For: Beginner-level authors
In this article we'll consider:
When to start growing your fanbase
Setting up your online home
How best to use social media
Cultivating a direct line to your readers
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Building a loyal following as a fiction author is not only satisfying and heartwarming but also essential. While the quality of your work is paramount, how you connect with your readers can significantly impact the growth and longevity of your writing career, regardless of whether you self-publish or publish traditionally.
The good news is, you don't have to wait until you've published your first book to start growing your fanbase. You can begin long before then, by planning and developing the three core components your author business needs in order to make you visible to potential followers. With these in place, you can not only hit the ground running when your first book releases, but also build anticipation before its release.
And no need to fret if you've already self-published several books without all three of these key elements, it's never too late to get them set up. Let's take a look at what they are.
1. Author website: Your online home
Your website is the cornerstone of your online presence - a dedicated space where readers can learn more about you and your work. Think of it as your digital home, where you control the environment and content. This is where you showcase your author brand - your genre(s), your books, your style, your voice.
From a simple WordPress setup to a paid-for customized design or personalized Shopify store, regardless of what form your website takes, there are a few fundamental features it needs.
Books page: Naturally. Your digital home is where you showcase all your books in one place, even if this is currently just one, or one soon to be released. Include covers, blurbs, purchase links or store links, some review quotes if available, and any awards or accolades attributed to your books (such as "Amazon Bestseller").
About page: Readers love to get a glimpse of the person behind the stories. Share your journey, your inspirations, and perhaps even a bit about your writing process. How much you share is up to you - all authors are different - but I would suggest considering where your line is that you absolutely won't cross. Being an author is a career, a business, separate from your personal life.
Blog or news section: Regularly updating this section with news about upcoming releases, behind-the-scenes insights, or reflections on the writing process is not only interesting for your followers, but can also help improve your site's SEO (search engine optimization), keeping your site fresh, relevant, and discoverable.
Contact information: Make it easy for readers, bloggers, or media outlets to reach you. Include a contact form and/or a dedicated email address, and add links to your social media platforms if you wish.
Sign-up form for your newsletter: We'll discuss this in more detail a little further on, but your website should prominently feature a sign-up form for your newsletter. This is how you'll turn casual visitors into engaged subscribers, otherwise known as fans.
Above all, your website should be professional, easy to navigate, and reflect your brand as an author. Whether your writing style is dark and mysterious, light and whimsical, or somewhere in between, your site should mirror that aesthetic, showing visitors what they can expect from your books.
2. Social media presence: Engage and grow your audience
Social media has the potential to be a powerful tool for authors, offering a way for you to engage with readers in real-time, share your work, and build your brand. However, managing your social media presence effectively (and without losing your marbles) requires a clear strategy; and this begins with choosing the right platform for you, your books, and your target market.
Let's take a look at the main ones.
Facebook/Meta: Great for building communities through groups and pages. You can share updates, engage with reader comments, participate in book-related discussions, and network with other writers in your genre. Globally the most popular social media platform, with over 3 billion monthly users; if your readers are anywhere, they're here. Paid ads work well for most authors, after a learning curve. Age group of users predominantly 40 and above.
Twitter/X: Useful for quick updates, sharing quotes, and participating in writer or reader community discussions. As with most of the platforms these days, the algorithms make it difficult to reach the right people. Perseverance (and perhaps paying for a blue tick) may pay off, but it's no guarantee. Age group of users predominantly 30-49.
Instagram: Ideal for visual storytelling. Share beautiful book covers, quotes from your work, writing-space photos, or even short video clips. Algorithms come into play here too, and it can be a long game to get your posts seen by anyone; but combining Instagram Stories and Reels with standard posts are recommended. Age group of users predominantly 18-29.
TikTok: Growing in popularity among authors, TikTok (especially #BookTok) is used for creating short, engaging videos that if you're lucky can go viral and reach a massive audience. As of August 2024, doing exceptionally well on this platform are authors of Fantasy, Young Adult, Romance, and Romantasy (fantasy romance). Age group of users predominantly 18-29.
