Okay, now I’m asking about newsletters, the kind that land in your inbox on a regular basis, maybe monthly. You know the sort - usually a Yahoo group you subscribe to. Your comments on the Great Bookmark Debate and the Care and Feeding of Books were incredibly helpful, so I thought I’d ask for your opinion again.
Lots of writers have newsletters, me included. They vary enormously, in content, in intent and in regularity. Mine’s here. If you’re curious but don’t want to commit, by all means subscribe, have a look and then unsubscribe. I’ll understand. Just ignore the pathetic farewell message. It’s designed to make you feel guilty. heh heh
All I know is that it takes a lot of time and energy for me to put my newsletter together, time I carve out from my other writing obligations, my family and my day job. Don’t get me wrong, I purely love doing it, but sometimes I wonder if it’s worth the hours I put in. Mine is announcement only, so it’s not a discussion loop in any sense, but I really do think of my newsletter readers as a kind of extended family. They’re very special to me.
So first - do you actually read the things? Perhaps you skim. ‘Fess up!
If you do read, beginning to end, what is it that gets you in? What makes you smile with anticipation when you see an author’s newsletter in your inbox?
Conversely, what turns you off? What doesn’t work? Hoo boy, I really want to know about this one!
Here’s a list of features to get you started. What works for you? Anything else you’d like to suggest? What sort of tone do you like?
- Sneak previews of upcoming books, excerpts
- Contests
- Freebies - like stories, or podcasts, or giveaways
- Personal info (but not too personal) about the author, some insight into their life/personality
- Photos of the author/family/holidays
- Photos of gorgeous men
- Book or movie reviews
- Articles and info about how to write/get published
- Exclusive rewards - eg special stories, pictures
- Being the first to know
- Regular features - eg a story, or a FAQ spot.
- Reviews of the author’s books
Would you prefer?
- A regular newsletter, say monthly
- A newsletter more like an occasional update, when there’s something important to say
- A blog, no newsletter
When I launched my newsletter, it was months ahead of the release date for my first book, GIFT OF THE GODDESS. I didn’t have anything to offer readers except entertainment. I certainly couldn’t afford to be handing out too many contest prizes. (I still can’t.) So I started a very silly, very sexy story.
Every month, I write a chapter of that ongoing story. The current one is called Rackety Kate and the Pirates. I’ve already finished The Amorous Adventures of Alice. Alice turned out to be the size of a decent novella, 30,000 words. Those are words I could have sold to a publisher, but I didn’t. I gave them away. Kate is meandering along the same way.
I try to make the story interactive by involving readers, asking them to vote on what happens next, or getting them to suggest a plot twist or a name for something. I leave every chapter dangling, like the Perils of Pauline. I don’t just write the thing off the cuff -I try to be funny, I try to be erotic. It takes time and concentration, not easy when I’m on a deadline.
I’ve also written an Epilogue for STRONGMAN, in which Griff turns the tables on Fort and thereby achieves his heart’s desire. I’m going to offer it exclusively to my newsgroup, a reward for loyalty and an inducement for new folk to sign up. Of course, they could bail out straight after they’ve read, but I have to gamble they’ll be entertained enough to stay.
Lora Leigh has over 60,000 people in her newsgroup. I think I have a way to go!
So, what do you think of author newsletters? Hmm? Am I wasting my time?
Not much time left! One lucky commenter in June will win an autographed copy of A Red Hot New Year, four sizzling stories to ring in the New Year, including my contribution, Coming on Strong!
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Hey there Denise,
Thanks for having this discussion. I would prefer monthly, regular newsletters. I already subscribe to several and like the reminder and the ‘fun’ email showing up. I like updates about forthcoming books, writers or readers tips, pics of sexy men, book reviews, publishers sites reviews, regular features, and reviews of the authors books. I’d also like info on the e book industry / phenomenon (facts, stats, latest info. Reading the newsletter depends entirely on the days following its arrival. If its slow at work, the thing gets read start to finish. If I’m busy, it’ll get deleted after a week with the in box clean out. I would also like a teaser to make me go to your site.
