What do you think?
Rate this book
Reader Magnets: Build Your Author Platform and Sell more Books on Kindle
Reader Magnets are what bring readers to YOU.
They're an irresistible force that draw readers in to your author platform - the promise of getting great value content and building a valuable connection. That's what it's all about, after all - making meaningful relationships with your audience and having a direct line to your readers.
I started using Reader Magnets a little over six months ago. I didn't even have a term for it back then. Since I put these measures in place, over 15,000 readers have signed up to hear from me about new releases and promotions - all in just a few months.
My readers trust me with their contact details for good reason. I give them good content. In return, they buy my books. These guys are my fans. I appreciate every last one of them - and they're the reason I get to write for a living.
They're an irresistible force that draw readers in to your author platform - the promise of getting great value content and building a valuable connection. That's what it's all about, after all - making meaningful relationships with your audience and having a direct line to your readers.
I started using Reader Magnets a little over six months ago. I didn't even have a term for it back then. Since I put these measures in place, over 15,000 readers have signed up to hear from me about new releases and promotions - all in just a few months.
My readers trust me with their contact details for good reason. I give them good content. In return, they buy my books. These guys are my fans. I appreciate every last one of them - and they're the reason I get to write for a living.
51 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 6, 2014
451 people are currently reading
902 people want to read
About the author
Nick Stephenson
19Ìýbooks202ÌýfollowersNick Stephenson was born and raised in Cambridgeshire, England and will now refer to himself in the first person. My approach to writing is to hit hard, hit fast, and leave as few spelling errors as possible. I write thrillers, suspense novels, and the occasional witty postcard, all of which are designed to get your pulse pounding. Don’t let my headshot fool you â€� I’m actually full colour, on most days.
My books are a mixture of mystery, action, and humour. If you’re looking for a good place to start, take a look at my Leopold Blake series of thrillers, available now at and out soon on Amazon, Sony, Barnes & Noble, and the iTunes store.
My books are a mixture of mystery, action, and humour. If you’re looking for a good place to start, take a look at my Leopold Blake series of thrillers, available now at and out soon on Amazon, Sony, Barnes & Noble, and the iTunes store.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 228 reviews
July 23, 2015
Short, but sweet. Stephenson sketches out a very clever approach to gathering subscribers to a fiction author’s e-list. Non-fiction, in general, is so much more intuitive to market that it’s a joy to see a formula directed specifically novelists. The book is fast, doesn’t waste readers� time, and offers immediately practicable, useful information.
April 3, 2018
Concise. To the point.
The three things that stood out for me:
1. Build an email list and then you need two books to supercharge your email list
2. Create a Funnel book - make it permanently free
3. Then create a book that serves as a magnet - place an advert in the front and back offering a free book in return for the reader's email address
If you are just starting out, build your email list first and then ask others to join you on social media. So it's all about the email list!
Great resource.
The three things that stood out for me:
1. Build an email list and then you need two books to supercharge your email list
2. Create a Funnel book - make it permanently free
3. Then create a book that serves as a magnet - place an advert in the front and back offering a free book in return for the reader's email address
If you are just starting out, build your email list first and then ask others to join you on social media. So it's all about the email list!
Great resource.
December 30, 2014
Nick, thanks for your book. It's very timely. I've 5 books (paperback and eBook) exclusively on Amazon. One thing I've learnt - do the same thing in the same way and you get the same results - for me the results are poor measured in sales. Good to great reviews but very limited sales. I believed it was all about writing more books (books 6 and 7 are in progress) but in 2015 this will change. I'm planning to follow your advice to the letter. I write in two genres English humour and for children (8 to 11 yr olds) it will be interesting to see how well your techniques work for me. But nothing ventured noting gained and if I see any increase in my average daily book sales I'll be very happy.
This is a must read for all self-published authors. Writing a book is (comparatively) easy, selling it is another very different matter. (My comment about writing a professional quality book being easy is a joke really but compared to successful sales/marketing it is.) Goodread readers as I'm sure you are aware writing a quality book with appeal is not easy. Thanks for your understanding.
This is a must read for all self-published authors. Writing a book is (comparatively) easy, selling it is another very different matter. (My comment about writing a professional quality book being easy is a joke really but compared to successful sales/marketing it is.) Goodread readers as I'm sure you are aware writing a quality book with appeal is not easy. Thanks for your understanding.
October 25, 2018
Looks like some great advice. I'll be interested to see how it works in practice.
December 17, 2017
Power of reader magnets.
Useful tips from Nick Stephenson. I downloaded this book from Amazon for free and found it quite interesting.
