Thrilling Fiction with Toby Neal

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Toby Neal is the USA Today bestselling author of The Wired Series, the Lei Crime series, and more.

Today she chats with us about getting started in the indie world, writing thrillers, co-authoring, branching out into new genres, and succeeding as an indie.

A few highlights from our chat

"Readers fuel my creative fire.  Readers wanting my work, encouraging me, and saying, 'Where's the next one?' That's what keeps me going."

"When you're an indie who's doing well, you're doing both [writing and marketing.] You're a business person who's writing."

"We're focusing on building our email list because these are readers who belong to us... If you begin [when publishing your first book] with the plan that you're going to build your email list, you're off to a good start."

"I think of my series as trains. Each book is a car on the train the the leading book is the engine... I add fuel to them with new releases, a Bookbubs, trying out a new ad campaign or something that gives them exposure.."

"Pick something you care about a lot because passion will drive your writing."

Check Out these Links!

Toby's Website

Toby's Amazon Author Page

Toby on Twitter

 Lei Crime Kindle World

Free books by Toby Neal

Blood Orchids

Wired In

Also check out her co-authored Apocalyptic Romance (free on KU, first book free at signup.)

Indie Publishing Success- Best Practices

Listen to the companion podcast episode

This post is going to be very beginner-oriented, but hopefully vets will find something of value.

If you spend time on indie publishing forums or in author/publisher groups, you'll likely hear the term "best practices." While there's no hard-and-fast definition, "best practices" are the things indie authors can do that are generally a good idea, and have often proved effective for commercially successful authors. Obviously, there are no guarantees, but it's my belief that emulating the best practices of successful authors improves your odds of success greatly. Here are a few:

Produce a Quality Product 

Pay Attention to Craft 
 We covered this topic in detail here
*Attending to craft includes, but is not limited to things like:
*Writing Workshops
*Critique partners
*Reading widely

Identify and Study Your Genre/Subgenre 
*Make sure your work fits the tropes
*Study the bestseller lists and learn from the successful indies.
*Figure out what's selling and what isn't. Mass market readers don't necessarily want "unique," "new and different," or subversion of tropes. Most of the time, they want "more of the same."

Have a Good Book Cover
This should go without saying, but it doesn't. Take a look at Lousy Book Covers.
*Emulate the bestselling indies in your subgenre.
*Remember, the book cover is a sales tool, not an artistic reflection of the contents of your book. The cover needs to entice the reader and capture the general spirit of your book and subgenre. Don't pass up an amazing book cover because the cover model's hair is too short, etc...
*Don't clutter your book with a bunch of images from your book.
*If you can't afford a custom book cover, look for premade book covers. Lots of professional designers are making high-quality covers for a very reasonable price, and the price is only going to get lower as more and more artists offer premades. (I won't list sites here. A simple Google search will turn up plenty of results.)

Product Description
Some people call this the "blurb," "synopsis," or "back cover copy." In short, this is the description/summary of your book that will appear on your book's Amazon (or Nook, iBooks, Kobo...). There are many things that could be said about this, but in general:
*It's an ad, not a summary.
*Open with a hook. A couple of examples:
-A lost world has been found again... and no one is getting out alive. (The Valley by William Meikle.)
-Sometimes, the legends are true.(Primordial by yours truly and Alan Baxter.)
*Keep the description snappy and not overlong.
*Focus on what the story is about and what the character will face.
*This is not the place to load up on back-story. Don't tell us the history of your fantasy world, your character's life-story, etc...

*Learn from bestselling indie books in your subgenre.

Proofreading and Editing
*There are many editors professional content editors and proofreaders doing freelance work nowadays. Many are working both freelance for indies and traditional publishers. If you can afford it, it's possible to get trad-pub quality editing for your work.
*If you can't afford the best editors and proofreaders (yet), take steps to make your manuscript as clean as possible:
*Before making your final pass over the manuscript, change the font and font size. Some authors find this helps put them in different headspace and helps them catch errors.
*Read the book aloud to yourself.
*Read the book page-by-page beginning with the back page. This prevents you from focusing on the plot.
*Use a text-to-speech program to read the manuscript back to you.
*Use a program like Grammarly to help check for errors. (Note- a program like Grammarly will identify possible errors, but you will still have to be the judge of whether or not what you've written is incorrect. It will be of little help if you don't understand the rules of grammar and punctuation.)
*Get as many eyes on your manuscript as you can. Perhaps you can find people among your street team who are skilled editors.
*Network with other indies to find affordable editors and proofreaders. Check the Kboards Yellow Pages.