I subscribed to your newsletter tonight.
Thanks
Barbra Novac
http://www.barbranovac.com
http://blog.barbranovac.com
Wow, Barbra, welcome and thanks! Your comments are so comprehensive and useful. And yes, I do try to have teasers.
And thanks for subscribing, but what you’ve actually signed up for is this blog, NOT my newsletter, which is a separate animal and lives here - http://groups.yahoo.com/subscribe/deniserossetti
You’re so very welcome at both, of course!
Hi, Denise - in me you have the exact opposite of Barbara and many, many others I believe. I don’t want to go as far as to say I hate newsletters, but I do have a distinct aversion to them. Don’t know why. Since you so kindly invited responses, I’ll speak my mind of what does NOT work for me on any author’s loop:
- newsletters only clogg my mailbox
(I go to author’s&publisher’s website to browse what the author’s written and for that all I need is the author’s website - usually found as email signature and any advertisements the author may have - I do tend to look at those link-wise; mostly I trust the author on the ‘link’ issue having integrity)
- I absolutely have no need (hate) to see tons of recipes scrolling through my writer’s yahoo mail
(it’s nice to share and I can see the intentions…but please, I joined the loop as a writer, not the rest that I am - eg. cook, maid, chauffeur, personal trainer, personal assistant, coach, therapist, social worker, etc, etc ad nauseum. We’re all family people so…on the boards I am a writer and I joined the group to share or listen to issues concerning writing, marketing etc.)
- I absolutely hate (I freebly confess) to have my writing yahoo groups clogged with medical reports
and health reports by members, on their ailments and everyone else’s in the family. I’m not heartless, and I understand that sharing one’s fears and apprehensions about medical procedures pending will lessen them… but the loops represent themselves a writers’ loops and I really don’twant to keep reading about the results of tests, biopsies and other health stuff.
- I hate receiving those HUUUGE pop-in advertisements in color from various publishing houses. They usually contain nothing more than cover art and a buy link. I’ve long learned that cover art is important but I need to READ the storyline - for its cohesiveness, structure, and generaly delivery to buy the product. I’ve bought too many products from pix alone only to abandon them after page2 because I’d run out of breath or turn blue in the face after reading one sentence - and the product would be filled with such mega sentences.
- Of all the things you put down on your list, there is only one I will read - AUTHOR’S REVIEWS
for any given book - upcoming, existing or resurfacing from archives. There is a WAY to read reviews and there is a WAY - there are many splendid and brilliant reviewers out there; people who know the WEIGHT of the word, where it weighs-in, where it lifts, where it hammers…having spend some time in corporate law, I can often read ‘between-the-lines’ and get a very good picture of the novel.
And lastly, Denise, I’d like you to know that I chose to respond here solely because…I RECOGNIZED YOUR NAME. I LOVED your “Tailspin” - I thought characters of Fledge and Mirry were exceptionally well drawn and I very much like your writing style - your prose is clipped where it needs to be and you have the gift of “showing” with just a single right word. You have a super story in each of your novels. Something that’s increasingly hard to come by today…and don’t crucify me for saying this but I can’t tell you how many times I bought a book on Amazon.com and that’s $20+ expenditure for me, only to groan after chapter one when the promising story (pages 1-5 given as excerpts) petered out. By chapter two the book would join its mates in a carton box. (I never throw out books; whether I like them or not) I’ve “bandied about” your name to many other writers, on my loops, and if memory serves, I even mentioned you (Tailspin in particular) as an example of…something to my group members of the Internet Writing Workshop (IWW) - been a member for nearly a decade. Of course those folks are mostly literary so I had to “angle” it just right but I remember writing a piece…for their blog, I think, and you as a writer were the foremost on my mind. Anyway, you’re my colleague with Ellora’s/Cerridwen - sinc emy 1st novel’s coming out (July
with Cerridwen - it’s in the mainstream line - but my next option will be erotica and in Ellora’s corner. Thanks for the op to get some things off my chest - it certainly wasn’t venting; just plain delivery of what works for me and what doesn’t. Best to you - Denise - Edita.
http://www.editapetrick.net
http://knotsinromance.blogspot.com
I enjoy getting newsletters I do read them most of the time from start to finish I will skim sometimes and I love reading excerpts and stories and hearing what is going on If I am really busy I will put it into my file and read it later when I have time I do delete them when I have finished reading them. I get a lot of newsletters from lots of authors and I love the fact that they keep me up to date on new releases and all the happenings.
