Practical writing on reader magnets, growing a mailing list, and getting your books to readers.
Bonus epilogues, the hero’s point of view, prequel novellas and more: the free books romance readers actually sign up for, with ideas by subgenre.
2 October 2026 · 6 min read
Connect beehiiv with an API key and your publication ID, choose whether beehiiv sends its welcome email, and what to know about double opt-in.
2 October 2026 · 5 min read
Create an EmailOctopus API key, choose a list, and set up a welcome automation for every reader who picks up your free book.
2 October 2026 · 4 min read
Which Brevo key to use, two Brevo security settings that can quietly stop new readers being added, and a welcome automation.
Your detective’s first case, the villain’s point of view, case-file extras and more: free books that turn crime readers into subscribers.
Prequel novellas, side-character stories, maps and world guides: free books that turn fantasy readers into subscribers, with ideas by subgenre.
Find your ActiveCampaign API URL and key, choose a list, and start a welcome automation for every reader who picks up your free book.
Which SendFox plan you need, where to create your API token, how to stop readers confirming twice, and a welcome automation.
Create a Klaviyo private API key with the right access, set your list to single opt-in, and start a welcome series flow.
Which Flodesk plan you need, how to create an API key and a segment, and a workflow that welcomes every new reader.
Every main way to deliver a reader magnet, what each costs, and who each one suits, including when you do not need a service at all.
1 October 2026 · 8 min read
Step by step: connect MailerLite, pick a group, and send a welcome email to every reader who picks up your free book.
29 September 2026 · 5 min read
Which Kit API key to use (it catches people out), how forms work, and how to start a welcome sequence for every new reader.
Find your Mailchimp API key, choose an audience, and set up a welcome email, plus what the free plan does and does not include.
29 September 2026 · 4 min read
What StoryOrigin does brilliantly, what its free plan does not do, and when a simpler tool is the better fit for delivering a reader magnet.
29 September 2026 · 6 min read
What Prolific Works, formerly Instafreebie, is good for, what its plans cost, and when a simpler tool for building your list makes more sense.
An honest comparison of BookFunnel, StoryOrigin and Storyfinch, including what each is best at and what each costs.
7 July 2026 · 10 min read
The first emails a subscriber gets decide whether they stay. Here is a simple three-email welcome sequence, with examples.
16 June 2026 · 6 min read
If someone asked how a reader joined your list, could you show they agreed? Here is what a good consent record contains.
2 June 2026 · 4 min read
Single or double opt-in? Here is how they differ, what each means for your list, and how to choose.
19 May 2026 · 4 min read
A ten-minute, plain-English audit to check your author mailing list against GDPR and CAN-SPAM basics, and fix the common gaps.
5 May 2026 · 5 min read
What consent really means for author mailing lists, why it protects you, and how to collect and record it properly.
28 April 2026 · 5 min read
EPUB or PDF? Each suits different readers. Here is when to offer each, and why most authors should lead with EPUB.
24 March 2026 · 3 min read
Getting a free ebook to readers sounds easy until you try. Here is how to deliver reliably and securely, and which formats to offer.
10 March 2026 · 4 min read
You do not need a website to give away a free book. Here is how to run a reader magnet with just a shareable signup page.
24 February 2026 · 4 min read
The most dependable way to grow an author mailing list is to offer a free book. Here is a simple, repeatable process.
10 February 2026 · 8 min read
Not sure what to give away? Here are reader magnet ideas for fiction and nonfiction, and how to pick one that attracts the right readers.
27 January 2026 · 5 min read
A reader magnet is a free book you give away in exchange for an email address. Here is what makes a good one, and how delivery and consent work.
13 January 2026 · 5 min read