The long-awaited part 2
The past few weeks I have been seeing the yearly multi author giveaway with a prize just for international readers. This is $500 Amazon card and eBooks. Well, I do love eBooks and a $500 Amazon card would be amazing. However, my mind went back to last year and all the new lists I was added to. All the welcome sequences and all the newsletters sent within days of the contest ending. Ironically, I was still getting new newsletters well into this year and no idea who the author was cos they didn’t say how I was added to the list. My mind said NO you can’t handle all those emails so I will not be signing up. I still have times I see several emails and they get left for a few days.
Why I stay one lists.
It’s not all bad news there are author newsletters I look forward to and I will share a few and explain why.
Autumn Macarthur
Autumn has updates on what she is doing often including cat updates. They are spending time working on a forever home and I enjoy reading her updates. She also has a pet section often her own cats but an opportunity for readers to share their pets also. She also shares different promos and talks about her writing progress. I love that she is passionate about other author books but I never feel that you must buy my book feel. She has an option for weekly or monthly newsletters.
Meghann Whistler
Meghann’s newsletters are always interesting for similar reasons to Autumns. She shares what her family is up to and her writing journey. Again no hard sell. What I also love is Meghann normally has a poll question for readers to vote on. The next newsletter we get the results.
Narelle Atkins
Narelle’s newsletters again have some news of what is happening in her life and like the others its only a paragraph or two. Links to her Fangirling with Narelle and book reviews. She then has a giveaway a choice of normally two books that one reader can win. Normally ending with a question and a prayer request.
Dienece Darling
Dienece’s newsletter are similar with personal news, updates. What I really like is the tidbits from Dienece’s research. It’s always fun learning new fun facts. I also love how she also has polls where we can decide things for her books.
What else I enjoy
There are other newsletters I look forward to and a couple I look forward to for certain elements. One has a jigsaw which I love to do but I admit if not for the jigsaw I would be unsubscribing. In one newsletter a pet takes over and gives us an insight from the point of the pet. Another the authors WIP character takes over for a section. It’s these differences that make the newsletters fun to read. I do enjoy polls, questions and interaction.
What I don’t like
Being constantly asked to review a book can be both tiring and frustrating. Worse is the assumption I bought or borrowed the book the day the book released and have had time to read said book. Also, when offering a free book, the next newsletter assumes the book has been read and again the request for a review. I am one who rarely downloads a free book. The reason is I know I don’t have time to read the book even if it’s short. Of the 70+ newsletters I was added to last year I downloaded a total of two free books and neither has been read yet.
The constant begging for reviews is very off putting. Occasionally I can handle but every newsletter screams desperation. It is on a par with the hard sell. I don’t mind a link to buy books although having half the newsletter taken up with links to every available book is off putting. Newsletters where authors try to guilt readers who haven’t bought a new release frustrating. I can’t afford to buy all the books by every newsletter I am on. When the book is on sale I love to know if I can buy it in Australia. I also have a list of books for when I can get another trial on KU.
The takeout is I will not be joining the multi author giveaway because I can’t handle all the new lists and the emails when I am already on a list. Will I join any again the answer really depends but right now I am happy with the newsletters I received.