{"id":208992,"date":"2025-05-09T12:29:35","date_gmt":"2025-05-09T17:29:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.draft2digital.com\/blog\/?p=208992"},"modified":"2026-03-26T08:05:01","modified_gmt":"2026-03-26T13:05:01","slug":"the-pre-launch-checklist","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/draft2digital.com\/blog\/the-pre-launch-checklist\/","title":{"rendered":"The Pre-Launch Checklist"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"et_pb_section_0 et_pb_section et_section_regular et_flex_section\"><div class=\"et_pb_row_0 et_pb_row et_flex_row\"><div class=\"et_pb_column_0 et_pb_column et-last-child et_flex_column et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough et_flex_column_24_24 et_flex_column_24_24_tablet et_flex_column_24_24_phone\"><div class=\"et_pb_text_0 et_pb_text et_pb_bg_layout_light et_pb_module et_flex_module\"><div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\"><p><!-- wp:paragraph --><\/p>\n<p>Successful book launches all share a common denominator: Successful planning. And good planning starts with a checklist. Your pre-launch checklist will serve as a roadmap to\u00a0lead you down the path toward a successful launch.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><!-- \/wp:paragraph --><\/p>\n<p><!-- wp:paragraph --><\/p>\n<p>In the April Issue of <em>The Indie Advantage<\/em>, we start with Part 1 of another 3-Part series where we investigate how to execute a successful book launch.<\/p>\n<p><!-- \/wp:paragraph --><\/p>\n<p><!-- wp:paragraph --><\/p>\n<p>The following pre-launch checklist is based on observations we've seen put into play by bestselling indie authors over the years but is not intended to be rigid, nor all encompassing. Your timelines and strategy may, and probably will, vary. Have fun and enjoy the process of sharing your next book with the world!&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><!-- \/wp:paragraph --><\/p>\n<p><!-- wp:heading --><\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>6-12 Months Before Launch<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p><!-- \/wp:heading --><\/p>\n<p><!-- wp:list --><\/p>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><!-- wp:list-item --><\/p>\n<li><strong>Define YOUR goals ( e.g. sales, visibility, new readers, reviews, media splash, etc.):<\/strong>A novelist with a decade of experience may aspire to hit the New York Times Best Sellers list, while a memoirist may simply want to publish solely for their family. Consider what goals are important to YOU, then build your path to get there.<\/li>\n<p><!-- \/wp:list-item --><\/p>\n<p><!-- wp:list-item --><\/p>\n<li><strong>Identify your target audience:<\/strong>This may sound obvious, but perhaps you\u2019re trying a new-to-you subcategory or writing under a pen name for the first time in a new genre. You\u2019ll want to investigate where readers of your genre tend to congregate online, and what the tropes are that pique their interest.<\/li>\n<p><!-- \/wp:list-item --><\/p>\n<p><!-- wp:list-item --><\/p>\n<li><strong>Determine your book's BISAC codes:<\/strong>\u00a0BISAC (Book Industry Standards and Communication) codes help retailers and libraries accurately classify books by subject matter, thereby making it easier for readers to find your book.<\/li>\n<p><!-- \/wp:list-item --><\/p>\n<p><!-- wp:list-item --><\/p>\n<li><strong>Carefully define your budget:<\/strong>\u00a0If you're fortunate enough to have a publishing budget, be cautious about how much you plan to spend. Cautious budgeting is especially important for newer authors because the act of publishing a book doesn't guarantee sales. If you're a newer author, DIY as much as you can to reduce unnecessary expenses. A cautious approach to budgeting will help you focus on the essentials and build a more sustainable author career.<\/li>\n<p><!-- \/wp:list-item --><\/p>\n<p><!-- wp:list-item --><\/p>\n<li><strong>List your upcoming book as a preorder:<\/strong>\u00a0Preorders are among the most effective, yet most underutilized book launch marketing tools for indie authors.\u00a0The amount of time you list your book as a preorder is up to you, but most major retailers allow a preorder for up to 12 months.\u00a0Stay tuned, because we\u2019ll explore preorder strategy in next month\u2019s edition of\u00a0<em>The Indie Advantage<\/em>. If you can't wait until next month,\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/live\/WjNHDbFRcH0?si=aaBze_b4FDCPqLUd\">this D2D webinar<\/a>\u00a0describes what preorders are and how to set one up at D2D.<\/li>\n<p><!-- \/wp:list-item --><\/p>\n<p><!-- wp:list-item --><\/p>\n<li><strong>Communicate your intentions:<\/strong>\u00a0The moment you\u00a0<em>know<\/em>\u00a0you\u2019re going to write and publish your book is the moment to start talking about it.<!-- wp:list -->\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><!-- wp:list-item --><\/p>\n<li><strong>Your author website:<\/strong>\u00a0Your website is your home base. It\u2019s where readers will go to learn more about you.