# BookSweeps > Group sweepstakes platform that helps authors build their email lists through multi-author giveaways where readers selectively opt into specific author newsletters. Source: https://selfpublishingdirectory.com/marketing/booksweeps Website: https://www.booksweeps.com Category: Marketing (https://selfpublishingdirectory.com/marketing) Pricing: freemium — $0–$250/per-project AI-powered: no Tags: giveaways, mailing-list, group-promo, sweepstakes, email-list-building, reader-magnet, newsletter-growth Last verified: 2026-08-19 Best For: Authors who want managed, prize-driven giveaways that grow their list without handling prize or winner logistics Marketing Goal: grow-my-list Min Test Budget: 50 Service Type: promotion-service > **Status check (verified 2026-08-19): author signups are paused.** BookSweeps' pricing page now serves a waitlist instead of a plan table — "BookSweeps Premium Is Reopening Soon. We're briefly closed to new members while we upgrade our tools for authors." Existing members can still sign in, and the reader-facing side is fully live with giveaways running, but new authors cannot buy in right now. The prices below are the last figures BookSweeps published; treat them as indicative until the platform relaunches. BookSweeps is a specialist email-list-building platform for authors, built around multi-author sweepstakes giveaways. Founded in 2015 by book marketing veteran Ryan Zee, the platform runs themed group promotions where 30–40 authors band together per giveaway, with a Kindle or eReader as the headline prize. Readers browse the participating books, select which authors they want to hear from, and opt into those mailing lists specifically. After the 10–14 day promotion closes, BookSweeps delivers each author a spreadsheet of new subscribers. Authors do not manage prizes, winners, or delivery — BookSweeps handles all of that. ## How It Works BookSweeps promotes each giveaway to its 100,000+ reader email list and via Facebook ad campaigns targeting the relevant genre audience. The self-selection mechanic is a meaningful quality filter that distinguishes BookSweeps from blanket-opt-in giveaways: readers tick a box beside each author whose list they want to join, plus a second box acknowledging they will receive newsletter and marketing email. Five days before each promotion launches, authors receive promotional graphics and social media assets to share with their own audiences, amplifying reach. ## Author Tools The author dashboard bundles six products: - **List-Building Promos** — the core multi-author, genre-targeted sweepstakes - **Email Blasts** — a freebie spotlight sent to the 100,000+ reader list - **Follower Promos** — social and retailer follower growth rather than email capture - **Author profile pages** — one hub linking your reader magnet, BookBub and Amazon profiles - **Lead magnet pages** — customizable freebie pages readers can review, upvote, and bookmark - **Sweeps directory** — a filterable listing for your own Facebook, website, or new-release giveaways ## Pricing Tiers Last published figures — the pricing page is currently a waitlist, so verify at signup: - **Standard group promotion:** $50 per entry (loyalty discounts have historically dropped this to $25–$35 after 1–2 completed promos; the discounted rate is not currently documented anywhere public) - **Viral Builder:** $250 — a higher-volume product targeting thousands of subscribers rather than hundreds - **Everlasting List Builders (ELB):** $100/month per genre (Premium members only) — a monthly 30-day promotion targeting 1,000+ genre-specific subscribers, with real-time subscriber data delivered via Airtable - **Premium Follower Promotion (PFP):** Free for Premium members — grows Amazon Author Page and BookBub followers (not email subscribers); optional featured-slot upgrade starts at $25, which sends an email blast featuring your Follower page to each new subscriber who signs up during the promotion - **Premium Membership:** last confirmed at $50/year, but BookSweeps has not published a membership price since the pricing page went to waitlist — do not budget on this figure - **Freebie Directory and Sweepstakes Directory:** free for registered authors as passive discovery listings; whether the free tier survives the relaunch is unconfirmed BookSweeps advertises a full refund if a promotion does not grow your leads, subscribers, or sales. ## Typical Results - **Standard promo:** BookSweeps' own support FAQ puts the normal range at 600–1,200 emails per author, and notes results vary by contest - **ELB program:** targets 1,000 subscribers per month per genre - **Cost per subscriber:** roughly $0.03–$0.17; USA Today bestselling romance author Glynnis Campbell reports about 13¢ per new subscriber - **Welcome email open rates:** BookSweeps cites 50%+ on multi-author giveaways; individual authors report 38–70% - **Unsubscribe rate on first email:** typically 3–5% Results depend heavily on the author's onboarding email sequence. New subscribers entered a prize giveaway — a strong welcome series is essential to convert contest entrants into engaged readers and buyers. ## Genres Supported Fiction: Romance (Inspirational, Paranormal, Steamy, Historical, Contemporary, Romantic Suspense), Mystery, Cozy Mystery, Female Sleuth, Thriller, Urban Fantasy, Epic Fantasy, Science Fiction, Space Opera, Women's Fiction, and more niche sub-genres. Nonfiction: Spirituality and other categories are available, including niche topics like bird books. Genre availability varies — not all sub-genres have active promotions at all times. ## Who It's Best For - Fiction authors (especially Romance, Mystery, Fantasy) with a mailing list provider already set up - Authors with an existing or ready-to-create reader magnet (free short story, prequel, bonus content) - Authors willing to build a welcome email sequence to convert giveaway entrants into readers - Anyone wanting measurable, trackable list growth at a lower cost than paid social ads - Traditionally published authors are also eligible ## Who It's NOT For - Authors who need to start promoting immediately — new member signups are paused as of August 2026 - Authors with no email marketing infrastructure — you need a list provider (e.g., Mailchimp, ConvertKit) to receive and import the subscriber CSV - Authors expecting an immediate sales uplift or Amazon rank boost — BookSweeps grows lists, not sales rank - Authors in very obscure genres where no active promotions are scheduled - Authors without a free reader magnet to offer participants ## Competitor Landscape - **StoryOrigin** — broader feature set (group promos + newsletter swaps + ARC delivery); has a free tier; more community-driven but no eReader prize element - **BookFunnel** — better ebook delivery infrastructure; group promos are secondary; no sweepstakes model - **Prolific Works** — similar freebie-giveaway model; older platform; skews more toward reader-facing discovery - **BookSprout** — different use case (ARC and review gathering, not subscriber acquisition) BookSweeps is uniquely positioned as the specialist in prize-based sweepstakes — the eReader headline prize drives higher reader entry volumes than free-ebook-only giveaways, though it also means some subscribers are motivated primarily by prize-winning rather than genre interest. With signups paused, StoryOrigin and BookFunnel are the practical alternatives for authors who need to run a list-building promo now. ## Notable Endorsements Adam Croft, #1 Amazon bestselling author: "BookSweeps are one of my core list-building strategies. The open and buy-through rates are higher than almost any other promotional tool I've used." Glynnis Campbell, USA Today bestselling romance author: "I gained hundreds of newsletter subscribers! ROI was about 13¢ per new subscriber." Indie author guide *The Best Book Promotion Sites in 2026* (David Gaughran) lists BookSweeps at "$50 for the regular promo, $250 for the new viral builder" and rates it good value, while advising authors to learn on cheaper promos first.