Email for Authors: The Ultimate Step-by-Step Guide to Grow Your Audience

I’m a big fan of keeping things simple when it comes to book marketing for authors. 

And yes, you can get super-ambitious when it comes to fancy retargeting campaigns, split segmentation, on-page optimization, split testing, and more…

But, in my experience, all that other “stuff” only really works if you have the fundamentals nailed down first. 

In other words:

1. Having some books people want to read, and
2. An audience of people who want to read them.

Many authors struggle here, because there’s a temptation to get stuck in “author marketing overload” – which is the feeling that we need to do “something” to boost our book sales, so we try a little of “everything” and wind up getting frustrated, overwhelmed, and stressed. 

Sound familiar? 

Instead, I want to spend some time looking at how can we grow an audience of readers who actively want to read our books. 

Then, how we can develop a direct line to that audience so we can run successful launches and promotions – without the stress.

And if you’d like to go further, I've got a seven day course that will break down everything you need to have in place to go from $0 to $1k+ per month in book sales. If you’d like to join me, just register at the link below:

Register for the seven day course right here.

Let’s jump on in…

It’s an understandable assumption, but, unfortunately, using your own regular email service (like Gmail) isn’t going to cut it, for a few reasons.

First, there are gazillions of laws and regulations throughout the world that regulate who you can – and can’t – send marketing emails to. To stay compliant (without having to worry about “how”) you’ll need a professional email marketing tool that handles all this compliance for you. 

Second, email providers like Outlook and Gmail have spent decades figuring out how to stop businesses using their service to send out marketing emails – and if you start trying to bend the rules, you’ll likely end up getting flagged.

Thirdly, personal email providers just don’t have the features and tools you need to make email marketing work for you – like recording opt-in consent, running automated emails, segmenting, tagging, and more. 

If all that sounds complicated, don’t worry – we’ll cover all this soon. But first, how do you choose a professional email marketing provider that’s right for you?

Let’s cover some of the most popular choices:

Mailerlite

Hugely popular among authors, MailerLite strikes a solid balance between simplicity and power — especially for writers who want automation without the overwhelm.

Their free plan includes:

• Up to 1,000 subscribers
• 12,000 emails per month
• One automation workflow (great for a welcome sequence)
• One website and 10 landing pages
• Subscriber tagging and basic segmentation
• Drag-and-drop email editor with attractive templates
• Built-in signup forms and easy integrations with most author tools

Upgrading to a paid plan unlocks more advanced automations, unlimited monthly emails, custom branding, A/B testing, and priority support — while still staying budget-friendly.

MailerLite’s visual automation builder is particularly easy to use, making it a top choice for authors who want to create onboarding sequences, deliver reader magnets, or set up automated launches without fuss.

Mailchimp

Once the gold standard for creatives on a budget, Mailchimp has since evolved into a broader marketing platform — which means authors may find some of its tools either overbuilt or missing key features they actually need.

As of this writing, Mailchimp’s free plan is more limited than it used to be. You now get:

• Up to 500 contacts (formerly 2,000)
• 1,000 email sends per month
• Daily send limit of 500
• One audience (list)
• Basic templates and reporting

Automations are extremely limited on the free plan — you can send a basic welcome email, but that’s about it. More advanced features like multi-step automations, A/B testing, and custom branding require a paid plan.

Paid plans start at $13/month (Essentials), $20/month (Standard), and go up from there depending on features and list size. Importantly, Mailchimp now counts unsubscribed and non-subscribed contacts toward your contact total, unless you manually archive them — which can quickly inflate your costs.

Navigation inside Mailchimp can also be tricky for new users, and the automation builder is still list-based (rather than visual), which can feel clunky compared to tools like Mailerlite or Kit.

Verdict?

If you’re just sending one newsletter a month and don’t need automation, it’s a passable option. But for most authors looking to grow and engage an email list, other platforms offer a better experience — especially on free or low-cost plans.

