What to Put in Your Author Newsletter (Based on 962 Emails We Actually Read)

Many fiction authors report they don’t know what to email to their list. To help solve this, we read 962 emails from 1,126 author newsletter subscriptions to find out what fiction authors actually send their readers.

This post breaks down every content type we found, sorted by how often real authors use each one, with the formula the best ones follow and examples you can steal today.

Key Takeaways

• 44% of author newsletters are mostly about selling books. Two-thirds have some sales element. This is the norm, and it’s why most author newsletters fade into the background.
• Personal stories and behind-the-scenes updates stand out most. They show up in about 1 in 4 newsletters and produce the most memorable emails in our data.
• You don’t need a backlist to have plenty to write about. One book (or zero) gives you writing updates, deleted scenes, character notes, genre picks, reader Q&A, and your real life. That’s a year of content.
• The most common non-sales formula is “Personal + Progress + Pitch”: a life update (2-3 paragraphs), a writing note (1-2 paragraphs), and a soft book link (1 paragraph).
• Book recommendations are the biggest missed chance. Only 3.2% of emails recommend other authors’ work. This is open ground debut authors can claim.

What Bestselling Authors Actually Put in Their Newsletters

The Elephant in the Inbox: Book Promotion (44% of Newsletters)

Let’s start with the reality. Nearly half of the emails we looked at were mostly about selling books: new releases, sale alerts, preorder pushes, cover reveals, backlist picks, boxed set offers. When you count the emails that tack a book link onto the end of a personal update, two-thirds of all emails had some sales element.

This isn’t a knock on anyone. Selling is part of the job. But the gap between a boring promo email and one readers actually open is real.

Lazy promo is a tropes list and a buy link with nothing personal.

For example, Jagger Cole’s “Dance of Monsters” email opens with huge images, followed by a list of tropes (bad boy x good girl, morally gray anti-hero) and what looks like a copy/paste of the book blurb. It’s a product listing, not a letter.

Smart promo gives readers something worth reading alongside the ask.

John Grisham’s first chapter of The Widow was sent only to subscribers: “As a subscriber to the John Grisham newsletter, you’re invited to read the opening chapter.” The reader gets a real taste of the book before anyone else.

Richard Chizmar pitched his Stephen King slipcase reprints with a value angle: “These cases sell for insane prices on the resale market, so this is your chance to add them to your home library at a fraction of the cost.”

The best promo emails don’t feel like ads. They lead with excitement, personal stakes, or reader value. The worst are boring by contrast. And because 44% of all author newsletters default to the boring version, the bar for standing out is low.

Personal Stories and Real Life (14.4% Primary, 24.8% of All Newsletters)

This is the most common non-sales content type. It shows up in nearly 1 in 4 newsletters when you count the times a personal story is woven into an email that’s mainly about something else.

The most memorable emails in this dataset are the honest ones:

• Sarah Adler wrote about her pharmacy holding her Adderall hostage: “The pharmacy is holding my Adderall hostage for reasons unbeknownst to me and my doctor… That’s also sort of how my brain is working right now, probably for regular reasons and also for lack of ADHD meds reasons.” Raw, funny, and real. Anyone with ADHD can relate to the challenges of trying to focus on writing without their meds.

• Michele Mills tied her cancer story to a novella’s origin: “I originally wrote this novella for a charity anthology back in the summer of ‘23. I got it finished during the time in my life when I discovered I had uterine cancer and yet still managed to turn this in reasonably on time.” That kind of honesty gives the book emotional weight that a cover image and blurb never could.

• Kerry Anne King wrote a grief essay. Charles Yallowitz shared raw anger about his son’s school. These emails build real bonds that sales emails can’t match. In our data, personal stories were the main content type in 32 of 222 emails (14.4%), and showed up as a side element in 23 more, for a total of 55 times across 24.8% of all emails.

• Frances Mayes writes personal essays from Florence with zero book pitch: “I love how the color palette changes in winter, from bright primary to subtle fresco. What makes Florence incredibly special?… The reflections of the buildings in the water, the historic bridges, the allure of walking along its banks.” Pure prose that shows the voice readers signed up for.

There’s a split worth noting. Of the 6 literary fiction authors in our data, 5 sent zero sales emails. Indie and romance authors mixed personal stories with pitches in nearly every send. Neither way is wrong. Different business models, different goals.

Where the line is: Personal doesn’t mean private. Share what feels right to you.

