Plan Your Book Launch: A Step-by-Step Timeline

A book launch is not a single day. It is a four- to six-month campaign with a concentrated spike of activity in the week your book releases — and the authors who treat it that way consistently outsell those who don't.

The most common launch mistake is treating the release date as the starting line. By the time your book is available to buy, the groundwork — your ARC team, your cover reveal, your pre-orders, your media outreach, your email list buildup — should already be done. The release date is when you harvest what you've planted, not when you start planting.

This guide gives you a complete launch timeline, broken into phases, so you know what to do and when to do it from the moment your publication date is confirmed.

Before You Plan: Set Your Launch Goals

Vague goals produce vague results. Before building your launch plan, decide specifically what success looks like for this book.

Useful goals are specific and measurable. For example:

  • Reach 25 Amazon reviews in the first 30 days
  • Sell 200 copies in the first 90 days
  • Reach #1 in a specific Amazon subcategory on launch day
  • Add 300 new email subscribers during the launch window
  • Secure 3 podcast interviews in the first 60 days
  • Get the book into 5 local Latter-day Saint or Christian bookstores

Write down two or three specific goals before you build your plan. Every tactic in your launch plan should connect back to at least one of them. If a tactic doesn't serve a goal, it's not a launch priority.

Coordinate With Cedar Fort First

As a Cedar Fort author, some launch elements are in your publisher's hands. Before finalizing your plan, confirm the following with your editor or marketing contact:

  • Confirmed release date: Make sure you're building around the actual pub date, not an estimated one. Launch plans built around a date that shifts are painful to rebuild
  • ARC availability: When will the final or near-final file be ready for you to distribute to your personal ARC team?
  • NetGalley and Edelweiss: Is your book listed? When does it go live?
  • Pre-order availability: Will your book be available for pre-order on Amazon and other retailers? If so, when will that link be live?
  • Publisher-coordinated marketing: What is Cedar Fort planning for your launch — social posts, email features, catalog placement, press outreach? Knowing what they're doing prevents duplication and lets you fill the gaps they're not covering
  • Print copy availability: When can you expect author copies? You'll need them for giveaways, signings, and ARC distributions to local readers

Get these answers early. Your entire timeline depends on them.

Your Launch Timeline: Phase by Phase

Phase 1: Foundation (6–4 Months Before Launch)

This phase is about building the infrastructure your launch will run on. Almost nothing is public-facing yet.

Month 6

  • Confirm your pub date and request ARC file availability from Cedar Fort
  • Set your launch goals (see above)
  • Audit your platform: Is your website current? Is your email list set up with a working welcome sequence? Are your social profiles complete? Fix anything that's broken before you start driving traffic
  • Start building your ARC team: Send an invitation to your email list, begin identifying bookfluencers and bloggers in your genre, reach out to comparable Goodreads reviewers. You want your ARC team confirmed before the file is ready to distribute
  • Request author blurbs: Send blurb requests to authors in your genre now, while there's still adequate lead time for them to read and respond
  • Add your book to Goodreads: If Cedar Fort hasn't already, get your book listed on Goodreads with its cover, description, and release date. Readers can begin adding it to their want-to-read shelf immediately

Month 5

  • Cover reveal: If your cover is finalized, plan a coordinated cover reveal. Share it on your social channels and email list on the same day. Ask ARC team members and bookfluencer contacts to share it on theirs. A cover reveal is your first opportunity to get people talking about the book — treat it like a mini-launch event
  • Begin social media content about the book: Not constant promotion — start weaving in behind-the-scenes content about the writing process, the research, the inspiration. Build familiarity and curiosity before the hard sell begins
  • Apply for a BookBub Featured Deal (if you plan to launch at a promotional price or discount the book shortly after launch)
  • Begin podcast and media outreach: Start pitching podcast appearances and media coverage now. Most podcasts book 4–8 weeks in advance; some longer. Coverage that lands in your launch window needs to be booked months ahead
  • Draft your launch email sequence: Write the emails you'll send to your list in the week of launch before you're in the middle of launch chaos

Phase 2: Buildup (4–2 Months Before Launch)

This phase is about warming your audience and creating anticipation. Activity is increasing but still measured.