Kit (Formerly ConvertKit)

ConvertKit (recently rebranded as Kit) has become especially popular with authors, podcasters, and creators who want powerful tools for growing and monetizing an audience — without needing a degree in tech.

Kit offers a free plan for up to 10,000 subscribers, which includes:

• Unlimited one-time broadcasts
• One visual automation (e.g. a welcome series)
• One email sequence
• Subscriber tagging and segmentation
• Unlimited forms and landing pages
• The ability to sell digital products, accept tips, or run paid newsletters directly from your account

If you upgrade to the Creator or Creator Pro plans, you unlock advanced automation rules, multiple sequences, premium support, and deep analytics. The Creator plan starts at $29/month for up to 1,000 subscribers.

One thing to be aware of: on the free plan, Kit’s “Recommendations” feature is automatically enabled — meaning other creators may be promoted on your forms or landing pages. You can customize or disable this only by upgrading to a paid plan.

While the email design options are a little more limited than Mailerlite’s, Kit shines in automations, segmentation, and built-in monetization tools — like selling ebooks, offering coaching, or setting up a tip jar. For many authors looking to grow and earn directly from their list, it’s a strong option.

SendFox

Created by the folks behind AppSumo, SendFox is built for simplicity and affordability — a solid choice for authors who want a no-frills email solution that just works.

Key features include:

• Up to 1,000 contacts on the free plan (with limited email sending and required SendFox branding)
• Basic automations using a linear builder (great for simple welcome sequences)
• Basic tagging and segmentation
• Lifetime plan available through AppSumo for a one-time fee (great value)
• Built-in signup pages and forms
• Limited integrations unless used with Zapier or similar tools

One caveat: the free version includes SendFox branding on your emails, unless you pay a small monthly add-on fee to remove it. Also, compared to tools like MailerLite or Kit, automation options are more limited and not visually driven.

Still, if you're on a budget and want something straightforward to get started, SendFox offers a strong bang for your buck — especially if you grab a lifetime deal.

Recommendation

There are plenty of email marketing tools out there, but these four options remain the most popular among authors — and for good reason.

The right platform for you comes down to two key things: your goals and your comfort level with tech. Don’t overthink it — just pick the tool that fits your current needs (you can always switch later).

If you’re just getting started, MailerLite is often the best all-around choice. You get powerful features like visual automations, landing pages, and segmentation — all on a generous free plan that works well for most authors.

If you want more advanced segmentation, automations, or built-in monetization tools (like selling digital products or running paid newsletters), Kit (formerly ConvertKit) is worth a close look. The free plan goes up to 10,000 subscribers, and the paid options offer deep control as your list grows.

SendFox is a strong budget option — especially if you can grab a lifetime deal. It’s not fancy, but it’s affordable and gets the job done for simple newsletters.

Mailchimp, while still widely used, has scaled back its free plan and added complexity to its interface. It may not be the best fit for most authors today.

For more on growing an email list of raving fans (and what to do with your list once you’ve grown one) join me in a free seven day course all about how to go from $0 to $1k per month from books. 

Registration is free. Sign up here.

Once you have your email marketing platform set up, all you need to do is:

1. Set up a signup form – where readers enter their email address (don’t worry, these email software providers have GREAT help videos if you get stuck)
2. Set up a welcome email – this email gets sent out after someone joins and contains a link where they can download their Reader Magnet (more on this shortly)

Now, exactly how to set these things up will depend on the email marketing service you choose, but there are a few standard “rules” to bear in mind regardless of the tool you use. 

Your Signup Form

To get readers onto your email list, they’ll need to complete a sign-up form to be added to your email marketing provider and receive emails from you. 

This also allows you to track where people have signed up and when, so you have a record of their consent – which is a legal requirement in most parts of the world. 

To create your signup form, there should be a section inside your email marketing provider that allows you to build your own form from scratch, and choose the fields of information you’d like to collect. 

For most authors, you’ll want to collect:

1. Just the email address, or
2. The first name and email address

Collecting a first name makes it easier to personalize your emails (you can greet people by name) which can also help prevent you getting blocked by spam filters. 

