Newsletters - Still Relevant or outdated?

In today’s rather hectic and overwhelming marketing world, we are constantly bombarded by different methods of marketing. Things we perhaps find annoying or easily overlooked. As authors, it is important we understand marketing and how to get our books before readers. When we are browsing online, one of the most readily available methods is the newsletter. They pop up on websites can be the first step in gaining followers. It's become the first line of drawing in new readers and visitors to our websites and turning the traffic into click throughs, reads, and buys. A way for those with a product or service to connect with prospective leads.

Those subscription boxes which we all have a love/hate relationship with are a valuable tool in an author's battle to attract new followers, readers, reviewers, and fans. Without an active list of followers, it becomes even harder to sell our work. Our books get lost in the ever-deepening sea of other releases and can be forgotten or overlooked far too easily. It is far easier to sell to one who is following your releases than it is to generate a new lead, though not impossible.

So how can we as an author generate these vital leads, and ultimately grow our following?

There are a lot of options out there for marketing and promoting our work, for the purpose of today, I’m covering perhaps one of the easiest to start. Newsletters. 

Newsletters are among one of the quickest and most cost-effective methods an author has at their disposal to begin building a list of readers who are inclined to buy their books. With a number of options out there, an author can start one for nothing. They can build a list and expand with relative ease. Still, having the newsletter is only the first step and is not an instant return. When developing your newsletter we must keep in mind it does not bear fruit immediately, but needs to be tended and worked at to see success. Growing your list is like any other endeavor one undertakes...it takes dedication, determination, and time. 

So what do you, the author, need to focus on when looking at the idea of creating a newsletter? 

Well, firstly what is the purpose of your newsletter. If you do not have a clear plan in mind of what your purpose is, then you will struggle. Personal experience has shown without an idea of what I am aiming for with my newsletter, I floundered and it became a task I hated. 

What if my sole purpose of having the newsletter is simply to sell my books?  Then you may find yourself rather disappointed when it comes to reading the reports and seeing who you retain on your newsletter subscription list. Content is one of the key ingredients in producing a newsletter readers will open, read, and click through. 

Content. What do you put into the newsletter? This is one of the hardest aspects I find, outside of actually connecting to followers. What should one put in their newsletter? This is a question with  a number of answers, and the right answer varies depending on what the aim of your newsletter is. I have found pumping the newsletter full of self-promotion and pushy sales information works against me. So I took a more personal approach when it comes to putting my newsletter together. I asked myself what I would like to see in a newsletter, and the answer was simple. Yes, I want to see more about the author’s work, what’s new, what’s due to release, what’s on sale...but I also want to see more. Within the newsletter I want to be able to get a sense of being able to connect with the author. See them as a person rather than their books. So including information which is personal is important.

When I say personal information I mean, details which connect you with your followers.One thing to avoid is becoming political, your newsletter is not the place for that. This allows your readers to make a connection with you and makes you far more approachable and recognizable. It's not recommended you go into too much personal detail, allow yourself some privacy. You want to ultimately offer information which keeps your reader engaged and connected while affording you an ability to reach them and generate sales.

Being consistent is the next best advice I can offer. Regardless if you have one subscriber or a thousand, posting the newsletter on a clear schedule, creates a sense of expectancy from your followers. Perhaps, you're thinking, I haven't got that much to say for a newsletter. Even if you don't have anything pertaining to your work, there are other ways in which to fill the newsletter. You can spotlight other authors, cover artists, a publisher, even a character. You could engage the reader with other tidbits such as a recipe, seasonal information, or something about your likes or hobbies. Doing this engages the reader on a deeper level than "Buy my Book". It's a way for your reader to connect with you on a personal level, and makes them feel more important. Also you do not have to release a newsletter weekly or even monthly, you can do a quarterly newsletter when you feel you have enough information to satisfy your readers, with minor updates or announcements in between. 

When you're looking at doing up a newsletter, don't be easily discouraged. You won't have thousands of followers immediately, but you can build your list using newsletter swaps, cross-promotion, and offering 'sneak peaks' on social media. It's about engagement and visibility, and focusing on informing your followers and attracting new ones. Be prepared to put out a number of newsletters with little response, or no opens or clicks. This is, while frustrating and depressing, in all honesty, normal and once you are more established you will learn what your readers want to read in your newsletter. Personally,  I put out my newsletters with the mindset I've got tons of readers, even if I don't. This helps to keep the motivation to do the newsletters. 