Month 4

  • Distribute ARCs: Send your ARC files to your confirmed team via BookFunnel or email. Include your cover letter with the launch date, review platform links, and a warm ask for honest reviews
  • Confirm pre-order link and share it: Once your book is available for pre-order on Amazon, mention it in your newsletter and social channels. Pre-orders count toward your first-week sales rank — every pre-order placed before launch day registers as a sale on launch day, which can help you rank in your subcategory
  • Plan your launch week content calendar: Map out exactly what you'll post on which platforms, on which days, during launch week. Having this planned in advance means you're executing instead of improvising when the pressure is highest
  • Book any in-person events: Signings, speaking engagements, and launch parties need to be booked now. Venues and event calendars fill up

Month 3

  • Send a "book is coming" newsletter: A dedicated email to your list announcing the release date, sharing the cover, giving a brief and compelling description, and linking to pre-order. This is the first time many subscribers will hear about the new book
  • Increase social posting frequency: Move from occasional mentions to consistent build-up content — reader quotes, chapter teasers, research photos, countdown milestones
  • Confirm podcast and media bookings: Follow up on any outstanding pitches. By now you should have at least a few appearances confirmed for the launch window
  • Request additional Amazon categories from Cedar Fort (if not already done — see the Amazon optimization guide)
  • Write your book's back matter review request and submit it to Cedar Fort if the final file hasn't been locked yet

Phase 3: Pre-Launch (2 Months – 1 Week Before Launch)

This phase is high-visibility and high-energy. Your audience should feel the book's arrival approaching.

Weeks 8–4

  • Send a second launch announcement email: "Two months out" or "one month out" reminder to your list with fresh excitement, updated testimonials if you have early ARC feedback, and the pre-order link
  • Share early ARC feedback publicly: As your ARC readers post reviews on Goodreads or send you private feedback, share the best quotes on social media (with permission for private feedback). Early reader enthusiasm is persuasive social proof
  • Begin your podcast appearances: Interviews scheduled for the pre-launch window start airing. Each one should mention your release date and direct listeners to your signup page or pre-order link
  • Engage your launch team: If you have a dedicated launch team (see below), now is when you brief them on their launch week roles and share assets they'll need
  • Prepare launch week social media assets: Create or finalize any graphics, quote cards, or short videos you'll use during launch week

Week 2 Before Launch

  • Send ARC team reminder: A warm, brief message reminding your ARC readers of the launch date and sharing the direct Amazon and Goodreads review links
  • Send a teaser email to your list: "One week away" — build final excitement. Share what inspired the book, what you hope readers take from it, and a personal note about what this book means to you. Personal letters from authors to their readers consistently outperform promotional copy
  • Schedule all launch week social posts: Use your scheduling tool to queue every post in advance so launch week isn't consumed by content creation
  • Confirm all launch week logistics: Event details, podcast air dates, any coordinated posts from collaborators

Phase 4: Launch Week

Launch week is when everything converges. Your job this week is to drive as many sales as possible in as short a window as possible, because concentrated sales velocity signals to Amazon's algorithm that your book has momentum — and Amazon rewards that momentum with increased visibility.

