Where do new subscribers come from?
From anywhere a reader meets your writing and wants more. The most reliable sources are the ones you control: the last page of every book, your own blog, and every talk you give. Social media and guest appearances add more, as long as each one points back to your sign-up page.
Litopia Editorial, with Peter CoxUpdated
What’s the best place for a sign-up link?
The back of your books. A reader who has just finished your book is a prime candidate. Give them a short invitation, a short link and a clear promise: “Want the true story behind the novel, and early news of the next one? Join my newsletter at…”
In an ebook, make the link clickable. In print, use an address short enough to type from memory. If you’re traditionally published, ask your editor early whether the invitation can go in the back matter.
How does a blog bring subscribers?
Slowly, then steadily. A good post can be found through search for years, and every reader who reaches its end should see an invitation to subscribe. The Author Platform® guide to blogging covers what to write and how often.
What about talks and events?
A room of people who came to hear you is the warmest audience you’ll ever have. Say the address aloud, put it on a bookmark or the last slide, or pass round a sign-up sheet. If you collect addresses by hand, send each person a confirmation and let them join for themselves.
Do guest appearances help?
Yes, when your link goes with you. A podcast interview, a guest post, a festival panel or an anthology story all introduce you to readers who’ve never heard of you, so put your sign-up link in every bio. Writers can also recommend each other’s newsletters to their own readers: share recommendations, never lists.
Can social media help?
As a doorway, yes. Put the link in your profile, invite people now and then, and share the web version of a letter you’re proud of. Talk with readers rather than at them, and invite the ones who enjoy your work. The Fediverse is a particularly good place to meet readers who’ve had enough of algorithms.
What should you offer readers to join?
A clear promise is usually enough. If you’d like to add a gift, make it something only your readers would want: a short story, a bonus chapter, a map of an invented town, a reading guide. A gift tied to your writing brings readers; a prize brings prize hunters, as Realistic goals explains.
Should you pay for subscribers?
Basically no, and never for a list. Some writers, especially self-published ones, run ads that offer a free story in return for joining. That can work, but count the cost of each subscriber who stays and reads, not each one who signs up. Buying or renting a list never works: strangers report you as spam, and that harms delivery for everyone else on it.