None of the above is intended to suggest you shouldn't hire an editor or proofer. I simply recognize that, for some people, it might be years before they can afford those services. I believe that if your book is well-written and you make it as clean as possible, readers will forgive a few mistakes. My first books had many mistakes and I've had them re-edited and proofed. It's not ideal, and I might have lost a few readers along the way, but that's my journey and it's turned out all right. I do encourage you to engage the services of good editors and proofers as soon as you can afford them.

Models/Mentors 
*Learn from the indie authors who are enjoying success in your subgenre. Look at how they go about their business. See if they've written blog posts or articles, or have given interviews in which they talk about their best practices. Understand and emulate those practices. (Please, do not contact authors and ask them to be your mentor. The successful authors are almost certainly too busy to take on a mentee and they'll feel guilty about saying "no.")
*Listen to podcasts like The Creative Penn, Self-Publishing Formula,  and Sci-Fi Fantasy Marketing Podcast for info and advice on the business and shows like Writing Excuses or The Roundtable Podcast for advice on the craft.

Be Careful About the Advice You Take
*Give greater consideration to those who are where you want to be in terms of commercial success. especially those who are succeeding in your genre.
*Does the person giving advice share your goals? If your goal is commercial success, the person whose focus is elsewhere might not be the best person to offer guidance.
*When it comes to business decisions, take the advice of indies who have "made it on their own" rather than "name" authors whose brand identity can overcome their publisher's bad marketing decisions. Also, if an author whose small-to-midsize publisher has cultivated a solid niche audience, beware when that author tells you "I don't worry about branding or marketing." In short, look for apples-to-apples publishing circumstances.
*Before handing money over to advice-givers, check to see if they're actually making a living selling fiction, or if they're actually making their living selling advice to authors in the form of workshops, books, etc... (It's a red flag if they say- "I make all my fiction money through my super-secret pen names.)
*Don't believe every indie conspiracy theory you read, especially about Amazon/algorithms.
*It's not all about luck. This could open a can of worms, so I'll cut to the chase: the harder I work, and the smarter I work, the luckier I get. Focus on what's within your control. Using best practices and learning from successful indies is no guarantee of success, but it gives you your best chance.

Publishing/Writing Considerations
*Be productive! Producing regular content is essential
*The longer you go between new releases, the sharper the sales decline.
*Writing novellas is a great way to keep a series going and produce regular content. My novellas sell almost as well as my full-length books, and the occasional "this is too short" review doesn't hurt sales.
*Short stories have their uses, but aren't particularly effective as tools for generating new sales/keeping momentum in the sales rankings.

*Writing a series tends to be much more effective than writing a variety of disconnected works.
*Putting out a new book in a series tends to lift the sales rankings of previous books in the series.
*Don't believe the old publishing "truism" that an author's books compete with one another. The opposite is actually true. Some indies have even found they can put out a book a month without detrimental effects on their catalog.

Consider Your Own Consumer Behavior
*Before spending money (or time) on a given strategy, ask yourself: has this particular strategy ever led me to buy a book? If so, how often?

*Here are some things that have never persuaded me to buy a book:
-Bookmarks
-SWAG (stuff we all get) bags
-Book Trailers
-Author TV/Radio appearances
-A Facebook ad proclaiming a given author as "better than..." This is an automatic "no" for me.

*Here are some things that have often persuaded me to buy a book:
-Recommendation from a friend who shares my reading interests.
-A sharp-looking book cover
-Finding the book in the also-boughts of my favorite authors.
-Finding the book in the besteller lists of my favorite genres.

Whew! This was a lengthy post. If you've made it to the end, thanks for reading and I hope you've found something useful. 

Indie Publishing Success- Street Teams

Listen to the companion podcast episode

Today, let's talk about "Street Teams" or "ARC Groups."

An ARC Group is a group of dedicated readers who receive advance review copies (ARCs) of your books in exchange for an honest review when your book is released.

I like the term "street team" because an effective group does more than just review your book; they "take to the streets" upon release and spread the word about your book, and talk you and your work up in general. They're your grassroots marketers. They help provide the essential "word of mouth" buzz that helps you reach new readers. 

What are the advantages of a street team?