Launch Day

  • Send your launch email to your full list: This is your most important email of the year. Make it personal, enthusiastic, and specific. Include the book cover, a compelling one-paragraph description, a clear buy link, and a direct ask for reviews. Keep it to the point — this is not the day for a long newsletter
  • Post across all your social platforms: Announce the release with energy. Share your buy link, your cover, and a brief personal note about what the day means to you
  • Ask your launch team to post: Coordinate with anyone who has agreed to share the news on their channels today
  • Monitor your Amazon rank: Check your subcategory rank throughout the day. If you're close to a bestseller badge in any category, a small additional push (mentioning it in Stories, sending a quick text to close friends and family) can tip you over
  • Share reviews as they post: As ARC readers post on Amazon and Goodreads, reshare those reviews on your Stories and social channels. This creates real-time social proof and encourages others who haven't posted yet
  • Respond to messages and comments: Launch day is a high-engagement day. Show up and respond. Readers who reach out today are your most enthusiastic fans

Days 2–7

  • Post daily — not always about the book directly, but keep the energy up. Behind-the-scenes, reader reactions, milestones reached, personal reflections on the launch
  • Send a mid-week email update if momentum warrants it ("We hit X reviews — thank you") — but only if you have something genuinely worth reporting. Don't email just to email
  • Follow up with any ARC readers who haven't posted yet
  • Continue any scheduled podcast appearances or media coverage

Phase 5: Post-Launch (Weeks 2–12)

Most authors stop after launch week. This is a mistake. The post-launch window is when your book is still new enough to be news but momentum has room to build. This is also when Amazon's algorithm, having seen your launch-week activity, is actively watching whether your sales continue.

Weeks 2–4

  • Send your post-launch review email: Two to three weeks after launch, send a dedicated email to your list asking for reviews. Readers who've had time to finish the book are now your best source of ongoing review activity
  • Pitch a second wave of podcasts and media: Reach out to outlets that didn't respond to your first wave, or pitch a different angle on the book now that it's released and you have reader reaction to reference
  • Begin paid advertising (if applicable): Amazon ads and Facebook ads work best after your book has at least 10–15 reviews. Launch week reviews give you the foundation to start advertising with confidence
  • Thank your launch team publicly: A social post or email thanking everyone who helped — your ARC team, your launch team, your readers — is good community stewardship and good public relations

Weeks 4–12

  • Maintain regular social posting that references the book occasionally without making every post promotional
  • Look for secondary coverage opportunities — local newspaper features, church community newsletters, homeschool blogs, library programs
  • Track your Amazon sales rank trend and review count week over week to see whether momentum is holding or dropping — this tells you whether to lean into more advertising or outreach
  • Begin planning your next launch (or your backlist promotion strategy, if this is your only title)

Your Launch Team (Different From Your ARC Team)

Your ARC team reads your book and posts reviews. Your launch team is a separate, smaller group of people who help amplify your launch-week noise by sharing, posting, and talking about your book on the day it releases.

A launch team of 10–20 highly engaged people — friends, family, fellow authors, loyal readers — who each post on launch day multiplies your reach far beyond what you can produce alone. Combined, they might collectively reach tens of thousands of people with a single coordinated effort.

What launch team members do

  • Post about the book on their social media on launch day
  • Share your launch-day posts and email
  • Purchase the book (if they haven't already) on launch day to contribute to sales rank
  • Tell people in their personal networks about the release

What to give your launch team

  • A briefing email 2 weeks before launch with everything they need: the launch date, the Amazon link, your social media handles to tag, suggested caption copy they can use or adapt, and your cover image as an attachment
  • A launch morning reminder with the live buy link
  • A genuine, specific thank-you afterward — launch team members who feel appreciated show up for the next book too

Pre-Orders: Are They Worth It?

Pre-orders serve a specific strategic purpose: every copy pre-ordered counts as a sale on launch day, not on the day it was ordered. This means pre-orders accumulate silently and then discharge all at once on release day, creating an artificial sales spike that improves your launch-day ranking.

Pre-orders are worth pursuing if:

  • You have an email list and social following large enough to drive meaningful pre-order numbers (even 50–100 pre-orders can make a difference in niche subcategories)
  • Your book is available on Amazon for pre-order before your launch date (confirm with Cedar Fort)
  • You're willing to mention the pre-order link consistently in the months before launch without it feeling like the only thing you talk about

Pre-orders are less worth pursuing if your audience is small, your book isn't available for pre-order on Amazon, or your readers are the type who prefer to buy when they can have the book immediately.