If someone wants to learn how to get and retain readers, this book is good to get the ideas.
Useful tips from Nick Stephenson. I downloaded this book from Amazon for free and found it quite interesting.
If someone wants to learn how to get and retain readers, this book is good to get the ideas.
November 14, 2018
Great doable info!
August 14, 2020
Short but valid
He makes a number of good points and gives practical steps for building your email list. I think that should be in the title. It discusses the importance of reader magnets and how to use them to build your email list, but it doesn't give any input on what should be in a reader magnet, which is what I expected from the title.
He makes a number of good points and gives practical steps for building your email list. I think that should be in the title. It discusses the importance of reader magnets and how to use them to build your email list, but it doesn't give any input on what should be in a reader magnet, which is what I expected from the title.
August 13, 2019
I spotted this book for free when looking for new non-fiction books to read and grabbed it as it sounded promising. It was slightly underwhelming though. It's quite the short read. It has some good advice, but the whole book is basically one piece of advice and a bit about how to implement with setting up a newsletter, landing page etc. And it didn't contain much information I didn't already know.
I think it's mostly because it all is advice I already knew, although this author does implement things a bit differently than I usually see or would recommend. This strategy would work just as well with either a prequel or a free novella in my opinion. The author does talk things through clearly and his advice is easy to follow and he explains all the steps surrounding it to set it up.
I also struggled a bit with the writing style. It just didn't quite work for me. It had almost a bit of a sale-y tone. Not quite sure what it was, but it wasn't really my preferred style to read. It is clear the author knows what he is talking about and he seems to have enough experience with selling books.
To summarize: if you want to know this authors advice on reader magnets and how to implement this, it's a decent read. The advice is clear and the steps explained well. It was a bit on the short side and didn't contain much advice I didn't already know. But it's free, and short, so why it doesn't cost much to check it out and see what the book had to offer. For me this was slightly underwhelming, a bit on the short side and the writing style didn't quite work for me.
I think it's mostly because it all is advice I already knew, although this author does implement things a bit differently than I usually see or would recommend. This strategy would work just as well with either a prequel or a free novella in my opinion. The author does talk things through clearly and his advice is easy to follow and he explains all the steps surrounding it to set it up.
I also struggled a bit with the writing style. It just didn't quite work for me. It had almost a bit of a sale-y tone. Not quite sure what it was, but it wasn't really my preferred style to read. It is clear the author knows what he is talking about and he seems to have enough experience with selling books.
To summarize: if you want to know this authors advice on reader magnets and how to implement this, it's a decent read. The advice is clear and the steps explained well. It was a bit on the short side and didn't contain much advice I didn't already know. But it's free, and short, so why it doesn't cost much to check it out and see what the book had to offer. For me this was slightly underwhelming, a bit on the short side and the writing style didn't quite work for me.
November 25, 2017
I picked up Reader Magnets on the recommendation of Chris Fox’s Six Figure Author book, since he mentioned that it was free on Amazon and also helpful. I’m glad I did. There was a lot of advice as to how you can use a reader magnet, and what techniques might be useful with these magnets.
This book is especially useful in regards to explaining how to use newsletters, and how reader magnets can work in conjunction with a newsletter. Nick Stephenson explains the concept of funnels, how to set up a webpage to maximize the likelihood of someone signing up for a newsletter, and what type of reader magnets typically work.
Reader Magnets is a short read, so it’s pretty easy to read through. I haven’t tried these techniques myself, though I’ve been considering how I might be able to apply the information from this book to my own books. While not every technique in Reader Magnets is likely to work for every author, if you’ve been trying to wrap your head around how reader magnets and newsletters can work together, Reader Magnets is worth the read.
This book is especially useful in regards to explaining how to use newsletters, and how reader magnets can work in conjunction with a newsletter. Nick Stephenson explains the concept of funnels, how to set up a webpage to maximize the likelihood of someone signing up for a newsletter, and what type of reader magnets typically work.
Reader Magnets is a short read, so it’s pretty easy to read through. I haven’t tried these techniques myself, though I’ve been considering how I might be able to apply the information from this book to my own books. While not every technique in Reader Magnets is likely to work for every author, if you’ve been trying to wrap your head around how reader magnets and newsletters can work together, Reader Magnets is worth the read.
August 17, 2018
Short and sweet. It tells you exactly what to do to get more readers.
1. Build an email list.
2. Supercharge your email list by giving something away for free (a free book, short story, whatever as incentive for people to sign up to your list).