 -Your book has reviews right out of the gate. Because your team will be comprised of people who enjoy your work, the reviews will likely tend toward the positive. Don't buy into all the "algorithm voodoo" you hear claiming that "after your book gets ____ reviews, Amazon's recommendations kick in." While confirmed purchase reviews play a part in recommendations, the greatest factor by far (and I mean far) is sales. What reviews give you is social proof. A book with a decent number of reviews and a good average rating is going to have a lot more appeal to a potential buyer than a book with no reviews.

-Word of mouth advertising. As mentioned above, having your Street Team members spread the word about your book to other readers is invaluable. And if you treat them well, they'll likely spread the word about you in general, not just when you have a new release. Some will blog about your books, others will post on social media, still others will talk you up on book clubs.

-An added layer of editorial feedback. Some of my team members love catching typos. Some have specialized knowledge and will catch factual errors. Others will give you general feedback about the story. Your team shouldn't take the place of editors and proofreaders, but their help is invaluable none the less.

-Cultivating relationships with readers. We've discussed the importance of this before. Ideally, your  team becomes your "insiders." I've gotten to know some of my best readers much better through my street team and have met some truly delightful people in the process!

When am I ready to form a street team?

Ultimately, you'll have to trust your instincts. It's not something I'd recommend doing right off the bat, but you can take it in steps from the outset. Begin by asking your beta readers to leave reviews. As your Facebook author page grows, you can give away a limited number of review copies upon release, and eventually work up to a full-blown street team.

How do I set up my street team?

Start by creating a signup form on your website.
-Clearly state your expectations. Make it clear the subscriber must read and review all the books you send.
-Ask for a link to where the person currently leaves reviews. (Amazon or Goodreads profile, Audible listener profile, blog...)
-Ask why the person believes (s)he would be a good member.
-You might want to make it clear that you are only sharing advance ebooks, and that the reader must know how to side-load or open the ebook file on their device.

Decide how you will send out advance reader copies. Some authors keep a list of email addresses, and simply send out a mass email (be sure to put the team members' addresses in the "blind copy" section.) Others use an automated system like you might use for a newsletter.

Create a "special access" point for your team. Your team deserves more than the occasional $3 ebook in thanks for what they do. I have created a secret Facebook group for my street team. They get direct access to me, I can bounce ideas off of them, we can interact, but also the group gives me an opportunity to give them special treatment by sharing things like news, previews, and book cover reveals.

Decide how to recruit your first members. Since I started out by giving away review copies in my Facebook author group, that was the natural spot for me to begin. Once I reached a target number, I deleted the post, stopped actively seeking new members, but left the signup form on my site for a while. Once I reached the next benchmark, I removed the form from my site. I'll re-post it from time to time to add new team members. Some authors like to start small, then let it be known that new members will be added in X months, and acceptance will be based on the applicants' review history.

Other tips, questions, and concerns

Is there a limit to how many readers I should have on my team? That's your call. The number of reviewers you accept will likely be a reflection of how well your books sell. Some highly successful authors have ARC lists of over 1,000 while others cap the number at a much, much lower total. Do what's comfortable for you.

Should I periodically  cull my list of readers who aren't reviewing? Again, your call. Some authors aren't worried about it, others check from time-to-time. One effective tool is simply to send out a group email, BCC'ing those who haven't been reviewing, and asking if they still wish to be on the list. Sometimes life legitimately gets away, so you might wish to take that into consideration.

Should I worry about people scamming me? It's something to at least be aware of. Definitely beware of people who want paperbacks, people who tell you all the reasons they "can't afford" your $3 ebook, people who get on as many ARC lists as possible just to get the free books... I'm not suggesting that many of those who are interested in being on your team are grifters, but it's a reality in the industry. I wouldn't lose any sleep over it, but keep it in mind.

Parting thoughts-

-Know your expectations at the start and stick with them.
-Some authors suggest that reviewers not  use language like "I received an ARC for an honest review" in their Amazon/Goodreads reviews, or else Amazon will remove the review. Use something like, 'I voluntarily read an early copy of this title.'
-Don't fret that giving away a few books will cost you money. A well-managed team will more than pay for itself through reviews, promo, and positive reader relationships. Some will still purchase the book when it comes out as a way of supporting you.
-Don't feel bad about cutting a member loose if you feel it's warranted.
-Remember, the above is simply an example of a "starter" team. Some authors take it to the next level, with point systems, rewards, and challenges. Remain open to ideas and possibilities.
-Don't be afraid to ask your team for help, but never miss an opportunity to thank them and tell them how awesome they are!

