Your Book Launch Checklist

There are many facets that go into launching a book, whether it’s your first or your thirtieth. Writing the book is only that first big hurdle and as we’ve put so much time and effort into writing it, we should also give each book its best start in life by maximising the launch. This checklist will be more applicable to indie authors due to them being in charge of the entire process vs. traditional authors having a lot of this taken care of for them – however, regardless of how you publish it’s worth taking a look at this list and making note of what will help your book launch be successful.

EDITING

• Alpha Read – alphas read your first draft and provide their feedback on the overarching story itself
• Self Edit – this is when you go through your draft, it may happen just a couple times or might require a few more passes depending on how ‘clean’ that first draft is
• Beta Read – betas read your book after you’ve edited yourself and provide more detailed feedback
• Developmental Edit – the professional edit that deals with big picture items such as plot points, character arcs etc.
• Line Editing – line edits are also done by a professional and deal with things like dialogue, pacing, and flow
• Copy Editing – this is the professional edit that cover grammar, punctuation and spelling mistakes; these edits can all be done by the same editor depending on what services they offer
• Formatting – this is where your book is converted into the form and layout you’ll recognise from print and eBooks
• Proof Read – once formatting is done it’s time for your proofreader to check for typos and final mistakes

MARKETING

Your book’s marketing campaign typically covers…

• Press Kit – your press kit is a brief overview of your book in a way that markets your book to ARC readers, interviewers etc.
• Social Media Marketing – social media is one of the best tools in an author’s toolkit for promoting their work; don’t sweat it, just start sharing about your book!
• Email Marketing – these emails are directed towards your more committed fans you’ve signed up to your mailing list; nurture their excitement in the lead up to buying the book
• Blogging – blog posts can grow your audience, build excitement and help to provide another way to interact with your readers if anything should happen to your social media accounts
• ARC Readers – ARCs read your book before it comes out and can provide honest reviews that help you to market and sell your book upon release
• Street Team – your ST reads your book but they also help to promote it around the launch via their social media, word of mouth, blogs etc.
• Print Marketing – this can include bookmarks, stickers, business cards, flyers and more!
• PR/Media Relations – booking interviews, appearances and more can help to increase your visibility and get new people excited about your book
• Launch ‘Party’ – this can be in person or online, you’ve worked hard to release this book, celebrate it and encourage your readers to join you!
• Networking – again this is about increasing visibility and getting out there in front of new readers (and others in the industry!) You can network online and in person at events
• Giveaway(s) – running a giveaway for your followers or ARCs (or both) can be a great way to increase excitement AND show appreciation for those who’ve helped you thus far

PUBLISHING

• Tagline – a catchy tagline can sell a book all on its own, it’s also fairly standard on book covers
• Blurb – you’re all aware of what a blurb is, read popular blurbs from your genre to help you decipher what makes a good blurb as you write yours
• Cover Commission – books are the one thing we actually should be judging based on its cover; it can make or break a book
• Pre-Order – a pre-order allows people to purchase early and therefore receive their book the day it goes live, it’s a feature that many readers appreciate
• Artwork (if needed) – you might wish to have your chapters illustrated or to have a more decorative scene break, this needs to be sorted in plenty of time to add to your formatted book
• ISBN – this can be a purchased one or a free option, just make sure to do your research on the pros and cons of each to make an informed decision
• POD of Choice – are you printing via Amazon directly? IngramSpark? There are lots of choices so do your research!
• Book Files – you’ll need to have all of the different versions to upload (eBook, paperback, hardback etc.)
• Pricing – decide on how you’ll price these formats (research and compare to other books)
• Discounts/Offers (where applicable) – this can be a good way to drum up more sales for a time, e.g. you might want to make the first book in a series cheaper to entice new readers to try it out
• Keywords – accurate keywords on your POD of choice make a big difference in how your book shows up to new potential readers (you can compare it to other books already published and there is software such as Publisher Rocket that can help you pick correctly)
• Proof Copy – your proof copy is essential in making sure the book has been uploaded correctly before you launch; make sure there aren’t glaring mistakes or some kind of cover problem like a misaligned spine
• Author Copies – having some copies for yourself is fun but also necessary for promoting your work, have a few copies for taking photos and videos for social media/emails/website and for showing people in person
• Amazon A+ Content – those fancy images on Amazon sales pages that include snappy pitches and enticing quotes help to sell your work to new potential readers

Not all of this is absolutely essential but it can all make a difference in launching your book. Ultimately you need to consider a few things: your budget, your time, your skill set etc. when deciding how much of these lists you can take on. Some I do consider to be completely necessary (such as professional edits and a good, genre appropriate cover) but we are human and a lot of us are doing this solo so do not take on more than you can handle. You can also spread this out over time, it certainly doesn’t all need to be done at once. Don’t forget that we’re all learning and growing as authors and business owners and that this is a marathon, not a sprint. Take your time, learn all you can and don’t be afraid to ask!