However, the more fields someone has to fill in, the lower the conversion rate of the form. Meaning, if you ask for a first name AND an email address, you’ll have slightly fewer people completing your signup process. 

You may also want to collect extra information like a second name, phone number, location, or interests – but also bear in mind, each extra field will reduce your signup rate. So only collect information you really need. 

Your Signup Page

The form you create to collect readers’ contact information needs to be displayed on a webpage that anyone can access. 

Many of the email providers we talk about above will give you a page like this as part of their service – so if you don’t have a website yet, don’t worry, you’re still good to go. 

However, if you want full control over the look and feel and function of the page, you can create a page on your own website and host the signup form there instead. You can copy and paste the html code of your form from your email provider, or use a third-party tool to integrate directly with your email host for the ultimate control.

Whichever route you go, your signup page should include an image of your Reader Magnet (usually a book or short story, or similar), a compelling headline and description, a strong call to action, and a form readers can fill in to join your email list and get their free gift. 

Like this:

That’s the whole page. There’s nothing else. No links to your bio, or Twitter page, or anything else to distract from this page’s core purpose.

Your Landing Page is the link you’ll give readers in the front and back of all your books, at live events, in your advertising, and everywhere else you can. So it’s important you get it right.

In short, a Reader Magnet is a book (or short story, or help guide, or “something else”) that you offer to readers in exchange for them joining your email list – which you advertise in the front and the back of all your books (and anywhere else you can).

One of the most versatile and powerful business assets you can have is an email list. An email list of readers who ACTUALLY LIKE YOU and are waiting for your next release. And using Reader Magnets is an extremely effective way of attractingyour ideal reader and developing a one-to-one line of communication with them. 

The best Reader Magnets follow these rules of thumb:

1. The “free gift” is compelling, complete, and relevant to the rest of your work. If you write thrillers, offer something in the same genre. Don’t offer them a cook book. 
2. Position your Reader Magnet offer in the front AND the back of your books. Include an eye-catching graphic. If you’ve buried your offer in a bunch of other text, people won’t see it.
3. Give readers an easy way to sign up and get their freebie – make sure you have a webpage set up to collect email addresses, that’s free of any distractions.

Some examples:

Fiction:

• A free novel
• Short story
• Collection of stories (multi-author, or solo)
• Deleted scenes
• Background material (particularly in genres like Historical Fiction where you can blend fiction and non-fiction together)
• Audio version (super high value)

Non Fiction

• “Cheat Sheet” summaries of your book
• Bonus chapters
• Video training
• Private Facebook group for coaching / support
• Audio version (again, very popular)

Key point: whatever you offer, it needs to be relevant to your audience and provide value. And the best “perceived value” is usually something complete – rather than en excerpt or chapter. This doesn’t mean you have to start giving away full novels, but whatever you do decide to offer will ideally be “complete” (like a short story).

Once your Reader Magnet is ready, you’ll need a simple way to deliver it automatically to new subscribers — usually through a link in your welcome email.

For ebooks, it’s best to offer both ePub and PDF formats (ePub for e-readers, PDF for easy viewing on any device).
For audio, use MP3 files.
For video, you can host it on YouTube (unlisted) or a platform like Vimeo to avoid large downloads.

The easiest solution for authors? BookFunnel. It was built specifically for authors and takes care of:

• Hosting your files
• Handling delivery to all devices
• Troubleshooting for readers

You just send people a BookFunnel link, and they’re guided through the whole process — no tech headaches.

Alternatively, you can upload your files to Google Drive, Dropbox, or Amazon S3, and include direct download links in your welcome email. Just be sure to test the links and add clear instructions.

Now, with your Reader Magnet written and ready to rock, it’s time to look at how we get more people to discover you.

For more on growing an email list of raving fans (and what to do with your list once you’ve grown one) join me in a free seven day course all about how to go from $0 to $1k per month from books. 

Registration is free. Sign up here.

