Email Marketing for Authors: 6 Services Compared + Tips

As an author, building a loyal reader base and selling more books requires more than just writing good books. Nowadays, fans want to feel connected to authors, at least the raving ones. Which means email marketing for authors is becoming a highway to mega-fanhood.

But getting started can be confusing. There are a lot of email providers out there, some with all the bells and whistles, others are simplified for authors will less experience and desire in growing their platform.

Which is best for you completely depends on your goals as an author, which we’ll get into.

Here’s what you’ll learn about email marketing for authors:

1. Why email marketing?
2. Platform comparison
3. Strategies & tips

Why email marketing for authors?

In an age of social media algorithms and fleeting trends, email marketing for authors remains a reliable way to connect directly with your audience in a more direct (and vulnerable) manner. Social media is often the highlight reel. Which a makes email the behind-the-scenes look at an authors life and work.

It’s not just a marketing tool. It’s a relationship building tool.

Here are the key reasons to invest in email marketing for authors:

1. Direct access to readers

With email, you control the communication channel. Unlike social media platforms, where algorithms determine who sees your content, emails land directly in your readers’ inboxes. It’s a much more reliable method to reach people who have literally said, “Sign me up! I want your updates!”.

Even if they follow you on social, it’s not guaranteed that they’ll even see your posts anymore, which makes email marketing for authors a more reliable avenue.

Plus, you own your email list. Even though you use a provider, you can download the email addresses collected (which is recommended to do periodically) and be able to move them and email them wherever you wish. If social media platforms stopped working tomorrow, email is still available to market.

2. Build relationships with readers

Email marketing for authors allows for personal, meaningful interactions. By sharing updates, exclusive content, and insights into your writing journey, you can cultivate a loyal fan base.

We’re moving into a culture where people put their money where their values are, not just on products they want. Who is producing the work matters just as much as what is being made. By allowing your audience to get to know you, they’ll want to support your work because of you, and will likely be more interested in the books because they do know you. This is where email marketing for authors displays its value.

We bleed into our writing. It’s impossible not to put ourselves in our work. Which means if your audience likes getting to know you, they’ll appreciate your books.

3. Drive book sales

Email campaigns are also an excellent way to promote book launches, special offers, or exclusive editions, driving targeted traffic to your sales pages. Of course this is what many believe is the “primary” function of email marketing for authors.

But this tactic is most effective when you understand and value the above two points, but we’ll get more into the specific strategies of email marketing for authors below.

4. Cost-effective marketing

Compared to paid ads, email marketing offers an impressive return on investment (ROI). It’s affordable, scalable, and measurable. You’ll have access to all sorts of metrics with emails, including open rates, click rates, and other engagement rates.

You’ll be able to tailor your email efforts over time to what works the best, continuously improving your efforts. With other mediums like social or ads, algorithms are always changing. So even if you have access to some metrics, it’s hard to iterate and improve in the long-term.

5. Establish long-term value

Your email list is a long-term asset. Even if social media platforms change or decline, you’ll always have your email subscribers. What’s hot now doesn’t matter as much with email marketing for authors. You don’t have to give in to trends just to stay relevant, making email a much better long-term strategy.

Email marketing platforms & services rated (+ prices)

These are in no particular order. It’s really important to choose a platform that not only fits your needs now, but fits the goals and expansion desires you have for the future.

Switching to a new provider is notoriously complicated and you can risk losing the good will you’ve built with email providers on the recipient’s side. Meaning, if you have a high open rate and are not in spam folders, switching can drop those rates and stick you in promotional folders where your emails are less likely to be opened.

So read thoroughly, and make sure to do your own research!

Here are some great email providers for authors with a few details to make choosing easier.

1. Substack

There are many authors using Substack. It’s a simple interface that makes it easy to sign up and start sharing your emails right away. Plus, if you don’t want to create an author website, your newsletters can appear publicly on your subdomain.