Next when you’re ready to put out your first newsletter, it's vital to find the right program for you. There are a lot of newsletter programs out which range from free to expensive. In this post, I'll touch on the ones I've used in the past and continue to do so. Let's start with the easiest and cheapest.

Email: If you have a sign-up sheet or something similar you've amassed, you can do a basic email newsletter with ease. It is in my experience a basic, clean look with only the limitations of your provider to act as a guide. Google is an ok option to do this, you can create your sign up form, database, and newsletter all in one place. It's as simple as opening a new page, and is directly connected to your email. This also allows you to plan and track your newsletter through scheduling to release because there’s a handy calendar feature available to you. Highly recommend this one if you’re looking for a simple, clean looking newsletter without getting too technical.

However, Gmail does have some limitations which can result in frustration for yourself as well as your readers. Because of the way it is set up, there is a cap on the number of emails one can send out in mass in a day. This does not mean you can send out the max amount of emailed newsletters and then continue to use your gmail. No, once you hit your cap, then the account is unable to send out another email for a full 24 hours. This means if your list is larger than 500 you’re going to run into problems. 

As well, you may find the newsletter is not going to the inbox of the subscribers but rather to the spam folder. This can lead to another set of problems with regards to your gmail account. Under their guidelines, Google can and will suspend your account if you violate the deliverability standards. I’ll include a link in the description box for you to follow up on. 

Gmail can be useful in a sense if you’re just starting out with only a few email subscribers, or if you want to use Google Docs as a means of collecting the data you need, but in the long term, it is perhaps not the most viable option. 

Third Party Newsletter Platforms: Depending on what you use for a website there are built-ins features that can create a beautiful email campaign. Free, quick, easy. and readily accessible. There is no coding required. I know with several of the hosts they do have the bonus of having newsletter platforms attached to them you can use if you are a member of their hosting clients. It's always best to check with your hosting platform to see. 

If you feel the need to expand your search and want to get started with easy to use software which is readily available to you, I have compiled a list of a few for you. 

Mailchimp. It offers me the development I want/need and has various levels of service ranging from free to full service depending on the number of subscribers you have. The free one has some limits and you can have up to 2000 subscribers, but if you're just starting it is an excellent program to use. It offers a wide variety of options, from landing pages, to segmentation of your newsletter followers, to integration with your wordpress website. It is also incredibly easy to use and while the limits on the free program are there, you are able to adjust and grow your list. There are a number of options as well for linking to your social media and direct posting. The sign up and pop up options are easy to design and post to a website. 

Constant Contact is one of the highest ranking newsletter platforms. It offers a variety of options including free images, segmentation of your lists, tracking and data regarding clicks and opens. It does, however, have a fee, but it may be worth it to get it set up and organized. There are also social media options where you can use these to generate posts for social media and thus gain further exposure and possible leads . It is a key factor in today’s search for leads and new subscribers. 

Another excellent factor in Constant Contact’s favor is it is Wordpress friendly. If you use Wordpress for your website or blog then it’s important to have a newsletter provider which works with your platform. 

If you’re looking for a free option to help your budget then one of the platforms I researched which had some good feedback and reviews would be SendinBlue. There are some limitations, but having upto 300 Emails a day can be a good thing if you’re looking to send out in bulk. For those who are interested, I’ll have the links to these platforms in the description box.

ConvertIn is another option, which looks good. It offers a wide variety of options even under the free plan. There is a paid plan, which is based on the number of your subscribers. However, if you’re looking to just get started on building then this will work for you. 

Regardless of how you do a newsletter, the value is putting one out. The return on investment for your time and energy is ultimately going to be invaluable when you have readers who wait for the next book to come out to snap it up...and thus tell others who can potentially become followers and fans. 

If you haven’t already thought about it, I would suggest thinking about a newsletter. Their relevance in today’s industry is understated but necessary. The hard work put into them will pay off in time and if you create a consistent, streamlined newsletter platform you will find it doesn’t take as much time as you think and provides a return on investment which is well worth the effort. 

