Beyond the Basics

This post will share updated information from this post from a year ago based on my own experience and adding insight from a couple of resources. 

Are Newsletters Useful?
"Is it worth my time to create a newsletter?" - yes! Let's review some statistics.


​From this Stripo article, January 2026:

• Return on Investment: For every $1 spent on email marketing, $10-$36 is generated in sales and even as much as $50 for high performers.
• B2C (Business to Customer) conversion: 59% of consumers attribute purchases to email notices received. Sales due to emails account for roughly 11% of company eCommerce sales and, perhaps more importantly, engage customers after sales and increase brand loyalty. 

36Agency confirms many of these numbers and adds more:

• "Regularly connecting with customers, past customers, and leads builds loyalty and keeps your brand at the forefront of their minds. Personalized content boosts open and engagement rates by 26%,..."
• "Monthly newsletters establish a direct line of communication with your customers, keeping them up-to-date with essential information and developments. Unlike social media posts that can get lost in the noise, emails land directly in recipients’ inboxes. This directness ensures that your audience receives your updates without any extra steps, making it a reliable method of communication."
• Newsletters also enable you to gain feedback from customers through survey questions and email replies.

According to Media Beats: "Newsletters are among the few channels that you fully control. They offer data privacy, independence, and long-term customer retention. 88% of people read their emails daily, with 78% doing so before starting work. No other communication channel reaches users as reliably and consistently."

But What About AI?
Newsletters remain useful in this developing AI world—I suggest more than ever!

From The Current's February 11, 2026 post:

• Regulators in Europe and the UK are moving to curb Google's AI Overviews which are increasingly limiting traffic to websites. Proposals have included publishers being able to opt out of AI overviews to others taking legal action, filing antitrust complaints. 
• A repeated theme in sources including The Current post above and Creator's MBA encourages newsletters as one of few owned media options, enabling one to be seen in inboxes and even monetize through subscriptions or advertisement relationships. If AI summaries will reduce website traffic, email newsletters are the way to connect with customers. 

Media Beats identifies newsletters as a powerful tool to boost reach, trust, and revenue. 

Newsletter Options
There are a number of platforms to consider for your newsletter once you've determined your strategy and market. Many, including me, provide a newsletter on multiple channels, including all three listed below. Consider your audience for what your best strategy should be.

• LinkedIn: Newsletters on LinkedIn are a series of articles you identify at the beginning as a "newsletter," which becomes a series of articles going to your subscribers. It's recommended you defer creating a newsletter on this platform until you have at least 1,000 followers as the first edition goes to every connection you have so they can then subscribe to receive news. LinkedIn helpfully offers new connections to subscribe to your newsletter - an automatic feature. Portions are sent to subscriber email addresses and guided back to LinkedIn for the full post. The trick on these is you do not own nor can you see the addresses of each of your subscribers. 
• Substack: Newsletters on Substack are a series of articles initially created as a "newsletter," just like on LinkedIn. It takes longer to build a substantial subscriber list, but you can begin creating your newsletter immediately rather than hold until you reach a certain number to begin. These newsletters can be shared for free or monetized as monthly or annual subscriptions. Substack does have a fee on subscriptions you collect but not extreme. You can download and keep the email addresses of subscribers so they can become your forever property. Substack news goes to subscribers' feed and via email. 
• Direct email provider: You control, create, and select this service provider. A variety of options have been covered on this blog post from a year ago. Many provide a free version of their service to start.

Your Turn!
Do you have a newsletter? Do you offer it on one or more platforms?

I'd love to hear how it's going for you and I love to subscribe to newsletters! If you'd like to talk strategy or need a hand creating a newsletter, Let's Chat or find me on LinkedIn or Substack!

What's the Big Deal?

An author client asked for assistance to determine how to sell pdfs of stories - digital products - as frictionless as possible, preferably without the vendor asking for a customer's mailing address. 

Turns out, it's not as easy as you may think. 

There are a number of laws to consider, especially if you may have international sales, let alone considering different tax laws among 50 states of the US. (eeek!) 

Selling digital products adds yet another layer of complexity.

Keeping It Simple
This post will not go into heavy technical detail to set up your online store. I'm happy to assist you - Let's Chat! - but the intent of this post is to share a few points to ponder and a few resources available, aiming for the most simplicity to get my nonprofits, solopreneurs, and authors heading in the right direction.