3. Create a funnel book: a book that is permanently free on all the online stores. Make sure your free book that serves as a magnet for your email list is advertised in this book.
Honestly, even with the free book, I haven’t had the “thousand new followers in a week� that the author goes on about. Perhaps I should do the funnel book � but that will only be possible with time. (One can only write and publish at a certain pace.)
I knew all of this already, following Joanna Penn’s blog and newsletter, so nothing new in this book for me.
It’s still a good resource when you’re just starting out with your email list � lots of tips on how to do it right. So I’ll recommend this to all indie authors trying to build their list.
1. Build an email list.
2. Supercharge your email list by giving something away for free (a free book, short story, whatever as incentive for people to sign up to your list).
3. Create a funnel book: a book that is permanently free on all the online stores. Make sure your free book that serves as a magnet for your email list is advertised in this book.
Honestly, even with the free book, I haven’t had the “thousand new followers in a week� that the author goes on about. Perhaps I should do the funnel book � but that will only be possible with time. (One can only write and publish at a certain pace.)
I knew all of this already, following Joanna Penn’s blog and newsletter, so nothing new in this book for me.
It’s still a good resource when you’re just starting out with your email list � lots of tips on how to do it right. So I’ll recommend this to all indie authors trying to build their list.
February 28, 2015
Concise and to the point, I think. Got a few great tips from this.
If you are a self-published or hybrid author, have a read. Highly recommended
If you are a self-published or hybrid author, have a read. Highly recommended
January 14, 2016
Lots of good info packed in this little book. Worth your time.
June 18, 2021
I feel like the only one who didn't get much out of this, which should probably tell me something ^^'
The book is short and takes you quickly through how this author got a big mailing list, step-by-step-ish. I say ish, for some parts of it felt copy/paste to get all the info in, and I kept feeling like the author was bragging a little about his sales. All of that was fine, though, as it's part of a book such as this.
I think my biggest problem was the method. I agree that you should offer value to your mailing list, and not only push your own sales, but I feel like this would over-do it. I know that if I stumbled over an author who did all the things this book asked them to do, I'd unsubscribe and run as far away as I could. It would feel forced and, in the end, all about tricking you into buying their work.
Oh well. I did get a few ideas, tho, so that's not bad, and everything is a learning curve.
The 2 star is just what GR advertice. It was OK.
The book is short and takes you quickly through how this author got a big mailing list, step-by-step-ish. I say ish, for some parts of it felt copy/paste to get all the info in, and I kept feeling like the author was bragging a little about his sales. All of that was fine, though, as it's part of a book such as this.
I think my biggest problem was the method. I agree that you should offer value to your mailing list, and not only push your own sales, but I feel like this would over-do it. I know that if I stumbled over an author who did all the things this book asked them to do, I'd unsubscribe and run as far away as I could. It would feel forced and, in the end, all about tricking you into buying their work.
Oh well. I did get a few ideas, tho, so that's not bad, and everything is a learning curve.
The 2 star is just what GR advertice. It was OK.
January 18, 2020
Clear, straightforward instructions were very appreciated! I am already implementing the author's recommendations and looking forward to seeing the results! Thank you!
March 3, 2023
I've read this several times and refer to it often when I need a reminder or am stuck in a jam when it comes to fixing my freebies and process up. This is one of Nicks go to books and should be owned and read by anyone struggling to get the ball rolling on their writing and email lists. Solid and great reference book full of helpful steps.
August 10, 2017
This is what a self-help book should be, short and concise. I’m going to implement many of the suggestions and see what happens.
Four Stars
Four Stars
August 26, 2015
Reader Magnets is often seen as a game-changer for indie authors. It provides some easy-to-follow tips on how to generate more traffic and add more subscribers to your mailing list subscribers. The intended result is finding an audience of engaged readers who will buy more books. Stephenson claims following this system will develop the kind of author platform every self-published author is seeking. He provides proof of that through his own implementation of these strategies with screen captures of his success in boosting his email list subscriber count into the tens of thousands.
It's all inspiring stuff, but is it really that simple? From my own experience, not really. Stephenson is a master marketer writing books in an insanely popular genre (mysteries and thrillers), so his results will be hard to reach for most authors. Still, his strategies are good and authors should implement them into their marketing efforts. Just don't expect to see numbers like Mr. Stephenson's anytime soon.
It's all inspiring stuff, but is it really that simple? From my own experience, not really. Stephenson is a master marketer writing books in an insanely popular genre (mysteries and thrillers), so his results will be hard to reach for most authors. Still, his strategies are good and authors should implement them into their marketing efforts. Just don't expect to see numbers like Mr. Stephenson's anytime soon.
