An Email Quick Guide for Pre-Published Indie Authors

Start your email marketing today to avoid headaches selling your books tomorrow!

It may seem old hat in a world dominated by social media trends, AI content, and flashy online ads, but email marketing is still the strongest tool for digital marketing. In their simplest form, you’re just sending updates to already interested supporters, not churning out daily social media posts and worrying about your public image.

If you’ve been in the writing space long enough, you’ve heard how important it is to have an email list. You will always own the names and people, even if you change providers (Try picking up all your Instagram followers and plopping them directly into Substack). Email also allows for more customization with how you talk to your subscribers. So many useful tools all integrate with email marketing, meaning the utility possibilities are endless.

However, all that’s a little difficult to stomach when you don’t even have a book to market. Though the best day to start is today, it feels too soon and too complicated to unravel.

But if you follow that line of thought, soon your book will be out, and you’ll have no strategy in place.

Photo by CHUTTERSNAP on Unsplash

So this article is designed specifically for the awkward marketing moment before publication. Maybe you’re still working on the first draft, but there’s more you can do than you might realize. Because you, The Author, are the most important piece of this self-publishing puzzle.

Well, the readers are clearly still important, but they wouldn’t have anything to read without you, would they?

So let’s talk about two key questions to narrow down what you can do if you’re not published yet. First, we’ll discuss where to start your email marketing, and second, what to even talk about in your newsletters.

Where should I start?

We’ll start with this baseline: You are a pre-published author with a manuscript draft in the works. Where do you start talking about your book to get people ready to buy it?

People’s first thought would be social media because of how immediate and front-facing it is, but no matter the platform, social media is actually a different piece of the marketing puzzle.

When tackling your own marketing, you need three main ingredients:

1. Your own website and domain name

2. Your own email marketing list

3. Methods to drive people to your website and list

Social media is actually in that third bucket, like spinning a sign on the side of the road to advertise a new sandwich shop. Think of platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Bluesky as interactive search engines to lead people to where the real magic happens: your email list.

The email list is where excited fans can get their first look at the new release, receive discounts and early bonuses, and have a more personal and direct line to you. Posts and replies on social media are very public, but email has the opportunity to be more personal, which is especially powerful if you are a small business.

Now, some good news. Running a website and an email list is relatively inexpensive, but as you grow, it won’t be cheap. Buying your own domain will cost from $13-20 for a whole year, and hosting that website on a server or on another platform averages around $140 a year. Considering how many useful tools require a website, it’s a worthy investment no matter what stage of your business you’re in.

(Psst, this isn’t an affiliate link, but Tertulia, an online co-op bookstore, has a simple website host made just for authors. Check them out if services like Squarespace or Wix are too complicated or expensive.)

Moving back to email, most ESPs (email service providers) charge based on how many subscribers you have. My recommendation for the best starter ESP is MailerLite. You can have up to 500 subscribers and not pay a dime. It also allows you to have multiple robust automations with segmentation, analytics, and an impressive library of integrations! Then, once you cross the 500 threshold, you would have to pay depending on how many emails you’ve collected. This is the best place to start before transferring your list elsewhere, as 500 subscribers will take some time to collect.

Alternatively, there’s a service just for authors fittingly called AuthorEmail, which is simple in functionality but more forgiving for larger lists. The price is $10.99 per month for 0-10,000 subscribers, which increases from there. It has fewer native integrations and not as pretty templates as other services, but the price is very appealing as you expand your business.

Regardless, the shifting price tag means you need to really be in tune with your growth strategy, which we’ll go into for the second section.

Photo by Mailchimp on Unsplash

But if you’re extremely cost-averse and you’re just getting started, consider temporarily running a Substack (if you’re not already)! Substack gives you a URL to point people to that functions similarly to a website, has a native recommendation engine, and offers the ability to export your subscriber list should you need to change providers.

That said, one reason not to stick with Substack forever is the lack of integration with common author marketing tools, such as BookFunnel and StoryOrigin. They are powerful and inexpensive services to connect with more readers and writers in your genre. Besides, an email list should be your own! Substack is built to be shared with other writers, so your updates may get lost in the void.

Bottom line: always plan on having your own website with an effective email marketing platform. The sooner you can build it, the sooner you can master your launch when you’re ready to bring your book into the world.

What do I even talk about?

Coming up with regular content for an email list–which probably only your mother and her poker group subscribe to–can feel like a waste of time. However, avoiding a consistent email habit will make it harder when you actually promote your work.

