Building an author newsletter is one of the most valuable things an independent author can do.
Social media algorithms change. Advertising costs fluctuate. And while retailers like Amazon can introduce your books to thousands of readers, you don't necessarily have a direct way to communicate with those readers again.
That's why I believe in building an email list.
As an independent romance author, I've experimented with different ways to connect with readers, distribute free books, and encourage readers to discover more of my catalog. One of the most useful tools in my publishing business has been Kit, an email marketing platform designed for creators.
What makes Kit especially valuable for authors isn't just its ability to send newsletters. It's how well it fits into a larger publishing ecosystem, particularly when paired with BookFunnel and Shopify.
Here's how I use these tools together and why I recommend considering Kit for your author business.
What Is Kit?
Kit (formerly ConvertKit) is an email marketing platform designed for creators, including authors, bloggers, educators, and other independent entrepreneurs.
It allows you to:
- Build an email subscriber list
- Create signup forms and landing pages
- Send newsletters and automated email sequences
- Organize readers using tags and segments
- Deliver targeted emails based on subscriber interests
- Connect with other tools in your author business
For authors, the real value is having a direct relationship with readers that doesn't depend entirely on a retailer or social media platform.
And as your catalog grows, Kit can grow with it.
1. Use Reader Magnets to Build Your Author Newsletter
One of my favorite strategies for growing an author newsletter is offering a reader magnet: a free story, novella, prequel, or bonus chapter in exchange for joining an email list.
For example, I offer readers free stories connected to my romance series, including Summer at Stark Ranch, a prequel to my Stark Brothers of Montana series, and The First Supper, a prequel to my Divorce Supper Club series.
These stories introduce readers to my fictional worlds while giving them an incentive to subscribe.
This is where Kit and BookFunnel work particularly well together.
BookFunnel handles ebook delivery, allowing readers to download their free stories in supported ebook formats. Kit manages my email subscribers, helping me welcome new readers and stay in touch.
With the appropriate integration configured, a reader can request a free book through BookFunnel, receive the ebook, and be added to my Kit audience.
That means I'm not manually collecting email addresses or sending files to individual readers.
It's a much more scalable system, particularly when you're promoting multiple reader magnets across different series.
2. Segment Your Email List by Reader Interest
Not every reader enjoys the same kind of romance.
Some of my subscribers love small-town cowboy romances. Others prefer hockey romance, workplace romance, or later-in-life love stories.
One of the features I appreciate most about Kit is its ability to organize subscribers using tags and segments.
For example, an author could create tags such as:
- Cowboy Romance Readers
- Hockey Romance Readers
- Later-in-Life Romance Readers
- Interested in New Releases
- Highly Engaged Subscribers
When someone subscribes through a particular reader magnet, you can use that signup source to help identify their interests.
Instead of sending every promotional email to your entire list, you can create more relevant campaigns.
If I'm promoting a new cowboy romance, I can prioritize subscribers who have already shown interest in my Montana series.
This doesn't mean readers should be permanently limited to one genre. But understanding their interests helps me make more thoughtful decisions about what to send.
And as an author with multiple series, that's particularly valuable.
3. Create Automated Welcome Sequences
Getting someone to subscribe is only the beginning.
Ideally, new subscribers should receive an introduction to you as an author, discover your books, and understand what they can expect from your newsletter.
Kit's automation features can help with this.
For example, an author might create a welcome sequence that:
Email 1: Deliver the reader magnet
Welcome your new subscriber, explain how to access their free story, and introduce yourself.
Email 2: Introduce the series
Share more about the characters, setting, and other books connected to the free story.
Email 3: Recommend the next book
Help readers discover where to continue if they enjoyed the reader magnet.
Email 4: Invite them to stay connected
Explain what subscribers can expect, including new releases, exclusive stories, and occasional book recommendations.
Once the sequence is configured, it can run automatically for eligible subscribers.
For independent authors managing writing, publishing, advertising, and marketing, automation can save a significant amount of time.
Note: Available automation features and limits depend on your Kit plan.
4. Connect Kit With Shopify to Support Direct Book Sales
Another reason I chose Kit is its ability to work alongside Shopify.
I operate my author website, through Shopify, where readers can discover my books and purchase select titles directly.
Kit gives me a way to maintain relationships with readers beyond a single purchase.
Depending on your integration setup, you can use customer and purchase information to support more targeted email marketing.
For example, an author might want to:
- Welcome customers who purchase directly from their website
- Recommend additional books in a series
- Distinguish customers from newsletter-only subscribers
- Send relevant updates to readers interested in particular products
The important distinction is that Shopify manages the transaction, while Kit supports the ongoing reader relationship.
You'll also want to make sure your marketing consent settings are configured appropriately. Purchasing a book doesn't automatically mean someone has agreed to receive promotional emails.
For authors exploring direct sales, having a connected email marketing system can be a meaningful advantage.
5. Track Engagement and Keep Your List Organized
A larger newsletter isn't automatically a better newsletter.
What matters is whether subscribers actually want to hear from you.
Kit provides engagement information that can help you understand how subscribers interact with your emails.
I use this information to identify highly engaged readers and make decisions about my email campaigns.
For example, you can create segments based on combinations of subscriber activity, tags, and other available conditions.
This can be helpful when:
- Announcing a new release
- Promoting a special offer
- Reintroducing a series
- Identifying subscribers who may no longer be interested
- Avoiding sending every campaign to every subscriber
Email open rates aren't perfectly reliable because of privacy protections and automated tracking, so I also consider clicks and other meaningful engagement.
Ultimately, I want a newsletter filled with readers who are interested in my books, not just a large subscriber count.
6. Build an Author Marketing System That Works Together
What I particularly appreciate about using Kit is that it doesn't have to operate in isolation.
My author marketing setup includes three primary tools:
Kit — Email marketing and subscriber management
For newsletters, tags, segments, signup forms, and email automation.
BookFunnel — Reader magnet and ebook delivery
For distributing free stories, participating in reader promotions, and making ebook downloads easier for readers.
Shopify — My author website and direct storefront
For selling books directly, maintaining my catalog, and giving readers a central place to discover my work.
Each platform serves a different purpose, but together they create a system that supports both reader acquisition and long-term engagement.
A reader might discover a free novella through a BookFunnel promotion, join my newsletter through Kit, and eventually purchase another book from my Shopify store.
That's the kind of connected publishing ecosystem I want to build.
Is Kit Worth It for Independent Authors?
I think Kit is particularly worth considering if you're an author who:
- Has multiple books or series
- Uses reader magnets to attract subscribers
- Wants to automate welcome emails
- Needs to organize subscribers by genre or interest
- Sells books directly or plans to in the future
- Wants more control over reader relationships
If you're just starting out with a single book and a very small list, you may not need every feature immediately. Kit offers different plans, so it's worth comparing the current pricing and features before deciding.
But if you're building a long-term independent publishing business, choosing an email platform that can support your future growth is worth considering.
My Recommendation
For my publishing business, Kit has become an important part of how I connect with readers.
I especially appreciate being able to organize subscribers, connect reader magnets through BookFunnel, and integrate email marketing with my Shopify storefront.
As my catalog continues to expand, having these systems connected helps me spend less time managing individual marketing tasks and more time writing and publishing books.
If you're an independent author looking for an email marketing platform, I recommend taking a look at Kit.
Explore Kit for Your Author Newsletter →
Affiliate disclosure: This article contains an affiliate link. If you sign up through my link, I may earn a commission at no additional cost to you. I only recommend tools I personally use or believe may be useful to other authors.