We talked about several ideas for what you could put in your newsletter, but maybe you’re not even sure you should start one. Especially if you aren’t published yet. Maybe you’re thinking that newsletters are only for published authors that already have big audiences.

They’re not. In fact, before you’re published is the best time to start your newsletter for three reasons.

1. Get a Jump Start on Building Your Audience

Let’s pretend you’re opening up a small shop to sell tea kettles. One day you’re busy working in your store, getting it ready to open to the public. The door opens and a man walks in.

“I was walking by and saw your shop. Do you sell tea kettles?”

“Not yet,” you say. “But I will be soon.”

“Soon? Do you know when?”

You hesitate. The tea kettle business is fickle and you don’t know when you’ll actually have product to sell. “I don’t have an exact date. I’m sorry. But it should be soon.”

“Well, I love the look of your shop and I’m interested in buying a tea kettle. Since I’m not in this area often, can you take my name and let me know when you are selling tea kettles so I can stop back?”

YOUR TWO OPTIONS:

“I’m sorry. I don’t have any way to write down or keep your name handy. You’ll just have to keep coming back to my shop, maybe multiple times, and one of those times I’ll be selling tea kettles.”

“Yes, I’d love to take your information. Please fill out your email address here and I’ll let you know the moment I start selling tea kettles.”

Even if you don’t have a book available for sale right now, there will be people that stop by your website that are interested in YOU. Some of those people may want to leave their email address with you so you can notify them when you do have a book available.

Are you going to turn them away because you don’t have a mailing list option on your website?

2. Get Comfortable With Your Newsletter Before You’re Famous

Sending out a newsletter isn’t a difficult process, but it can be stressful if you’re not sure what you’re doing. What do you say? How often do you send it? How will people respond to it? What if you make a mistake?

When you’re a published author and you have 5000 people on your mailing list, those fears are magnified.

But when you have five people on your list, those concerns are easily managed. You can experiment with content and frequency. You can answer replies from your readers without getting overwhelmed. You can try something new.

If you start with a small list, you’ll get familiar with the process and set up a routine for yourself. Then when you have 5000 subscribers, your newsletter will be easy to create and send. And not stressful.

3. Develop an Intimate Relationship with Your Readers

When you have a small mailing list, you can ask for feedback from your subscribers and personally answer each reply. You can get to know the people on your list and they can get to know you. Feeling that personal relationship with a writer is what prompts some readers to spread the word about that writer’s books.

Maintaining that kind of personal connection can be a lot tougher when you have a list of 5000 people. By starting now, you can develop relationships with people who will tell others about how awesome you are and, when you’re published, how awesome your books are.

You definitely need a newsletter after you’re published so you can keep readers informed about your releases, events and special promotions. But starting it before you’re published gives you a chance to get to know your readers and polish your newsletter before you’re famous.

You’ve probably heard the common advice that as a published writer you need to have a mailing list or a newsletter. (For a writer’s purpose, they’re essentially the same thing – a list of people that have voluntarily given you their email address so they can receive emails from you.)

Starting a newsletter sounds like a scary prospect. Newsletters used to be printed publications, filled with articles and ads, that had to be assembled each month and mailed on time. Sounds like a lot of work, doesn’t it? Having published my share of newsletters in the past, I can tell you they were.

It’s different today though. With Internet technologies, email and mailing list software, it is surprisingly easy to create and send a newsletter. The main point to keep in mind is WHY you’re sending a newsletter. And to figure that out, we need to focus on who is getting your newsletter and what they want from it.

Put On Your Reader Shoes

Step out of your writer shoes and into your reader shoes for a minute. As a reader, what do you want in a newsletter?

• Information about new books from your favorite authors
• Details on where you can connect with your favorite authors (book-signings, blog tours, social media sites)
• Behind-the-scenes info on your favorite books
• Referrals for great books to read

That all sounds reasonable, right? Nothing too extravagant there. As a reader you mainly want great stories and info about where to get more great stories.

Back Into Your Writer Shoes

As a writer, you can easily give your readers those things in a newsletter.

Information about new books

When you have the details of your next release, share them with your readers. Give them something to look forward to. As the date draws near, remind them about the release and give them info on where they can purchase it. You can also give them details on any release celebrations, specials or giveaways that you’re holding.

Details on where they can connect with you

If you’re active on any social media sites, have you mentioned them in your newsletter? Let your readers know what kind of information you share on the social media sites.

If you’re doing a blog tour or book signings for a new release, let your readers know in advance via your newsletter. Include the schedule and links to the sites or locations where you’ll be appearing.

If you’re participating in any kind of event on-line or off-line, tell your readers about it.

Behind-the-scenes info on your books

If readers have fallen in love with the characters or the world that you’ve created, they’ll enjoy short stories or character portraits that give them even more insights into your creations.

Share the character or location pictures you used for inspiration. Give the unknown details about a character’s life, like why she wears only a certain kind of perfume. Or why he thinks thunder is the sound of freedom.

Write a short story about a key moment from a character’s life. If it’s too long for the newsletter, provide a link to where it’s located on your website.

Referrals for great books to read

Have you read any great books in your genre lately? Tell your readers about them. It’s good karma for you to promote other writers. And it gives your readers something fantastic to read while you’re working on your next book.

But My Newsletter Will Be 10 Pages Long…

You don’t have to include all of these things in each newsletter. Nobody has time to read long emails. Keeping your newsletter short and relevant will keep your readers reading it and not just setting it aside for later.

If you’re between books, give your readers the latest information on your book releases and then include one other special item, like a referral to another book in your genre that you loved.

If you’re preparing for your release and have a lot of events going on, share them all, so your readers are fully informed.

If you’re in doubt about what to put in your newsletter, remember to look at it from the reader’s perspective. What would benefit them the most? What would they like to know?

You can’t go wrong with that.

Your Turn

As a reader, what do you like to see in an author’s newsletter? As a writer, what have you included that your readers really liked?