<\/li>\n<p><!-- \/wp:list-item --><\/p>\n<p><!-- wp:list-item --><\/p>\n<li><strong>Your author newsletter:<\/strong>\u00a0Newsletters are extremely important because they allow you to communicate with subscribers however and whenever you like. Your subscriber email list will grow as you grow your author career, and it will always be yours. The best part is that readers who subscribe want to hear from you! If you don\u2019t have a newsletter, check out Draft2Digital\u2019s\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.authoremail.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">AuthorEmail<\/a>\u00a0service to get you started.<\/li>\n<p><!-- \/wp:list-item --><\/p>\n<p><!-- wp:list-item --><\/p>\n<li><strong>Your social media:<\/strong>\u00a0Focus on the platforms you enjoy most, because that\u2019s where you\u2019ll naturally spend the most time. Remember, it\u2019s not about selling. It\u2019s about genuine interaction.<\/li>\n<p><!-- \/wp:list-item --><\/ul>\n<p><!-- \/wp:list --><\/li>\n<p><!-- \/wp:list-item --><\/p>\n<p><!-- wp:list-item --><\/p>\n<li><strong>Complete the first draft, then seek professional editing:<\/strong><!-- wp:list -->\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><!-- wp:list-item --><\/p>\n<li><strong>Developmental Editor:<\/strong>\u00a0Provides high level feedback on story arc, style, and character development. The most expensive ($2,000-$5,000) form of editing, but also the most important if the author can afford it.<\/li>\n<p><!-- \/wp:list-item --><\/p>\n<p><!-- wp:list-item --><\/p>\n<li><strong>Copy or Line Editor:<\/strong>\u00a0Fixes words and sentence structure so the story flows naturally and the words don't get in the way of the story.<\/li>\n<p><!-- \/wp:list-item --><\/p>\n<p><!-- wp:list-item --><\/p>\n<li><strong>Proofing Editor:<\/strong>\u00a0Finds and fixes typos and other big glaring errors.<\/li>\n<p><!-- \/wp:list-item --><\/p>\n<p><!-- wp:list-item --><\/p>\n<li><strong>Beta Readers:<\/strong>\u00a0While not professional editors,\u00a0beta readers volunteer to read a book before its released and provide the author with feedback. The feedback can range from developmental editing guidance to copy editing. If you enlist beta readers, be sure to go beyond your tight circle of family and friends.<\/li>\n<p><!-- \/wp:list-item --><\/ul>\n<p><!-- \/wp:list --><\/li>\n<p><!-- \/wp:list-item --><\/ul>\n<p><!-- \/wp:list --><\/p>\n<p><!-- wp:heading --><\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>3-6 Months Before Launch<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p><!-- \/wp:heading --><\/p>\n<p><!-- wp:list --><\/p>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><!-- wp:list-item --><\/p>\n<li><strong>Finalize your book cover design<\/strong><strong>\u00a0-\u00a0<\/strong>Consider hiring a professional cover designer (can be expensive and time-consuming) or investigating premade covers which can be procured within minutes and typically cost less than $100. Check out Draft2Digital\u2019s\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/selfpubbookcovers.com\/\">SelfPubBookCovers.com\u00a0<\/a>marketplace if you need a cover and our blog post\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.draft2digital.com\/blog\/how-to-choose-a-premade-book-cover\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">\u201cHow to Choose a Premade Book Cover\u201d<\/a>\u00a0if you want some pointers.<\/li>\n<p><!-- \/wp:list-item --><\/p>\n<p><!-- wp:list-item --><\/p>\n<li><strong>Format your manuscript for ebook and print -\u00a0<\/strong>Assuming your book has been professionally edited and revised, it\u2019s time to format the interior. Many authors use formatting tools like Vellum, Atticus or Scrivener for added control. A lot of D2D authors simply upload a Microsoft Word doc file and then use one of our many design templates for that finished, professional look readers expect.<\/li>\n<p><!-- \/wp:list-item --><\/p>\n<p><!-- wp:list-item --><\/p>\n<li><strong>Write a compelling description -\u00a0<\/strong>If your cover art piques a reader\u2019s interest, your description will close the deal. You wrote an entire novel, so a description should be easy, right? Not so fast! Condensing your manuscript down to a compelling paragraph or two can be very challenging, so don\u2019t wait until the last minute.<\/li>\n<p><!-- \/wp:list-item --><\/p>\n<p><!-- wp:list-item --><\/p>\n<li><strong>Research\u00a0promotional opportunities (book blogs, podcasts, reviewers, newsletter swaps etc.):\u00a0<\/strong>Seek bloggers, podcasters and reviewers who are interested in similar books to yours. Ask your author friends or writing club (if you\u2019re in one) for their advice if you\u2019re not sure where to start. If you know authors who write in\u00a0the same or similar\u00a0genre as you, ask them if they\u2019d be willing to help promote your new book in their newsletter if you promise to return the favor.<\/li>\n<p><!