A guide for writers, from Litopia Writers’ Colony
Who really owns your readers?
The only readers a writer truly owns are the ones who gave an email address and said, in effect: I like you. Please tell me when there’s something new.
That list outlasts everything else that can happen in a writing life. A new publisher… no publisher… a self-published book or series… a social network that mysteriously stops showing your posts because the algorithm changes… your mailing list can survive all of these potential disasters, and it’s still yours.
It doesn’t need to be large, either. We reckon that about a thousand readers who care is enough for a writer to build a career on, and that’s a very achievable number.
Litopia Editorial, with Peter CoxUpdated
What does owning your reader mean?
It’s a phrase popularized by Litopia’s founder Peter Cox, and it simply means knowing who your readers are and how to reach them directly, without asking anyone’s permission.
In practice, that’s a mailing list: names and email addresses of people who asked to hear from you, held by a service that lets you download the whole list whenever you like, no strings attached.
Note: a social media follower count is not the same thing. The network owns the accounts, decides who sees each post, and can change its rules overnight. Rented or owned explains the difference, and When publishing changes shows why it matters most when your publishing life changes, as it invariably will.
true fans, not millions of followers
Why a thousand?
In 2008 Kevin Kelly, a founding editor of Wired, argued that a creator doesn’t need millions of fans to make a living. About a thousand true fans, people who will buy everything you produce, can be enough.
It’s one of the most useful ideas a writer can borrow, as long as the sums are done honestly.
- 1,000 True Fans explains Kelly’s idea in full.
- The arithmetic redoes his sums with real royalty rates, with a calculator for your own figures.
- Realistic goals sets out milestones from your first seven subscribers to your first thousand.
- What a true fan does shows how a small, loyal list carries a launch, and a career.
Where should you start?
Create your mailing list now, before your manuscript is finished and long before you actually need it. Half a dozen people is a list. Start before the book explains why the early start matters, and the rest of this guide covers what to send, how often, and where new subscribers come from.
Contents
Part OneWhy it matters
- Rented or ownedAre your followers really your readers?
- When publishing changesWhat happens to your readers when your publishing changes?
Part Two1,000 True Fans
- 1,000 True FansWhat is Kevin Kelly’s 1,000 True Fans?
- The arithmeticDo the 1,000 True Fans sums work for writers?
- Realistic goalsHow many subscribers should a writer aim for?
- What a true fan doesWhat do true fans do for a book?
Part ThreeBuilding the list
- The list you ownHow do you make sure your mailing list is really yours?
- Start before the bookWhen should a writer start a mailing list?
- Letters, not press releasesWhat should a writer’s newsletter actually say?
- Rhythm and the welcome emailHow often should a writer send a newsletter?
- RepliesWhy do replies matter more than opens?
Part FourFinding readers
- Where subscribers come fromWhere do new subscribers come from?
- The FediverseWhy should writers look at the Fediverse?
- FAQWhat do writers ask about owning their readers?
Who writes this guide
Litopia’s editorial team, with Peter Cox: literary agent, bestselling author and founder of Litopia.