Pre-publication week checklist

Next week is the official release for Rite of Rejection. This isn't a huge deal in terms of the actual book since the paperback has been available for the past two weeks. However, all my biggest marketing efforts really come into play during the week of the release, so it has significance to me.

I've been sitting here making my massive to-do list and realized that you all might find this informative. What exactly does an author do the week before their book releases? So, in no particular order, here are all the book related things I need to do this week before the real madness hits next week.

1. Finish up the last few items for my tour giveaway prize (a post on this is coming soon). I have everything I need, it's just a matter of getting it all together.

2. Take a nice picture of the prize.

3. Finish answering questions for the interview posts that are part of the tour.

4. Finish writing the guest posts for the tour.

5. Update tour documents for bloggers with the tour banner, rafflecopter link, prize picture, and html formatted post of the book blurb, cover, my picture and bio.

6. Send individualized emails to over 50 amazing bloggers with attachments of all the items mentioned in #5, an updated link to the tour page, any additional content (interviews & guest posts) and a huge heaping of my sincerest thanks!

7. Finish video project I'm hoping to share on my release date (more on this later).

8. Follow-up with some fantastic writers who are going to take over my blog on release week (more coming).

9. Send local press release out (I'm so behind on this. I hang my head in shame).

10. Write November newsletter for all my fantastic subscribers.

11. Write email for all the non-blog tour folks reading my book to remind them about posting reviews.

12. Record Hey, Sarah video on what to do on a release day (what a timely question you guys sent me).

13. Do one more tinkering on Amazon keywords to see if I can get in those last few categories before the release.

14. Follow-up with my blurb writers.

15. Take Thursday off to enjoy a family focused Thanksgiving with my hubby and kiddos who've had to deal with my scattered brain the past month.

So, you know, not much. Did I mention this is in addition to my normal agency work, reading submissions for two contests going on right now, and just life. This is why I say to start early and why I wish I had started even earlier than I did. Although, I think I could have started the whole process last year and still have a huge to-do list this week.

Yet, despite all this work, I am seriously having the best time. Getting awesome emails from early readers who have truly generous words to say about my book is a special kind of writer high.

Someone asked me recently if being an agent and knowing about marketing has made this release any easier. Yes, but only in the sense that I knew exactly what I was getting into. Unfortunately, it hasn't made the work any easier. Still, it's been such an amazing ride and I feel like I'm just getting started. Thank you so much to all of you for going on this journey with me.