-- \/wp:list-item --><\/ul>\n<p><!-- \/wp:list --><\/p>\n<p><!-- wp:heading --><\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>1-3 Months Before Launch<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p><!-- \/wp:heading --><\/p>\n<p><!-- wp:list --><\/p>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><!-- wp:list-item --><\/p>\n<li><strong>Order a print proof -\u00a0<\/strong>A print proof is a physical copy of your print-on-demand (POD) paperback book. If something\u2019s amiss, you still have time to make changes.<\/li>\n<p><!-- \/wp:list-item --><\/p>\n<p><!-- wp:list-item --><\/p>\n<li><strong>Design promotional graphics and teasers -<\/strong>\u00a0Now\u2019s the time to get extra creative with online promotions. A cover reveal, for example, is a fun marketing technique to share with readers who\u2019ve been eagerly awaiting your new book.<\/li>\n<p><!-- \/wp:list-item --><\/p>\n<p><!-- wp:list-item --><\/p>\n<li><strong>Plan and schedule social media content -\u00a0<\/strong>Hopefully you\u2019ve already been sharing news of your upcoming book with your followers, but now you\u2019re approaching crunch time. If your upcoming book is listed as a preorder, consider discounting the preorder and communicate that the price will go up soon after release. This creates a sense of urgency and guarantees your followers are rewarded with the lowest price.<\/li>\n<p><!-- \/wp:list-item --><\/p>\n<p><!-- wp:list-item --><\/p>\n<li><strong>Finalize your ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) distribution:<\/strong>\u00a0ARC's are typically provided to book reviewers prior to a book's public release. There\u2019s never a guarantee that a book will be reviewed, even after a prospective reviewer promises to do so. Our advice is to limit the number of review copies to only those who express the most fervent interest.<\/li>\n<p><!-- \/wp:list-item --><\/p>\n<p><!-- wp:list-item --><\/p>\n<li><strong>Plan a physical book launch event:<\/strong>\u00a0Begin contacting local bookstores, libraries or other potential venues 2-3 months in advance. Remember to let them know how you plan to get readers in the door, rather than focusing on what they can do for you. For more tips on how to market your POD books, be sure to review issue\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.draft2digital.com\/blog\/the-indie-advantage-issue-3\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">#3 of the Indie Advantage newsletter<\/a>.<\/li>\n<p><!-- \/wp:list-item --><\/p>\n<p><!-- wp:list-item --><\/p>\n<li><strong>Order author copies of your print book:\u00a0<\/strong>If you\u2019re planning a physical launch event, you\u2019ll need some physical books to sell and sign. While a proof copy is meant as a draft copy for your review, an author copy is the finished product that you can order for book signings, selling at the back of the room if you\u2019re a public speaker, and other in-person events.<\/li>\n<p><!-- \/wp:list-item --><\/ul>\n<p><!-- \/wp:list --><\/p>\n<p><!-- wp:heading --><\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>1-4 Weeks Before Launch<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p><!-- \/wp:heading --><\/p>\n<p><!-- wp:list --><\/p>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><!-- wp:list-item --><\/p>\n<li><strong>Prepare press release and pitches for media:\u00a0<\/strong>Compose a short news announcement for news media who might be interested in your story. Even if you\u2019re an unknown or debut author, local media are often searching for interesting stories with a local angle. Study a few stories from media or bloggers you\u2019re targeting and personalize your messages. Nobody wants to be spammed.<\/li>\n<p><!-- \/wp:list-item --><\/p>\n<p><!-- wp:list-item --><\/p>\n<li><strong>Plan a virtual launch event -\u00a0<\/strong>Virtual events are relatively easy to set up and manage, they\u2019re inexpensive, and they allow you to interact with readers from multiple time zones. Platforms like Zoom or Streamyard make it a breeze. Be sure to give yourself enough time to become comfortable with the platform you choose if you\u2019re not already familiar with it. On the day of your event, allow enough time to answer reader questions and interact with your audience.<\/li>\n<p><!-- \/wp:list-item --><\/ul>\n<p><!-- \/wp:list --><\/p>\n<p><!-- wp:heading --><\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Launch Day<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p><!-- \/wp:heading --><\/p>\n<p><!-- wp:list --><\/p>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><!-- wp:list-item --><\/p>\n<li><strong>Announce your book\u2019s release everywhere:\u00a0<\/strong>Social media, blogs, local news media, etc.<\/li>\n<p><!-- \/wp:list-item --><\/p>\n<p><!-- wp:list-item --><\/p>\n<li><strong>Email your newsletter list<\/strong>:\u00a0Remind them that today\u2019s the day. Make it easy for your readers to purchase your book by including a free Universal Book Link (UBL) from\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/books2read.