Discover your Author Persona to help you start, market, and scale your subscription.
There are 5 author personas and you can find yours in just 20 quick questions.
Your Persona is waiting! ☝️
Why did we create Author Personas?
More and more fiction authors are making money with subscriptions. Just in 2023, fiction authors made over $20 million from subscriptions. The beauty of subscriptions is that there is no singular right way to create one. It’s all about finding what works best for you and your readers.
The Author Personas Quiz is designed to help you shortcut that learning process and create an amazing community of your readers.
Wait, why the gemstones?
Because we love Minecraft! For real though, at Ream and Storytellers Rule the World, we believe Storytellers Rule the World. Subscriptions are a way for you to make sustainable, recurring revenue as an author and sell directly to your readers. Your Author Persona is a jewel you can add to your author crown.. rulers need crowns and tiaras, right? 😉
I have a question about the Author Personas Quiz.
Sure, just drop us a line at hello@storytellersruletheworld.com. We are always happy to help!
And here’s all you need to know about the 5 Author Personas, including some awesome resources that can help you start your subscription, depending on your persona 😎.
Obsidian
Obsidians are strong, protective personas that allow your inner beauty to shine through without revealing your identity or getting too personal in your subscription/online.
Persona: you take on a “fictionalized” persona to be the center of your community. Instead of “you” the author, you bring your pen name to life and often personify it!
How do Obsidians market their subscriptions?
Primary Funnel: back of books on retailers, serial fiction platforms + serial audio on YouTube/ Podcast Apps.
Secondary Funnel: reader groups (on Facebook or Discord) + collaborations with influencers
Common Tier Benefits: Bonus Content. Short stories connected to your series/IP. Bonus scenes and deleted chapters. Swag, merch, and early access with fan feedback (through polls or other voting mechanisms) are also seen frequently for Obsidians.
Examples: Jack Steen and Nia Quinn.
Top Resources for Obsidians:
1. The Subscription Tier Reward Fireside Chat
2. How to Make Money With Early Access
3. 5-Day Subscription Bootcamp
Garnet
Garnets are all about the love they have for their characters (and often the love their characters have for each other).
Persona: the characters of their stories are often the center of their community and subscription.
How do Garnets market their subscriptions?
Primary Funnel: cross-promotions and back of books/end-of-chapters on serial fiction platforms.
Secondary Funnel: reader groups and other reader communities (typically through influencer collaborations).
Common Tier Benefits: Early Access Model. Your fans love your characters and can’t get enough of their story. They will often pay extra to read ahead and pay even more to get special editions and book boxes.
Examples: Elana Johnson and C.J. Primer.
Top Resources for Garnets:
1. The Subscription Following Edition (Fireside Chat)
2. Why You Shouldn’t Over Promise (Blog)
Pearl
Pearls are the star of the show and love to let themselves shine through in their marketing and community.
Persona: yourself as the author is typically the center of the brand and community
How do Pearls market their subscriptions?
Primary Funnel: social media — specifically TikTok, Reels, and other short-form video platforms.
Secondary Funnel: in-person or virtual events, guest on reader-focused podcasts, creating guest posts and collaborations with other authors.
Common Tier Benefits: Fan Engagement Model. Video chats with the author, behind the scenes of the author life, early access with annotations from the author. Swag, merchandise, and signed books + book boxes.
Examples: Christopher Hopper and David Viergutz.
Top Resources for Pearls:
1. Why Community is the Greatest Asset for Authors
2. How to Be a Reader’s Favorite Author (Christopher Hopper Keynote)
3. How to Promote Your Subscription (Podcast)
Lapis
Lapis is the gemstone of wisdom. You have tons of knowledge about your genre and are best suited to use it in your marketing and community!
Persona: based around the author as the expert. Whether it be expertise in a kink, survivalist, or just super knowledgeable about your genre!
How do Lapides market their subscriptions?
Primary Funnel: content marketing on social media, typically leveraging their expertise to be a trusted voice in a specific community.
Secondary Funnel: cross-promotions with other trusted authors/voices in the community.
Common Tier Benefits: book clubs featuring your books and that of other authors. Book boxes with detailed bonuses + goodies pending on your area of expertise. Community coaching + consulting.
Examples: Michael Evans, Eliot Peper, and Kitty Thomas.
Top Resources for Lapides:
1. 10 Steps to a Six-Figure Subscription (Podcast)
2. Subscription Book Club Fireside Chat
3. Subscription Starter Edition (Fireside Chat)
4. 20 Lessons for Subscription Authors in 20 Sentences
Moonstone
The moon revolves around the planet… and your life as an author revolves around your story worlds. Moonstones rock!
Persona: the center of an author’s community and subscription is often their story world whether it be an epic fantasy or small-town romance.
How do Moonstones market their subscriptions?
Primary Funnel: Paid advertising through Meta and other social platforms + retailers.
Secondary Funnel: serial fiction platforms and back of books.
Common Tier Benefits: early access is most common for Moonstones typically branching out into different formats (audio, comics, etc.).
Example: Emilia Rose
Top Resources for Moonstones:
1. 5-Day Subscriptions for Authors Bootcamp
2. Chapters 8 and 9 of the Subscriptions for Authors Book (it’s free)
3. How to Start a Subscription for Your Readers
THE END
If you haven’t ever heard from us at Subscriptions for Authors, hello 👋.
Subscriptions for Authors was founded by Emilia Rose, a six-figure subscription author of steamy romance, and Michael Evans, a sci-fi author of a dozen novels, to help fiction authors succeed in the growing subscription market for authors.
We have a show, over a dozen fireside chats, dozens of blogs, a free book, and tons more resources to help you start, grow, and scale your subscription.
We hope your Author Persona helps you navigate the world of your subscription. We can’t wait to hear which Persona you are!
P.S. If you want to learn how to start, grow, and make money with subscriptions in just a few hours per week, then you may be a great fit for the Six-Figure Subscription Author Accelerator. You can learn more about it here.