This is an important one. In fact, I should have told you guys about this one ages ago.
If you want to be an indie writer, there is one thing you must do: Build a Mailing List.
There are plenty of ways to go about it, but before we address any of them, let’s talk about just why a mailing list is so important.
Now, I have a website, and I have this blog. I also have a Twitter account. If I have something to say to you guys, I just need to type it and release it on the web. However, is that really the best way to reach people?
I look at my sales dashboard, and I truly have no idea who the people who buy my books are. I don’t know how to reach them.I fully understand why that is, but sometimes I wish I could tell them, “By the way, remember that book you bought? The sequel is out. Just thought you should know.”
Sure, I put my Contact Info at the end of my books, but how often does anyone click on those links? I know for sure I never have.
Besides, even if one or two of them do check out my website from time to time, between a post, a tweet, or an e-mail, there is no denying which one feels more personal.The first two are just putting yourself out there, the third one is knocking on someone’s door.
Having a mailing list allows you to directly reach the people who are interested in what you do. For example, see the ‘Get a Free Book!’ Link above? When someone downloads that book using that link, they are automatically added to my mailing list. That means I can send e-mails to the people who have actually read my book.
I can inform them of sequels and special promos, and so on.
In fact, engaging with my mailing list via my newsletter has brought me better results than just tweeting about things.
It’s something important to keep in mind.
The Road to Self-Publishing 