In terms of engagement on social media, think about what your goals are with these platforms - to reach new readers, or simply as a touchpoint for existing fans?
Remember, it's not always easy to gain traction on these platforms, and the ever-changing algorithms may drive you to distraction (and waste a lot of time you could spend writing). I would suggest the authors who do well on social media, without spending excessive amounts of time creating and posting content, are those who already have a fanbase, or those who use the paid advertising options to garner attention.
Regardless of your goals, however, the general modus operandi for using social media is: post regularly to keep your audience engaged, or at least let them know you haven't disappeared; interact with your followers by responding to comments, messages and mentions (as much or as little as you deem appropriate and always on brand); and vary the content, such as book updates, behind-the-scenes snapshots, reader shoutouts, etc.
And lastly, but most importantly, schedule your social media and avoid putting in overtime. Posting content and interacting with followers is something you do as your "author persona", it's a work task, separate from your personal time.
3. Newsletter: Directly connect with your readers
As we've already alluded to, while social media platforms are useful, they’re subject to algorithm changes that can affect your reach. Your newsletter, however, is a direct line to those readers who have explicitly shown interest in your work by subscribing. And unlike social media where posts can be missed, your newsletter goes straight to your subscribers’ inboxes.
In your newsletter you can share exclusive content, offer sneak peeks of upcoming books, and provide discounts or special offers to reward readers for their loyalty. Additionally, you can encourage them to spread the word about your books, leave reviews, purchase from you directly (via your website or ecommerce store), and even involve them in choosing cover design or storylines for future books.
We've already mentioned adding a sign-up form to your website, but you can also offer a free gift in exchange for a reader's email address. This gift may be a short story, a truth-behind-the-fiction research piece on one of your books or series, a prequel or sequel novella, or even deleted scenes - basically anything that readers of your books will find irresistible.
When you have your free giveaway, promote it everywhere - in the back of your books, on your website, and on your social media platforms. Some readers may claim your free gift and then unsubscribe from your newsletter, but that's fine, others will stay and become keepers.
Top tips for successful newsletter campaigns:
Engaging subject lines: Your subject line is the first thing subscribers see, so make it catchy and relevant. A good subject line increases the chances of your email being opened. To avoid ending up in the spam folder, take a look at this article here for words to avoid in your subject lines.
When a reader signs up to your newsletter, you can also send out an automated welcome email that encourages them to add you to their approved senders list. For more on automated email onboarding sequences, check out Tammi Labrecque's Newsletter Ninja.
A regular schedule: Whether it’s weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly, stick to a consistent schedule if you can so readers know when to expect your emails. To simplify matters and avoid stress, create a newsletter template in which you simply adjust the content each time.
Valuable content: Beyond updates on your books, include content that adds value for your readers. This could be writing tips, book recommendations, or insights into your creative process, as well as subscriber-only discounts - things that are exclusive, that they won't find anywhere else.
Some of the more popular email marketing platforms authors use include MailerLite, Mailchimp, and ConvertKit. Costs and capabilities vary, so do your homework first to find the one that suits your author business.
Important Note:
Email marketing remains the most powerful long-term strategy for successful authors. Unlike social media, or the retailers who sell your books, your newsletter is an aspect of your author business you alone have complete control over. It enables you to communicate with interested readers, sell to them direct, reward their loyalty, and make them feel like they’re part of your journey as an author.
Finally...
Building a reader fanbase takes time, effort, and strategy (read: blood, sweat, and usually tears). But by creating a professional website as your homebase, maintaining an active social media presence, and crafting regular, compelling newsletters, you can connect with your readers, grow your audience, and ultimately create a community of loyal fans.
These three components, when used effectively, will not only help you sell more books but, crucuially, ensure your readers remain engaged and excited about your work for years to come.
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Tina Williams of Fiction Yogi is a copyeditor and proofreader who works with writers at all stages, giving them the tools to improve their manuscript and level up their writing so they can meet their publishing goals.
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