We’ve got a few options here:

Free or Permafree Books

A free book gets downloaded 50 to 100 times more frequently than a paid one. If your “read through” is good, a decent number of those free downloaders will move through the rest of your catalogue (and join your email list).

With permafree, your read-through rate will be lower. BUT… if we’re getting 50 times as many downloads to make up for it, even a 1-2% read-through rate can work well because you’ll be getting far more free downloads compared to paid sales to make up for it.

You can even set your book to $0.00 permanently and set that up to run on autopilot. Best part? It costs you precisely… nothing.

Or, if your book is in KDP Select, you can run a free promotion for 5 days out of every 90 day enrollment period. BUT… you’ll need to pay for some ads to make that worthwhile (you’ll need hundreds – or thousands – of downloads over that 5 day period to make it worthwhile).

Here’s a helpful list with some places you can list your free book for extra exposure.

So, if you have a series, or multiple books in the same genre, you can set one of these books (usually #1 in the series if you write in order) permanently free on Amazon. This way, you’ll pick up free downloads and readers will not only see your Reader Magnet offer and sign up for it, but many will pick up the other books in the series too. A win win!

And fortunately, setting up a permafree book is still possible — although it’s not guaranteed:

• First, make sure your book is published wide (you can use Draft2Digital to easily publish to non-Amazon stores)
• Set the price on other retailers — like Apple Books, Kobo, and Barnes & Noble — to $0.00
• Then, email KDP Support with the links to those listings and politely ask them to price match
• In many cases, Amazon will match the price within 3–5 days — but be aware this is handled manually and not officially promised
• Occasionally, you may need to follow up or rephrase your request if the first rep says no

While Amazon doesn’t officially support permafree pricing, authors have been using this workaround successfully for years. Just be patient — and don’t be discouraged if it takes a couple of tries.

Or, if your book is in KDP Select and you want to run a free promo, just schedule that from your KDP dashboard.

So, having a perma-free book is a great way to get the ball rolling, but what else can we do? Let’s take a look at some other traffic options…

Giveaways and Contests

You can do these solo, or with promo partners (see above). The premise is simple – offer a sweepstake prize that your target reader would be interested in (e.g. – a bundle of books, a Kindle, etc.) and post your contest up on some giveaway directories.

There are plenty of giveaway directories out there — GiveawayFrenzy is a solid place to start — and you’ll quickly begin growing a list of entrants.

As people enter your giveaway, follow up with a link to your Reader Magnet. Keep the ones who click through and download it, and unsubscribe the rest — that way you’re only building a list of engaged readers.

Here’s how to run a successful giveaway:

• Choose the right prize: Aim for something relevant to your audience. A Kindle Paperwhite paired with ebooks in your genre usually works well. Avoid cash or gift cards — they attract the wrong crowd.
• Use giveaway software: Tools like KingSumo, UpViral, or SweepWidget make setup easy and allow for viral sharing (extra entries for sharing with friends). Most also integrate with email providers so you can tag entrants automatically.
• List your giveaway on directories: Optional, but a good way to get extra traffic. A few paid “featured spots” can go a long way.

After the contest, offer your Reader Magnet again when announcing the winner. Then prune your list — keep the clickers, let the others go.

When someone enters the contest, email them a confirmation and offer them a copy of your Reader Magnet (see previous section for more on that).

Offer your Reader Magnet again when you announce the winner.

Once the contest has ended, keep the people who downloaded your Reader Magnet (you can track the link clicks) and delete / unsubscribe everyone else to keep your list clean.

And voila! Lots of new readers joining up on your email list. Easy! And while these promotions do cost money (although not a huge amount), we found our cost per subscriber was about 10x lower versus paid ads. A great result.

Joint Promotions

If you’ve set up a Reader Magnet and maybe even a permafree book, you’re probably starting to grow your list — slowly.

But if you want to accelerate things, here’s a powerful approach:

Joint Promotions let you “borrow” other authors’ audiences. Instead of waiting 6–12 months to build reach on your own, you can multiply your impact by teaming up with others.

