Perceptions vs. Reality
The Write Away Books team always talks to you straight, and we think it’s important that you know the steps you’ll have to go through to get your book out into the world. Most authors who haven’t gone through the process think they do the following:
- 12 months – Write the book
- 15 months – Start your next book
- 24 months – Publish your book
- 36 months – Fain a following
- Ongoing – Sell lots of books
So much for your active fantasy life!
In fact, there’s a GREAT deal that goes into getting your finished manuscript out into the real world, including this partial list:
- Publishing Contract signed
- Finalize content on website
- Final proofreading of manuscript
- Deliver final manuscript to publisher
- Design cover
- Support publisher production needs
- Confirm publisher’s marketing/promotional support
- Final approval of website
- Website updates
- Build website
- Letters to public/prominent figures in book subject areas
- Ask for blurbs/endorsements
- Cover design final steps
- Develop Amazon Author Page
- Develop Goodreads page
- Set up social media pages for book posts
- Others
- Contact Net Ready (7,500 reviewers)
- Schedule reviewer copy for week 6
- Support publisher production needs
- Discuss ebook marketing plan with Open Books
- Contact American Library Association and Midwest Book Review
- Schedule ARCs for Week 6
- Talk to Open Books about Cover Reveal/Amazon Pre-Order scheduling
- Find key online groups in appropriate categories
- Contact key online groups in appropriate categories
- Finalize Cover and send to Open Books
- Develop sales one-sheet for retailers, special groups, events/conferences, online retailers (one template, four sets of content)
- Talk to Open Books Press about receiving digital ARCs
- Q&A Interview with Author for PR and Marketing purposes
- Hollywood Weekly — schedule book review or others as appropriate for next available issue
- Contact all key book reviewers
- Ready to receive ARCs in week 6
- Set up combined press release and email blast
- Receive digital ARC from Open Books Press
- Confirm Amazon pre-order and publisher pre-order with Open Books Press
- Finalize sales one-sheets
- Add author Q&A to website
- Look into Book Bub placement, schedule for right after launch
- COVER REVEAL Press release to Author’s list and all media points announcing book title and launch date
- Cover reveal release to niche publications in appropriate categories
- Book goes on Amazon pre-order
- Possibly with special discount for first 50 or 100 to order (to be discussed)
- Post book cover on Goodreads with reveal announcement
- Announcement of pre-order on website with link to Amazon, Open Books Press
- Cover Reveal announcement on all social media
- Author’s
- Other relevant groups
- Talk to author about location on launch day – in prep for TV talk shows
- Deliver digital ARC to Net Ready, ALA, Midwest Book Review, Melie’s Book Reviews, Bloomsbury, Kirkus Reviews, Chanticleer, Publishers Weekly, others.
- Follow up on cover reveal media and social media releases
- Sales sheets out to key store and online book retailers (Barnes & Noble, etc), plus chains.
- Weekly posts begin on social media – post to all points
- Work with author on YouTube video-book trailer
- :60 spot
- on location
- discussing book
- Contact relevant conferences, events, fairs, merchandising opportunities— incorporating book into their programs for this or next year
- Contact Reddit — author on as a guest week 14 to discuss book and related topics. Go for 60- to 90-minute format where author answers visitors’ questions.
- Contact regional TV talk shows for author appearance, live or via Zoom, week 14
- Author starts blogging about book on website
- Begin bi-weekly book tease on website: rotate excerpts weekly, with direct link to Amazon pre-order
- Work with author on YouTube video-book trailer — :60 spot, on location, discussing book
- Contact relevant podcasts, online groups and online media — interview set ups wrapped around book launch
- Collect early reviews; get to Open Books with blurbs they don’t already have for final placement on outside back cover.
- Send digital ARCs to public figures or experts in Bigfoot, environment, treasure hunting worlds and ask for reviews/blurbs
- Follow up with and schedule Reddit appearance
- Follow up with reviewers
- Prepare second press release for all media points
- Contact relevant podcasts, online groups and online media — interview set ups wrapped around book launch
- Finalize YouTube video-book trailer
- Scheduled receipt of hard-copy ARCs from Open Books Press
- Weekly social media posting — YouTube book trailer
- Bi-weekly website book tease — new excerpt
- Print media interview setups — send hard-copy ARCs to 25 key media
- Second press release out to all points — including YouTube book trailer link
- Add YouTube book trailer to website
- Hard push with online and store retailers to bring in book; work with Open Books Press on distribution to retailers
- Launch Day team discussion with Author: Promotional giveaways, online incentives and other “candy” to draw people in on launch day. Included: A Facebook Live event with Author
- Call Open Books Press and confirm launch date: Adjust timeline accordingly
- Weekly social media posting — start teasing Launch Day Extravaganza online (including Facebook Live event)
- Look for public venue doing live events
- Print media interview setups
- Check on results of digital ARC send outs – have Net Ready flag the book as “publication imminent”
- Switch to weekly website book tease — new excerpt
- Team meeting with Author: Discuss virtual book tour, types of ground and online events, and set up for a rolling schedule through Weeks 16-24. Using primarily Facebook Live and Zoom, also through WJ Podcast. Also discuss donating small percentage of profits toward environmental cause/charity – and maximizing on social media and PR.
- Switch to weekly website book tease
- Facebook Live event: Author announcing publication of book
- Set up online media, podcasts, print media, TV talk show interview schedule, rolling schedule, with hard emphasis on weeks 16-18.
- Send out ARCs to all daily newspapers on West Coast, top weeklies and newsmagazines, TV stations with the second press release
- Work on virtual book tour setups
- Ebook drastic price reduction promotion — to get onto Amazon and other bestseller lists pre-publication.
- Launch Press Release: all regular, online and broadcast media points, podcasts, specialty and trade media — with Q&A interview — follow up with media
- Nail down interview schedule for Author
- Contact all bookstores with sales sheet and details, reminding them book is available for ordering and stocking – online and store
- Ebook drastic price reduction promotion — to get onto Amazon and other bestseller lists pre-publication.
- Make sure all targeted reviewer reviews are on Amazon and Goodreads.
- MEDIA ADVISORY: Book is out
- Weekly website and social media book tease
- Coordinate interview schedule — keep Author apprised of schedule
- Continued interview setups
- Author guests on Podcasts
- Continued follow-up with online and store retailers
- Author on relevant Facebook groups
- Facebook Live! event: Author reading from & talking about book
- Set up second online event — TBD on platform to use
- Begin cataloguing book on online/holiday shopping sites
- Weekly or bi-weekly live online events (Facebook Live!, Zoom, Word Journeys Podcast, Reddit, etc.)
- Online book tour — bloggers, podcasts, online interviews, targeted Q&A posting by region, etc. Continue for as long as momentum allows.
- Arrange any possible live events, dependent on Coronavirus situation
- 2 more YouTube book trailers, talking about book being out and an excellent holiday buy
- Continued work with Open Books Press on their social media and marketing push on the book
- Post-launch release goes out Sept. 20; additional releases in October and November.
- Cataloguing the book on key online/holiday shopping sites and print and online magazine shopping guides in all categories
- Weekly social media posts
Talk to us about how we can take some of this off your plate. And get more free editorial and marketing advice by signing up for our free monthly newsletter.