Useful Terminology

• Merchant of Record (MoR): According to this Stripe article from January 2026, "refers to the entity that is legally authorized and responsible for processing customer payments—including credit and debit card transactions and digital wallet transactions—for goods or services on behalf of a business. The MoR is liable for the financial, legal, and compliance aspects of transactions, and its work includes dealing with banks, card networks, and regulatory bodies. The MoR is an important actor in ecommerce transactions and can fundamentally shape the process and experience of online payments." Using a platform that will process sales for you, especially sale of digital items, in accordance with a myriad of tax laws, nationally and internationally, is well worth the trouble—your tax accountant will thank you!
• VAT (Value-Added Tax)/GST (Goods & Services Tax): Sales tax for European (VAT) and Australian (GST) customers. Taxes are based on the location of the buyer, not seller. 
• ISO 20022: Global payment standard (initiated in 2004) effective November 2026 where a minimum of city and country will be required for online transactions. Two forms of address verification will be needed - IP (computer) address that's identified behind the scenes and billing address. 
• PDF Stamp: deters people from sharing his stories for free by putting the buyer's email on every page. Lemon Squeezy, Dodo Payments, and Payhip, when enabled, these platforms automatically "burns" or watermarks the buyer's email address (and sometimes a transaction ID) onto the corner of every single page of the PDF upon download.

Online Sales Vendor Options

• Lemon Squeezy: A full-service MoR, they handle 100% of the taxes globally on your behalf. Apple Pay and Google Pay can be used making check-out frictionless for the buyer. Fees are 5% + $0.50 - reasonable. Has additional tools like newsletter creation options. 
• Dodo Payments: A full-service MoR, they handle 100% of the taxes globally as Lemon Squeezy does. Uses a pop-up overlay intended to make check-out as streamlined as possible. Fees are 4% + $0.40.
• Paddle: A full-service MoR, they handle 100% of the taxes globally as Lemon Squeezy and Dodo Payments. Offers a "contacts us" option if you'll be selling items under $10. Fees are 5% + $0.50.
• Gumroad: A full-service MoR, they sell digital products including memberships and courses. Create a website through their platform or connect it to your own website. Fees are rather steep - 10% + $0.50.
• Payhip: You can toggle off the billing address requirement for digital products. Does NOT handle US sales tax - not a full-service MoR. For the US, Canada, and Australia, they only calculate the tax; your client would still be responsible for registering with states and filing those taxes himself making it far more work. 5% fee and PayPal/Stripe fees apply. 
• Sellfy: Sell digital products, physical products, print on demand items, and subscriptions. Your store looks like a website, and you can connect your own domain to it. Email marketing and a few additional features are available. Fees $22/mo + PayPal or Stripe fees, whichever platform you connect. Does NOT handle US sales tax or VAT/GST - seller takes full responsibility for tax collection.

Thinking Ahead - Newsletter Building
Enable an Opt In button on your sales platform which will legally allow you to add name and email of your buyer to your email list. Just because you made a sale, does not give consent to receive ongoing communications, especially per European standards. 

Get to the Point
If you'll be doing online sales and are not a nonprofit (501c3's do not require tax collection if they have gone through the IRS approval process), you have a few things to consider.

• Who will be purchasing: customers in the US only or internationally potentially?
• What are you selling: physical products that may also require shipping or digital items? (this post focuses on digital items as a unique item) Many websites enable connecting Square, PayPal, or Stripe for payments, but you still need to consider taxes/VAT/GST and how you wish to handle that.
• Will you be handling taxes on sales or is it easier to use a platform that will handle it? Be sure to look for a system that will act as your Merchant of Record (MoR).
• Enable Apple Pay and Google Pay: This makes check-out a breeze for your buyers who use those systems.
• Be sure to add PDF Stamp language to digital items you're selling: Possible language - © 2026 [Name]. All rights reserved. No part of this publication (including text, plot, and arrangement) may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form without the prior written permission of the author.
• Add an Opt In button to all sales: This will enable you to build a newsletter distribution list from buyers who are already your fan!

Your Turn
Have you done any digital sales and worked through this process? Love to hear your experience, what platform you selected, and why - Let's Chat! Or find me on LinkedIn or Substack!

Are Scams on Authors Unique?

Yes. On research for this series, it turns out each market tends to have its own distinct brand of scam artists. There are likely some overlaps, but there are definitely unique things to be aware of.




Types of Author Scams
Combining information from this NY Times article, Authors Guild, and Scottish Book Trust:

• Fake Publishing Opportunities: Scammers send unsolicited emails claiming to have found your work on Amazon or elsewhere, offering "traditional publishing" deals that require upfront fees. Dan Barry notes in his February 2026  NY Times article "Scam artists overseas, using artificial intelligence, are impersonating publishing figures on illegitimate websites and in flattering emails, to hoodwink both fledgling and established authors into paying fees for services never to be rendered. The literary chorus sounding the alarm includes the novelists George Saunders, Rebecca Makkai and Colson Whitehead; the Authors Guild and Bomb magazine; numerous book agents and publishing houses; and, quite recently, the National Book Foundation."
• Bogus Literary Marketers: Scammers promise to raise an author's profile, generate fake positive reviews, or book them for non-existent high-profile interviews, often for a high fee. Dan Berry urges caution in falling for a "book-fair scam" sharing many promises, requiring many fees, only to have a single copy of your book in a display with dozens of others. 
• Repurposing Scams: Scammers, often operating internationally, target self-published often first-time authors, draining resources with bogus "re-licensing" fees, or fake book return insurance. 
• Impersonation: Imposters pose as known agents, publishers, or even established authors, using fake email domains or slightly misspelled, legitimate-looking ones. While an author may receive emails assuring you they're from a legitimate source, including popular authors, sending a message to the popular author often reveals you are one of many approached "by" them. Authors have also had their name outright stolen and used by others trying to sell books created by AI with titles very similar to existing work of the author--Jane Friedman is an excellent example of this.