I hope you’ve found this helpful. Thank you for joining me today, if you haven’t already done so, please click on the follow or subscribe button so you never miss an upcoming episode. 

My Nanowrimo this year

October is slowly ticking away as I prepare for Nanowrimo. For those who are unfamiliar with this wonderful annual event - it is a challenge. The concept is scarily simple - write a 50k novel in one month, this works out to 1,666 words per day for thirty days.

Lets be realistic though. Is your real life and maintaining your health during this challenge going to allow for you to write 1,600+ words per day? Probably not. From past events, I have found its often best to give yourself few days to write say twenty-five of them to write and recalibrate your numbers to best suit the new data. This allows you to have days where you may not even get on to write in the novel because of outside forces.

So with such thoughts in mind, this year I am aiming to write 50,000 plus words in the space of twenty-five days. Can I do 2k a day? I have done so in the past. There are factors which must be taken into consideration for me to ensure success on this project. Firstly, I need to have my notes, research, world built as best as I can before November 1. This will ensure I am able to simply able to sit down and allow the story to carry me away.

And what am I writing this year?

I am extremely excited to return to my historical romance roots. I will be writing a Celtic romance set in early 6 or 7th century Ireland. Sounds daunting I know but I have been researching the topic for the past couple of years. Learning all I could about the history of Ireland specifically, and reading titles featuring the era I'm looking at. I've also had some help with an friend who used to work at a Library and who is Irish!

I haven't titled the work other than "Celtic Romance" but it is the story of two young people who are from clans who are bitter enemies. The heroine is a strong willed, opiniated woman who is used to standing on her own two feet. She is the youngest of thirteen children with only one boy - who is her twin and ten minutes older. The hero is a minor chieftain - his uncle is the high king of their clan who has to find out what happened to his younger cousin. When the heroine's brother and the hero's cousin vanish it puts warring clans at odds and on the brink of war.

The truth however, is far more dangerous to the kings because it has far reaching consequences. Its also the second story playing out within the novel - but in the background. Amid treachory, youthful inpulsiveness, and forbidden love, the hero and heroine will have to find a way to stop their families from going to war - and stop those who would use their hostilities to seize power.

Research is invaluable in writing a novel such as this for a couple of reasons. I find inacuracies affect the story - for example if you're reading something about Elizabethan England and there's details from the Victorian era it makes one stumble. As well, have the mixture of details can make a reader question the author or editor of the piece even if they don't realize it. I'm not critisizing anyone, this is simply my opinion and why I am so criticial of my own researching ability.

But it definitely means I need to ensure my accuracy when I'm writing a period novel.

With my plans for Nano this year, I've dug out my workbook I created and am updating for patrons (It will be available later this month with a pledge for Distinct Author's Patreon! )

It's something I use when I'm short on time and need to keep track of things. It has multiple sections, pages, for everything from the correct spelling of names - with meanings - to space for cultural trivia, recipes, fabrics, and more. My workbook is formatted so you can print it off and tack it up to a work board, or manipulate it to show the high points or specific details you really need to keep at the forefront of your mind. I like to think its a handy tool to use with your plotting (if you plot) and handy if you're a pantser because you can do all your note take, research etc and have it in one place.
As well, there's a spot to put links and list your sources of historical details - you never know when someone is going to question where you got your details from. 

Negative Reviews and how to deal with them.

I'm certain we've all gotten a negative review. The one-star review or a review where your book is literally torn to pieces leaving you ragged and raw. Every one of us has had to deal with such a review at one point or other in our career. It's not the review we must worry about, but how we deal with it.

Many years ago, (10 years or so) I got some amazing advice from my publisher at the time. She told me to consider how my life had altered and for me to consider what it meant to have a book on the market. For better or worse, I was a public figure, even if it was only to a select group of people. What I did was being watched closely.

Her words ring true even now after she's retired and I'm working on book number...thirteen or so. In some ways, my life altered with the first contract, in other ways, it's still the same. For me, the biggest difference is how much thought I have to put into what I say online.

Okay, I can hear you say, "Nonsense, what could possibly have changed?"

