It's always a good idea to plan how to introduce your work.
☐ Pick a Launch Date
Set your launch date approximately two months after completing your final draft. This provides adequate preparation time without excessive pressure. I gave myself one month and felt constantly "under the gun." Give yourself room.
☐ 3 Weeks Prior — Distribute Advance Reader Copies (ARCs)
Goal: accumulate reviews for launch day. Distribute ebooks to 75–100 potential readers to secure approximately 25 reviews (accounting for ~33% completion rate).
Use BookFunnel to manage .epub, .mobi, and .pdf distribution with technical reader support included.
Promotion channels:
- Twitter / X
- Reddit (genre-specific subreddits)
Resources: How to launch with 25+ Amazon reviews, Review Swapping guide
☐ 1.5 Weeks Prior — Upload to KDP
Upload your final .mobi file to KDP (Amazon) for pre-order availability. This lets you start collecting pre-orders before launch day, which boosts your chart position at release.