Before I started
my romance novel business,
I crafted a list
of guidelines,
of lines I wouldn’t cross.
For example,
I will never ‘sell’ my newsletter subscribers.
I won’t give their information to anyone else.
I won’t use that information to benefit me
in ways the subscribers didn’t intend
(i.e. Promoting my books is okay.
Trying to sell BMWs to them isn’t.)
I had a list of other things
I wouldn’t do.
Every single line has been tested.
I received an email
from a bestselling writer this week.
She wanted to put an ad for one of her books
in my newsletter.
In exchange, I could put an ad for one of my books
in her newsletter.
I would have benefited more from this
than she would have benefited.
Her readership is huge.
I was tempted.
If I hadn’t crafted my list,
I might have accepted
and regretted it.
I did have that list.
I declined
and I feel good about that.
My brand stands for something.
My subscribers can trust me
with their information.
Craft a list
of lines you won’t cross
and stick to it.