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Self-Publishing Launch Checklist.

Fifty checkpoints from eight weeks out to your first thirty days on sale, in the order that actually works. Tick items off below, or grab the printable PDF.

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8–6 weeks before

1. Foundations

Manuscript fully edited and proofread
Finished, not "mostly done". Beta feedback incorporated. Cover design commissioned or finalised
Briefed against top-selling covers in your category, not designed under time pressure. ISBN(s) obtained, if you need them Categories and keyword research complete Book description / blurb drafted

6–4 weeks before

2. Production

Interior formatted for print and ebook Front and back matter finalised
Title page, copyright, dedication, author bio, links to other books. Print proof copy ordered and reviewed
Build in 7–14 days for delivery and a review pass. Publishing platform account set up and verified
KDP or otherwise: tax information, banking details, author profile.

Writing Desk tip Export your finished manuscript straight to a typeset, submission-ready EPUB and PDF from the Formatter. No separate formatting software, and no risk of the interior drifting from the manuscript you actually finished.

4–2 weeks before

3. Reader pipeline

The single most-skipped phase, and the one with the biggest impact on launch day.

ARC readers recruited and files sent
Aim for 15–30 readers who match your genre, given enough time to actually finish it. Pre-order set up
Optional, but useful for building early momentum. Author website or landing page live Email list warmed up, launch date announced Launch day social content prepared

Launch week

4. Launch week

Book published and live Launch email sent ARC reviews requested to go live on day one Social posts published Personal network contacted directly

First 30 days

5. Post-launch

Sales and ranking tracked Reviews monitored and thanked where appropriate Any promo scheduled
Countdown deal or price drop, roughly 7–14 days post-launch. Reader feedback logged for the next book or edition