Say you’ve got 300 subscribers, and you partner with 3 other authors who each have a similar list. Now you’re promoting to 1,200 people instead of 300 — with zero extra ad spend.

The key is reciprocity and alignment. Find authors in your niche and offer something valuable in return — even if it’s just helping share their promo.

In practical terms… if you’ve got 300 people on your mailing list, Facebook page, Twitter account, whatever….

And you find 3 other people with a similar reach…

Next time you run a promotion or launch a new book, you’ll launch it to 1,200 people instead of 300.

The key is reciprocity. Offering value. Learning how to network effectively. No fancy advertising strategies, no super-wowza publicity stunts, no over-complicated psychoanalytical software and business automation…

Just good ol’ fashioned network building and working together.

Here are 4 types of joint promotions that work well:

1. Joint Contests – Pool together a prize (e.g., a Kindle + genre-themed books). Promote it to all your audiences. Afterward, send your Reader Magnet to entrants. Keep the ones who click and clean the rest.
2. Joint Sales Pages – Combine your books into one sale event. Everyone emails their audience, and you direct traffic to a shared landing page with all the deals listed.
3. Cross Promotions – Instead of launching all at once, take turns promoting each other’s books. It’s a great strategy for solo launches or drip-fed visibility.
4. Boxed Sets & Anthologies – Bundle your work with 8–12 other authors. Promote as a launch event. These bundles can even hit major bestseller lists with the right strategy.

Tools like BookFunnel, StoryOrigin, or BookCave are great for finding like-minded authors and organizing joint promos — many even automate list swaps, landing pages, and delivery.

Once you have 2-3 people you can team up with, you can start running these joint promo campaigns – and the more you run, the better your results will be.

Other Traffic Options

Permafree, giveaways, and joint promos are your best low-cost options for growing a list. But if you’re ready to scale — and you’ve got a budget — paid ads can speed things up.

Think of it like visiting the “traffic store.” You’re paying for clicks, impressions, or exposure when you need it most (like during a launch).

There are two main types of paid ads for authors:

• One-off Email Blasts – You pay a flat fee to have your book featured in someone else’s newsletter. Results vary, but stringing together 3–5 placements during a launch can create strong momentum.
• Ongoing Ad Platforms – These include Facebook Ads, Amazon Ads, and BookBub Ads, where you set a budget and bid for clicks or impressions.

If you’re list-building, Facebook Ads are still the most versatile. You can:

• Target readers of similar authors
• Send traffic to your signup page
• Track conversions using Meta Pixel (if you’re using a website)

Just keep in mind: ad costs fluctuate. CPMs (cost per 1,000 views) have increased in many genres, and not every campaign is profitable right away.

Amazon Ads tend to work best for non-fiction or highly niched fiction — where buyer intent is high. But they’re more suited to direct book sales than list-building.

BookBub Ads (not to be confused with BookBub Featured Deals) give you another way to target readers by author or genre, but expect to test a lot to find what works.

Pro Tip: Paid ads are powerful once your system is in place. But if you only have one book or no backend (like a series or premium offer), proceed with caution. Ads scale momentum — but they don’t fix a leaky funnel.

Going Deeper

To dive into this process in more detail, come along to a free seven day course and I’ll break down all the options and help you decide what’s right for you.

Registration is free. Sign up here.

We’ll cover the Reader Magnets process, talk about traffic options, and I’ll show you a simple way to figure out how many clicks you’ll need each day to hit your revenue goals (so you know you’re always going to make a profit).

Now, with a steady stream of traffic to your Reader Magnet offer, and with readers joining your email list, it’s time to think about what you actually need to DO with your email list once you’ve got one.

While you’re email list is going to be your #1 source of sales during a launch or promotion (and your go-to resource for getting reviews) the goal is not to continually “blast” your audience with sales messages. 

In fact, “selling” should be very much the last thing on your mind – especially in the beginning – as you aim to build a lasting relationship and turn “curious browsers” into loyal fans. 