Well for starters, I had to be aware of getting into controversial arguments on social media. Not that I was into them, to begin with, but I've seen some authors who have lost their s**t over a bad review, or some percieved personal attack. I'm all for defending one's self, especially in light of some of the negatives out there such as Piracy but that's another topic for another day.

Reviews are a keystone for authors, you need them to create sales. Unfortunately, you need sales to get reviews. It becomes an endless cycle of hope and prayer, lol. But let's get back to the topic - I meandered away there, my apologies. We write this book, pour our sweat, blood, and tears into it. It becomes a living entity to us. After weeks, months even, of work, it's published and on the market. And we want people to love it, but you check and see a *gasp* review. Reading it, the anger rolls, steam's bursting from your ears, and you're ready to throw the laptop out the window.

How dare someone tear it apart? What do they mean giving it a single star?

Guess what, it happens.

The way we handle it will set the tone for ourselves and our reputation as authors. No, you don't toss out the laptop or break things. It won't change anything, and you'll have to clean up the mess. Instead, take it for what it's worth. A review is a reader's opinion, and there is very little likelihood you're going to satisfy every person who picks up your novel.

So we have to balance it out. Yes, a negative review sucks, but if we expend all our energy on that one review - what's left. In my experience, and I make no implication I'm speaking for anyone else, the best way to deal with the negative review is to pick it apart. What is the reader telling me? Was there some plot hole which I didn't see and it pulled the reader from the book? Maybe it was pacing? Is there a kernel of information within the review I can use?

If you can answer any of these questions positively, then I would say make this a positive review.
One thing an author should never do is attack the person leaving the review. If you want to lose any credibility, or gain a bad reputation then engage in an all out troll war.

Now, if there is no way to look at the review in a positive light for whatever reason, then just getting passed the review is your only option.

Put your energy into a more positive endeavour such as writing. There is never going to be a day when you will please every person who reads your book. And it's been proven, bad publicity can work in your favour. Keep in mind, reviews are opinions, and trying to force, cajole, or otherwise please everyone so you get nothing but 5 star reviews will ultimately hurt you when you suffer burnout.

Nanowrimo? Is it for me?

It is officially Pre-Nanowrimo month!

What does this mean? For a number of people - me included - this is the month where we get ourselves prepared for the challenge of November. For myself, its figuring out what I'm going to write during the month long writing challenge of Nanowrimo. I'm still considering what it will be as I'm going to be tackling more than one project.

My first project will be one for me, Elise Whyles, which means it'll probably be a contemporary or fantasy/paranormal novel. I do have an idea hanging around, circling me like a shark, just waiting for the right time to snap its massive jaws into my tush.

The second project will be one a little different. I've (as Patricia Bates) have spoken to one of my publishers and we're going to be doing some revamping of some of my historical romances. To follow this up, I'm going to be writing a historical romance. I have an idea for the novel, which means research is going to be my main goal in the next few weeks.

There are a lot of authors I know who take part in the yearly challenge and there have been some great works come out of it. But is it for everyone? Personally, I would say its for everyone who wants to write, but there are things to consider to ensure success.

What do I mean? Do I lose if I don't finish the novel? The measure of success is within your mind, if you start off with the idea to get a book plotted out and research started and only get five thousand words done, who am I to say you aren't successful.

I measure it in the number of goals you manage to complete.

For me, I have two main goals for November:

1. Finish the first draft of the manuscripts I'm working on for the month.

2. Forgive myself if I don't get as much done as I want.

If I can do both of those things by December 1, 2019 I figure I'm ahead of myself.

So are you going to take part in November's challenge? Let me know, I'd love to hear about your progress and if you took part!

Success comes in many forms

I have often sat and wondered just what success meant.  Can I define what it means to me? Was it the balance in my bank account? Or maybe the number of followers I have? Perhaps it is something else, maybe something someone has done better at than I? To see if it was within my grasp, I first needed to define it, and to do so, I had to truly look at more than the dictionary's definition.

Recognizing how you identify success is extremely important. If you don't know what success looks like, how will you know it when you see it?  This leads into the big question: What is success to you?

