Book Launch Timeline
With a mere 5 days to go until launch day for Best Years of your Life, I’ve found myself looking back at the whirlwind that was preparing a book launch. I can’t tell you how many times I Googled things (daily) or reached out to author friends who’ve published before me (also daily) for advice. Sometimes it was the simplest question, but being a perfectionist, I wanted to make sure I did everything right.
News flash: There’s no “right” way to go about these things.
With SO MANY options out there when it comes to indie publishing, you could drive yourself crazy (and I did) trying to figure out what to do, when to do it, what to spend money on, etc. etc. etc.
The beauty of indie publishing is that you’re on your own timeline. BUT… that’s also the hard part of indie publishing. It’s both a blessing and a curse. You don’t have a publishing house with experts telling you “Do this today,” “Here’s what we do next,” “Then we’ll do this.”
The past four months have been a crash course in self publishing. Did I get an “A”? (Better yet, did I even pass?). I suppose only time will tell. But like anything new, you’re going to inevitably miss something… something you’ll look back on and wish you’d done differently, or something you wasted time on and know you’ll never do again.
For what it’s worth, given the knowledge I’ve pulled from author friends and online launch plans, here’s how my timeline went down:
3-4 months out
This was when I made the big pivot from querying, pulled back all my manuscripts that were with agents, and decided to go indie. Initially, I set a date for a December release, but once I started planning and getting my ducks in a row, I realized I really wanted my launch to coincide with back-to-school (given that it’s set on a college campus).
Is it possible to launch a book in 3 months? It depends. Books that are traditionally published can be in the planning/launching stage for a year or more. Other indies pump out a new book and bring it to market every other month. I think it all depends on what your goal is for your launch, how much you are able to get done in advance, how much you need to hire out, etc. There truly are so many factors.
By the time I decided to indie publish, my manuscript was complete and the cover was designed (I’m fortunate to be able to make my own covers). I turned my focus to marketing and media, as most outlets require lead time.
I formatted my paperback and e-book and made it available for pre-order through the various retail platforms I chose. Whether to be Amazon-exclusive or “go wide” for e-books is a whole other topic for a whole other blog post!
I contacted authors to inquire about early reviews and cover blurbs. Authors are BUSY people. Some were unable to read and review in my shorter timeframe, but others gladly accepted.
I scheduled a bookstagram blog tour for the month after my book release. Things like this should be booked in advance.
2 months out
I contacted dozens of podcasts that either specialize in women’s fiction, author interviews, or indie books. Many were responsive, some were not. Several booked me now, some are booked out for a while.
I sent a press release to a bunch of news outlets in my area (newspapers, radio, TV, regional magazines).
I reached out to booksellers, mainly within a 2-hour radius of my town, but also nation-wide with the help of contacts I have through writer’s groups. With a well-crafted sell sheet, press release and book cover image, I’ve managed to get my book ordered by a few bookstores that never would have known about me otherwise.
I finished sending out all ARC copies in order to give reviewers time to read.
1 month out
I stopped by local businesses in my town to talk about my book and hand out flyers.
I updated all versions of my book with final edits and typos caught by ARC readers, then ordered a set of final copies to have on hand for launch.
I contacted bookstores about setting up signings post-launch. Good idea to get on the calendar in advance…stores are busy with events!
I signed up for a Goodreads Giveaway to run for 30 days leading up to launch.
1 week out
I’m stressing that I’ve forgotten something critical.
I’m simultaneously freaked out and thrilled with excitement that people will soon be reading my book.
I’m planning a fun dinner to celebrate my book launch (with champagne!)
Post-Launch Plans
You might think launch day is the end-game, but you’d be so so wrong. Yes, launch day is the day you’ve been planning for, counting down to, and now celebrating. But, that’s only the first step. Once the book is live, there’s still work to be done.
Reviews, reviews, reviews. So much of post-launch success depends on reviews. Getting them, though…that’s another story. No one wants to be the annoying person who’s begging for reviews. But at the same time, authors know that’s the best way to help visibility. So, we ask. And we ask again. The more readers understand the importance of reviews, the more likely (I think) they’ll be to leave them. It only takes a minute, but the impact can be huge.
So, here’s my big takeaway looking back at my book launch: Everyone’s experience is going to be different. You make it what you want to make it. You put in as much effort as you choose based on your goals and vision. For me, I never felt rushed or crunched with this timeline. Could I have done more if I would have stuck with December? Perhaps. But I’m happy with this release date and what I was able to do to market the book pre-launch.
Now the real test: Watching my book baby leave its nest and fly into the hands of readers.