To help develop this, we need to send out regular content that delivers value to your subscribers and keeps them engaged between launches and promotions. 

That way, you audience will be only too pleased you’ve got a new book coming out – and will be first in line to purchase during launch week. 

So, how can we deliver great content and engage people without spending all day trying to write emails? Thankfully, there’s a process…

But let’s be honest — most emails don’t feel like that.

They feel like sales pitches.

Every. Single. Time.

Readers don’t want to be “sold” to constantly. Heck, you don’t want to be sold to either — unless you’re already shopping for something.

The truth? That constant “brute force” approach wears people out. It’s why inbox fatigue is real.

And this is where many authors go wrong. They assume email marketing means “pitching people nonstop.” It doesn’t.

In fact, your best emails won’t feel like marketing at all — they’ll feel like connection

Your email marketing should be an extension of your books. You don’t relentlessly pitch your latest boxed-set in chapters one through forty, do you? No.

Instead, you provide readers with an exceptional EXPERIENCE. Build their trust, develop your brand, and prove your value.

What Do I Put in My Emails?

Here’s where we dig a little deeper…

You’ll need to know how your main objective (reviews, sales, responses, getting someone to download a free book, etc) can be “framed”.

Meaning – it’s not always enough just to know what your objective is (eg – “make sales”, “get reviews”, etc). You need to know how to frame it in the right way to suit your audience, your own personal style, and to fit the action you actually want people to perform.

In other words, you need to define the “tone” you want to use. Or, more specifically, the “character or attitude” of your message.

Here’s how that works.

Setting Your Tone

Your emails will generally fall into one of four tone categories:

1. Information – “Here’s what’s happening,” or “Here’s how to get your freebie.” These are often short and practical.
2. Education – “Here’s how to solve a problem” or “Here’s something useful.” These work great for both fiction and nonfiction authors.
3. Inspiration – “You’re not alone,” or “Here’s what’s possible.” Great for launch emails or reader-focused storytelling.
4. Entertainment – “This made me laugh,” or “Here’s something weird and wonderful.” A great way to deepen connection and keep people opening.

You don’t have to use all four — but cycling between them gives your newsletter more texture and keeps readers engaged.

This is the “easy” part for fiction writers – or, at least, it should be. Consider what JK Rowling does on her website – it’s filled with quizzes, videos, community, and… well, it’s fun!

Or children’s author David Walliams – who uses challenges, competitions, and multi-media to get kids reading.

Or non-fiction author and journalist Lesley MM Blume who uses articles and slideshows to show her target audience a glimpse into the subject matter of her books.

While other authors are relentlessly pushing their latest release, these are some examples of authors putting their readers’ experiences first. 

If you can do that with your website, you can do that with your emails. When your readers know you’re a source of value – that’s not hidden behind a paywall or dripped out in tiny pieces as a “bonus” for buying something – then you’re building massive equity with your audience.

And guess what? When “sales time” rolls around, that pays back in spades.

Structure of an Email

Like writing a book, it helps to have a plan – or structure – in place before you sit down to write anything. 

For emails, I like to use a simple four-part structure called HTOC. 

• Hook (get Attention)
• Transition (make it relevant and generate Interest)
• Offer (a segue from the transition, and evokes desire)
• Call to Action (get people to “do” something)

With your framework, your idea, and your structure – you’re ready to rock.

Let's Take a Fiction Example

Bob writes thrillers, with a forensic science twist. He’s got a book coming out soon and wants to get some great ARC readers to read his book and give him a review on launch day. Here’s how Bob would approach that process:

Objective

Two objectives here – (1) get the “best” people to download an ARC copy of his book, and (2) ensure they’re primed to leave a review on launch day.

Tone

Bob writes fiction, with a forensic twist. That means his readers are interested in thrillers and forensic science (duh). Bob decides to use a mix of entertainment and education – a little science behind the story.

Central Idea

Bob read in the newspaper that scientists have been studying one of the oldest complete human skeletons ever found – dubbed “Cheddar Man”. He learns that, using modern techniques, they’ve been able to identify that his skin was black and his eyes were blue.