Launch Week Emails: The Sequence That Works

Most authors send one launch email. The authors who see the strongest email-driven sales send three.

  • Email 1 — 7 days before launch: "One week away." Personal, excited, specific. Share what the book means to you and what you hope readers take from it. Include the pre-order link
  • Email 2 — Launch day: "It's here." Direct, enthusiastic, with a clear buy link and a specific ask for reviews. Include your book cover image. Keep it short — this email should be readable in 60 seconds
  • Email 3 — 3–5 days after launch: "Thank you." Share the response so far — a review quote, a milestone hit, a personal reflection on the launch. Include the buy link again. This email converts readers who didn't buy on launch day but were warming up

Realistic Launch Expectations

Launch week sales for most debut and mid-list authors are modest — often in the dozens to low hundreds of copies, not thousands. This is normal and doesn't define your book's long-term success. Many books that now have hundreds of reviews and thousands of lifetime sales started with a quiet launch.

What a strong launch does — even a modest one — is establish the foundation for long-term discoverability. The reviews generated in the first 30 days, the Amazon ranking signals from launch-week sales, the word-of-mouth from your launch team, the podcast appearances that air over the following weeks — all of these continue working for your book long after launch week ends.

Measure your launch against your own goals, not against the launches of authors with larger platforms, bigger publishers, or bigger budgets. And start building toward your next launch the moment this one ends.

Launch Planning Checklist

6 Months Out

  • ☐ Pub date confirmed with Cedar Fort
  • ☐ ARC file availability confirmed
  • ☐ Launch goals set (specific and measurable)
  • ☐ Platform audit complete (website, email, social profiles)
  • ☐ ARC team recruitment started
  • ☐ Author blurb requests sent
  • ☐ Book added to Goodreads

5 Months Out

  • ☐ Cover reveal planned and executed
  • ☐ Podcast and media outreach started
  • ☐ BookBub Featured Deal applied for (if applicable)
  • ☐ Launch email sequence drafted
  • ☐ Social content about the book begun

4 Months Out

  • ☐ ARCs distributed to confirmed team via BookFunnel
  • ☐ Pre-order link live and shared
  • ☐ Launch week content calendar planned
  • ☐ In-person events and signings booked

3 Months Out

  • ☐ "Book is coming" email sent to list
  • ☐ Podcast bookings confirmed
  • ☐ Amazon categories requested through Cedar Fort
  • ☐ Back matter review request written and submitted
  • ☐ Social posting frequency increased

2 Months Out

  • ☐ Second launch announcement email sent
  • ☐ Early ARC feedback shared on social media
  • ☐ Launch team recruited and briefed
  • ☐ Launch week social assets created

2 Weeks Out

  • ☐ ARC team reminder sent with review links
  • ☐ "One week away" teaser email sent
  • ☐ All launch week social posts scheduled
  • ☐ Launch team briefing email sent with assets
  • ☐ Launch day logistics confirmed

Launch Day

  • ☐ Launch email sent to full list
  • ☐ Launch day posts published across all platforms
  • ☐ Launch team morning reminder sent
  • ☐ Amazon subcategory rank monitored
  • ☐ Reviews shared as they post
  • ☐ Messages and comments responded to

Post-Launch (Weeks 2–12)

  • ☐ Post-launch review email sent to list (2–3 weeks out)
  • ☐ Second wave of podcast and media pitches sent
  • ☐ Paid advertising started (after 10–15 reviews)
  • ☐ Launch team publicly thanked
  • ☐ Sales rank and review count tracked weekly
  • ☐ Next launch or backlist strategy planning started

Next step: Once your book is live and your launch momentum is established, paid advertising is the most scalable way to keep reaching new readers without relying solely on organic discovery.

Paid Advertising →

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P.S. to those who have stumbled across this article and haven't yet found a publisher, we invite you to learn more about our team. You can also submit your book or find out about our self-publishing service.