If you thought “Ah, this is going to be another post where Alexa is going to ask for our input,” you’re right.
As an author, I value my newsletter subscribers so much. The space in your inbox is valuable and you probably receive many emails every day, including newsletters from different authors. So I’d love to know: what makes you open email from a certain author and read it? Are there features that stood out to you? What makes you click on the link?
Alexa Verde writes uplifting, diverse books about faith, love, and hope. She has had 200 short stories, articles, and poems published in the five languages that she speaks. After traveling the world and living in both hemispheres, she calls a small town in south Texas home. The latter is an inspiration for the fictional setting of her series Rios Azules Christmas and Secrets of Rios Azules. Alexa has a bachelor's degree in Spanish and a master's in Russian. She's worn the hats of reporter, teacher, translator, model (even one day counts!), caretaker, and secretary, but thinks that the writer's hat suits her the best.
Once a week seems about right to me. I do love to hear about any travels, especially how it may relate to any writing and books.
Thank you for your post, Alexa. I have found that my newsletter readers enjoy the “Fun Facts” section that I include. As for frequency, I prefer a longer newsletter once a month.
On another note, how exciting to meet a fellow linguist who is also an author! I have a Bachelor’s degree in French, a Master’s degree in Italian, and a PhD in French with secondary studies in Spanish and Comparative Literature.
Many blessings to you as you write for King Jesus!
MaryAnn Diorio
http://www.maryanndiorio.com
I love hearing from my favorite authors….and I always open the email! I enjoy getting to know about them on a personal level as well as what’s coming up in their writing world.
It makes me feel like I am a part of their world?
Hi Alexa! My favorite newsletters are from Inspy Romance authors. Biweekly newsletters is my preference, but weekly is fine. Shorter newsletters with updates on new books coming out and the story behind them – what inspired the author for the setting, characters, plot – what makes the story unique. Personally I do not read excerpts from books, just blurbs or an intriguing, inspiring quote. Love seeing cover reveals and who designed the cover.
I read every email, even if they are not of major interest, as I like to see what each contributor is seeking to share. I will admit, I am not as interested in interviews, but I do enjoy hearing personal stories of what inspired them to add something specific to a story that is being showcased.
And of course, I love hearing about giveaways and contests to win gift cards (like this post LOL) to help me purchase more books!!
As for frequency, once a week or less, is preferred.
Welcome. Nice post. I like to get newsletters from authors that I enjoy reading their work. I like a little personal, a little about their books, other authors and what is coming up and how they got there.
Once a week is good and getting to know tidbits are fun. Blessings
I love hearing what’s going on with you and other favorite authors. A weekly newsletter is fine with me. I love your writing and one of the ways I’m cutting down on my emails is by weeding out the not so clean and wholesome authors as I get a chance to do some reading. I have been unsubscribing to some authors.
I, too, love to hear updates about an author’s personal life. Little anecdotes about your books are fun, too. As for frequency, I prefer every two weeks or even once a month.
It depends on how busy I am if I have time to read it I enjoy Inspy romance authors. I like various items in newsletters , giveaways are nice but not required. I like info on the author , background on story and setting, pictures are nice if available of setting. I appreciate Christian authors. God bless you and your writing.
More often than once a week is too much, but less often than twice a month is too little as I likely won’t remember even signing up.
As to what to include in a newsletter, as a reader, I’m getting tired of all the emails from others only trying to sell, either their books or other authors’ books. Yes, I expect it every once in a while. Maybe once a month would be good. But every week? Give me something deeper the rest of the time, like something about your personal history, why you like the most recent book you read, a story about your family or hobby, something that shows me your writing process or who you are.
I also do not read excerpts usually. I love giveaways, too.
I do like reading about an author’s personal life, and background on how certain stories come into being. I’ve enjoyed stories about how covers come to be too.
I prefer shorter newsletters, and once or twice a month. If a newsletter is too long, it gets put off until I have time to concentrate on it.
Great question, Alexa! I’m shamelessly eavesdropping on the replies. ;)
Me too! I have taken classes, read articles, attended webinars and I can not get newsletter traction. I appreciate this post!
Me too! The responses are interesting.
Alexa, thanks for asking this interesting question.
Hi Alexa, first off, I love your book. Newsletters, once a week is good. Love reading about my favorite authors and hearing about the books. Giveaways are always fun. Thank you for what you do. Like I usually say in reviews I post, your readers appreciate what you do.