Indie Publishing Success- Facebook Pages for Indie Authors

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Facebook author pages is a subject that is frequently discussed in author circles. Publishing houses

often push their authors to establish a dedicated author page, yet the author doesn't know how to best utilize it. Meanwhile, many indie authors are questioning the value of these pages due to decreased engagement with their posts. I believe these pages are still of great value for a few reasons:

The Value of Facebook to Authors

Opportunities for genuine interaction with readers.
Comment threads can develop into conversations, which allows the author to build connections with her or his readership in a way that a newsletter, tweet, or blog post does not.

Easy sharing of information.
Word of mouth (yes, virtual/cyber word of mouth counts) is critical in book marketing. When a dedicated reader shares your post about your latest release, that implicit endorsement carries weight with her/his Facebook friends who are also readers, particularly if they read in your genre. If these readers are not familiar with your work, there's a good chance they'd never have heard about your book if your announcement was limited to your website and newsletter.

It's more active than a website.
Active marketing strategies are critical. It's the rare author who can rely exclusively on passive strategies, like putting up a post on her/his website and waiting for the sales to roll in. Yes, a non-sponsored Facebook post is still a passive post, but for people reading it, the opportunity is there to share it, thus putting it in front of new and different readers. That sharing of information makes it active, and it gets you and your work out in front of new people.

Building a support network.
Some of the nicest people I know are people I've met through my author presence on Facebook. Some are readers who love my work, seem to like me, and are always happy to go the extra mile to help me out in a variety of ways. Some became the core of my "street team" (which is a topic for another day). I've also developed friendships and professional relationships with authors, editors, cover designers, and audiobook narrators. I don't know where I'd be without those connections.

Facebook is huge.
Despite its shortcomings, Facebook is still the big dog in social media. (Or, at least 'a' big dog). Not having a presence there is a missed opportunity.

How Should I Utilize My Author Page?

Don't just advertise your works for sale.
You can't, and shouldn't, keep up an active Facebook author presence if all you do is post new release announcements, "buy" links, and news of sales and giveaways. You need more, and it needs to be interesting. Some of the things I include:

-Snippets from my work in progress. (Preferably something funny. If a character makes me laugh while I'm writing him/her, there's a good chance my readers will get a chuckle out of it too.)
- Interesting things I learn during my research.
- Photographs from my research trips.
- Other interesting photos, for example, if I meet up with a fellow author or another industry professional.
- Cover reveals
- Updates on my writing progress.
- Celebrations
- Freebies
 -Content to draw readers to my website

Remember it's "Social" Media
Try to be interactive. Reply to their comments. Be open to questions. Solicit their opinions and suggestions. Always remember to say thank-you. Without readers, we don't have a career.

Newsletter Signup and Other Features
Facebook's author page makes it easy to set up a newsletter signup form on your author page. Use it. Visitors to my page also see things like: "Author App", which provides cover images, synopses, and links to my books for sale; a link to Authorgraph, an app which allows authors to e-sign Kindle books; a link to my website, and info about me. All of it is very easy to set up.

Pay Attention to the "Insights" Tab
"Insights"will give you information on views and interactions with your posts, so you can see what is most interesting to your page visitors.

Frequently Asked Questions

Facebook changed the way they handle news feeds, and now my post views are low. Can I do anything about it?

Yes, many of your posts will have low views, but not if they're interesting. For example, I have a little over 700 likes on my Facebook author page. Some only get 20% engagement, but some do very well. I posted a link to a free audio short story, and it has over 1,400 views. I did a cover reveal for a forthcoming book and it has about 1,300 views. So, it is possible to get solid engagement. Things to consider:


-Likes tend to snowball on Facebook. The more people who "like" your post right away, the more likely it is to turn up  in other feeds. Thus, if there's something you really want people to see, you might want to post it at a time that most of your audience is likely to be on Facebook. For me, it's after 5:00 US Eastern time.

-Posts with a picture or video tend to get better engagement than a post without.

-Be interesting. Post things on your author page that are exclusive to that page. 

I've tried that and I'm still getting a low percentage of engagement. Should I keep my author page?
-Yes. Stop thinking about who isn't viewing your posts and focus on who is. Every person who engages with you on your author page is someone you might not have reached otherwise. Consider them your foundation and look for ways to build up rather than excuses to tear down. Also, it's a good look to have a professional Facebook presence independent of your personal page, and, as mentioned above, it's something many prospective agents and publishers look for.