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Books2Read.com<\/a>, D2D\u2019s sister site. The UBL is a single link that lets readers purchase your new book from their preferred online retailer. So, instead of you providing multiple links to multiple online stores, one link is all you need.<\/li>\n<p><!-- \/wp:list-item --><\/p>\n<p><!-- wp:list-item --><\/p>\n<li><strong>Engage with readers:<\/strong>\u00a0It\u2019s celebration day! Express your gratitude to all the readers who are showing up on release day and are taking an interest in your new book.<\/li>\n<p><!-- \/wp:list-item --><\/p>\n<p><!-- wp:list-item --><\/p>\n<li><strong>Pat yourself on the back:<\/strong>\u00a0You did it! You\u2019re a published author. Take a quiet moment to reflect on everything you\u2019ve just accomplished and the gift you\u2019ve brought to the world.<\/li>\n<p><!-- \/wp:list-item --><\/ul>\n<p><!-- \/wp:list --><\/p>\n<p><!-- wp:paragraph --><\/p>\n<p>As you\u2019ve read, a successful book launch takes a lot of time, preparation and hard work. If you\u2019re feeling overwhelmed, remember that your book launch is not solely about you or your book. It\u2019s about your readers. It\u2019s&nbsp;<em>always<\/em>&nbsp;about serving the readers.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><!-- \/wp:paragraph --><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":27,"featured_media":208993,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[469],"tags":[135,687,48,933,355],"table_tags":[],"class_list":["post-208992","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-author-how","tag-best-practices","tag-draft2digital","tag-indie-author","tag-pre-launch","tag-pre-order"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.3 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>The Pre-Launch Checklist - Draft2Digital | Blog<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"We start with Part 1 of another 3-Part series where we investigate how to execute a successful book launch.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/draft2digital.com\/blog\/the-pre-launch-checklist\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"The Pre-Launch Checklist - Draft2Digital | Blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"We start with Part 1 of another 3-Part series where we investigate how to execute a successful book launch.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/draft2digital.com\/blog\/the-pre-launch-checklist\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Draft2Digital | Blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/facebook.com\/draft2digital\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2025-05-09T17:29:35+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-03-26T13:05:01+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/draft2digital.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/pre-launch-checklist.png\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1080\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"675\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/png\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Lexi Greene\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@draft2digital\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@draft2digital\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Lexi Greene\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"8 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/draft2digital.com\\\/blog\\\/the-pre-launch-checklist\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/draft2digital.com\\\/blog\\\/the-pre-launch-checklist\\\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Lexi Greene\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/draft2digital.com\\\/blog\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/5d415cd1594daebfee02a6fe3206c48d\"},\"headline\":\"The Pre-Launch Checklist\",\"datePublished\":\"2025-05-09T17:29:35+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-03-26T13:05:01+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/draft2digital.com\\\/blog\\\/the-pre-launch-checklist\\\/\"},\"wordCount\":3,\"commentCount\":0,\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/draft2digital.com\\\/blog\\\/the-pre-launch-checklist\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/draft2digital.com\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2025\\\/05\\\/pre-launch-checklist.png\",\"keywords\":[\"best practices\",\"draft2digital\",\"indie author\",\"pre-launch\",\"pre-order\"],\"articleSection\":[\"Author How-To &amp; Mindset\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/draft2digital.com\\\/blog\\\/the-pre-launch-checklist\\\/#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/draft2digital.com\\\/blog\\\/the-pre-launch-checklist\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/draft2digital.com\\\/blog\\\/the-pre-launch-checklist\\\/\",\"name\":\"The Pre-Launch Checklist - Draft2Digital | Blog\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/draft2digital.com\\\/blog\\\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/draft2digital.com\\\/blog\\\/the-pre-launch-checklist\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/draft2digital.com\\\/blog\\\/the-pre-launch-checklist\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/draft2digital.com\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2025\\\/05\\\/pre-launch-checklist.png\",\"datePublished\":\"2025-05-09T17:29:35+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-03-26T13:05:01+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/draft2digital.com\\\/blog\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/5d415cd1594daebfee02a6fe3206c48d\"},\"description\":\"We start with Part 1 of another 3-Part series where we investigate how to execute a successful book launch.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/draft2digital.com\\\/blog\\\/the-pre-launch-checklist\\\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/draft2digital.com\\\/blog\\\/the-pre-launch-checklist\\\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/draft2digital.com\\\/blog\\\/the-pre-launch-checklist\\\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/draft2digital.com\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2025\\\/05\\\/pre-launch-checklist.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/draft2digital.com\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2025\\\/05\\\/pre-launch-checklist.png\",\"width\":1080,\"height\":675},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/draft2digital.com\\\/blog\\\/the-pre-launch-checklist\\\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/draft2digital.com\\\/blog\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"The Pre-Launch Checklist\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/draft2digital.com\\\/blog\\\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/draft2digital.com\\\/blog\\\/\",\"name\":\"Draft2Digital | Blog\",\"description\":\"Distribute your books worldwide. Keep all your rights.\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\\\/\\\/draft2digital.com\\\/blog\\\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/draft2digital.com\\\/blog\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/5d415cd1594daebfee02a6fe3206c48d\",\"name\":\"Lexi Greene\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/cf12391f4d84dbf6decb869b64b7bf7ffc668a1b4bf10a536d3fdd4378f8365d?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/cf12391f4d84dbf6decb869b64b7bf7ffc668a1b4bf10a536d3fdd4378f8365d?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/cf12391f4d84dbf6decb869b64b7bf7ffc668a1b4bf10a536d3fdd4378f8365d?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"Lexi Greene\"},\"sameAs\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/draft2digital.com\"],\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/draft2digital.com\\\/blog\\\/author\\\/lexigrey\\\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"The Pre-Launch Checklist - Draft2Digital | Blog","description":"We start with Part 1 of another 3-Part series where we investigate how to execute a successful book launch.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/draft2digital.com\/blog\/the-pre-launch-checklist\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"The Pre-Launch Checklist - Draft2Digital | Blog","og_description":"We start with Part 1 of another 3-Part series where we investigate how to execute a successful book launch.","og_url":"https:\/\/draft2digital.com\/blog\/the-pre-launch-checklist\/","og_site_name":"Draft2Digital | Blog","article_publisher":"https:\/\/facebook.com\/draft2digital","article_published_time":"2025-05-09T17:29:35+00:00","article_modified_time":"2026-03-26T13:05:01+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1080,"height":675,"url":"https:\/\/draft2digital.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/pre-launch-checklist.png","type":"image\/png"}],"author":"Lexi Greene","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_creator":"@draft2digital","twitter_site":"@draft2digital","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Lexi Greene","Est. reading time":"8 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/draft2digital.com\/blog\/the-pre-launch-checklist\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/draft2digital.com\/blog\/the-pre-launch-checklist\/"},"author":{"name":"Lexi Greene","@id":"https:\/\/draft2digital.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/5d415cd1594daebfee02a6fe3206c48d"},"headline":"The Pre-Launch Checklist","datePublished":"2025-05-09T17:29:35+00:00","dateModified":"2026-03-26T13:05:01+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/draft2digital.com\/blog\/the-pre-launch-checklist\/"},"wordCount":3,"commentCount":0,"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/draft2digital.com\/blog\/the-pre-launch-checklist\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/draft2digital.