Introduction

Your author website is your online identity, a place where readers can connect with you. While social media and events offer engagement opportunities, many readers prefer a dedicated space to explore your work without distractions. This post builds on ideas from “Building Your Platform as a Speculative Fiction Author,” but focuses more on your author website and email.

An author website serves as a central hub where readers can immerse themselves in your literary world. It provides comprehensive information about your books and insights into your writing process and inspirations. Keeping your website in good shape helps create a sense of community, which can lead to more subscribers, comments, and social media followers.

Author websites and email marketing work together to support you as an author. They provide an easy way to keep your audience informed about new releases, events, and special content, strengthening your bond with fans and fostering a devoted readership.

Author Website and Blog

The author website and blog can define your reader’s experience. The goal with each is to improve your relationship with your reader. There are a few essentials that build a sound structure for your site, and then some other ways to improve your search-ability. Let’s dig into those.

Essential Elements of an Author Website

There are a few essential pages that you want to have on your website. I wouldn’t say that they’re expected, but readers can tell when something is off.

1. Homepage: This is the first impression visitors get when they land on your site. It should be welcoming and engaging, providing a clear idea of who you are, what you write, and what unique value you offer. Consider adding personal touches, captivating visuals, and essential navigation elements to guide visitors seamlessly through your content.
2. About Page: Share your biography, detailing your writing journey, experiences, and personal anecdotes that highlight your passion for storytelling. Connect with readers on a deeper level by revealing your motivations, challenges faced along the way, and the inspirations that have shaped your literary voice.
3. Books/Works Page: Showcase your published works with descriptions, cover images, and purchase links. If you don’t have anything yet, then there is still plenty of content to put on this page. Add your coming soon notifications, short stories or excerpts, writing samples, book reviews and recommendations, writing journey, beta reader opportunities, and a newsletter signup!
4. Blog: Regular updates and posts to engage with your audience (more on this below).
5. Contact Information: Make it easy for readers, media, and potential collaborators to reach you. Making a contact page through the website manager you use is great because it can help filter out spam/scam emails. Which you will get if there’s an online way to contact you.
6. Newsletter Signup: Encourage visitors to subscribe to your email list. Depending on how you build your website, you can build your list through the site itself, or set up an external email marketing manager.
7. Social Media Links: Connect your website to your social media profiles. This is a great way for readers to connect with you on a more personal level. Also, make sure your links work. Have someone go to your website and test each link out to make sure it works. I had an author reach out and let me know that some of my links I thought worked, didn’t. It’s embarrassing, but learn from my mistakes.
8. Media Kit: Offer downloadable resources for press and media inquiries, such as high-resolution images, logos, and promotional materials. This can help increase your visibility and assist journalists and content creators in finding information about your brand.

Creating Valuable Blog Content for Your Audience

Creating valuable blog content for your audience can significantly increase traffic to your site and the time readers spend on it. Much of this success comes from knowing your audience, which we’ve discussed in previous posts. It’s crucial to understand who your readers are, their interests, challenges, and preferences. This helps you create a persona of a single reader you’re writing to, making the task less daunting.

Consistency is another key factor. Whether you post once a month or more frequently, it’s important to be consistent. I post one blog a week here, which I’ve set as my standard. Sometimes, I make exceptions for special cases like posts only for subscribers or posts that don’t send email alerts. Find your posting schedule and plan your posts accordingly. This approach has made writing Myers Fiction posts much easier and more realistic for me. I no longer struggle to figure out what to write about for the next post. Also, scheduling blog posts ahead of time can make your life much easier.

Your blog should not only showcase your knowledge, but also connect with your readers. Encourage comments by asking open-ended questions at the end of your posts to spark meaningful discussions. Responding promptly shows you value their input and fosters ongoing dialogue. Sharing personal stories and unique experiences enhances these interactions, creating a community where everyone feels welcome to share their thoughts. This relationship enriches your blog content and makes it a more vibrant space for all.

Email Marketing

From what everyone says, email marketing is the place where you really make your money. I can’t speak to this one personally, as I’m still working on my fiction, but let me share the information I’ve collected through searches and online writing conferences.

Building and Maintaining a Subscriber List

A subscriber list is simply a list of subscribers that receive a direct email from your email management service to their inbox. DO NOT USE A PERSONAL EMAIL FOR THIS! There is a law out there that prohibits the use of a personal email for mass messages. CAN-SPAM Act (Controlling the Assault of Non-Solicited Pornography And Marketing Act) requires the receivers to control the emails they receive and don’t. Most email service sites allow free use until you reach a certain user count or you may desire pay-walled features. But with the legal stuff out of the way, let’s look at how you maintain this list.

You’ll want to begin by creating a sign-up form and place it prominently on your website, blog, and social media. The more easily a potential reader can sign up, the more likely they will. Then you need to give them a why, especially if you still have nothing published. Offer incentives like freebies as eBooks, discounts, or exclusive content. Try sacrificing a short story that you won’t try to publish, or that may have already published and they are okay with you sharing, to your readers. Giving your readers a chance to learn your writing style early on can tell them if you’re the author they want to read.

Segment your list by grouping subscribers based on their interests or behaviors to send more targeted emails. This method makes your messages more relevant and boosts engagement rates. You can create personalized content that matches your subscribers’ needs and desires by looking at their preferences and actions.

