By Michael Evans September 24, 2022
As authors, we all know that books can change lives. For those of us looking to grow our subscriptions and increase our recurring revenue, these books promise to change your author business and subscription in big ways.
Subscriptions are an emerging business model in the world of authors. As a result, there haven’t been too many books written, specifically for authors, on the subject. That’s why we curated a list of the top books about subscriptions across the creative and business world.
- Strangers to Superfans: A Marketing Guide to the Reader Journey by David Gaughran
This is a perennial book for indie authors about marketing and nurturing your relationships with readers. No matter what business model you pursue (subscriptions, direct sales, or ala-carte on the retailers), this book has incredible insights for you.
- Subscription Marketing: Strategies for Nurturing Customers in a World of Churn by Anne Janzer
Case studies from the top subscription businesses in the world, broken down for small business owners, and solopreneurs (like most of us authors are) to implement her findings. If interested in understanding the psychology behind subscriptions, this book is for you.
- The Forever Transaction: How to Build a Subscription Model so Compelling, Your Customers will Never Want to Leave by Robbie Kellman Baxter
If the subtitle doesn’t grip you, then we will let you know that this book helps break down the techniques that subscription behemoths like Spotify and Amazon have used to build some of the largest businesses on the planet. But this time you are in the subscription driver seat, instead of helping to fund rocketships and at-home spying devices in the Everything Store subscription model.
- Subscribed: Why the Subscription Model Will Be Your Company’s Future and What to Do About It by Tien Tzou
This is mainly written for companies and tech start-ups so some of the advice on infrastructure investment won’t be as relevant to authors (although the principles will be). The genius in this book comes in the macro-analysis of the rise of the subscription economy, and unpacking of these trends that reveal surprisingly insightful strategies for creators.
- Get Your Book Selling on Kickstarter by Monica Leonelle and Russell P. Nohelty
Monica and Russell have written over a dozen nonfiction books, and this book is all about selling on Kickstarter. So many of the principles used to build direct relationships with readers through crowdfunding are directly applicable to subscriptions. This one’s a real treat.
- The Membership Economy: Find Your Super Users, Master the Forever Transaction, and Build Recurring Revenue by Robbie Kellerman Baxter
Another book from Baxter. She focuses again on an audience of big corporations and tech start-ups, this time showing how a technological revolution is making subscription businesses easier and more attractive for consumers than ever.
- Superfans: The Easy Way to Stand Out, Grow Your Tribe, and Build a Successful Business by Pat Flynn
This is one of the most recommended books for creative people on the internet. I had to include it in this list, even though it doesn’t directly discuss subscriptions, because the foundation of any successful author is their relationship with their readers. This book is all about nurturing and growing your superfans with insights across industries and creative businesses that are revolutionary.
- Superfandom: How Our Obsessions Are Changing What We Buy and Who We Are by Zoe Fraade-Blanar and Aaron Glazer
This book is all about the fan-driven economy, one that we as authors are intimately connected to. If looking for a guide on how we got here, where this is all going, and how we can grow a readership and business that leverages this new world of fandom, then this is the book for you.
- Retention Point: The Single Biggest Secret to Membership and Subscription Growth by Robert Skrob
Every author has to battle the dreaded churn of readers to their subscription. This book breaks down subscription businesses from various industries struggling to retain customers in their membership. For authors, plenty of insights here on how to maintain and truly sustain our recurring revenue.
- The Business of Belonging: How to Make Community your Competitive Advantage by David Spinks
This title has me salivating. As authors, we are masters of cultivating belonging among our readers. This book teaches you how to leverage that, grow an incredible community, and unlock value for your business.
We hope you enjoy reading the books on this list! Reach out to us at contact@ream.ink with any recommendations for future lists or updates to this one :).