Advice for Writers: Quick Newsletter Tips for the Tapped-Out Indie Author

Sometimes we don’t need a whole blog post to read when we have a problem. Sometimes we just want some fast answers. Sadly, we often just have to do the hard things. However, that doesn’t mean that there are never any easy and fast options. If you find yourself trapped in an energy-sucking loop between needing to write a newsletter and wanting to do something else, here are some problems you may be facing and my quick tips for how to deal with them. Look for the problem you find yourself facing and read the quick tip below to see if it is just what you are looking for.

Problem: I Don’t Have Time

Quick Tip: Schedule three days to sit down with your newsletter and write it. You can do this in accordance with your usual newsletter schedule. But instead of just writing your newsletter, set a timer and time how long it takes you. When you have three recorded times, take the average to find out how long it will probably take you to write your newsletter. You may be surprised at how little time it actually takes, especially if you have a simple and straightforward newsletter that goes out once a month. Once you have this information, use it when you are scheduling. You can write your newsletter in advance (even just the day before it is sent) and knowing how long it will take is a big help.

Problem: I Don’t Have the Energy

Quick Tip: If you usually have the energy but you just don’t have it today, break your newsletter into three parts and take a break between each part. Set the requirement that you will have the newsletter completed by the end of the day (or by the time you need to send it out if you are doing it the day it goes out). Then you have all day to get those three parts written.

If you never have the energy to write your newsletter, you may be writing about things you don’t want to talk about. If you don’t like to talk about yourself, you can tell people about an author you love that you recently discovered. If you love to do crafts, share pictures of your crafts. Sometimes, lack of energy is not because we are tired, but because we are forcing ourselves to do something that our nervous system does not want to do. Find what you like to talk about and start there.

Problem: I Don’t Know What to Write

Quick Tip: If you find yourself constantly low on things to talk about or you just have the occasional day when this happens, make a newsletter hat. On a day you have some energy for a fun project, get some paper and write down on strips things you can talk about in your newsletter, then put them in a hat. Sometimes it is easier to think about topics when you know you won’t have to actually write about them in that moment. Then, when the day comes, and you need to write your newsletter, but you don’t know what to talk about, pull something from your newsletter hat and go with that (Oh, that rhymes!).

Problem: I Just Want to Write My Book

Quick Tip: Use your book writing as a reward! This can be a really great way to help you get business writing done. Break up your newsletter into three parts. Write the first part, then take a break (set a timer) and write your book. Repeat this until you have your newsletter written and ready to send out.

Problem: I want it To Be Perfect

Quick Tip: I totally get it, being a perfectionist is hard because we would rather get it done right the first time and not have to go back or face the idea that we might end up showing someone something that isn’t perfect. Something that can really help with this is to have a cheerleader person whom you send your newsletter to first. This person is not there to edit your newsletter (unless you know you can have them tell you about errors without losing motivation to send out the email), so make sure you have someone else check the newsletter for errors, even if it’s just a grammar checker. This cheerleader person is someone who genuinely loves your work, won’t lie to you, but will spur you on to send the newsletter because they love it.

Problem: I Am Afraid People Won’t Like It

Quick Tip: This one requires a tough love tip. There are people who won’t like your newsletter. I am a professional, and I have followed professional newsletters and found that I didn’t like them, so I unsubscribed. So, my tip for this is to remember that unsubscribes are not personal. Your goal as an author is to tell a story that impacts someone, or makes you money, depending on why you write. Both options require that you target a group of people who like what you write. That means there are people out there who won’t like it. That is just the way people are, and that is not a bad thing at all. But remember, it’s not personal, and just because some people don’t like it, it doesn’t mean that there are no people who will like it.

Bonus Tip: This last problem comes with a bonus tip because this is a common problem. In addition to remembering that unsubscribes are not personal, define your audience. If you write stories that you like, maybe your audience is people who are like you. Whatever the audience, define them so you know how to find them and when you’ve found them.

Enjoy!

As always, have fun! And remember to schedule some breaks here and there so you can recoup. We need breaks even from things we love. Too much of a good thing is not a good thing. Enjoy!