Preventing Burnout in Subscriptions

by Emilia Rose

As a fiction author, it can be easy to get caught up in the cycle of constantly producing more chapters and more stories to satisfy fans and the Amazon algorithms. However, this nonstop rapid cycle can quickly lead to burnout and result in a decline in quality or even a complete halt in creative output.

Which leads us to the dreaded burnout.

Subscription models offer a solution to this problem by providing a more sustainable business model for creators. Today we’ll uncover six ways in which an author subscription can help prevent burnout for creative storytellers.

1. Consistent Revenue Stream: Between Kindle Unlimited page reads and the fear of not producing enough content to hit it big in the algorithms, one of the biggest challenges for authors is the inconsistency of income. Subscriptions provide a predictable and steady stream of revenue, allowing authors to plan and budget accordingly. This takes away some of the stress and pressure of having to constantly produce content to earn a living through any wide retailer.

   
   

2. Smaller, Targeted Audience: With subscriptions, authors can cultivate a smaller, more dedicated audience of superfans. This allows for a more intimate relationship between author and reader, and authors can focus on creating content specifically tailored to their reader’s interests. This can result in more meaningful and fulfilling work, as opposed to churning out content for a mass audience. No more writing to market (that you might hate)!

   
   

3. Reduced Marketing Pressure: Authors don’t need to constantly market themselves and their work to attract new readers. Instead, we can focus on creating quality content for their existing subscribers (once you’ve built up a dedicated following). This takes away some of the pressure to constantly promote oneself, allowing authors to focus more on their craft. And the best part of all… you don’t have to rely on ads!

   
   

4. Flexible Deadlines: Subscriptions often allow for more flexible deadlines, as opposed to traditional publishing or traditional indie publishing. This allows authors to work at their own pace and produce quality work without the pressure of strict deadlines.

   
   

5. Community Support: Subscriptions create a sense of community and support for authors. Readers can provide feedback, offer encouragement, and even become collaborators in the creative process (or not! You can run your subscription with as little reader input as you want.) This sense of community can help combat feelings of isolation and burnout.

   
   

Final Thoughts on Preventing Burnout in Subscriptions

Overall, by providing a steady income stream, a smaller and more dedicated audience, reduced marketing pressure, flexible deadlines, and community support, subscription models can help prevent burnout and allow fiction authors to focus on creating quality stories without sacrificing their mental health and well-being.

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About Ream

Ream is a serial fiction publishing platform built by authors, for authors. The platform is led by Emilia Rose, a full-time fiction author with over six years of professional publishing experience across serial fiction, ebooks, audiobooks, and reader-supported subscriptions.

Emilia has built a successful author business firsthand and has taught thousands of authors through speaking engagements and education at conferences including Author Nation, 20Books Vegas, and Creator Economy Expo (CEX). Today, Ream is trusted by more than 15,000 authors and 140,000 readers as a platform for publishing and discovering serialized stories and creator-led fiction.