How can I get more "likes" on my Facebook page?
The most engaged segment of your audience will probably be the readers who like your books and then seek out your Facebook page. Be sure to put the Facebook link in a place on your website that's easy to find. Also, most mailing list templates have spots for quick links to social media. You can use your author bio (in your books and ebooks, on your Amazon page, on your website) to invite people to connect with you on Facebook. Finally, you can use a Facebook ad targeted at readers in your genre to bring new readers to your page.

How else can I use Facebook?
We'll elaborate in future podcasts, but Facebook ads, parties, and launch events can be effective ways to market your works and your brand.


As always, feel free to comment or contact me with question, thoughts, added info, or disagreements.

Indie Publishing Success- Author Websites

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A web presence is an important tool for the successful indie author. It's one of the places readers can learn about our books, get news about our new releases, and sign up for our newsletter. But what should our website look like? What should it contain? A few helpful tips:

Think like a reader
Your website isn't for you (nor is your book cover, but we'll talk about that another time). It's not a place for creative self-expression. It's a tool for selling books, which means it should be consumer-focused.Your website should be designed with discovery and ease of purchase in mind.


Design
-Keep it clean and uncluttered. Don't make me work to find your catalog of books, news of new release,  your newsletter opt-in, and a contact form.


-White space is your friend. The text sections on my site are black text on white background.

-Avoid light fonts on dark backgrounds. Horror writers, I'm looking at you. I don't want red text on a black background.

-Don't overload me with text. I want to find your books, in order, see the cover image, read a short synopsis, and click on a "buy" link.

-Make it easy to navigate. The modern consumer wants convenience. Reading is a leisure activity. If I have to work to find what I want on your site, I'll go elsewhere, and maybe even give my money to someone else.

- Avoid videos or music that automatically start playing, and things that make for slow loading. Many of us still live in areas where the only available internet service is slow. (Also, it's obnoxious.) Watch out for flash, as it's unsupported on some devices.

-How does it look in mobile? Lots of people browse and shop on their phone or tablet, so make sure your site is easy to navigate on a mobile device.

-Does overall "feel" of the website match the sorts of books you write? A science fiction writer's website should have a different vibe than a writer of cozy mystery. That doesn't mean you should go over the top with your design. Just consider the overall feel. If you write in a wide variety of genres, consider a simple, professional design that says "author" but doesn't necessarily imply a genre.

-Design with an eye to the future. Choose a look that won't need a massive overhaul every time you choose to branch out as a writer.

-Choose a url that identifies with you as a writer. If you also want to secure urls for your character or series names, and link them to your site, that's fine, but don't make them primary.


Content
-Start with the essentials: Complete catalog of books, grouped by series and listed in order; newsletter opt-in; a place for news of new releases.

-Individual books pages should be simple. This isn't the place for lengthy reflection on the work or your writing process. It needs a cover image, product description, and "Buy" links. When creating those links, be sure to select the "Open in another window" option so the reader isn't forced to leave your site. If you're publishing "wide" (on stores other than Amazon/Kindle), includes those links, too, at least to the major stores.

-Links that support your social media presence: Facebook author page, Twitter, and your Amazon author page are the most important. Some authors load up their business cards with urls for all the above. I don't like a cluttered business card, so I put only my website url on my card and make sure links to the other important sites are easy to find.

- Consider having an "About " section with a little bit about you. Your interests, particularly those which impact your writing, your favorite authors or books, a few photos of you. This isn't an essential, but it's good for self-revelation and building connections with the readers who are interested in learning a bit more about you. "Hey! He likes Neil Gaiman too!" "Whoa! She and I both prefer the Battlestar Galactica reboot to the original!" "Wow! We're both into..." If you've won awards, list them here, particularly if they're prestigious awards.


My Own Website
My site  www.davidwoodweb.com isn't perfect and I'm in the process of streamlining it. (The indie author life is a perpetual treadmill of refining, adapting, revising, re-thinking...) My Catalog section, in particular, is problematic. The catalog page shows my various series in order, but when the reader places the cursor over the Catalog link in the main bar, it shows a drop-down menu of all my books. Thus, it isn't clear that the reader could click on the word "Catalog" and navigate to a catalog page. That's #1 on my "to correct" list.