I like reading the e-mails, usually. I like once a week or less. There’s one that it seems I get every day, and that’s too much! Actually, about twice a month would be good. I like when an author talks about what’s going on in their life, and about the book they’re working on. I don’t mind being told about books they’re working on, or a series they’re in with others, but if it’s mostly trying to sell ANY book, then that gets old. I like knowing about giveaways and contests, though!
Julie! Sorry to here about your newsletters not receiving traction. You are a new author to me. I have been with Inspy Romance authors and this blog for 4 years. Started by reading a freebie by Valerie Comer. I had just retired. So I signed up for her newsletter. Through the wonderful authors here, Facebook posts, I have expanded. I receive limited newsletters, because I prefer to read books. Therefore short Facebook posts work better. Even in retirement only have so much time to read. Eyes tire quicker. Hope this helps.
I love keeping up with “my” authors…..e mails, newsletters are welcome. Always appreciate an author taking time to post to readers.
I love your posts and to hear about your life. You are one of the small few that I really relate to and feel a close connection. I prefer shorter rather than longer posts as I am not a fast reader. God bless you Alexa!
Hello, Mary Preston! Great idea about the travels and how they might relate to books. And glad you think once a week is okay. I worried it might be too often. Thank you very much for commenting!
I would rather see slightly longer newsletters a little less frequently – maybe every three to four weeks. If I get them too frequently, I tend not to open them. Ironically I just started Season of Mercy while on the treadmill and am loving it so far!
Hello, MaryAnn Diorio! Very impressive about all degrees that you have, especially a PhD in French! You must very talented. I love languages! And I’m thrilled to meet a fellow author author who is a linguist, too. What a great idea about Fun Facts! Something tells me I’ll be signing up for your newsletter soon. Many blessings to you, too!
Happy to have you as part of my world, Paula! You’re a wonderful friend, reader, and subscriber!
Hi Renate! Thank you for the awesome feedback. I love the idea about inspiration for the setting, character, or plot. Glad you think weekly is fine. Thank you for your thoughtful comment, as always!
Hello, Susan! I love the about the inspiration behind stories. I need to give it more thought. And glad to know that weekly (or less) is preferred. I feel better now. Happy to share information about giveaways. :) Thank you very much for your feedback!
Hello, Lori Smanski! Thank you for your kind words about my post. :) And I can see how the newsletter should have a balance between personal life and books and what’s coming up. Thank you very much for your feedback!
Thank you for the feedback, Lelia (Lucy) Reynolds! And glad to know once a week is good. :)
Hello, Pam! Thrilled to hear you love my writing! You made my day. And I’m super grateful to be one of your favorite authors. Glad to know once a week is fine. :) Thank you so much for sharing!
Jessica, little anecdotes seem to be popular indeed! Thank you very much for the feedback.
Diana, and Christian authors appreciate you! Interesting idea about the pictures of the setting. And background information about the story and the setting seems to be popular! Thank you so much for great ideas. God bless you!
Lila Diller, great points! Yes to going deeper in the newsletter in many senses. Hmmm, your comment made me think… Thank you very much for your feedback!
Thank you very much for your input, Margaret Nelson! An interesting idea about the story behind the cover.
Thank you so much! I hope it’s useful to other authors, too. We’re here to learn, and who are better to ask than readers?
Merrillee, truly my pleasure! It’s very interesting to me to read the answers.
Hi Cindy! Super thrilled to hear you love my book. You’re a wonderful reader and a great support to me, and I’m very grateful. And glad to hear once a week is good. Thank you for your kind words, and I appreciate my readers in return!
Hello, Trudy! Wowzers on receiving that one email every day. That’s too frequent! Glad to know you like information about giveaways and contests. Thank you so much for the feedback and fir being a wonderful reader!
Jackie Smith, that’s a blessing to authors to hear. Thank you very much for sharing!
Linda Hogue, awwww! I’m beyond grateful for your kind words. I’m so thrilled that you can relate to me and feel a connection. Thank you from the bottom of my heart! God bless you!
Hello, Ellie! Yay! So glad you’re loving reading Season of Mercy so far. If you bought it, I’ll be happy to gift you one of my other ebooks (solos only, please). Just pm me on Facebook if you’d like it. :) Thank you very much for commenting!
