Give value consistently. The best newsletters make readers glad they opened the email, whether or not there's a book to buy.
Email is intimate - write like you're talking to one person, not broadcasting to a crowd. Use a conversational tone and share things you wouldn't post publicly.
Find a sustainable cadence you can maintain long-term. Monthly is fine. Consistency matters more than frequency.
Try It Yourself
Draft three sample newsletter emails: one announcing a fictional book release, one sharing a behind-the-scenes look at your current writing project, and one recommending three books you've read recently. Keep each under 500 words. Focus on voice and making the reader feel like they're hearing from a friend, not a marketer.
Write the Book Worth Announcing
Before you hit send on that newsletter, make sure your manuscript is the best it can be. Novelium helps you draft, revise, and polish your work so every launch email links to something you're proud of.