Every once in a while, someone comes along who reminds you what’s possible in this wild publishing world—and in our latest Marketing Tips session, that someone was Sofia Aves.
If you missed the live call, here’s a recap you’ll want to save, share, and refer back to. Sofia offered a treasure chest of real-world strategies, the kind that don’t just sound good… they work.
This Aussie author writes across six pen names, raises three kids, runs an alpaca farm, and still manages to maintain a thriving career with over 160 books and a 33,000-subscriber newsletter. Yes, thirty-three thousand.
And she does it without fancy tricks or flashy ads—just smart systems, consistent habits, and a deep understanding of her readers.
Let’s dig in.
The Secret Behind 33,000 Subscribers: Write to ONE Reader
Sofia’s biggest “aha” moment was so simple it feels almost too easy.
She doesn’t write to 33,000 people.
She writes to one person—the way you’d write to an old pen pal.
That mindset keeps her newsletters warm, conversational, and human.
Readers reply. They engage. They stay.
And guess what happens when people reply?
Your emails stop landing in spam.
Sofia calls this whitelisting by relationship—and it works.
Bonus Epilogues: Her #1 Growth Tool
If there was one tactic everyone scrambled to write down, it was this:
The Bonus Epilogue Funnel.
Here’s how she described it:
- Plant the idea of a scene midway through your book
- Hint at it again deeper in the story
- Do not include it in the book
- At the end, offer it as a “Would you like to read the extra scene?” link
- That link sends readers to your BookFunnel signup
- Boom—high-quality subscribers who already love your work
She stressed one thing repeatedly:
Don’t treat a bonus epilogue like a throwaway freebie.
It should feel:
- polished
- branded
- satisfying
- worth giving an email for
As she put it, “A freebie is the hardest thing you’ll ever sell.”
Reader Magnets That Actually Work
Sofia has nine reader magnets across her pen names and genres.
Not nine randomly thrown together freebies—nine intentional, on-theme, series-connected magnets.
Her rules:
- Magnets must lead directly into a series
- No “orphan” freebies that don’t match the brand
- Cover should look like a real book, not a placeholder
- Every magnet funnels straight to a next book, a preorder, or a related series
If you’re multi-genre, like many authors in our community, she recommends starting with magnets for your top-selling series first.
Newsletter Swaps: Only With Similar Authors
One of the hardest truths she shared:
“Don’t swap just because someone is your friend. Swap because their audience is your audience.”
She uses StoryOrigin to keep everything organized (and to avoid forgetting swaps—which, in her words, “will follow you like a bad smell in the author community”).
Genre-match your swaps.
Track them.
Fulfill them.
Move on.
Her 3-Email Welcome Funnel
Sofia keeps it simple:
Email 1: Immediate “thanks for signing up.”
Email 2: Reminder of the magnet + links to the series.
Email 3: Two first chapters from other series she wants to highlight, plus a question that encourages replies (to keep deliverability high).
Then new subscribers slide right into her regular weekly emails.
The Part That Shocked Everyone: Her Writing Routine
Let’s just say… Sofia is not normal.
In the best possible way.
She writes 10,000 words a day.
How?
- Dictation during school runs (5,000 words!)
- Time-blocking
- Early morning admin so the rest of the day belongs to writing
- Energy-based planning (“My best energy is early, so that’s when I draft.”)
Oh—and she’s doing this with a broken hand right now.
Being Honest About Imposter Syndrome
Sofia said something that hit everyone in the call:
“If an author tells you they don’t have imposter syndrome, they’re full of it.”
Her inbox blew up the day she wrote about it in her newsletter—hundreds of replies from readers who felt the same.
It was a reminder that vulnerability builds connection better than perfection ever will.
What Authors Asked Most
Here were the top questions from our group:
“Where do I start if I have a big backlist but no magnets?”
Start with your best-selling series and build a magnet for that first.
“What if I can’t put extra content in my traditional books?”
Use a standalone short story related in tone and vibe, then promote it via your site and social media—just make sure your contract allows it.
“How do I drive people to my list?”
Your website becomes your home base. Add your sign-up link everywhere.
Why This Session Mattered
Sofia didn’t give theory.
She gave lived experience.
The kind you only get after:
- 160+ books
- six pen names
- a decade of marketing
- raising kids
- running a farm
- navigating chronic fatigue
- and still showing up every day to write and sell stories
She works.
She refines.
She adapts.
And she’s proof that consistency—not hustle—creates results.
If You Missed the Live Call
We meet the 1st and 3rd Friday of each month at 1pm CT.
These sessions help authors:
- grow their audience
- sell more books
- simplify their marketing
- stay inspired
And spoiler:
More guest experts are coming.
Many more.
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