Bob knows for anyone interested in forensic science, this is an interesting topic. And it’s something he can relate back to his books quite easily.

Structure

• Hook – the “Cheddar Man” story (Interest)
• Transition – the process of including “correct” science in Bob’s books, the research he does, the work he puts in. Letting his readers into his world (Attention).
• Offer – Bob wants to offer a limited number of ARC copies of his latest forensic thriller, which contains elements explored in the “Cheddar Man” story (Desire).
• Call to Action – Bob asks those who are interested to complete a short questionnaire. Bob will choose the best 10 responses and invite those people onto his “Launch Team” (Action).

The process is the same, whatever genre you write.

It's the Same for Non-fiction…

Jane runs a Facebook consulting service and has written several books on paid advertising on that platform. She is launching a new book all about “Facebook Advertising for Etsy Shop Owners” and wants to get as many sales as possible on launch day.

Objective

Get people excited about an upcoming promotion

Tone

Jane wants to sell a book about Facebook advertising, so she’ll use a mix of Education (showing off her expertise) and Inspiration (showing what results people might get and how it will improve their businesses).

Idea

Jane read that Facebook recently updated their algorithms and knows a lot of people are concerned about it. So Jane wants to dispel some myths and show how she can help.

Structure

• Hook – Facebook’s changing algorithm and how it will affect your Etsy shop (Attention)
• Transition – Jane “busts some myths” about the new algorithm and tells her readers what they really need to focus on (Interest)
• Offer – Jane wants to take all the stress away from “guessing” how Facebook ads work, and has a book that covers everything readers need to know, with a link to a free consultation as a special launch bonus, where Jane might also sell coaching packages down the line (Desire).
• Action – Jane tells her readers to pre-order the book within 72 hours to qualify for the free consultation. She includes links to everywhere the book is sold (Action).

See how this works? There’s a defined process for coming up with ideas, expanding those ideas, and crafting emails that take readers “on a journey” towards the action you want them to perform.

Frequency

How often should you email your list? The answer is… it depends. 

You should email your list as often as you can, taking into account your schedule and how well your readers respond to regular content. 

An education business that sells instructional books, courses, and coaching can quite feasibly send an email out 3-5 times per week and get great results. 

A fiction author, on the other hand, might see complaints coming through if he or she emails out more than once per week (or a couple times a month). 

There is no magic number – but a good rule of thumb is for non-fiction / educational authors to email once per week minimum, and fiction authors once per month minimum. 

With a solid plan in place, each email should only take 20-30 minutes to write, and you can often re-use these broadcasts in your automated sequences later on as new people join your list. So it’s work that definitely pays dividends!

For more on email marketing strategies join me in a free seven day course about how to go from $0 to $1k per month from books. 

Registration is free. Sign up here.

So, with a content plan in place (and a structure to write great emails quickly) it’s time to think about how to structure your next launch or promotion around your email list – without coming across as “spammy”. Let’s dive in…

Well… you could send one quick email and hope for a few sales.

But we can do much better than that.

A strong launch uses a sequence — not a single “Hey, it’s out!” blast. That sequence has two parts:

• Pre-launch — these emails build excitement and anticipation before the book is available
• Launch — these emails drive clicks and sales once your book is live

Think of it like a movie trailer followed by the premiere. The first gets attention. The second gets results.

The objective, “tone”, and content of your emails during these two phases is going to be slightly different, but they’re all going to follow a standard model:

The marketing principle we call AIDA. Attention, Interest, Desire, Action…

During the pre-launch, you’re going to focus on Attention, Interest, and Desire by introducing exciting elements of your books, and promising an amazing offer during your launch window.

During the launch, you’re going to deliver on that promise. End result? More sales, less stress, happier readers:

^^ the peak on the left had no pre-launch series. The peak on the right did. You can see the difference.

Let’s say Julie writes historical romance.

Her new book includes assassination attempts on the queen, violent rebellions, and the looming threat of a Spanish invasion.