It lives at a subdomain of your choosing like yourname.substack.com and looks a bit like this:

• Cost: Free for basic use; Substack takes a 10% fee on paid subscriber revenue.
• Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4/5)
• Tech Level: Beginner-friendly, with a simple interface for writing and sending newsletters.
• Capabilities for Expansion: Excellent for monetization through paid subscriptions; less focused on advanced automation.
• Best For: Authors who want to build a paying readership or focus on content-driven newsletters rather than complex email marketing campaigns.

Click here to start on Substack

2. Mailerlite

MailerLite is an excellent choice for budget-conscious authors seeking a user-friendly platform. With a drag-and-drop editor and features tailored for small to medium lists, it’s great for beginners.

The service is free for up to 1,000 subscribers, with paid plans starting at $10/month. From there, the price increases on a sliding scale. The more subscribers you have, the more you pay. This is a pretty standard method of pricing for email marketing services (with an exception below).

Here’s what you might pay with MailerLite:

• Cost: Free up to 1,000 subscribers; starts at $10/month for paid plans.
• Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4/5)
• Tech Level: Beginner-friendly with a drag-and-drop editor.
• Capabilities for Expansion: Good for small to medium lists; integrates with websites and landing pages.
• Best For: Budget-conscious authors looking for simplicity and value.

Click here to start with Mailerlite

3. Flodesk

Flodesk prioritizes beautiful design and branding, offering visually appealing templates with an easy-to-use editor. While it has limited automation and segmentation features, it’s ideal email marketing for authors with small to medium-sized lists who want polished, aesthetic emails.

Flodesk costs $35/month, with no subscriber limit, making it one of the only email marketing services that doesn’t increase in price as you grow your list. It’s the same at 1,000 subscribers as it is at 50,000.

Plus, it does have additional automation features. Which means if you want to put together a welcome sequence, a “please review” email workflow, or just schedule your monthly emails ahead of time, it’s easy to do with their workflow builder.

You can even create “conditions”, which allows you customize the experience more. Here’s what that looks like:

• Cost: $35/month (unlimited subscribers).
• Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐½ (4.5/5)
• Tech Level: A little more complicated, but with many tutorials online and an active support Facebook group, with visually stunning templates and a drag-and-drop editor.
• Capabilities for Expansion: Limited in terms of segmentation and automation compared to more advanced tools but ideal for clean, aesthetic campaigns.
• Best For: Authors prioritizing design and branding, especially those with small to medium-sized lists who want beautiful emails without complex tech setups.

Click here to start with Flodesk for 50% off your first year

4. Kit

Kit (formerly ConvertKit) stands out for its robust automation and audience segmentation tools, making it ideal for authors focused on long-term growth. If you have multiple books or series or want to expand beyond just selling books (like author courses or more), it’s the best email marketing for authors option. It’s scalable and easy to use for beginners while offering advanced features for experienced marketers. Plus, Kit is free for up to 10,000 subscribers, with paid plans starting at $9/month.

What’s really handy about Kit is the ability to create sequences (similar to Flodesk) and also create rules and tags.

Rules and tags allow you to customize which parts of your email list receive which emails. When it comes to email marketing for authors, this is really powerful for increasing sales.

For example, if you know certain audiences have purchased certain books, they don’t need to receive emails promoting that book. Instead, you can promote the next book to them, or send them through a sequence that asks for reviews, further bolstering your non-email platform as well.

For example, if you sell your books direct and use Kit as your sales system (it has great integrations for this), then you can tag a customer with having bought that book (or if they fill out a form or other triggers pictured below). Then when you go to send an email, you can create a list based on that tag. These functions are available for higher tier plans, however. So make sure to thoroughly review the plan pricing and details.

Obviously, this is more comprehensive than most email marketing for authors. But if you want to truly grow your revenue or expand to additional products or services beyond the book, this is the clear winner.

• Cost: Free up to 10,000 subscribers; starts at $9/month for paid plans.
• Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐½ (4.5/5)
• Tech Level: Easy for lower tiers; advanced features for experienced users for higher paid tiers.
• Capabilities for Expansion: Robust automation and tagging system for scaling your list and revenue.
• Best For: Authors focusing on audience segmentation and long-term growth.

