Should Authors Include "Dear Reader" Letters In Their Novels? I Say Yes! (How To's & Sample Letter Included)

Hello Friends, and welcome back to my blog! Today I’m discussing “Dear Reader” letters, and why I think authors should include them in their novels. I’m also offering up ideas on what to include in yours. Keep reading to learn more, and to check out one of my own personal Dear Reader letters!

As an avid reader, I’ve always loved opening new books and seeing Dear Readers letters written by the author. I think they add such a nice, personal touch. As an author, however, I’d usually write dedications as oppose to Dear Reader letters in my own novels. That recently changed when my editor at Tule Publishing asked if I’d like to include one in my upcoming release, LOVE AT THE ICICLE CAFÉ. I jumped at the chance!

                                 

But when I sat down to actually write the letter, I got stuck. Since I’d never written one before, I felt a little lost on where to start. I tried doing some research online but couldn’t find much information. So I went back and read a few Dear Reader letters written by other authors, and came up with some ideas of my own.

First off, it dawned on me that there are no rules when it comes to writing Dear Reader letters. This is a personal message from you to your readers that comes from the heart. It embodies things that only you can share as the creator of your story. These letters are a thank you to your supporters. While they’ll make your audience feel special, they can also offer up tidbits about you, your characters, and your storyline that they may not have known otherwise.

Here’s a list of my suggestions on how to craft the perfect Dear Reader letter, which I think will add a little more love to your book:

1. Open with a warm greeting that showcases your personality and demonstrates how appreciative you are of your readers.

2. Share fun facts about what inspired you to write this story, i.e. a past or current relationship, an unforgettable encounter with a stranger, a childhood memory...anything that will allow readers to connect with you and understand your motivation behind writing the book. Learning that type of information makes readers feel special!

3. Discuss your characters and how you worked to create them. What do they do for a living? Were they total strangers who met at some point during your story, or are they friends/enemies to lovers? Are they based on people you actually know? Sharing those types of details gives readers insight into your creative thought process.

4. Consider writing your Dear Reader letter from a character’s point of view. Maybe your letter could come from your book’s hero, heroine, a sheriff in town, etc. This will put a unique spin on it and give readers a character’s perspective that may not be included in the book.

5. Try not to be too long winded. 250-500 words is the perfect length for a Dear Reader letter. That’ll provide just enough info without taking away from the time readers want to spend delving into your novel.

6. Tell readers how they can keep in touch with you. Include your social media links, website, email address, etc. so that they can stay connected and up-to-date on your new releases, writing journey, future plans, etc.

7. Be sure to include information on your upcoming releases. When is your next book coming out? Are you working on something now? Readers love knowing what their favorite authors have coming up next.

8. Most importantly, don’t forget to say thank you! Readers appreciate an author’s gratitude. While writers do work hard to get our stories out, we also want them to be read. I always told myself that if one person enjoyed something I wrote, then my work is done. And I always make it a point to show my appreciation for their support.

Now that I’ve shared my tips on how to write a Dear Reader letter, here’s the one I wrote for LOVE AT THE ICICLE CAFÉ:

Dear Reader,

Happy holidays to you and yours! Thank you so much for joining me on Mina and Scott’s journey in LOVE AT THE ICICLE CAFÉ. Developing these characters and telling their stories was such a pleasure, as was watching them transform from the first page to the last.

LOVE AT THE ICICLE CAFÉ takes place in the snowy, fictitious town of Gosberg, Germany. I was inspired to create this cozy community by my father, who was based in Germany while serving in the U.S. military.

Another fun fact: Mina is a patent attorney who loves to bake, and Scott is a gourmet chef. By the time I’d finished writing this book, I had deemed myself an expert in both patent law and German cooking! 😊

I hope you enjoy reading LOVE AT THE ICICLE CAFÉ as much as I loved writing it. If you’d like to learn more about me and stay up-to-date on my new releases, here’s where you can find me: On Instagram: @denise_wheatley_writer, on Twitter: @DeniseWheatley. My author blog is www.denisenwheatley.com. I love chatting with readers and look forward to connecting with you.

Thank you for your support!

Happy reading,

Denise N. Wheatley

P.S.—Keep an eye out for my contemporary romance series, A FEARLESS FAIRYTALE, coming in early 2021!

Click Here to preorder your copy of LOVE AT THE ICICLE CAFE now!

And that's my letter! One of my favorite Dear Reader letters was written by Danielle Steele and included in her novel, THE CAST. CLICK HERE to check it out!

Do you have tips or suggestions on what to include in a Dear Reader letter? If so, please share them in the comment section!