This part may sound crazy now, but you will want to clean up your list regularly. Removing inactive subscribers is good for your email list’s health, helps with sending emails successfully, and can be cost-effective. As you sell books and possibly other products, it’s important to ensure you have subscribers who will interact with the services you provide. Cleaning up your list removes the “warm bodies,” and since only you see your subscriber list, it won’t hurt to remove people who don’t benefit your career.

Crafting Engaging Newsletters

I can’t tell you exactly what will work for you as an author, but I can give some vague guidance here. Hopefully, by now, you’ve defined your audience, your genre, and what your book is about. Use these as your starting points to draw in readers and potential readers to your newsletter. As you build more of an audience, you can work in some more personalized content to keep those readers subscribed. Here are a few quick tips to craft an engaging newsletter.

• Catchy Subject Lines: Make them intriguing and relevant to increase open rates. This can significantly impact the effectiveness of your email campaigns and drive more engagement from your audience.
• Personalization: Use the subscriber’s name and tailor content to their preferences. Ensuring each communication feels unique and relevant can significantly enhance engagement and foster a stronger connection with your audience.
• Valuable Content: Share useful information, tips, and updates that resonate with your audience. Ensure the material is engaging, actionable, and tailored to meet the specific needs and interests of your target demographic.
• Visual Appeal: Use high-quality images, detailed infographics, and a clean, organized layout to make your emails visually appealing and engaging. Ensure the design complements the message effectively.

Balancing Promotional Content with Value for Readers

One of the ways you keep readers on your email list is keeping the sales to a minimum and making it more worth their while to stay engaged. There are a few ways you can do this, because the longer and more they interact with your newsletter, the more likely your sales will be better when the time comes. Let’s go over a few rules to keep your promotional content balanced.

80/20 Rule: Aim for 80% valuable content and 20% promotional content. This keeps your readers engaged and interested without feeling overwhelmed by promotions. With this, you won’t only cultivate a loyal audience, but also enhance the credibility of your brand. Valuable content can include informative articles, entertaining stories, or practical tips that resonate with your audience’s needs and preferences. Such content encourages readers to return, creating a community around your message. In contrast, the promotional aspect of 20% allows you to strategically showcase your products or services, driving conversions while maintaining the audience’s trust. Striking this balance ensures that your content marketing strategy is effective and sustainable over the long term.

Educational Content: Focus your educational content on the world-building and character development of popular science fiction and fantasy authors, showcasing how they created their iconic worlds and characters. Writing tips can discuss what makes elements of these genres compelling, such as memorable characters and realistic dialogue. Industry news can highlight what readers might find at conventions, like author panels, book signings, and new book releases. Trends in storytelling will examine their impact on reading experiences, including emerging sub-genres and themes. Additionally,

Engagement: Include interactive elements like polls about favorite sci-fi or fantasy tropes, surveys on what readers want to see in your next book, and questions that invite readers to share their own ideas and stories. Other interactive elements like book clubs, reading challenges, and Q&A sessions with authors can foster a community around shared interests in the genre, inspiring readers to explore new books and deepen their appreciation for science fiction and fantasy. This fosters a sense of community and keeps readers actively involved.

Clear Call-to-Actions (CTAs): Ensure your promotional content has clear and compelling CTAs. For example, invite readers to pre-order your upcoming book, join your Patreon for exclusive content, or participate in a giveaway for signed copies. Make sure the CTAs are easy to follow and enticing.

Writing Exercise: Crafting an Engaging Author Newsletter

Imagine you are drafting the next issue of your author newsletter for your science fiction/fantasy readership. Using the tips from the blog post, create an outline for your newsletter that balances valuable content for your readers with strategic promotional elements.

Instructions:

1. Begin by identifying 3-4 topics or themes you could cover in the “valuable content” portion of your newsletter. These could include:
   • Insights into your world-building process
   • Tips for crafting memorable characters
   • Trends in speculative fiction storytelling
   • Recommendations for other authors/books in the genre
2. For the “promotional content” section, decide on 1-2 specific calls-to-action you want to include, such as:
   • Inviting readers to pre-order your upcoming book
   • Promoting a Patreon campaign for exclusive content
   • Announcing a giveaway for signed books
3. Outline how you would structure the newsletter, balancing the 80% valuable content with the 20% promotional elements. Consider:
   • An engaging subject line that piques reader interest
   • Personalized elements like addressing readers by name
   • Visually appealing layout with images, infographics, etc.
   • Clear, compelling CTAs for your promotional content
4. Finally, draft a brief 2-3 sentence description for each of the valuable content sections and the promotional CTAs you plan to include.

Your goal is to create an outline for an author newsletter that informs, engages, and inspires your science fiction/fantasy readership, while strategically promoting your work and building a loyal community.

Remember, the key is striking the right balance between providing value and making strategic promotional offers. Have fun with it!

Conclusion

By investing time and effort into crafting an author website, blog, and email newsletter, you lay the foundation for a thriving author platform. These elements come together to create strong bonds with your readers, build a feeling of togetherness, and keep them interested in discovering your fictional worlds. If you provide valuable content and promote it well, you can attract a loyal following to support your writing career in the future.

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