Click here to start with Kit

5. Aweber

If your goal with email marketing for authors is just to have somewhere you can send simple emails in a private manner, this might be for you.

This email marketing service provides simplicity and excellent customer support, making it ideal for authors who prefer an intuitive platform. It offers basic automation tools but fewer customization options compared to others. The free plan covers up to 500 subscribers, with paid plans starting at $12.50/month.

• Cost: Free up to 500 subscribers; starts at $12.50/month for paid plans.
• Rating: ⭐⭐⭐½ (3.5/5)
• Tech Level: Beginner-friendly but with fewer customization options.
• Capabilities for Expansion: Decent automation tools; less suited for large lists.
• Best For: Authors who prefer simplicity and hands-on customer support.

Click here to start with Aweber

6. ActiveCampaign

ActiveCampaign is perfect for authors with larger email lists who want advanced personalization and CRM tools. While it’s not beginner-friendly and lacks a free plan, it’s a powerful platform for scaling your email marketing. Pricing starts at $15/month.

Like many other email marketing providers, the higher the pricing tier, the more features you’ll have access to, including generative AI if you’re someone who wants to utilize that to save time.

And of course, the more contacts you have, the higher the pricing goes for each tier. Meaning if you have 2,500 subscribers, you will instead pay $39 as opposed to $15 for the “Starter” tier with 1,000 subscribers.

• Cost: Starts at $15/month (no free plan).
• Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐½ (4.5/5)
• Tech Level: Advanced; requires some learning.
• Capabilities for Expansion: Excellent for scaling with powerful automation and CRM features.
• Best For: Authors with larger lists who want to deeply personalize campaigns.

Click here to start with ActiveCampaign

Email marketing strategies for authors to sell books & grow your fan base

Email marketing for authors is not as simple as you might think. There’s a specific strategy involved if you want to make the most of your list. Take it from me, having spent the last decade in marketing growing email lists.

Here are my top tips for email marketing for authors.

1. Build your email list early

Starting to collect email addresses before your book is published is one of the best ways to go about email marketing for authors. Offer an incentive, like a free short story, exclusive chapter, or resource guide, in exchange for signing up. The earlier you start building your email list, the more readers you can engage by the time your book launches.

You can also list a free ebook or story in your social media bios to get people from one platform to your email.

Here are a few more tips to build your email list early:

• Create a freebie: Offer something valuable, like a short story, an exclusive first chapter, or a printable resource related to your genre or niche. For example, fantasy authors might offer a downloadable map of their fictional world.
• Use lead magnets: Platforms like MailerLite or Kit allow you to create lead capture forms and landing pages easily. Embed these on your website or share them on social media.
• Leverage your blog or website: Include opt-in forms on your author website homepage, blog posts, and sidebar to encourage sign-ups.

2. Create a welcome series

Set up an automated series of emails to introduce yourself to new subscribers if you have that level tier with your provider. A great tactic for email marketing for authors includes making sure your audience knows you, recognizes you, and understand what you’re about.

You can share your story, your inspiration for writing, and what they can expect from your emails.

These are a few additional tips for this welcome series:

• Structure your series: Start with an introductory email sharing your story, followed by content highlighting your books, freebies, and upcoming projects.
• Be personal: Address subscribers by name and use a conversational tone.
• Include a call to action (CTA): Encourage readers to reply to your emails, follow you on social media, or leave a review on one of your books.

3. Promote preorders and book launches

Use email campaigns to build anticipation for your new releases. Offer exclusive content, early access, or preorder bonuses to subscribers. Email marketing for authors isn’t always about promotion, but obviously you do need to market your books.

Preorders will help your books sell even more once they do go live, so don’t wait to share that link! Plus, some email providers (like Flodesk) make this time of email marketing for authors easier with countdown timers and other features.

