Release Checklist

August 2, 2021 / Business of Writing, Uncategorized / 24 COMMENTS


by Elizabeth Spann Craig, @elizabethscraig

I promised that I’d share an updated version of a checklist I use for my release days. The idea is to make sure that I’ve covered everything so I don’t wake up in the middle of the night in a cold sweat, ha.

Sometimes the list changes a little bit, depending on what sort of promo I’m running. I’ve never been a fan of doing promo, but I’m trying to do more ads and things now.

Production:

Decide on a launch date.

Update my back matter (I keep it in a separate document) and copy-paste it into the manuscript.

Send the document to beta readers.

Send it to my editors.

Once edited, send the story to my ARC readers (I share through Prolific Works, although I hear good things about BookFunnel).

Register my ISBNs with Bowker for each format of the book.

Begin loading metadata into all the different retail and distributor sites. Be consistent with the metadata.

Upload editorial reviews for the series on Amazon through Author Central.

Set up for preorder once I feel good about the timing of my edits.

Promo

Update my website to announce the upcoming release and what I’ll be working on next.

Make sure Goodreads has linked the new book to my series and name.

Check that Amazon has added my book to the series list and that it’s linked to my Author Central page.

Write a personal author’s note for the back-matter section of the book and for that section on the Amazon product page that we access through Author Central  (From the Author).

Make sure my newsletter will be ready to go to readers on release day.

Put the first chapter up on Facebook as a sample.

Run a Goodreads giveaway of the first book of the series (or the new book, depending)

Run pricing promos on the first couple of books in the series.

Create images to run on Facebook and Instagram on the day of the release and schedule the postings on Hootsuite.

Other Business

Send digital copies (or print) to people who’ve helped bring the book to publication in some way.

Order print copies for myself.

Update my website after the book publishes. Make sure the printable Google doc of all my books is updated.

***

What have I left out? Does this look a lot like your own list for a release?

Checklist for a Release: Click To Tweet

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  1. This is really useful, Elizabeth! It’s hard to believe there are so many details to remember at launch time, but it really does all matter. And a checklist makes it all easier to keep in mind. I think I’m going to archive this for the next time I’m ready to launch!

  2. Hi Elizabeth – as always … it seems up to your usual high standard – and surely helps other authors, who are not this professional.

    Take care and all the best – Hilary

  3. Looks a lot like mine :) There is always so much to do within a short timeframe. Even with a list, I nearly always forget something. Usually it’s because I think I’ve done it but then see it’s not marked off.

  4. Great list! And handy for me, I don’t have a couple of these on mine and I’ve got a release next week! Off to prep that newsletter :)

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