My site includes:
Catalog of books
Blog- This is where I share news and notes.
A page for my lesser-known pen name
About Me
Contact Form
Translated Works
A separate page for audiobooks I'm on the fence about keeping this page. I've been told by successful indies that Audible, in particular, likes for audiobooks to be listed separately, though it's rare for an author to get much love from Audible unless you're a "big hitter." I do all right, and Audible hasn't featured me in a long time. 

My newsletter opt-in is a small box in the sidebar of every page. It's small, unobtrusive, and easy to find. I also use a pop-up.

In addition to Facebook, Twitter, and Amazon author links, my links section includes my podcasts, YouTube channel, and a link to International Thriller Writers, the professional organization of which I'm a member. If you're a member of such an organization, there's no harm in including links as a subtle form of social proof. I also include a link to Indiebound. Many indie booksellers frown on authors who only link to Amazon.


Frequently Asked Questions

What hosting service should I use?
There are too many to list here. I use GoDaddy and Wordpress, but there are many options.

I'm broke. Do I need a hosted domain?
At minimum, you need a custom domain name, preferably not too complex. It looks more professional and makes for easy browsing.Others might disagree, but I think you can make use of a free service like Wix or Blogger and produce a professional-looking site that incorporates the essentials.

Do I need to maintain a separate blog?
No. If you see a successful author who's still maintaining a blog that's entirely separate from her/his website, it's probably because said blog has been around for a while, had lots of traffic, and the author doesn't want to lose the blog. If you're starting out, go with a site that has both. Give the reader the complete experience at one site.

But what about [insert author name here]? His/her website breaks all the rules. Why can't I?
Some authors succeed in spite of the choices they make. Some are so successful that it doesn't matter what their website looks like. Ultimately, your website isn't going to make or break you. Theoretically, you could have a successful career with no website at all. A website is simply another tool at your disposal that can potentially enhance your success, and following the practices that have worked for other authors probably gives you your best chance at success.

But..but... my [friend/partner/seven Twitter followers] says my website looks awesome, even though it breaks all the rules.
Did you ask the right questions?
Don't ask "How does this look?" "What do you think?" or "Does this look cool to you?" 
Instead, ask things like, "When you go to my website, how long did it take you to find all my books in order?" or "How hard was it to sign up for my newsletter?" or "When you first look at my site, in what genre do you think I write?" (Hey, that rhymes!" or "Can you tell, at first glance, that this is the website of a professional author?"

Also, remember the limited value of small sample sizes, and of people who already know and like you and your work. If I get 100 of my dedicated readers to give me feedback on my site, that's of limited value. They only represent a tiny fraction of my core readership, and they already like my work, so they're likely to be biased. I'm better off looking at the websites of, and seeking advice from, a large number of successful authors and finding out what works.

Should I sell book off of my site?
There's no harm in setting up a digital site through a site like Selz or Gumroad, but I've found that I get little return for the amount of time I invest. The average consumer values convenience over price, and doesn't want to bother with side-loading a book or even emailing it to him/herself.


I hope this has been helpful. Feel free to ask questions, add thoughts and suggestion, or disagree in the comments or using the contact form!

Indie Publishing Success- Mailing Lists and Newsletters

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If I were starting my indie publishing journey today, the first thing I would do (aside from writing, of course) would be to set up a mailing list for my newsletter. I think they're critical for the successful indie author and helpful for traditionally-published authors as well.

Benefits of Mailing Lists

Active engagement with your readership.
Opportunities to generate goodwill.
The means to reach readers without relying on Amazon or other distributors.
A nice sales boost on release day, which can help you gain visibility on bestseller charts and "Also Boughts."

Mailing List Options

There are several options for setting up automated, easy to manage mailing lists. A few of the most common are:
-MailChimp 
-AWeber
-Constant Contact
-Mailer Lite

-MailChimp is popular with indies who are just starting out because its "Forever Free" plan is free until you reach 2,000 subscribers. Once you exceed that threshold, you must switch over to a monthly plan.
-Mailer Lite is free for the first 1,000 subscribers. The price then goes up to $10 a month, and then goes up another $10 when you hit 5,000, 10,000 and so on.
-AWeber is significantly more expensive. The cost is $19 a month for the first 500 subscribers, jumps to $29 a month, then to $49 a month at 2,500, $69 a month at 5,000, and a whopping $149 a month at 10,000. Users who like AWeber praise its thorough data reports, large selection of templates, quality customer care, and other features.
-Constant Contact begins at $20 a month for the first 500 subscribers, then goes to $40 a month, then $60 at the 2,500 mark, and $90 a month by the time you reach 5,000 subscribers. (Modest discounts for paying six or twelve months at a time.)

