My first step was to change the layout. I went from a longer greeting with three small announcements to 1 main article, 1 minor article, a sidebar with additional announcements and info, and a secret viewing section. That last item is a section for deleted scenes, drastically altered scenes, and longer scenes from a work in progress.
My second step toward this goal was to come up with ideas of the type of content to include in the newsletter. Here are the ideas I came up with:
Major/Minor Articles:
- Upcoming appearances, interviews, trips, events, book signings
- Interesting data or facts related to my material
- Announce sales promos, special pricing, request to post reviews of new releases.
- Announce relevant news before I announce to the general public.
- Announce a giveaway or contest for subscribers only.
- Meet the team – write a short bio introducing my editor, cover designer, etc.
- Bonus materials related to the book content
- News or events related to the book topic
- Q&A with me (request questions?)
- Fun facts about my writing process
- Supplemental information about scenes or characters I’ve written
- My writing influences
- Reader surveys
- Recipes
- Posts FROM previous characters, like they’re a person (on vacation, what’s going on in their lives)
- Reader interviews
- Commentary and opinions about the industry and process
Sidebar:
- “In This Issue” – In other words, a table of contents.
- Monthly newsletter winner
- Highlight a review!
- Book Trailer.
- Round up of articles published on my blog that month
- Quotes, tag lines, very short teasers from or about my book
- Anniversary of release or concept date
- Notes of holidays/seasons greetings
What do you think? Are you on an newsletters that have other fun ideas I could try to incorporate? Let me know.
The March newsletter just went out. To give you an idea of what you’re missing, this was what was in it:
- Cruise Conference: About My First In-Person Pitches
- Fan Girl Moment: Meeting Rebecca Zanetti
- Secret Viewing: Drastically changed scene from Andromeda’s Fall
- Side Bar:
- Monthly newsletter winner – $5 Amazon GC
- Latest Review: ANDROMEDA’S FALL is one book that you need to have mapped out time to read because it will not let you put it down. – Fresh Fiction
- Blog Role Call
If you want to be able to get in on the fun, the early news, the exclusive info, and more chances at giveaways, I highly recommend you get added to my newsletter. It comes out once a month via Mail Chimp. To sign up, go to the Contact Abigail page, complete the form and make sure to check “Subscribe to the Newsletter,” and send.