The test: would you regret sending it tomorrow morning? Sarah Adler’s ADHD story works because she’s finding humor in a bad day, not baring her soul. Michele Mills sharing her cancer journey works because she ties it to the creative work her readers care about. You set the line. But the data is clear: emails that feel like letters from a real person beat emails that feel like press releases.

For debut authors: This content type requires zero published books. You have a life. Write about it.

Behind-the-Scenes and Writing Updates (12.2% Primary, 23.0% of All Newsletters)

This is the content type readers say they signed up for: access to the person behind the books. It shows up in nearly 1 in 4 newsletters.

• Emilia Finn wove her kid’s first day of high school with learning new writing tools and prepping notes for her next book. Life and writing mixed in a way that felt natural.

• Ava Hunter shared a new series deal with real feeling: “I feel like I’ve been waiting forever to announce the official super-secret news that my brand-new series, THE WESTON BROTHERS, has found a home at Sourcebooks Casablanca! cue ugly crying” Career news shared this way makes the reader feel like an insider.

• Michele Mills tying her cancer story to a novella’s origin (yes, the same email) shows how these types blend. The best author newsletters don’t draw hard lines between types. They write like real people whose lives and writing mix, because they do.

The data shows a clear pattern: behind-the-scenes content almost always comes with a sales link. It showed up as a blend 32 times in our data. The combo of “here’s what I’m working on” + “here’s what you can read now” is the most common newsletter formula we found. This IS the formula.

For debut authors: You don’t need a backlist. You need a work-in-progress. Even the planning stage of a first book counts. “I spent three hours looking up Victorian poison methods for Chapter 7” is a better email than any sale notice.

The best writing updates make readers feel like insiders. The weakest read like press releases.

Exclusive Content and Bonus Material (9.9% Primary, 14.0% of All Newsletters)

Exclusive content emails include: chapter previews, deleted scenes, character notes, short stories, serial fiction, and author notes on published work.

This type almost always comes with a sales link: 26 of 31 times in our data. Chapter previews and bonus scenes are sales tools by nature. But this is the best kind of selling: give readers a taste, then ask them to buy. The reader gets real value (a chapter they can read right now), and the author gets a natural path to a sale.

• Susan Wittig Albert runs a serial mystery on Substack. Full chapters with no intro, no pitch, just the story picking up where the last email stopped. Readers who subscribe for serial fiction open every email. But only 1 author in 103 does this. It’s a big time commitment, worth knowing about even if it’s not where most authors should start.

• Giana Darling took a more creative path: “Anti-Hero’s Guide to Valentine’s Day” vignettes (“Zeus: He doesn’t make reservations. He walks into the restaurant, the owner clears a table.”) that build fan bonds without asking for a sale. This is fresh content that rewards readers for being readers. Of the 22 emails in our data where the main content was a bonus or preview, 18 (82%) also had a direct book purchase link. This is the type most naturally paired with selling.

For debut authors: Even one book has deleted scenes. You wrote parts that didn’t make the cut. You have notes about characters that never reached the page. You have early drafts that look nothing like the final book. All of that is content your readers would enjoy.

Direct Reader Engagement (5.4% Primary, 8.6% of All Newsletters)

Direct reader engagement emails contain polls, Q&A, reply prompts, contests, ARCs, surveys, and review asks. These tools turn a one-way email into a two-way talk.

• Suzanne Woods Fisher’s “Story Circles” ARC program invites early readers with warm framing: “Before Chase the Light officially hits the trail in early May, I’m inviting readers to join me around the campfire.” It makes readers feel like part of a group, not like they’re doing free work.

• Eden Summers asked her readers flat out: “I’m an introvert at heart. I find social media and newsletters tough because I’m not sure what you want to read about. So if you’d like to settle these nerves of mine, please feel free to reach out and tell me what you’d like to receive from me.” This kind of honesty stands out.

One thing to watch: real reader talks versus inbox tricks.

Several authors use “did you get it?” or “reply YES” emails that look like they want a chat but are really about inbox placement. Getting replies tells email services that the sender is real, which helps future emails land in the main inbox instead of spam. Google’s sender guidelines confirm that reader actions (opens, replies, moves to inbox) shape where future emails land. That’s useful to know. But don’t mix up inbox tricks with real reader bonds, and don’t build your plan around them.

When you ask real questions and get real replies, you also get the inbox boost. Aim for the talk. The inbox help is a bonus.

