You made a free download. You called it a reader magnet. It got six downloads in four months.
The misdiagnosisThe misdiagnosis is that you need more traffic.
The real diagnosisYou need a magnet that delivers your specific voice. A generic tipsheet is not a magnet. A short story in your voice is. A bonus chapter is. A glossary of your magic system is. The magnet is a tasting menu of the writer.
Magnets That Pull
| Magnet | Why It Works | Length |
|---|---|---|
| Bonus chapter or short story | Direct voice sample | 3-8 pages |
| A glossary of your world | Insider energy | 4-6 pages |
| Cut scene from your book | Behind-the-curtain | 3-5 pages |
| A character's journal | Voice + intimacy | 6-10 pages |
Three Magnets That Don't Pull
- A generic tipsheet.
- A free book everyone has.
- A 50-page workbook nobody reads.
A magnet is not free stuff. A magnet is a sample of your specific air.
Pick voice over volume. A three-page story in your voice will outpull a thirty-page workbook.
The dare (not assignment)Replace your current magnet with a 3-8 page voice sample. Watch the signup rate change.
Image promptA small magnet attached to a paperclip on a desk. Painterly. Sea-green and cream. No people.
— The Book Maven