I do enjoy yours and the stories that you put in I say thank you for your time and effort to keep us up to date.
Have Fun
Helen
I have to admit that I rarely read newsletters these days. I’m a ‘hot & cold’ person. If I’m right into something I’ll read it, if I’m on a new tangent then I’m less likely to. So I’m probably not the best person to ask LOL! I think for everyone’s sake it’s best to keep it simple. A quick what you’ve been up to, what’s coming up, exerts, news and maybe even a review of some other authors would be good.
I think my problem of late is that I’m surrounded by Erotic Romance authors, yet I find the hard core Erotic writing a bit too much for my personal tastes (not so much the sex but the language used to describe it - I’m sorry but c*nt is the equivalent of a cold shower for me). So I tend to be less interested in reviews and exerts.
But despite my personal tastes, I can imagine that a newsletter is extremely time consuming - I honestly don’t know how you do it as well as write and maintain blogs and websites AND have a family life as well. I find it hard just concentrating on covers as I get sidetracked very easily. Too many blogs and forums and chats to cover LOL!
I am much more of a lurker than a commenter when it comes to blogs, but I would like to comment on this one. Please continue writing your newsletters a) I love to read excerpts from upcoming books and b) I love your free stories. I read to fast for my pocket book, so I latch on to any free stories that I can find online. I found your books before I found your website and newsletters, but I have definitely have chosen to read (or not read) books after visiting an author’s free stories. Thank you for taking the time to write them, I really do appreciate it.
I’m glad you asked this question Denise. As an author I’m always looking for the best way to reach out to readers besides my books. Of course a newsletter has been right up there, but I haven’t taken the plunge. I appreciate the honesty of readers here on your blog.
Still thinking on this …
I enjoy monthly newsletters with pics, book and movie talk (including your own books and other book/movie suggestions), fun stuff. Don’t necessarily want recipes, excerpts (can look them up), writer stuff (ditto, can look them up), free stories, etc. You might pop a link into that sort of thing instead? I read everything quickly when it comes in, then hit the links if I want to go further. Don’t want health info, family photos etc (perhaps pop them under personal stuff on your webpage with a link?) unless I know the person doing the newsletter. I like fun stuff and chatty book stuff the most.
Edita, your comment comes as quite a relief - thanks for being so frank! And thank Lufra, there’s things on your list I actually don’t do.
I’m a lousy cook, so recipes bore me and so does moaning, no matter how well justified. It’s genuinely useful to see what’s irritating, so I can avoid it like the plague.
The bottom line for me as a writer of genre fiction, is that I’m in the entertainment industry. That’s all there is, really. Everything I do for readers should be engaging, including the newsletter.
As for your continued disappointment with promising books, I am absolutely with you! You should read this post, where I bemoaned the fact that I’m such a Picky Bitch that I can hardly read anything any more. http://www.deniserossetti.com/blog/2008/05/08/meet-the-picky-bitch/ As a consequence, I’m a great patron of libraries, brilliant institutions they are. If an author makes it past the “first book from the library” test alive, I’ll buy their work. Books are dreadfully expensive here in Oz, A$30.00 for a trade paperback. Infuriating if you discover you’ve bought a squib.
And also, I am so very chuffed by your feedback on TAILSPIN. Name recognition, hmm?
Yay! And coming from you, I value the comments even more. I always “have” to have an adventure of some kind going on, I can’t write a purely “relationship” novel, though I respect the hell out of those who can. I’m infinitely grateful that you’ve mentioned my work to others. In the final analysis, nothing beats “word of mouth” marketing.