For debut authors: Asking readers what they want to hear about is both content and market research. Eden Summers’ approach works at any list size.

Writing Craft and Industry Insights (5.9% Primary, 7.2% of All Newsletters)

Only 5.9% of emails focus on this, which is low given how often author newsletter advice says to “provide value” through tips and lessons.

Most writing tips come from authors who also teach (Jessica Brody’s beat sheet tips, Veronica Roth’s writing AMAs) or who have a Substack-based writing habit (David Guterson, Susan Wittig Albert). Fiction authors rarely teach in their newsletters. Most focus on their own stories, not the process of writing them.

• Jessica Brody opens with hands-on writing tips: “How do you start your beat sheets? There’s a question I get asked a lot.” Veronica Roth answers reader questions about her process: “The best writing advice I can possibly give you is to do what works for you, and ‘what works’ will probably change with each story you write.”

This works best when framed as “here’s what I’m learning” rather than “here’s what you should know.” The moment writing tips drift into guru mode, it feels less like a newsletter and more like a course pitch. Keep it rooted in your own work.

For debut authors: Writing tips are best for authors who have other authors in their audience. If that’s not you, skip it.

Reader-Focused Content: The Biggest Missed Opportunity (3.2% Primary, 5.4% of All Newsletters)

Only 3.2% of emails mainly suggest other authors’ work. Only 5.4% include any book picks at all. Author newsletters are almost entirely self-focused.

This is the biggest missed chance in the data.

The curator model (book picks, reading lists, genre round-ups) works well in other newsletter niches, but almost no fiction authors do it. John Scalzi’s “Big Idea” guest post series, where he features other authors with real depth, is the best example in our data. It’s the only one of its kind among 103 authors.

• Veronica Eden shared a fellow author’s KU romance with a real excerpt and a personal note. Michael Chatfield runs monthly book picks. These are the rare ones, not the norm.

For debut authors: This is open ground you can claim. You don’t need a backlist to share great picks in your genre. You read books. You have takes. A monthly “what I’ve been reading” email flips the script: instead of asking readers to focus on you, you’re giving them something useful. And sharing other authors in your genre builds ties that can lead to swaps, joint promos, and group projects.

Repurposed Social Content: The Untapped Approach

Zero emails in our data looked like reused social media content. No TikTok recaps, no Instagram round-ups, no thread write-ups. If authors are reusing social posts for newsletters, it’s not showing up as such.

If you’re active on social media, your top posts are already proven content. A TikTok that got 50,000 views or an Instagram post that sparked real talk has already been tested by an audience. Turning that into a newsletter email is low-effort and likely to land.

No author in our data does this, which makes it true open ground. But it’s unproven in the newsletter context, so treat it as a test, not a plan. Try it, see how your readers respond, and adjust.

The Content Types I’d Skip (Or Use Sparingly)

Every-email book sales. Nearly half of all author newsletters (44%) are mostly about selling. Two-thirds have some sales element. That’s the norm, and it’s why most author newsletters are easy to ignore. Per Mailchimp’s email marketing data, media and publishing emails see open rates around 22%. Readers who feel sold to every email stop opening. The bond with your reader IS the product. Sales should be part of your newsletter, but rarely the whole email.

The “did you get it?” inbox trick. Several authors use reply-bait emails (“reply YES if you received this”) that look like they want a chat but are really about inbox placement. These are useful but they’re not content. Don’t mix up inbox tricks with real reader bonds, and don’t build your plan around them.

Generic writing tips with no personal spin. If the email could run on any author’s newsletter with no changes, it’s not building your bond with readers. “5 Tips for Writing Better Dialogue” is generic. “What I learned about dialogue after my editor cut 40 pages from my book” is yours.

Sorry-I’ve-been-quiet emails. These tell readers your newsletter isn’t a priority. They give nothing of value, and they frame the bond as one where you owe something. Just send the next email. Your readers either noticed the gap and will be glad to hear from you, or they didn’t notice at all. The apology helps no one.

Long emails with no format. Length isn’t the problem. Being easy to scan is. Use headers, bold text, short chunks, and white space. If a reader can’t skim your email and get the gist in 30 seconds, most won’t read it at all. Format is most of the game.

A Simple Framework for Authors Who Don’t Know What to Send Next

The content types above are useful, but a list of ideas doesn’t fix the real problem: sitting down to write your next email and not knowing where to start. What you need is a formula and a rotation plan.