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/pre-launch-checklist.png","keywords":["best practices","draft2digital","indie author","pre-launch","pre-order"],"articleSection":["Author How-To &amp; Mindset"],"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/draft2digital.com\/blog\/the-pre-launch-checklist\/#respond"]}]},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/draft2digital.com\/blog\/the-pre-launch-checklist\/","url":"https:\/\/draft2digital.com\/blog\/the-pre-launch-checklist\/","name":"The Pre-Launch Checklist - Draft2Digital | Blog","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/draft2digital.com\/blog\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/draft2digital.com\/blog\/the-pre-launch-checklist\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/draft2digital.com\/blog\/the-pre-launch-checklist\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/draft2digital.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/pre-launch-checklist.png","datePublished":"2025-05-09T17:29:35+00:00","dateModified":"2026-03-26T13:05:01+00:00","author":{"@id":"https:\/\/draft2digital.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/5d415cd1594daebfee02a6fe3206c48d"},"description":"We start with Part 1 of another 3-Part series where we investigate how to execute a successful book launch.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/draft2digital.com\/blog\/the-pre-launch-checklist\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/draft2digital.com\/blog\/the-pre-launch-checklist\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/draft2digital.com\/blog\/the-pre-launch-checklist\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/draft2digital.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/pre-launch-checklist.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/draft2digital.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/pre-launch-checklist.png","width":1080,"height":675},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/draft2digital.com\/blog\/the-pre-launch-checklist\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/draft2digital.com\/blog\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"The Pre-Launch Checklist"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/draft2digital.com\/blog\/#website","url":"https:\/\/draft2digital.com\/blog\/","name":"Draft2Digital | Blog","description":"Distribute your books worldwide. Keep all your rights.","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/draft2digital.com\/blog\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/draft2digital.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/5d415cd1594daebfee02a6fe3206c48d","name":"Lexi Greene","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/cf12391f4d84dbf6decb869b64b7bf7ffc668a1b4bf10a536d3fdd4378f8365d?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/cf12391f4d84dbf6decb869b64b7bf7ffc668a1b4bf10a536d3fdd4378f8365d?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/cf12391f4d84dbf6decb869b64b7bf7ffc668a1b4bf10a536d3fdd4378f8365d?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"Lexi Greene"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/draft2digital.com"],"url":"https:\/\/draft2digital.com\/blog\/author\/lexigrey\/"}]}},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/draft2digital.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/pre-launch-checklist.png","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/draft2digital.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/208992","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/draft2digital.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/draft2digital.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/draft2digital.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/27"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/draft2digital.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=208992"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/draft2digital.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/208992\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":209480,"href":"https:\/\/draft2digital.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/208992\/revisions\/209480"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/draft2digital.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/208993"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/draft2digital.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=208992"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/draft2digital.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=208992"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/draft2digital.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=208992"},{"taxonomy":"table_tags","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/draft2digital.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/table_tags?post=208992"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}