#newsletter — Blog — Sandra Bennett

Can you believe it’s February already! The month where people take a moment to share their love.

So let’s celebrate our love of books.

Yesterday, 5th February, was World Read Aloud Day a time to celebrate sharing that joy of reading with others. Whether it’s in a classroom environment with the kids sitting quietly on the floor engrossed in the story the teacher is reading aloud, or whether it’s at home with a child snuggled in your lap on a comfy lounge or cosy bed, reading aloud to someone is a wonderful, joyous experience. There are so many reasons why reading aloud is worth celebrating, and I’m sure you know them all by now, but here are just a few as a reminder.

These are just a few reasons why reading aloud is so important.

Did you also know that this month is the 15th anniversary of Read Aloud Day. Now that’s a birthday worth celebrating.

I have some rather fond memories of reading aloud with kids when I was teaching. Some of my favourite times of the day were watching the expressions on their faces as I read a story that would fill them with wonder and laughter. Reading aloud to my own children and grandchildren over the years has created fabulous memories too. Who do you like to read aloud with?

While February 14th is known as Valentines Day to most people, it also happens to be known as Library Lovers Day by the reading and writing community. It’s a day to celebrate all the wonderful things that happen in our schools and public libraries. It’s another way to celebrate a love of reading and the important key role that libraries hold in making books available to everyone. It’s a chance to thank your local librarian for all the help they provide in encouraging a love of literacy, a passion for books, the ability to learn and explore new worlds and the essential role they play in education of children and adults.

There are lots of activities you can do to help celebrate. Listed here are just a few.

Make a bookmark
Write a book review
Set a reading challenge. How many books can you read during the month of February?
List all the reasons why you love visiting the library, perhaps add all your ideas in an image, eg, inside a heart or book shape.
Learn about the Dewey Decimal system
Recommend a favourite book to a friend. Give your reasons why you think this book is great to read.
Write an acrostic poem about reading
Make a card to thank your librarian for all the help they give you.
Write and illustrate your own picture book
Write a letter to an author and thank them for writing a book you loved.

In my November blog post I asked for some help in finally starting my newsletter. You can read it Here. Thank you so much for all your advice and suggestions. At the end of January, I managed to send out my first newsletter.

In keeping with the theme of loving books, my newsletter will be filled each month with ideas for helping raise awesome readers with tips and tricks for both parents and teachers. In case you missed it, in my first tip I talked about the importance of being a role-model for your child. If you want them to read, you need to be seen reading too. A great trick I recommended was a challenge jar, full of lots of ideas to entice your young readers to pick up a book.

Also included is a book review, a fun fact based on one of my own books and a fun classroom activity also based on one of my books. This may vary in the upcoming months, and if you have any further suggestions I would be pleased to read to them.

If you aren’t on my email list and are interested in joining the conversation each month, you can sign-up at the bottom of any page on my website, including this one. Just look for the Raising Awesome Readers subscribe button.

What would you like to see in my newsletter?

Have you read any great books lately?

Who do you love reading aloud with and why?

What makes your library worth celebrating?

I would love to hear from, you, thanks for reading and please leave a comment below.

Some years ago, I can’t even remember exactly when, I started the process of planning to write a monthly newsletter. I even had a few people sign up. Over the years that number of sign-ups has slowly grown. Out of the blue, I will receive a notification that I have another one. But have I actually written one single newsletter and sent it out? No, nothing, nada, not one.

Person trying to come up with an idea or two. I think I need your help.

Should I be writing a monthly newsletter? All the experts in marketing tell me I should. They say if I want to increase my readership and expand my brand, I should be giving my tribe of followers something worthwhile to keep them interested and engaged. Then when I release a new book, they will be more likely to feel confident in purchasing it as they will have confidence in me and what I have to say.

I know all this. I also know I should be giving away a freebie to encourage people to join up. It’s not as if I am new to the concept. After all, it is marketing 101. So why don’t I bite the bullet and just do it?

I read lots of other authors newsletters. I study what they include. The trouble is, I want to write something different. Something that you can look forward to when you find it in your email box. Something that you will find interesting, worthwhile, valuable and want to open and read.

A monthly newsletter coming directing to your inbox. Would you open it?

That’s why I don’t want to do what everyone else does. Most writers write about this writing life. Events they have been to, books they have read. Helpful writing tips and even ways to get published. These are all wonderful, but I can’t help but ask the question, is this going to engage my target audience?

Who is my target audience? While I really appreciate the generosity of fellow authors who follow me and buy my books, let’s admit it, they do help spread the word when they write great reviews, they are not my target audience. Parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles and teachers are my true target audience. These are the people who decide what books to buy for their children. So the question is, what do they want to read and learn from me?

Together I hope we can come up with a few ideas.

Should I be writing a monthly book review?

Share a reading tip or two?

Suggest a helpful reading activity or strategy?

A motivational reading quote?

Should I add sneak peaks from inside my published books or snippets from my works in progress?

Would it be a good idea to include a teaching resource for one of my books?

As someone who buys children’s books for kids or yourself, what would you look for or want to read in a monthly newsletter from me?

Please let me know in the comments below. I need and value your help. Together we just might see a newsletter finally coming your way soon.