Julie, lots of hugs! I hope you’ll get more traction in the future!
Just wanted to say many thanks to everybody who responded! I’m learning a lot. :)
I think I am going to buck the system here. I actually prefer less often. I have unsubbed when I get them to often (One author not here was sending several a week when a new book was coming out. She started about 2 months prior and it did have some tibits about research but mostly buy my book but it was too often).
As I subscribe to quite a few I would rather once a month or less. I like fun facts and a little about what the are doing.
I will normally open the emails but there are some I just skim and delete. I have been unsubbing from some recently but more the ones where I am not reading the genre. (I had to join some with sweepstake giveaways)
For me, I love free books, giveaways, excerpts, advice like writing tips. Anything like that. Recently I have been trying to figure out my newsletter ams balance it with updates about my books and my WIPs and my life. Which I am open so its easy for me but it could get easier the more you do it. Lol. I subscribed to your newsletter ans I’m waiting for the confirmation now. May I ask how many subs you had and how you built your list? Still working on mine
I didn’t buy it – I got it free for being a newsletter subscriber. :-)
Once a week is ok i guess. Daily is too much,usually. I prefer once a month unless it’s something special going on.
I prefer shorter emails but not too often. I’ve signed up for a lot of newsletters about books and quilting. If a newsletter is too long, I tend to skim lightly or put it off till later. If I put it off, it sometimes just gets deleted. I know I subscribe to too many of these things, but every time I try to unsubscribe, I think, no, I need to keep that one coming so I don’t miss anything! Ok, I think I’ve just convinced myself it’s time to declutter my inbox.
I like to read about new books, sales, freebies and giveaways. I also like to hear backstories about what inspired scenes or characters, or whole books. Interesting tidbits about the author such as where she grew up and lives/has lived is fun to know. It’s nice to know if the author grew up on a farm, big city, which state or country. Home life such as married, single, children.
Ausjenny, thank you for this valuable feedback! Several times a week is definitely too often. Good idea about fun facts. Also very useful to hear why a reader unsubscribes. Thank you so much for commenting!
Joanna, thank you for this information and for subscribing to my newsletter. I have close to 5,000 subscribers (I think 4,900 right now). Feel free to pm me on Facebook, and I’ll be happy to share about my experience!
Sabrina, thank you very much for the feedback! And so true, daily is way too much.
Thank you for a lot of useful information, Sherri, and I hear you about decluttering the inbox. And you gave me a lot of food for thought!
About once a week for me. I usually don’t read excepts because I don’t like to not be able to continue right then. I do like general news and book news. It depends on how much time I have that day when I’m flipping through my emails whether I open all emails or not. I get lots of emails from different authors plus things that doesn’t pertain to books.
Hi Alexa, I’m chiming in late but wanted to thank you for asking this question. It has been great to hear everyone’s thoughts. :)
Hello Alexa I love getting your newsletters and I love reading them Love your books also once a week is fine by me!
I get overwhelmed by too much email, so I am very selective to which ones I subscribe to. Would prefer to get a once a month newsletter. Some people email you every day & those are ones I most often unsubscribe from . Thanks for the opportunity.
Thank you for your input, Brenda Murphee! Glad that once a week is okay for you, and yes on the balance between general news and book news. I appreciate you commenting!
Hi Narelle! Thank you for chiming in, and you’re very welcome for the question. I’m benefitting from reading comments, too. :)
Hello Sarah! Awwww, you just made my day! Thank you from the bottom of my heart for your kind words!
Thank you very much for your feedback, Nancy, and best wishes in the giveaway!
Hello Alexa,
Your books, and even your newsletters are enjoyable to me. My husband and I were a Minister family for 32 years and he recently retired partly due to the painful chronic illness that I now have. I am in a wheelchair now, and I must say that I count on books to take my mind off my pain and my spirits uplifted. We always loved to travel so I especially enjoy following your adventures. Newsletters weekly are fine with me! Thank you!
Hello Sandra Platt! Thank you so much for your kind words! I’m super grateful to have you as a reader. And I’m so sorry to hear about painful chronic illnesses that you and your husband have. Praying for you and your husband!
This giveaway is now closed. The winner will be chosen soon. Many thanks to everybody who commented. Loved, love, loved reading your comments!