If we compare our success against another person who has made more money or is better recognized, how can we really measure our success. Which is not to say we should discount those who have gained more than we have. It's human nature to feel some emotional response to another's success. Be it jealousy, anger, or joy, it impacts our ability to see our own place within the spectrum.

The answer to this question is intensely personal. At least for me it is.

My measure of success is different than my neighbors.
And that's how it should be. It's very likely two people have the same goal, or goals. What's unlikely, is if they're going to do the same in the pursuit of those goals. It is only when you get down to it that you see the differences. Like the murky waters of a lake, what lies beneath the surface is where the action is.

So what do I aim to acheive within my writing career?

Thinking big, as if I had the world at my fingertips, my successful achievement would be to see my books on the NY Times best seller list for weeks and royalty cheques  in the seven or eight digits.

Pretty lofty, isn't it?

Perhaps. If I'm honest with myself  (and that's the key here) my success is not obtainable. It is. But if I sit down and really study what I'm wanting, then it means I have to look at the whole picture, not simply the royalty cheques, or the rave reviews. But I also have to look at the road to reach said goal, then it can be overwhelming and I am ultimately setting myself up for failure.

I was read the way to eat a bear was one bite at a time. The anology works. There isn't anything you can't do if you take it step by step. Having the drive to do it, and the will to overcome the negative energy, the self-doubt, the fear, is what is needed.

So if I look at my goal of NY Times Best Seller List, then to ensure success I have to break it down.

1. Setting Realistic Goals for myself.
2. Making them clear and concise.
3. I need to be honest with myself, and accountable.
4. The goals must be trackable.

Breaking my ideal success story into smaller, more easily managed bites, ensures, I don't end up on a sinking boat in the middle of shark infested waters with no lifejacket.  How much success I get will be determined by the amount of work I put in...and if the end goal stands when I get closer to it. What do you think? What does it mean to you to be a success.

Setting unrealistic goals and the painful consequences thereof

I'd be the first to admit I've put a lot of effort into building my career under my pen name, focusing on the genres I was exploring. But, my love of historical romance has been calling to me, with increased volume in recent months. After some time off, I'm jumping back into writing. A little over a year ago I started a new Celtic romance I found myself loving...but have since benched until I can rewrite it.

Currently, I'm working on a Roman era romance which is a lot of fun to write. I had a goal for it - which I think was unobtainable. I figured, 2500-3000 words per day, I'd have it up to 75k in no time. Real life, however, slipped my mind.

How can I truly reach those word counts without sacrificing something else? What would I give up to ensure my goals were reached and I felt successful?

Should I ignore my family? My obligations such as housework, appointments? Promotion and networking with friends? Imagine my horror as I realized not only were my goals beyond my reach, but to get them I was doing the one thing I never wanted to do. So, I sat back, did some serious thinking - and it was painful.

Knowing I wouldn't make the deadlines I set for myself, the word count, was discouraging. Took the wind out of my sails so to speak. Being honest with myself, I can admit I forgot to take the right steps. To know my limits and to push the boundaries only within the realm I could accept is a fact I ignored in the hope I reach the ending I wanted and submit to the publisher I wanted to - without realizing if I rushed myself, the work would have been mediocre at best, and probably would not have been accepted.

How did I overcome this emotionally draining challenge? I took a look at what I wanted vs what I needed.

What I needed outweighed what I wanted in the long run. I need to finish my book, need to be happy with it, need to be confident in it. Wanting to get it done before September 15 and submitted to a publisher - was a great idea, if the word count hadn't been so high. If I hadn't set myself up for the painful and crushing defeat of failure...which ultimately isn't failure.

Did I complete the project and get it in by September 15? No.

Am I happy with myself for missing that deadline? No, but I am not blaming myself, or shaming myself for not being able to do it. Instead, I'm looking at it as a learning experience. I've stepped back and decided I need to focus on what's important to me.

1. Getting a new title finished and ready for publication.

2. Finding a publisher the story and I fit with.

3. Reconnecting with the love of writing and knowing goals are the stepping stones to the dreams we hold.

As an author, there will always be a measure of panic when it comes to writing. It should not be because you've set yourself up to fail. If I have taken anything from this its simple, reaching for the stars is great...but not if you're willing to burn the very earth you stand on.