Reader magnet ideas for fantasy authors

Fantasy readers commit to worlds. They read long series, reread favourites, and want to know more about the places and people in them. That makes fantasy a strong genre for building a mailing list: give readers a way back into your world between books, and they will want to hear when the next one lands. This guide covers the reader magnets that work best for fantasy, ideas by subgenre, and where to put your signup link.

For ideas across every genre, see our general reader magnet ideas. If you write romantasy, our romance reader magnet ideas are worth a look too.

The best reader magnets for fantasy

1. A prequel novella

A story set before book one: how your hero came by the sword, the war everyone in the series still talks about, or your mentor character when they were young. It introduces your world to new readers without spoiling the series, and gives existing readers history they have wondered about. Fantasy readers are happy with length, so a novella works well here.

2. A side character's story

Every fantasy series has a character readers wish had more pages: the rogue, the rival, the court mage. Give them a short adventure of their own. It is one of the easiest magnets to write, because the character and the world already exist.

3. Book one of the series, free

Fantasy series are long, and readers who finish book one often buy the rest. Giving it away can pay for itself many times over once you have several books out.

4. Maps, world guides and art

A full-size map, a guide to the kingdoms and their history, a bestiary, a glossary of names and places, or character art. Readers of big worlds love reference material, and it is quicker to put together than a story, though a story usually converts better. If you commission maps or art, make sure your agreement lets you give them away.

5. A deleted or bonus scene

A scene you cut, a chapter from another point of view, or what happened the night after the final battle. Like most bonus material, it belongs at the end of the book, for readers who have finished it.

6. A short story set elsewhere in your world

A tale from a different corner of your world, or a myth or legend your characters would have grown up with. It shows the depth of your worldbuilding without needing the reader to know the main plot, so it is safe to offer to anyone.

Ideas by subgenre

• Epic fantasy: a prequel set during the old war, or a world guide with a map and the history of the realms.
• Urban fantasy: a case or job your hero took before book one, or a guide to the supernatural side of the city.
• Romantasy: the love interest's point of view, or a bonus epilogue for the couple.
• Cosy fantasy: a gentle short story in the tavern or bookshop, or recipes from the world.
• Grimdark: the villain's side of a key battle, or the story of how a character became who they are.
• LitRPG and progression fantasy: a side quest, a character's early levels, or a guide to the system, classes and skills.
• Portal fantasy: another traveller's first crossing, or a guide to the world written by someone who arrived before.
• Young adult fantasy: a short story about the hero's friends, or a quiz that sorts readers into houses, orders or courts, with a short story as the main gift.

Where to put your signup link

Put the link where readers want more of your world. For a series, that is the last page of each book: "Read the story of the first war, free." For prequels and stories that are safe for anyone, a short line at the front of the book also works, because it costs a new reader nothing to try.

Share the link in your author bio, social posts and newsletter swaps too. You do not need a website: a hosted signup page works anywhere you can paste a link.

Make it match the book

• Never spoil the series. Anything offered at the front of a book has to be safe for someone who has not read it. Keep reveals for magnets linked from the end of the book.
• Lead with the hook. "The night the old king died" sells better than "Join my newsletter for a free story".
• Give it a cover that fits the series. Fantasy readers judge by covers, and a magnet that looks like part of the series feels like part of it.
• Keep it a complete story. Readers are used to waiting between books, but a free story that ends mid-scene can feel like a trick.

Then keep in touch

Fantasy readers often wait a long time between books, so a mailing list matters more than in most genres: it is how they hear the next one is out. A short welcome sequence that introduces your world and when to expect the next book keeps them with you. Our welcome email sequence guide has an outline to adapt.

Frequently asked questions