Writer Sanctum
Writer's Haven => Marketing Loft [Public] => Topic started by: Hopscotch on September 04, 2021, 03:50:35 AM
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Why am I always the last to know?
Why authors are turning down lucrative deals in favour of Substack
The Guardian
“…a growing number of authors [are] making the leap to write serialised fiction delivered straight to the inboxes of subscribers who pay a monthly fee….Substack takes between 10 and 15% of an author’s earnings from subscriptions, and offers editing, proofreading, art and design, and legal services as part of their packages….While comics have a strong independent, DIY ethos, with prose writing there’s still a divide between traditional and self-publishing. Can Substack overcome what many see as a stigma attched to the latter?
“‘Substack is very liberating for authors…They can publish directly to their readers, they have total control, retain all their rights. We build a community around them so they can have direct contact with their readers….’”
https://www.theguardian.com/books/2021/sep/03/authors-lucrative-deals-substack-salman-rushdie-dc-marvel (https://www.theguardian.com/books/2021/sep/03/authors-lucrative-deals-substack-salman-rushdie-dc-marvel)
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I think all of these platforms that are based on 20-year-old tech are nothing more than stop-gaps. Sure, leverage them however you can, but they're not the future any more than Amazon is.
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never even heard of them
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It's a promising platform if you have a massive, engaged audience that consumes everything you write, you produce often, and you intend to "connect" with your followers.
It's an option worth considering if you're a popular author leaning toward trad deals. However, I'd be surprised if indie authors find it to be more lucrative than KDP.
Here are some numbers re: Substack (https://backlinko.com/substack-users). (The article is written by Brian Dean, who usually writes about SEO stuff.)
FWIW, I sub to Glenn Greenwald on Substack. I love the simple UI. Easy reading with no distracting ads.
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I'm setting one up right now! I really like that they have a free option, which is basically my entire marketing plan. LOL
Eventually, I might add a 'paid' tier but for now...this looks like a fun option and easy way to reach readers. I need to have a back up in case Facebook totally implodes or kicks me off for some reason. :dog1:
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I'm setting one up right now! I really like that they have a free option, which is basically my entire marketing plan. LOL
Eventually, I might add a 'paid' tier but for now...this looks like a fun option and easy way to reach readers. I need to have a back up in case Facebook totally implodes or kicks me off for some reason. :dog1:
So how do you plan to use it? In addition to your current newsletter? In place of your current newsletter? With the same content or different?
Trying to figure out how all this works!
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It seems like a great platform to me. From what little I've read, it has been used mostly for journalism/non-fiction. I don't know the reason for that, although having an already established audience is probably the big one, but I'm sure there is some reason why fiction authors are not flocking there. I had no idea that there was a free option though. Interesting to know!
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I'm setting one up right now! I really like that they have a free option, which is basically my entire marketing plan. LOL
Eventually, I might add a 'paid' tier but for now...this looks like a fun option and easy way to reach readers. I need to have a back up in case Facebook totally implodes or kicks me off for some reason. :dog1:
So how do you plan to use it? In addition to your current newsletter? In place of your current newsletter? With the same content or different?
Trying to figure out how all this works!
I'm still setting things up...but I have some ideas. I'll let you know what I find out. LOL
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DM, I'm using it in addition to my Facebook groups. My readers know I write books, but I bring in new readers through posts on tea, gardens, houses, vintage dresses, tea parties, etc. I'll probably do the same thing with this newsletter...I just really like that it's free! For them and for me. :)
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Anyone leveraging this one successfully yet?
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Anyone leveraging this one successfully yet?
If you mean, do I like the newsletter format? Yes, I really do! And it's doing exactly what I'd hoped...so far. I'm not using it to sell directly, so no leveraging in that way.