How to Avoid Scams

• Never Pay Upfront: There will be no fees from traditional publishers and agents to review your manuscript.
• Verify Everything: Check your sources. Look for the company listed in your communication. See if that person is on LinkedIn or somewhere to confirm they're real. Stop a minute if Stephen King or Danielle Steel (as examples) is sending you a "personal" invitation.
• Check Email Addresses: Look for subtle misspellings—zeroes for o's as an example.
• Unexpected Attachments: Be very careful opening items that may contain viruses or malware to attack your files.
• Seem to Know You Very Well: Be wary of a lot of personal information about you. Scammers are making great use of AI to scrape the internet for information.
• Be Wary of Unsolicited Contact: Be suspicious of amazing opportunities coming out of the blue including "from" publishing houses, offers to be on podcasts, and even movie deals per this Author's Guild article. 
• Review Contracts Carefully: Legitimate publishers and agents offer contracts without hidden fees or immediate demands for payment. 
• Check Your Spam Filters: Update passwords periodically. Check your business website and social media security.

Resource for Authors
Keep Writer Beware of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America (SFWA) bookmarked for reference! The link is to the SFWA website but Writer Beware has its own mission, website, blog, and socials to keep authors and the publishing industry informed about the latest scams to help recognize and avoid them. 

Your Turn
Have you been scammed or stopped short of getting caught by one? Love to hear your tale and how you handled it so we can all learn together to keep each other safe!

​Let's Chat or find me on LinkedIn or Substack!

AI Slop

There is a growing backlash against so much content or even full works being created by AI and shared. Some isn't hard to spot - pretty average sounding words, little emotion.

Others are harder, from just being hard to distinguish as Human vs AI to even stealing author's names and publishing books for sale! This is being seen in just about any profession, but we'll focus on authors today. 

Labels
Some are leaning into labeling themselves to note "Guaranteed Human" or some percentage of what is human vs AI work. Others are date and time stamping posts on socials to confirm humanity, in case material may get swiped by AI or people. You may also be in a rapidly evolving field where your date/time reference helps put perspective on the post you made. 

​Stolen Property
Some authors are going through the time and expense of trademarking their name. This is a fascinating story with step-by-step cues on the process. 

Dave Malone shares an article on Jane Friedman's blog suggesting categories of AI usage to post - AI Assisted vs AI Generated. Many use AI these days - most have no problem accepting that. The thing that's useful to know is how much is AI vs Human.

Jane Friedman shared her fight in August 2023 against books posted on Goodreads and Amazon with her name as the author that she never wrote, stealing her name and reputation. She regularly updates the post as this evolves.

Amazon has developed Content Guidelines in an attempt to curb the flow of AI content. Amazon announced in September 2023 a new limit of 3 per day self-published books by the same author in an attempt to control a flood of AI content. That does not appear to have been updated or changed. 

Lean into Human Value
You are uniquely you in all your amazingness, flaws, quirks, life experiences, stories, and lousy first drafts. Your human factor is what sells. Be Human in as many ways as you can.

• Events: Show up. Network. Be a speaker and authority. You are fully human here.
• Share the process: In newsletters and on social media, share behind the scenes tales of your process which will help bring your book to life with your audience and develop your following. 
• Website and email: These are your owned property. Develop a regular, consider weekly, habit of blogging. This will give you material to populate your email news to those who subscribe or follow you or have requested your information. 
• Social media: Each platform has a different approach and vibe. Focus your energy on 2-3 at most as your go-to social spot. This is a great way to share more frequent insights or communication with followers, daily to 3x/week. These posts can be pure text, text + image (photo), or short video. It would not surprise me if we begin seeing tags at the end of posts noting "100% Human Created Content" or something similar. 

Human Branding Sells
Use AI. It's a useful tool. But be aware of how much of your work is you vs the tool. At the end of the day, it makes a difference the level of Human in your work. If you have a pro AI account, you are able to toggle an option not to make your chat public which may be extremely useful to protect your content.

This isn't intended to be an all or nothing perspective. The best option is often a blend of human and AI. It's a tool we can use to improve our words and how we share experiences. This May 2025 article encourages a blend. Even Google suggests a blend of AI and human content is successful. The article also suggests human content outperforms AI by 47%. I definitely appreciate that.

Human Branding
How much are you creating as human generated content? Are you feeling a need to label it as such?

Love to hear your thoughts - Let's Chat or find me on LinkedIn!