It’s Monday again, and that means it’s time for my weekly blog post. Today I’m going to talk a bit about newsletters—more specifically, the kind of newsletter an indie author like myself sends to his readers.
For those of you who aren’t familiar with the concept, an author newsletter is much like any newsletter, I suppose. The difference is that an author, depending on factors like style, readership, and personality, can customize newsletters to the point where one author’s idea of a newsletter is completely different from another’s in every way imaginable.
What’s In The Newsletters?
I know no one is actually asking me that question right now, but let’s pretend you did. Glad you asked!
Each newsletter is different, and authors have different reasons for sending them—from gaining readers to creating an ongoing dialogue. I would say that, generally speaking, authors offer the following types of newsletters:
1) Get connected – Every writer is by nature a communicator. A newsletter is a great way to reach out and make some kind of connection.
2) Stay connected – We all have a relationship of some kind with artists and the work they create. While I’m no celebrity, I’ve always sought to build a relationship with all readers—not so much because I want “fans,” but because I write to communicate feelings and insights, and love to know how these touch my readers. Which leads me to…
3) Building readership – Like anyone who works hard at his craft, I’d love an ever-growing base of readers. I was actually thrilled when I got my first 5-star review of Whizzers from a reader in Canada. And what better way to reach readers on an ongoing basis, in between projects, than a newsletter?
So Why The Blues?
I don’t always have news or updates each quarter, but I know my readers are pretty engaged. Here’s the text of my current newsletter, which provides an update on my current Work-In-Progress, Hot Scenes:
I know I keep saying I’m not done with the Hot Scenes project, but I am now closer than ever. Still on track for a final word count of around 50K words or 200 pages.
I was originally planning to finish over the summer, but have decided I’d rather publish in 2026 to have the rest of next year for it to be a “new” book. (Although a book that comes out in December 2025 will still be pretty darn new in January or February 2026, publishing late in the year makes it look like it’s “not new” to some readers.)
What I didn’t mention there—and subscribers would already know this—is that new subscribers get a free digital copy of Rides From Strangers, my short story collection available only to newsletter subscribers. I’ve wanted to get this onto the devices of as many readers as possible over the past few years, but it hasn’t taken off like I’d hoped it would. Perhaps if I’d been willing to pay more money to market it, but come on—it’s free!
To get your copy of Rides From Strangers, all you have to do is go here and provide an email address. There’s no obligation, I’ll never give your email away, and you can unsubscribe at any time.
Thanks for stopping by, and, as always, thanks for reading!