I like MailChimp. It wasn't too difficult to set up and use, and there are plenty of tutorials on YouTube to help you through. I'm not quite at 2,000 subscribers, but at my current level, the monthly fees won't be prohibitive. If I were starting out, though, I'd definitely give consideration to Mailer Lite.

Best Practices for Mailing Lists

Use an Email Address from a Custom Domain
If you set up your newsletter using an email from somewhere like Yahoo or Gmail, it's likely to be filtered out as spam on many servers, and your readers won't see it. My newsletter, for example, is sent from an @davidwoodweb.com address.

Offer an Incentive for Subscribing
Give newsletter readers something free as a reward for subscribing. I give away a free ebook to my subscribers. The link to the free book comes in the automated "Welcome" email a subscriber receives after confirming her/his subscription.

This free book is -not- one of my "perma-free" books that's available on various ebook retailers. You don't want to insult your readers by offering a free ebook with subscription, and then giving them a book they could have gotten for free elsewhere.

I chose a book that isn't among my bestsellers, but is a good book and gives the reader a good feel for most of my other titles, but you don't have to give away a book. When I had only a few titles to choose from, I gave away an interview with the main characters of my most popular series. Later I changed it to a free short story. A free book is great, but what's most important is that it's a free reward, and it's something subscribers can't get for free (or at all) anywhere else.

For giving away a free ebook, Bookfunnel is an amazing, easy-to-use, service that automates the process. The cost for one author is $20 a year. If you don't feel you're at that point yet, you can do something as simple as uploading a pdf to your website and sharing the media link.
  
*When you set up your mailing list, one of the things you will set up is a "Welcome" email. A reader subscribes to your newsletter, then receives a "Click to Confirm" email. Once they click to confirm, they receive a "Welcome" email. This is where you will put the link to the free ebook. My "Welcome" email is short and simple. It's basically "Thanks for subscribing" and "Click here to receive your free ebook."



Put the Invitation to Subscribe Inside Your Ebooks
This is essential. Put the invitation to subscribe immediately after "The End." Don't put it after a page break because when the reader swipes past "The End" in certain ebooks (Kindle, in particular) a new page opens advertising other books. Therefore, they might not see your invitation if you don't put it on the last page of your book. Some authors choose to also put the invitation at the beginning of the book. Unfortunately, Kindle books tend to open directly to the Prologue or Chapter 1, so the reader won't see that invite unless (s)he swipes backward. There's no harm in also putting the invite up front but I don't know how many readers will see it.

Put the Invitation on Your Website, Facebook Author Page, etc...
Make it easy to find on your website. On my website, it appears in a small box on the sidebar of every page. It's unobtrusive, but easy to see.

I also have a pop-up invitation that appears when someone visits my website. It shows up once, and once it is closed, doesn't appear again. This is particularly helpful for visitors using mobile devices. Otherwise, the mailing list invite isn't so noticeable. MailChimp (and probably the other services) provides a simple html code to enable the popup.

With a Facebook author page, you can enable an "Email Signup" tab that lets you add a subscription form.

The "What/When/How" of Newsletters

My newsletters typically include:

-New release (Book description and buy links)
-An upcoming sale, a teaser, something I want to call attention to, or a short message/reflection/essay/article.
-A Giveaway.

The sidebar contains a small "What's Coming Up" text box with a few bullet points to hopefully pique readers' interest. I also include a few images of book covers, usually ones I want to call attention to, with little or no accompanying text.

Overall, keep your newsletter clean, easy to read, and keep all the sections short enough that readers don't feel overwhelmed. 


I send out a newsletter when I release a new book. Because I work with co-authors, this means I'm typically sending out six newsletters a year. Some authors choose to send one a month. I find that "open" rates decline sharply if I'm not announcing a new release.

Here's an example:

Notes on Giveaways:
I like to give something away with every newsletter. Usually it's a signed book. With each newsletter, I include a "Signed Book Giveaway" section at the bottom. I tell what book I'm giving away and ask that they simply reply to this email with the note "Please enter me in the giveaway." When the next newsletter comes out, I announce the previous winner and ask him/her to let me know where to send it.On occasion, I'll offer a free download code from Smashwords or a limited number of audiobooks from Audible, using the free codes ACX provides. These don't get nearly the engagement that signed books do, but it's still a free reward to subscribers.