Finally - CONGRATULATIONS on your upcoming book with Cerridwen. That is sooo cool.
I’ve been very pleased with Ellora’s Cave. Enjoy every moment!
Helen, it’s so good to know you enjoy my newsletter.
Sometimes I feel as though I send it out into a vacuum. One of the reasons I have the Yahoo polls for what should happen next with Rackety Kate is so I’ll know someone’s reading it!
You’re recommending the KISS principle, Lyn? Fair enough! I know I tend to blather on. Have to be stern with myself.
And although what I write is pretty graphic, I hear you on the use of the “c” word. It’s ugly, isn’t it? I have to say, I find all slang words for female genitalia offensive on some level, either twee or crude. As I’ve written more and more erotic romance, I find myself avoiding the use of them entirely. It’s perfectly possible and it doesn’t reduce the heat one iota!
Emma Holly, for example, doesn’t use those words either. If I do use them, it’s always in the man’s thoughts.
Hi Calluna, so glad you’ve decided to de-lurk! Welcome!
Thanks so much for the vote of confidence - someone is reading, yay!
Personally, I love a free story, because nothing can give me a better idea of whether I’m going to enjoy that author’s work. Excerpts can be deceptive - as I’ve found to my cost, dammit! 
*sigh*
Hi there, Nina, my friend! Yes, it’s most definitely a commitment, so think carefully. People come to have expectations. I’ve always managed to get my newsletter out, more or less on time - except for when I hurt my back. I was just putting the finishing touches to the current issue, about a week late, when I received an email from a reader wanting to know where it was, thank you very much! I was sooo pleased! Someone had noticed and cared enough to fire off an email.
Now, your comments are very interesting, Malvina… Your suggestion is to give the reader the choice of what she wants to pursue by providing links. Thereby keeping the newsletter itself short.
I do insert links, quite often, but I also include the excerpts and the chapter of Rackety Kate in their entirety. My reasoning has always been to put the words right under your nose and hopefully, catch your attention so that you’ll keep reading. It’s easier too, one less click. Hmmm…
Hey Denise,
I have to admit I love newsletters. I have a crazy life and I like to keep up on authors but I don’t have time to hit the authors websites/blogs all the time so a newsletter shows up in my inbox and I can read it when I have a little down time. I do read them, maybe not the minute it shows up but I try to clean out the inbox fairly regularly and check things out.
I’m glad you picked this topic to blog about too, Denise. I’m a busy author and realized long ago I’d have to pick and choose what promo I’d spend precious time on. Thus, I’ve decided to do what I think might be useful as long as it’s fun. Re: newletters. I only send one out when I have a new release. I include reviews of the last release (in case a reader put it on their maybe TBB list but hadn’t decided to purchase yet.
I include a blurb and bookcover of the upcoming book, contest info, any career news (I have a few cousins on my list that don’t read romance but cheer me on when something wonderful happens to me.) But I haven’t included excerpts or free stories as yet. I have a free reads section on my website and usually change it out to coincide with the latest newsletter.
So, Edita, it sounds like you might enjoy my infrequent newsletters since I send only the meat of the matter–but sans recipes since I’m no domestic diva. (Or any other kind, I hope.) If I have a medical issue that affects my writing, such as last fall when I had spinal surgery and had to be flat on my back for a month, I let readers know why I would be MIA in as brief a way as possible–usually a sentence.
If people on my yahoo group have medical issues or a death in the family, of course I sympathize. I try not to use it for that purpose, though. That’s where I post pictures of hot guys (not TOO graphic) and funny stories, jokes, banter, fun links to You Tube, and naturally, excerpts and breaking career news.
Hi Nise! As a reader, I like getting just a ‘heads up, my next book is out’ sort of newsletter, unless there’s added value, such as your marvelous Rackety Kate series.
If anyone hasn’t signed up for Denise’s newsletter, do it! Now! It’s fabulous fiction for free!
Actually, yours is the only newsletter I read from ‘cover to cover’, Denise.
