Schedule for Indie Release, Self Taught Marketing Lessons

As you may have gathered, I have a book I am about to release. My launch date is June 2, 2017.

Now, that might sound like plenty of time to get all my proverbial ducks in a row, but it is a race against time. I have spent the last six months researching the best way to promote and market a self-published book, and so I thought you might want to see in an encapsulated form, what I have discovered.

As far in advance as possible:

• Create your author website or author’s blog.
• Create an Author Facebook account or spruce up an existing author page.
• Tweet out your author page and share on Facebook. Share on your personal Facebook pages and in groups.
• Share your character’s journey on Twitter, Facebook, blog, and Website.
• Set up Mailchimp or other sign up forms for newsletters.
• Create a relationship with reviewers, bloggers, and readers.
• Arrange for beta readers, editors, illustrators and cover artist.
• Polish your book blurb and your elevator blurb.

Two Months before anticipated launch:

• Provide books to beta readers.
• Final line, copy and editorial editing,
• Final proofreading once all the changes have been made.
• Begin to introduce characters in blog posts, Facebook posts, and tweets.
• Create an email address for character reader interaction, if wanted.
• Begin to network with parent/genre specific groups on Facebook, Twitter, and blogs.
• Upload to Amazon as a pre-order. Preorders will also secure your title and author page on Goodreads.
  • You can upload an unedited version without a cover up to three months in advance as long as you make sure to upload the final version 3 days before launch.
• As soon as the book is listed on Goodreads, create a giveaway to encourage interest for your new release. Set giveaway to end on launch day.
  • You can set up the giveaway on Goodreads once you have set up the pre-order, it helps to have a cover for Goodreads. Giveaways take a week from set-up to the start date of the giveaway.  Plan on having the book in contest mode for at several weeks. The longer the better.
• Reach out to other bloggers about potential guest posts and character interviews.

One month before anticipated launch:

• Increase name branding in all platforms.
• Confirm blog interaction with the correct genre bloggers. Arrange interviews, launch day events and guest posts leading up to the launch.
• Create author group on Facebook inviting reviewers, supportive friends and network members such as illustrators, editors, bloggers, and known readers.
• Confirm launch date and start sharing definite launch date.
• Send out welcome newsletter introducing your characters, interesting information, and launch date.
• Remind the newsletter readers of the Goodreads giveaway and invite them to read and review to make your launch a success.

Three weeks before launch:

• Send out Newsletter announcing the launch date, request for ARC reviews, and guest blog opportunities. Never hurts to have new bloggers interested in hosting a post.
• Host a cover reveal. Invite all your readers, friends, blogger friends, twitter followers and Facebook audience.
• Advertise Cover reveal in Goodreads on groups for writers, readers, genre specific groups.
• Make a Facebook page for your book. Invite people that enjoy your work to visit the page.
• Make the page a merchant page with the buy now button.  Learn how here!
• Like similar genre pages as your author page and book page.
  • Right, click on the down arrow next to the like button and you can like the page as your author and book pages.
• Create a presence in Goodreads leading up to your launch.
• Post on Goodreads in both groups and review areas.
• Reach out to reviewers as soon as you have an advance copy available.

Two weeks before launch:

• Provide the links for your book to ARC readers on both amazon and Goodreads.
• Send out newsletter thanking the ones that have joined your group, ARC launch team, and provided support by spreading the word.
• Invite readers to pick up your book on launch day or using the preorder button on amazon. Provide links.

One Week before launch:

• Post blog posts reminding followers of your launch. Invite them to the giveaway on Goodreads. Invite them to read and review your new book. Thank them for being a huge part of this process.
• Blog about your release on your Goodreads author blog.
• Bring your author page on Goodreads and Amazon up to date. Make sure you have a professional look and have connected your blog to your amazon Author page.
• Create a launch party on your group page and send out invitations to those on your regular friends’ list and author page followers. This is your moment to shine.

Launch Day!

• Celebrate!
• Read your reviews.
• Contact any reviewers that posted and thank them for being a part of your exciting day.
• Enjoy your launch day party.
• Blog about your exciting journey and share any early reviews. Remember to attach links to your books and author page.
• Enjoy the fact that your much-loved project is now safely in the hands of the public.

I am about 5 weeks from launch and I welcome any other ideas. On my first book, I did not promote my first book as I should have and I paid the price. After much study and intense reading, I created my schedule.  I am excited to be this close and I do rely heavily on my own schedule. I hope these ideas help you along the path to your book launch. If you would like to be a part of my launch team, let me know. You can also find Sojourner McConnell on Facebook, Brand spanking new Facebook  Group, Twitter, Goodreads, The Path of the Writer, and Amazon.