4. Share exclusive content

Reward your email subscribers with behind-the-scenes looks, deleted scenes, or personal updates. This exclusivity keeps them engaged and loyal.

Here are a few ideas to fulfill this:

• Send “behind the book” updates: Share your writing process, research, or fun facts about your characters and settings.
• Host exclusive events: Use your email list to invite readers to virtual Q&A sessions or book readings.
• Create a VIP reader group: Encourage email subscribers to join your beta reader or ARC (Advance Review Copy) team.

5. Use storytelling to connect

Don’t just sell—share stories that resonate with your readers. Talk about your writing process, the challenges of publishing, or the inspiration behind your characters. You can also use stories to share bits about where the theme of your book comes from.

Here’s an example of a story-email from the guys at Unfound Adventures:

6. Segment your audience

Divide your subscribers into groups based on their preferences or behaviors. For example, segment readers who love fantasy versus romance, and send targeted content. This also works the way I mentioned above, where you can segment by readers who have bought certain books, clicked certain links, or visited certain pages.

The more you can get into the advanced portion of email marketing for authors, the more effective your methods will be. But if you only have one book, this level isn’t quite necessary yet.

Here’s a bit more on segmenting your email marketing for authors strategies

• Create segments by genre interest: If you write in multiple genres, tag subscribers based on their preferences.
• Segment by engagement level: Identify your most active subscribers and reward them with exclusive perks or offers.
• Use surveys: Send a quick survey to ask readers what they want from your emails.

7. Run limited-time promotions

Use email to announce discounts, bundle deals, or flash sales. These promotions create urgency and drive immediate action. But remember not to do these too often. They’re not very reliable email marketing for authors tactics because they can get old very fast.

But if you notice that Amazon has listed your book on sale (sometimes you don’t control this book pricing method), email your list and let them know!

8. Encourage reviews and word-of-mouth

Ask your subscribers to leave reviews on platforms like Amazon or Goodreads. Word-of-mouth recommendations from your email list can boost sales and visibility. One of the best email marketing for authors strategies is to set up a book review funnel.

This is nothing more than a series of emails that gets sent every few days to people who have read your book. While it’s email marketing for authors, it’s also great for organic marketing because the more reviews you have, the higher your book will appear in searches.

9. Integrate social media

While it’s not the best method for long-term, social media does matter and can enhance email marketing for authors. The more touch-points you have with your audience, the better. Use your emails to direct subscribers to your social media platforms, and vice versa. Promote your email list on Instagram, Twitter, or Facebook to attract more readers.

Here are a few more tips to do this well:

• Promote your list on social media: Share your sign-up link on your profiles and posts, and share replies from subscribers to increase curiosity. The law of FOMO is great email marketing for authors.
• Run giveaways: Use platforms like Instagram or Twitter to promote a giveaway, with joining your email list as an entry requirement.
• Embed social links: Include buttons for your social platforms in your email footer and share social media posts within emails in order to increase followers.

10. Track your metrics

Monitor open rates, click-through rates, and conversions. Use this data to refine your campaigns and create better content for your audience. Don’t just let all that data go to waste! The higher the open rate, the better the subject line must be. The higher the click rate, the more enticing the content must be.

Tailor the email marketing for authors by knowing what works.

You’ll also want to:

• Focus on key metrics: Track open rates, click-through rates, and conversions to measure success.
• A/B test your emails: If your provider and tier supplies A/B testing, experiment with different subject lines, CTAs, and content to see what resonates.
• Analyze unsubscribe rates: A spike in unsubscribes can signal issues like email frequency or content relevance.
• Clean your list every few months: The healthier the list, the better the email marketing for authors is. You don’t want the highest number of subscribers. You want the most engagement. Which means if someone hasn’t opened your emails in months, it’s time to remove them from your list. This will please email receivers and increase the chances of your book landing in the better folders and staying out of spam.

Email marketing for authors can be confusing, but it doesn’t have to be. Start small. Choose the right provider for you and start building!