Trumpet your achievements to those who know and love you. Email and call family and friends to ask them to read your work. Alert them in advance to any interviews or appearances you will be doing. Invite them to spread the word. Your first level of fans will be especially enthusiastic because they know and love you. They are personally invested in your success.
Announce your work to interested groups. If you write about birds, tell the Audubon Society. If you write about daytime drama, post a link on soap site message boards. If you write about politics, call your local party headquarters and ask them to share your work with your members. Get the word out to as many people as possible who will be interested in the topic you have covered.
Now that you have generated interest and gotten a group of people to read your work; connect with them. Make sure there is a clear path for readers to connect to you and offer feedback. If you list an email address, make sure it's a dedicated e-mail address that is used only for fan mail. Check the box each day and answer as many letter as possible. When you personally respond to people, a connection is formed, and that keeps people coming back each time you release something new.
Create interactive activities for your fans. Post a blog asking them how they would have ended your last story. Drop obscure pop culture references and ask them to unravel the mystery. Engage them in what you are doing so they are compelled to come back often to see what you're up to. If they form a fan club, attend their events if possible. If they make a website for you, go to it and post comments so they know you're paying attention and that you care about their devotion to you.
Get personal. Nothing creates a more unbreakable bond with your fans than revealing your heart to them. Share personal stories that will resonate with your audience.