Book Launch Checklist: How to Launch a Self-Published Book (2026)

What should you do three months before launch?

Finish editing and lock the manuscript before you commit to a date. A release date set before the book is truly finished is the most common reason launches slip. Finalise your cover and blurb early, because your ads, emails, social posts and advance copies all depend on them.

• Choose a launch date and decide whether to offer a pre-order.
• Book your editor and proofreader if you have not already, and allow time for corrections.
• Set up or update your author website and mailing list, with a clear sign-up offer.
• Start recruiting advance readers who genuinely enjoy your genre.
• Research categories and keywords, and look at what comparable books in your genre do well.
• Draft a launch budget so you know what you are willing to spend, and on what.

Also decide your launch price and any promotions now. If you plan to use newsletter swaps or promotion sites, many of them need booking well ahead, and some have review or sales requirements you should check early. The Book Launch Timeline Calculator can work backwards from your chosen date and give you deadlines for each stage.

What should you do one month before launch?

Format the ebook and paperback, order a printed proof, and read it carefully. A physical proof shows problems that a screen preview hides, such as margins, bleed, spine text and awkward page breaks. If you need help with layout, the formatting and cover guides on this site cover the specifics.

Set up the book on your publishing platforms. A pre-order lets you share a working link before release, and readers who buy early still count towards your launch. Check the rules for each store, because deadlines for uploading the final file and the penalties for missing them differ, and they can change. Upload early rather than on the last permitted day.

Send advance copies to your reader team with clear instructions: the release date, where to post an honest review, and a polite reminder that you want their real opinion, not praise. Never pay for reviews or ask for only positive ones, since retailers can remove reviews and penalise accounts. The ARC Team Invite Generator can help you draft the invitation message.

How do you build anticipation with readers?

Your mailing list is the most reliable launch asset you own, because you do not depend on an algorithm to reach it. In the weeks before release, send a few short emails: a cover reveal, an excerpt, a note on why you wrote the book, and a countdown with the link. Keep each message useful or interesting on its own, rather than repeating the same request to buy.

On social media, share material that fits where readers already spend time: the cover, a striking line, a mood image, a short clip or a behind-the-scenes look at your process. A short book trailer can work for some genres, but it is optional and should not delay the launch. The Book Social Media Post Generator can give you rough drafts to rewrite in your own voice.

Write everything in advance. Schedule posts and prepare your launch-day emails now, so launch week is spent answering readers and fixing problems rather than staring at a blank page. If you have no list yet, do not panic. Start one today, offer something small and relevant in return for sign-ups, and treat this launch as the start of that audience.

What should you do in launch week?

Check every listing on every store: the link, price, formats, categories, keywords, description, series information and the preview. Make sure the ebook and paperback are linked on the same page where the store allows it. Fix small errors straight away, though bear in mind that some changes take time to appear.

On launch day, email your list, post on social media, message your advance readers with a thank-you and the review link, and tell friends and family who have offered to help. Ask them to buy only if they genuinely want the book. Keep your own promotion concentrated in the first few days, because a burst of attention does more than the same effort spread thinly over months.

Expect some friction. Reviews can take a while to appear, links can be wrong, and a store may show the wrong cover or format for a day or two. Keep a short list of support contacts and a note of what you uploaded, so you can raise problems quickly. Avoid changing the cover, price or blurb repeatedly in the first days, because you will not be able to tell what worked.

What should you do after the launch?

Keep things moving for the next few weeks. Run scheduled promotions, test small advertising campaigns once your cover, blurb and early reviews are in place, and reach out to podcasts, bloggers and reader groups that fit your genre. Our guides on getting reviews, running Amazon ads and marketing a self-published book go deeper on each.

Review what happened. Look at sales by store, email clicks, sign-ups, and which posts brought readers. Read reviews for patterns that could improve this listing or the next book. A quick break-even check shows whether your costs have been covered, and the Book Break-Even Calculator can help with the numbers.

Then return to writing. For most authors the strongest long-term marketing is the next book, especially in a series, because each release can bring readers back to earlier titles. Consider adding other formats later, such as an audiobook or translations, once the first launch has settled. CruxOne, a browser-based AI publishing platform for indie authors, covers formatting, audiobooks and publishing to multiple stores if you want those tools in one place.

What are the most common launch mistakes?

The biggest mistakes are launching with no advance readers, launching to nobody because there is no mailing list, and changing the cover or price repeatedly during launch week. Another is spending heavily on ads before the cover, blurb and first reviews are strong enough to convert clicks, which wastes money and tells you little.

Others are quieter: missing a store's upload deadline, skipping the printed proof, setting a date before the book is finished, and treating the launch as a single day rather than a few weeks. Expecting one launch to decide the fate of a book can also lead to giving up too early.

Give yourself enough time. A launch planned months ahead nearly always beats one rushed in a week, and the lists, templates and habits you build carry over to every future book.

Frequently asked questions

How far ahead should I plan a book launch?

Ideally about three months, so you can finish editing, recruit advance readers, set up pre-orders and book any promotions in time. Shorter is possible if the manuscript is finished.

Should I do a pre-order?

Often yes. Pre-orders let you share a working link early and give you time to build anticipation. Check each store's file deadlines and rules first.

How do I get reviews for my launch?

Send advance copies to readers in your genre a few weeks before release and ask for honest reviews. Never pay for reviews or demand positive ones.

What should I do on launch day?

Check every listing, email your list, post on social media, remind advance readers and thank everyone who helps. Avoid changing the cover or price.

What is the best marketing after a launch?

Ongoing promotions and carefully tested ads help, but for most authors the most effective marketing is writing and releasing the next book.