Oh Denise, I have to say, I am not good with newsletters. I am signed up for yours, but only occasionally read it. I think the problem is that I have to cope with so much email for work and personal things that e-mail becomes something that has to be got through. I love a heads-up about a new book, or a link to a story, but reading the whole thing: when going through my e-mail is not the right time. I like a blog or a web-site because I can visit them when I want to learn about what is going on with my favourite authors and have the time to do so (which is quite often but almost always at the end of the day). I have such sites on my favourites under Authors and Blogs respectively. For a while I used to tick on the “notify me of followup comments via e-mail” button, but found too many things clogging my inbox. So for me probably a waste of time. Exception: I did like the extended excerpt of your latest book that was included in the newsletter and went back to read it twice. But I was already on edge waiting to purchase it. I find, like others here, that I am inundated with information and would rather look into things and follow them up in my own sweet time. Plus series (however well done) I lose interest in. I like to keep my momentum going, so I am much more likely to read it all together when finished - which obviates the need for it, I’m afraid. I’d rather have a free short story once a year, or something like that (I’m not asking for much, am I?)
I like your newsletter Denise and I read all of it. It’s the perfect combo of everything I want to see. I like the newsletters that I get from some of the authors, but others have recipes and other things that I care not to see. I usually just stop getting the newsletter all together after the second one if it doesn’t interest me. I figure for that I can just check the website periodically for the info that I want, but that has drawbacks too because sometimes the author doesn’t update their websites like they do their newsletters or even their blogs.
Ah, Renee. That’s very reassuring. Thanks. I actively enjoy email. What I like is that it sits and waits in your inbox until you’re ready for it. Nice.
Hi Ashlyn, and welcome! Looks like you and Edita see pretty well eye to eye. Part of my problem is that I’m quite a sloooow writer. I wish I had a book coming out every couple of months, but I don’t. If I waited for interesting developments, my newsletters would be so far apart, people would forget all about me. *sigh*
I love the idea of your cheer squad of cousins! Gorgeous!
Hiya Christine. I’m so glad you read my newsletter all the way through, because there’ll be a pop quiz at our next crit session!
Hey! That will be in San Francisco. W00t!
BTW, how is poor Lady Kate? Has she snuck out past Sven yet? LOL
Susan, thanks for the input. It all seems to come down to a person’s personal preferences and situation. Which is, of course, a problem. *sigh* You work to your own system and it obviously is right for you.
At least I always put a table of contents up front, so you can skim for anything of interest. As for preferring completed stories, there’s always The Amorous Adventures of Alice, all of it. As a newsletter reader, you can get it as a proper ebook all by itself - the link is at the end of every newsletter. Or it’s on the web for everyone else in three hits.
Yay, Dani! That’s good news! You’re right though, there are other ways to keep up to date with an author. Mind you, keeping it all current - the website, the blog, the MySpace, the Facebook etc - is a real nightmare. I concentrate on the first three. After all, I have to have time to write the damn books!
It’s a bit scary how easy it is to lose readers’ attention. Which is why I guess I’m asking these questions. Thanks Dani.
I have just recently joined. But the few I have received I have loved. I like excerpts, release dates, what you’re working on, things to look forward to, & yes contests. I keep an excel spreadsheet for my wish/must have list with books already out + release dates for upcoming books, especially the ones in a series. This way I make a point to either be at the bookstore in person for paperbacks or online on release dates. However, a newsletter for as needed information or as it comes up is fine instead of a monthly. I personally would rather have more books from you.
Thank you,
Susan
Wow, Susan, you’re an organised body! So glad you’re enjoying the newsletters, that’s good to know. And I do have contests, every now and then. And of course, there’s a contest on this blog - which reminds me, must get My Beloved to choose a winner.
And yes, I’d rather I was writing more books too. *sigh* It’s a Catch 22. Have to write the books so as to have something to promote. Have to promote so readers know my name and pick up the impression I’m a good read. And with all that, every author has to produce the best quality work she’s capable of - every single time. You’re only as good as your last book.
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