by Savannah Cordova, a writer with Reedsy
In 2025, the advice to “start a newsletter” is still everywhere in the indie author world… but is it truly the best way to connect with readers?
With younger audiences flocking to platforms like TikTok and Instagram, AI changing how readers discover books, and attention being diverted in a million directions, the digital landscape is shifting — as is how we interact online. What worked yesterday may not be the best fit today.
So is all lost when it comes to newsletters, or do they still serve a purpose in 2025? In this article, I’ll explore why you might want to reconsider your own author newsletter, and — if you do wish to test other strategies — how you might branch out to better engage your audience.
Why author newsletters have been the go-to strategy
For years, a stalwart piece of indie marketing advice has been to start a newsletter. There are various reasons for this: for one, a newsletter bypasses the unpredictability of social media algorithms and the clutter of book-selling platforms. Subscribers tend to be “warm,” i.e., made up of people who have actively opted in to hear from you. You may technically reach a wider audience on social media, but the effort you put into a newsletter is likely to have a higher proportionate ROI.
Newsletters are also seen, in some circles, as more personal than social media — allowing your readers to get exclusive content straight from the source. In a newsletter, authors can share personalized updates, book promotions, behind-the-scenes glimpses into their writing process, and even sneak peeks of upcoming projects. Social media, on the other hand, has been written off as wide-reaching but impersonal: surface-level content aimed at garnering impressions and likes, yet at a much lower conversion rate. And the decreasing popularity of once-peak platforms like Facebook and X can make social media seem even more fickle.
But do most readers in 2025 really perceive email newsletters as more personal and connected than social media? Let’s consider some “hotter” social platforms to address this question.
Interaction, community, and user experience
There’s no denying that platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube are essential for discoverability: it’s often through these algorithms that indie authors get newsletter signups in the first place. However, they are also a crucial space for genuine interaction. And as Gen Z calls for more authenticity on social media, the opportunities for real, personal connection are rapidly making this audience warmer than ever, potentially making newsletters obsolete.
Unlike newsletters, which rely on one-way communication, social media offers authors and readers a chance for a two-way conversation — and the immediacy of these interactions creates a sense of community that “static” newsletters can’t replicate. Authors can post quick updates, respond to comments, and even participate in trending challenges in real time. This makes them feel more accessible to readers — who, in turn, aren’t just passively consuming the content, but also commenting, sharing, and stitching it. When you look at it this way, newsletters feel distinctly impersonal by comparison.
But it’s true that social media on its own may not be enough. You still want a way to make sure your specific target readers hear about your upcoming release or book event, without having to rely on the algorithm putting your content in front of the right people.
That’s where newer platforms like Patreon and Substack come in, providing authors with the tools to segment their audiences — as you would with a newsletter — while retaining the more engaging and interactive elements of social media. And segmentation is key: 51% of marketers say that dividing your audience based on how likely they are to purchase your product (in this case, your book) is essential for successful marketing.
On Patreon, for instance, authors can offer different monthly subscription tiers for people, with increasingly exclusive content — the same type of content you might share in a newsletter, but in more direct and enticing formats. There are message boards and forums where the people in the tiers can interact with each other, not just the author, and other features that foster a sense of community.
YouTube similarly offers the ability to create member-exclusive content for which creators can charge. And of course, Substack’s whole foundation is paid newsletters — but the platform has other compelling features, too, such as free newsletter previews and a social media-esque feed to keep users hooked.
Not only do these tools allow you to monetize your content before readers even purchase your book, but they provide a more seamless experience for both author and reader. On TikTok, readers can even purchase your book straight off the platform!
All in all, with these new avenues, social media — and associated tools — are becoming more and more viable alternatives to traditional email marketing, turning cold audiences into warm ones in a more integrated space.
Everyone has newsletter fatigue
There’s also a certain sense of fatigue now associated with newsletters. While emails in the mainstream media and entertainment industry enjoy a 15% click-to-open rate — meaning subscribers open and click a link in the email — comms from other sources seem far less successful. Personally, with the sheer volume of emails filling my inbox on a daily basis, the last thing I want to do is read a long newsletter.
Besides, subscribers have caught on, making most newsletters feel like just another blatant marketing tool. 70% of millennials, for instance, admit to being frustrated when receiving irrelevant emails from brands. To make matters worse, Gmail and other mail providers have made it far easier to unsubscribe in one click of a button.
As an author, you thus have to work even harder to provide a strong hook or reason for people to continue subscribing to your newsletter. This is time you could spend interacting directly with your readers in shorter bursts on social media. And again, from a reader’s perspective, I’d rather spend the time it takes to read a newsletter either reading an actual book or scrolling through my socials — the first is more valuable, while the second requires less attention. In this day and age, a newsletter arguably strikes the wrong balance between the two.
In that vein, a combination of snappy video content and longer podcast-like audio content (that your target audience can consume on the go!) may fit best into the average reader’s highly digitalized and distracted life. In a world where readers are inundated with content, standing out requires more than just another cheery promotional message — you need to get creative with the presentation.
Reasons to still consider a newsletter
All that said, there are a few reasons you might still want to run an author email list in 2025.
For one, if it’s a form of marketing that feels a bit more fulfilling to you, then by all means go for it! Marketing can be time-consuming, and it’s probably not what drew you to become an indie author. So if you can do it in a way that feels authentic and you enjoy, please continue. Readers can sniff out disingenuousness a mile away, and it’s more important that you remain true to yourself than try to squeeze into a mold because of what some writer (me) said in a blog post.
Besides, while it’s true that younger audiences are flocking to these newer platforms, that might not be true for your audience. BookTok and Bookstagram consist of many Gen Z and millennial readers, and they tend to be young girls and women — so if you know that your readers do not fit in those categories, it may not be imperative for you to make the switch.
Of course, these platforms are not limited to one type of user. It’s always possible to eke out your own niche, even if your readers do not fit into the “typical” demographic. In the end, it really comes down to knowing your audience and finding the forums where they tend to congregate.
Once you’ve identified these spaces, know that if you choose to funnel your audience into a traditional author newsletter, you might have to invest a lot of time and effort upfront — with diminishing returns. Alternatively, you can try the route of starting a YouTube channel to document your writing journey and create Patreon-tiered memberships for your most loyal viewers. Or if long-form video is not your medium, you can also direct your Instagram and TikTok followers to the more modern newsletter platform, Substack — and get your street team to work some magic.
Whatever you choose, do your due diligence about a) where your audience actually “lives” and b) ensuring your chosen platform is one you’re happy to invest in long-term. Marketing is a marathon — with short, strategic sprints every now and then — and you’ll need stamina to keep it up. You could always consider hiring a marketer, too… but if I were you, I’d want to test the waters myself first. Good luck!
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Savannah Cordova is a writer with Reedsy, a marketplace that connects authors and publishers with the world’s best editors, designers, and marketers. In her spare time, Savannah enjoys reading contemporary fiction and writing short stories. You can read more of her work on Litreactor and the Reedsy blog.