Platform-Specific Strategies
- Substack Audience — Write a launch post connecting your book to newsletter themes. Create a series expanding on the book's ideas. Offer subscriber-exclusive content or early access.
- TikTok / BookTok — Behind-the-scenes writing process. Interesting research facts. Trending sounds. Collaborate with BookTok creators in your genre — don't just broadcast.
- Medium / LinkedIn — Articles complementing your book's themes. Publishing journey and lessons learned. Engage with relevant publications before asking them to cover you.
8-Week Countdown
Tick each week off as you clear it. Nothing here can be caught up later — a missed ARC window at week –4 is a launch with no reviews, and there is no version of week –1 that fixes it.
Countdown to launch
Eight weeksWeek –8
Setup
- Final files to the editor
- Cover finalised
- ISBN purchased, or the platform ISBN decided on
- Platform accounts created and verified
Week –6
Production
- Edit returned and applied
- Formatting done for both ebook and print
- Files uploaded
- Pre-order set up, if you are using one
Week –4
Reviews
The one week with a hard deadline. ARC readers need four to six weeks, so this cannot slip.
- ARC copies sent
- Blogger outreach complete
- Social teasers begin
Week –2
Final Prep
- Launch-week content written and scheduled
- Announcement email drafted
- Analytics tracking set up, and confirmed working
Launch week
Execute
- Monday — email your list
- Tuesday — social posts
- Wednesday — communities you already belong to
- Thursday — follow up with anyone who offered to help
- Friday — review what happened, and change nothing yet
Week +1
Sustain
- Thank every supporter individually
- Compare performance against what you actually expected
- Document the lessons while they are still fresh
- Start planning the next book
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