Why are author newsletters and webpages important to subscribe to?
Of course, the obvious answer is so the author can send you updates about their books. However, there is a secondary reason you may not have thought about and it may change your mind about signing up for those newsletters and blog updates.
A lot of indie authors use Facebook and other social media platforms as a major source of advertising. This means Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, MeWe, and other social media sites have control over the author’s accounts and can take it away without any explanation. Poof, gone. All of the readers and contacts an author has made over the years have disappeared.
Ah, but here’s another potential problem. Amazon, KOBO, Nook, and other booksellers have that same type of control and can revoke an author’s privileges. Losing the ability to sell online through major booksellers could have a negative impact on the sales of an author. This scenario has occurred to a few authors I follow. Some have chosen to sell directly from their website after having their publishing rights revoked from an online seller.
For these just these reasons alone, gathering reader emails and contact information is imperative. Plus staying in touch regularly helps keep you up to date with everything going on with your favorite authors.