I only give away one book per newsletter and sometimes it's the same book for several months in a row. What matters is that I'm giving them something free that non-subscribers can't get. Also, a single paperback doesn't cost much to mail, especially with USPS's "media mail" option.

Some authors simply choose the winner from their entire list rather than having readers reply to enter. I prefer replies because it increases engagement and rewards the readers who actually read my newsletter.

Pay Attention to  Data and Results

Your service provider will give you results from your email campaigns, such as how many subscribers opened a given newsletter and how many clicked on a link contained within. "Open rates" and "click rates" don't tell the whole story, but pay attention to them. Do you get significantly better results on a certain day of the week or a given time of day? You can even segment your list, sending it out in sections, in order to compare times of day.

For example, one very successful author in my network has found that Saturdays and Sundays are the worst days for her list. She also gets maximum results from her list by sending one segment to her less-engaged readers in the early afternoon, and hitting her most engaged readers in the evening. Of course, every author and audience will be different, so find out what works for you and yours.

If results of a given newsletter are subpar, consider all the factors. Look at the subject line in the header. Was it compelling? What sort of content did you include? Were your entries too long? Were you promoting a series that's less popular? Was the date and time of day a factor? Analyzing results, whether it's newsletter opens, book sales, ad views, or many other things, is important for indie success.

Ideas for Reaching New Subscribers

-Immediately prior to sending out a newsletter, make an announcement through your social media that the newsletter is coming up and mention exclusive content. "Next newsletter comes out Tuesday. Subscribe for a chance to be entered in exclusive signed book giveaways."
-As mentioned above, include the invite in your ebooks and on your website and Facebook page.
-Run a contest in which everyone who subscribes  is automatically entered. (Many authors recommend creating a separate list for contest subscribers, as they tend to be much less engaged than readers who reach you organically.)
-Run a Facebook ad advertising the "free book when you subscribe." (I wouldn't recommend using this strategy if you're only giving stories or something else small. With so many authors using this strategy to give away books or even collections, giving away something less risks the first impression you make being a negative one.)

Frequently Asked Questions

When should I set up my mailing list? 
Do it now! If you haven't yet published your first book, go ahead and set it up so that you may include the invitation to subscribe when you publish your book.

How much is too much?
You'll have to figure that out for yourself and your audience, but once a month or even less frequently is my recommendation.

What if I can't write more than one book a year?
In that case, I'd send something out in between, maybe every four or six months. Be sure to make it engaging. Give an update on the work in-progress, share a little something you've learned in your research, maybe a little bit about you, give away a short story or a signed book. Keep it short, interesting, and reader-focused.

Should I set up an auto-responder on Twitter so that, when someone follows me, they immediately receive a direct message inviting them to join my mailing list?
No.

Can you elaborate?
Sure. Twitter is most effective for engaging with other people. It can be a great place to connect with other authors, and sometimes with readers, but it's not an advertising platform. Your first contact with someone shouldn't be an advertisement, and direct messages to someone you don't know are seldom well-received. Don't be that guy (or girl).

Do I have to send everything on the same day?
Not necessarily. Because Amazon rankings take into account sales from previous days, some authors, especially those with large mailing lists, like to segment their list and sent the newsletter out over a period of two or three days in order to avoid the "spike and plummet" that sometimes comes with a single newsletter blast.

Should I periodically cull my list, removing my "least engaged" subscribers?
Probably not. Some readers see the newsletter in their inbox and immediately click over to their preferred store to buy your new book. They don't necessarily read the newsletter. Other readers open your newsletter in mobile, or don't enable images in their email, which can cause the newsletter to show as not having been opened. I don't think it's worth the risk of cutting out readers who are buying your books.

Will some readers sign up for my list just to get the free ebook and then never buy one of my books?
Some will, but those people weren't going to buy your books anyway. Don't worry about them.

My mailing list provider offers a url so people who aren't on my mailing list can view the newsletter. Should I make use of that feature?
I don't think so. It a disincentive to sign up for your mailing list and makes your exclusive newsletter content non-exclusive. If people choose not to sign up for your mailing list because they know they can see the newsletter online, you've lost an opportunity for active engagement with that reader.

That's it for now. Feel free to add questions, thoughts, tips, disagreements in the comments section. Until next time...