The “Personal + Progress + Pitch” Formula

The most common non-sales newsletter pattern in our data follows three simple parts:

1. Life update (2-3 paragraphs). Something real from your week. It doesn’t need to be big. “My cat knocked my coffee onto my notes” is a fine opener.
2. Writing update (1-2 paragraphs). What you’re working on, what’s coming next, a problem you’re solving in the current project.
3. Soft book link (1 paragraph). A link to your latest book, a sale, a preorder. Not the focus of the email, just a natural close.

This “personal + progress + pitch” pattern makes up most of the behind-the-scenes + personal stories + book sales blends in our data. It works because it gives readers three reasons to open: a bond, insider access, and something to buy.

You don’t need to use this formula every time. But when you’re stuck, it’s a solid starting point.

The “10 Angles” Ideation System

Based on writer Nicolas Cole’s framework: any single topic you care about can become 10 emails by changing the angle.

Pick any topic that matters to you (your genre, your characters, your path to publishing, your reading life) and run it through these 10 angles. You’ll have months of email content from one topic.

This makes “I have nothing to write about” impossible. You haven’t run out of ideas. You’ve only written one angle.

The One-Book Starter Plan

If you have one book out (or are still writing your first), here’s a content plan to get you going. Each email follows one of the content types from this post:

Email 1: Personal story. Show up as a real person, not a brand. What’s going on in your life this week? Why did you start writing? What’s something odd about your process? Lead with who you are.

Email 2: Behind-the-scenes update. What are you working on now? Share a writing update: a problem you’re stuck on, a scene you’re fired up about, a research rabbit hole you fell into. Make the reader feel like an insider.

Email 3: Bonus content. Share something your readers can’t get anywhere else. A deleted scene, an ending you cut, the backstory of a character that didn’t make the book. If you’re pre-debut, share a chapter.

Email 4: Reader question. Ask your readers something. What genres are they reading this month? What drew them to your book? What do they want to hear about? This is market research dressed up as a talk.

Email 5: Book picks. Share 3-5 books in your genre that you loved. Say why each one stood out to you. Give your readers something useful that has nothing to do with buying your book.

Email 6: Book sales (with context). Now pitch your book. But frame it with a personal angle: why you wrote it, what sparked a certain scene, what readers have said about it. Give the pitch a reason to exist beyond “please buy my book.”

Then start the rotation again. Shift the order based on what your readers respond to.

On how often to send: The most active authors in our data send 1-2 times per week. Litmus’ State of Email report found that most strong email programs send 1-4 times per month, and that being steady matters more than being frequent. One email every two weeks that your readers look forward to beats three emails a week they skip. Pick a pace you can keep up.

Start With One Email

You don’t need 50 content ideas. You don’t need a perfect plan. You need one good email this week.

Pick the type from this post that feels most like you. If you’re a storyteller, start with a personal story. If you’re pumped about your current project, write a behind-the-scenes update. If you just finished a great book in your genre, share it.

The biggest thing I took away from reading 962 author emails: steady, human emails beat perfect ones. The authors whose newsletters I look forward to aren’t the ones with the best designs or the smartest subject lines. They’re the ones who write like real people talking to other real people.

If you haven’t picked an email platform yet, I looked at which email platforms bestselling fiction authors actually use in a companion post. Start there for the tech side, then come back here for what to write.

Your readers signed up because they want to hear from you. Give them a reason to keep opening.

What This Data Doesn’t Tell You

A few caveats about the data behind this post:

• The sample has a bias. About 20% of the emails we got were HTML-only stubs where the body text didn’t come through. For those, I sorted by subject line alone. This likely undercounts content-rich emails and overcounts sales emails (since sales subject lines are easier to spot).
• The lines between types are blurry. Is it a “personal story with a book link” or a “sales email with a personal opener”? That’s a judgment call about weight and tone. Two people sorting the same email might disagree.
• This is a snapshot, not a long-term study. The emails were gathered in January and February 2026. Author newsletter plans change over time. What I caught is a moment in time.
• What works varies. Genre, list size, author goals, and publishing path all shape what works best. Nothing here is a one-size-fits-all formula. These are patterns from 103 authors, not a blueprint for every author.

Source: Authormatic data, February 2026. 222 emails sorted from 103 fiction authors, drawn from 962 emails across 1,126 sign-ups.