May 1, 2016
A very good manual of what you need to be aware if you want to start making money online, It covers a lot of key issues of what to pay extra attention and also what to avoid.
The writer does provide an honest way of making money online based on his own experience and based on what it worked for him. It is a book that does not mislead you of what you need or must do to earn money online like many books out there with similar titles do.
It tells you in a short and precise manner the steps you need to follow in order to increase the size of your mailing list.
At the end has a lot of more useful information, blogs and other similar and related sites that deal with the same niche.
I enjoyed it a lot, it is short and precise and the author does not waste your time with unnecessary information.
Highly recommended.
The writer does provide an honest way of making money online based on his own experience and based on what it worked for him. It is a book that does not mislead you of what you need or must do to earn money online like many books out there with similar titles do.
It tells you in a short and precise manner the steps you need to follow in order to increase the size of your mailing list.
At the end has a lot of more useful information, blogs and other similar and related sites that deal with the same niche.
I enjoyed it a lot, it is short and precise and the author does not waste your time with unnecessary information.
Highly recommended.
February 21, 2023
SIMPLE APPROACH!
I am putting all the pieces in order to execute Nick’s method. Looking forward to adding more e-mail addresses and fans. Thx Nick!
I am putting all the pieces in order to execute Nick’s method. Looking forward to adding more e-mail addresses and fans. Thx Nick!
July 4, 2015
Nick Stephenson's books are always crammed with information. Reader Magnets is just another great resource.
Most indie-publishers know about list building, but Stephenson doesn't just repeat the same "push the list" crap. He actually breaks down a plan to help build the list and increase reader engagement.
Thanks, Nick. This is a great resource.
Most indie-publishers know about list building, but Stephenson doesn't just repeat the same "push the list" crap. He actually breaks down a plan to help build the list and increase reader engagement.
Thanks, Nick. This is a great resource.
February 4, 2017
Valuable Information
I actually knew this info already, which is why I only gave it three stars--which seems lame, I know. Not the author's fault I didn't learn anything new. But the info is VITAL to authors and it's told in a short and simple way that's totally understandable. I recommend this short eBook.
I actually knew this info already, which is why I only gave it three stars--which seems lame, I know. Not the author's fault I didn't learn anything new. But the info is VITAL to authors and it's told in a short and simple way that's totally understandable. I recommend this short eBook.
September 3, 2015
Awesome and detailed book
Really enjoyed this detailed approach to building mailing lists. I'm a new romance author and I am going to implement everything in this book ASAP. Awesome book!
Really enjoyed this detailed approach to building mailing lists. I'm a new romance author and I am going to implement everything in this book ASAP. Awesome book!
November 20, 2016
Fantastic information, broken down in an easy to follow formula for success! I recommend all author entrepreneurs read this helpful resource and implement its strategies. I know I will. The possibilities are endless. Thank you so much Nick! You just blew my mind. Fan girl in the making!
May 28, 2018
A little thin and in need of an update
Nick could stand to update this one. For instance, with a service such as Bookfunnel, it's no longer necessary to host files somewhere and provide instructions on how to load them into your device.
Nick could stand to update this one. For instance, with a service such as Bookfunnel, it's no longer necessary to host files somewhere and provide instructions on how to load them into your device.
July 6, 2023
This book is nothing more than a lead magnet.
I was hoping for a variety of lead magnet ideas, but - spoiler alert - his plan only works if you have already published 2 books and are willing to give one away for free as a magnet.
I was hoping for a variety of lead magnet ideas, but - spoiler alert - his plan only works if you have already published 2 books and are willing to give one away for free as a magnet.
February 2, 2015
fantastic book on how to build your email list. probably the best on the subject.
February 2, 2015
Free book that you can finish in half an hour. The content is sparse, but it's the walk-through of how to set up the system that makes up the meat.
March 9, 2015
Free book. Simple concept.
A simple concept that makes sense.
Something I'll probably do some day in the future.
A simple concept that makes sense.
Something I'll probably do some day in the future.
March 24, 2015
Great book for any indie author to read and take note from. Nick has proven himself a guru when it comes to author platform and building an email list. Fantastic resource to have at your disposal.
June 28, 2015
Great
Great tips on marketing your books and for the first time I have ideas on what to put in my email newsletter as a fiction author. Thank you for this short but powerful book!
Great tips on marketing your books and for the first time I have ideas on what to put in my email newsletter as a fiction author. Thank you for this short but powerful book!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 228 reviews
Can't find what you're looking for?
Get help and learn more about the design.