The goal of email marketing is to take people who are already interested in your work and give them more exclusive access to you, your ideas, and your business. Don’t be afraid to be authentic with your subscribers. You don’t need to dredge up all your deep, dark secrets, but you can at least act like you’re writing to a friend. That said, you are running a business, so find opportunities to mention ARC reader sign-ups or preorders when they come up.

Topics like subject lines and deliverability are all well covered online, so look for experts in this space, like Tammy Labrecque for authors and Liz Wilcox for weekly prompts. See how your personality and communication style can fit in this vital aspect of business.

Okay, but what should I actually say?

Every email has the main mission of building a generous and friendly relationship with your readers, but it still must focus on selling. This can be done by always including a short personal update to show off your personality, followed by author talk.

Progress updates, links to relevant topics and articles, and features of similar authors to you… If you run a blog, you can remind subscribers to check it out. If you’re on someone’s podcast, promote your appearance. If you practically live on social media, link to your account!

Let’s go over what your first-ever email might look like. It should give new subscribers an overview of who you are, what you write, and how often to expect your emails. It doesn’t have to be complicated! Consider this example that’s friendly but direct:

Welcome “Name!” So glad you’re here.

This may be the first time we’ve met, so let me tell you more about myself. My name is Jenny Feng, and I write psychological thrillers that will leave your jaw on the floor without boring twists like, “It was the main character all along!” or pointless amnesia for drama’s sake.

Want a sneak peek of my work? Check out the super secret beta draft of Chapter 1! (Linked to content hosted on your website) It’s a little rough, but it gives a good taste of what I write.

My current WIP is called Shadows of You, and I’ll pop into your inbox at least once a month with updates on my projects, insights about my creative process, and any cool books and resources that you might like too.

Here’s a link to that first chapter again.(Second link) Give it a read and reply with your thoughts! I read all the emails I receive and would love to chat.

Thanks again for your support. Talk to you soon!

-Jenny

You can then write sequential emails that talk about why you write in your genre, what other authors you’re reading these days, and reminders of the first chapter sneak peek.

Each email can be short: 100-250 words each! You don’t need elaborate templates or excessive visuals either. The basics of connecting are all you need, so focus on words and relatability.

And how often should I send emails? What if I get busy?

You should email at least once a month, moving up to once a week as you start promoting a new release. Missing once or twice isn’t the end of the world, but your open and click rates can suffer if you don’t remain relevant. Plus, you will never have to worry about bothering your email list. They asked to be there, after all!

You can also use automations to send out important sequences (preprogrammed emails to go out during certain events). If you’re savvy, you can set up ones that never need to be updated, so you just need to email for key occasions. Let’s go over the main sequences you’ll be using.

• Welcome Sequence - 3-5 emails when they first sign up to lay out what subscribers can expect, where else to find you online, and talk about your creative mission as an author.

• Nurture Sequence - Occasional emails with links, reply requests, designed to keep open rates up and your newsletters at the top of people’s inboxes. You can also promote fellow authors in your genre to grow audiences together!

• Sales Sequence - Specific emails to gather ARC reviewers, pre-orders, and sales, and they are best if done weekly in this stage. Ideally, launch promotions start 30 days in advance, so plan for at least 4 emails to build anticipation.

The way people interact with your emails tells the email deliverability robots that you’re legit and not a spam account. When people open your emails, click on your emails, and especially reply to your emails, that sends a message that you are a trusted account. Find opportunities to ask for feedback, share resources, or just make funny subject lines and make people curious enough to open.

There are a lot of particulars in science that go behind this email marketing strategy, but no matter what technique you use, remember: the goal is to build connections with your readers, getting them used to you as a business and a creator passionate about sharing their work.

Take Action

Explore the different email marketing companies and find the best one for your needs. If you’re already familiar with Substack, you can start there. As you grow into your business and need more tools in your belt to succeed, you can move to MailerLite or AuthorEmail, attaching your newsletter to services like StoryOrigin or BookFunnel for a nominal fee.

However, the most important shift you can make is understanding that as an author, while you are becoming a public figure, you decide how you show up and interact with readers. There are best practices, but focus on your strengths and interests while working on your weaknesses. Learning the marketing channels that work best for you can be trial and error, but building your foundation will be invaluable as your career grows.

Look at your favorite authors and learn what they do on their newsletters. Each email doesn’t have to be a dynamic manifesto of your mission as a writer. A simple check-in from an authentic place will already help you stand out.

You are your best asset. Don’t be afraid to show yourself off!