Why Consistency Matters More Than Ever for Author Email Newsletters

From Edie: Kate Huff shares why writers need to send consistent email newsletters. Learn how regular newsletters improve inbox placement, increase reader engagement, strengthen your author platform, and help keep your emails out of spam folders.

Why Consistency Matters More Than Ever for Author Email Newsletters

by Kate Huff @KateOlivaHuff

Buckle up y'all. I've got news today and some of you might not like me after you read this. I'm sorry in advance. But please, don't shoot the messenger!

On average, 170 billion spam emails are sent every single day.

Daily, y'all. Not weekly. Not monthly. DAILY.

Of those 170 billion spam emails, 3.4 billion are phishing emails. If you're not familiar with phishing, you've probably been a recipient without realizing it. Phishing is a type of online scam that targets consumers by sending them an email that appears to be from a well-known source — an internet service provider, a bank, or a mortgage company, for example. In the author world, phishing emails also include those impersonating people in the publishing industry and those from the infamous "book clubs."

These emails are wreaking havoc in our inboxes! I'm sure you feel the pain of these emails daily, as we all receive them.

The 170 billion daily emails are why Google and other email providers are cracking down on their regulations for bulk senders. Anyone who uses an email service provider (like MailerLite or Kit) to send multiple emails at one time may think of themselves as a bulk sender. But Google’s official threshold is much higher than most authors will ever reach. What does apply to everyone, regardless of list size, is Gmail’s algorithm, which watches how your recipients engage with your emails and uses those signals to decide where future emails land. This is why you need to pay attention to what's happening in the email world. Or at least find a good email gal ;)!

Here's the deal. I wish it were as simple and easy as it used to be. Send an email and it shows up in the inbox of the recipient. I also wish they'd give us a pass as small business owners, as opposed to the big corporations sending daily emails, but that's simply not the case.

There is good news! You do have the ability to make small changes to ensure your email newsletter lands in the inbox of those who've signed up to receive it and isn't filtered to the SPAM folder. BUT you will need to make a few changes on your end and knowing the latest "rules" will help.

Please note that I will be referencing Gmail for the rest of this post because they are the largest free email provider and have made big changes regarding emails in the past few months.

The biggest takeaway for email newsletters as of May 2026?

Send email newsletters regularly and consistently.

Even if it's short and sweet. Length doesn't matter. Consistency matters.

Gmail's algorithm notices when senders disappear and reappear — and your engagement signals suffer for it. If you skip months or send sporadically, don't be surprised if your next email sees lower open rates and more delivery errors the next time you hit send.

What does that mean for you?

If you're sending a newsletter every month, you're all set! Keep it up. And if you have a month where you need to miss, consider sending out a "short and sweet" note to stay consistent. It doesn't need to be long, it needs to be sent.

If you're currently sending "whenever you remember," now is the time to consider what consistent means for you. Can you commit to something short once a month?

Sending a quarterly newsletter? It's likely to struggle in the future because Gmail doesn't reward that kind of irregular pattern.

How does Gmail decide who belongs in the Inbox?

Every time you send an email, Gmail now asks the following questions:

• Do people open this email?
• Do people click on something in this email?
• Do they reply?
• Do they ignore it?
• Or worse — mark it as spam?

Beyond asking those questions, Gmail is watching your sending patterns. According to Google Workspace, consistent sending behavior and positive engagement signals are key factors in whether your emails land in the inbox or get filtered out. In other words:

You're not just being judged on your content — you're being judged on your consistency.

Consistency builds deliverability, not just relationships.

I've mentioned how consistency builds trust with your audience in a previous post, but consistency also builds trust with inbox providers. Which is equally important right now. When you send regularly:

• Gmail learns your patterns
• Your audience knows when to expect your email
• Engagement stays steady
• Your sender reputation improves (this reputation is attached to your domain)

Here's the problem with quarterly newsletters —

While it might feel more manageable, it's actually working against you on the technical side.

• People don't remember you. When your email shows up, the first thought shouldn't be, "Who is this?" That hesitation leads to lower opens or unsubscribes.
• Engagement drops (fast). Those lower open and click rates tell Gmail people aren't interested in this sender anymore. And then your emails start to drift into the promotions tab. Or even worse, the spam folder.
• You trigger spam signals. If someone doesn't recognize or remember you, they are more likely to ignore, delete, or mark your email as spam. Even a couple of spam complaints can hurt your reputation right now.
• Your reputation keeps resetting. This is the biggest issue. When you send quarterly, you're not maintaining a relationship with the Gmail algorithm. You start over every time and lose the momentum you built last time.

Here's a quick look at the cycle that traps quarterly senders:

• You send infrequently (quarterly)
• People don't engage
• Gmail notices
• Your emails get filtered
• Even fewer people see them the next time you send
• Engagement drops even more
• Eventually most of your emails go to the promotions/spam folder and your open rates plummet

To my quarterly friends — I'm sorry. I know they feel more manageable. But can I be candid? Are they really? If you're in a good rhythm of sending emails, even if they are short and sweet, it shouldn't be too difficult. Consider this my "not so subtle" nudge into the monthly newsletter world.

Here's what "consistent" actually means.

Consistency doesn't mean emailing every day or even once a week. It means creating a predictable rhythm.

I'm personally an advocate of once-a-month newsletters with consistent sections every month. Think: a personal writing update, what you're reading, and one thing you want your readers to know. Those sections give you something to aim for every month and help you know what to write — so you're never staring at a blank page wondering where to start.

One more thing: it's not just about consistency.

Sending regularly is the most important change you can make right now, but there's also a technical side to email deliverability — things like email authentication (SPF, DKIM, and DMARC) that tell inbox providers your emails are legitimate and safe to deliver. If those aren't set up correctly, even your most consistent newsletters can end up in the wrong place. More on list health is coming next month, but in the meantime, if you sign up for Newsletters Made Simple, you'll receive a Healthy Email Checklist — a simple rundown of the things to check to make sure your setup is current and working in your favor.

Final thought: The inbox is earned, not given.

This is the most important mental shift you can make regarding your newsletter right now. Just like you have to earn your readers, you have to earn your spot in their inbox.

Your consistency earns your presence. Make sure you're not taking it for granted.

I read the latest news, emails, and updates and listen to allllll the podcasts so you don't have to! If you hear something or want to learn more about something, please let me know — I'll see what I can dig up. Make sure you're signed up for Newsletters Made Simple to receive the latest information.

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Why Consistency Matters More Than Ever for Author Email Newsletters from @KateOliviaHuff on @EdieMelson (Click to Tweet)

Kate Huff is a storyteller at heart and loves finding Gospel elements in all stories, especially fairytales. She believes fairytales that explain the Gospel in clear and captivating ways have the power to change the world, one person at a time. Her first manuscript is currently with an agent, and she’s working on her second fiction novel along with a few non-fiction projects.

Kate works as a freelance content writer and newsletter specialist. She has over twenty years of experience crafting content, specifically newsletters, across diverse sectors, including non-profits, sales, and fundraising. She helps authors and entrepreneurs create compelling newsletters that connect with their audiences and offers tailored content creation services, as well as training on how to build newsletters and grow subscriber bases.

You can find her at WWW.KATEOLIVIAHUFF.COM or on most socials as @kateoliviahuff. Sign up for Newsletters Made Simple for Authors at HTTPS://REBRAND.LY/NEWSLETTERS-MADE-SIMPLEfor simple tips to take your newsletter from good to great!