She needs a launch “theme” — something to tie her emails together.

So she frames it with a question:

“How would your relationship survive assassination, rebellion, and betrayal?”

It’s intriguing, emotional, and directly tied to her story.

Launch Plan Template

Julie’s 6-email sequence might look like this:

Email 1 – Attention
Subject: Would your marriage survive an assassination attempt?

• Tease the book’s theme
• Preview launch bonuses
• Hint at a real-life historical story coming soon

Email 2 – Attention + Interest

• Share a historical “lovers in jeopardy” anecdote
• Reveal the book cover
• Tease more about the main characters

Email 3 – Interest + Desire

• Share behind-the-scenes research and writing process
• Introduce the antagonist and central conflict
• Link to a Chapter 1 preview
• Remind readers about bonuses

Email 4 – Desire + Action

• Announce the book is LIVE
• Highlight bonuses again
• Include strong CTA + early reviews

Email 5 – Desire + Action

• Tell the historical love story teased earlier
• Tie it emotionally to the book
• CTA + remind of launch bonus deadline

Email 6 – Action

• Final reminder + “don’t miss out” tone
• Reframe offer as a moment readers don’t want to regret
• Add urgency with countdown or deadline

Whether you're writing fiction or nonfiction, the process is the same:

Find a theme. Build anticipation. Then launch with confidence and a clear ask.

What About Nonfiction?

This is just an example of a “launch plan” or “promotion plan”. While the specific details will vary depending on your genre or audience, the overall objectives and structure don’t change. 

It’s the same with non-fiction too. What are the main problems your book is trying to solve? Choose one or two examples and give your readers some help.

For example, if your non-fiction book is all about “building a house”, you could craft your launch emails around “planning and legal requirements” (and maybe include some stories of “the world’s craziest houses that got planning permission”) or “how to find the best contractors” (and include similar amusing / interesting stories).

The key thing is to tie your “theme” into your books and provide readers with something interesting to read.

It’s a simple story. But it’s a “big idea”.

In a Nutshell

Your emails need to focus on 2 things during the pre-launch and launch phases:

1. Get people excited by telling a story or teaching them something that’s relevant to your book
2. Use launch bonuses to make sure people buy during promo week (very important).

Your launch bonus might be a free book (yours, or even another author’s book that’s similar), extra chapters, an audio / video version, deleted scenes, or anything else compelling. Or, you might keep it simple and just do a price reduction for the first week. 

So long as there’s a reason to buy NOW, readers won’t procrastinate.

For more on book launch strategies (including some behind-the-scenes results from NYT and USA Today Bestsellers) join me in a free seven day course all about how to go from $0 to $1k per month from books. 

Registration is free. Sign up here.

In the meantime, let’s recap…

Let’s zoom out and pull everything together.

You’ve built a compelling Reader Magnet to attract new readers.

You’ve set up a system for delivering it automatically.

You’ve got multiple ways to drive traffic — permafree books, giveaways, joint promos, even ads if you’re ready.
And when launch time rolls around, you’re not winging it — you’ve got a proven email strategy (with bonuses and structure) that drives real results.

Follow this system, and building an engaged audience becomes less of a mystery — and more of a rhythm. Something you can set up once, then improve with every book you release.

Each launch gets easier. Each list gets stronger.

And before long, your email list becomes the single most valuable asset in your author career.

Now, we’ve covered a lot in today’s article – and we’re really only scratching the surface of what’s possible when you have “a plan”. 

If your goal is to grow your book sales without getting overwhelmed, I’ve got good news. 

For a limited time, I’ve got a free seven day course that dives deep into what it takes to got from $0 to $1k per month from book sales. 

I’ll break down the entire process for you – from understanding how many clicks you need, how to make sure those clicks turn into sales, running successful email campaigns, and some behind-the-scenes results from USA Today and New York Times bestselling authors who’ve put these strategies to work for them. 

Registration is free. Sign up here.

Hopefully, I’ll see you there!