Launch your nonfiction book on purpose.
Tell the planner your launch date, formats, audience, time and goals. It builds a dated, week-by-week plan with the deadlines that cannot move, the steps that fit you, and the three moves that matter most.
No date yet? Leave it empty and the planner suggests one. No email needed.
- 3,000+ books published by Scribe
- 23 NYT and WSJ bestsellers
Five stages, counted back from launch day
Every launch is different, but the order is not. Some steps have lead times set by someone else, so they go first. The full timeline explains each one.
- 16 to 12 weeks out
Set up
Write a one-page plan, settle ISBNs, apply for a Library of Congress PCN (allow up to 30 days), start or warm up your email list.
- 12 to 8 weeks out
Open the doors
Ebook preorder on KDP, title on IngramSpark at least 30 days ahead, categories and keywords, recruit advance readers, pitch podcasts.
- 8 to 1 weeks out
Get it read
Advance copies out, event booked and invitations sent, author pages ready, launch emails written. Final Kindle file 72 hours before release.
- Launch week
Ask, personally
Launch-day email, personal notes to the people who know you, the event, a reminder late in the week. Honest reviews once readers have the book.
- The next 12 weeks
Keep going
Thank-yous, interviews airing, the book in clients' hands, a price promotion, and a 90-day review of what actually worked.
A plan with dates on it, not a generic checklist
Most launch checklists assume you have six months, a big list and a publicist. The planner starts from where you are.
- It knows the hard deadlines. KDP's 72-hour final file rule, the Library of Congress PCN window, IngramSpark's 30-day minimum, how long advance readers need.
- It hides what does not apply. No audiobook tasks without an audiobook, no Kindle preorder steps if a publisher runs your listing, no paid services outside your budget.
- It warns you when the date is too close for a step, and says what to do instead.
- It is yours to keep. Print it, copy it as text, or download it as a calendar file. It saves in your browser, and you can tick tasks off as you go.
One author's result is one example, not a promise. These come from Scribe Media's published author stories.
- Nashater Deu, The Leadership PIN Code: #1 Bestseller, Amazon, on launch day.
- Kyle Thiermann, One Last Question Before You Go: ~12 launch-week interviews and articles.
- Iona Holloway, Ghost: 1,000+ copies sold in first 3 months, beating the full-year goal.
- MyLinh Shattan, Raising Athena: 500 alumni at West Point launch.
Every step, with the rules and sources
Each guide names the platform rule or price it relies on and links to it, checked October 2026.
Book launch timeline
What to do when, counting back from launch day.
Read the guide →How preorders work
KDP and IngramSpark rules, and what preorders do for rank.
Read the guide →Advance readers and reviews
Honest early reviews within Amazon's and the FTC's rules.
Read the guide →Categories and keywords
Three categories, seven keyword boxes, and how to choose.
Read the guide →Launch week checklist
Day by day, from the final file to the thank-yous.
Read the guide →The first 90 days
What to do after launch week, when most books go quiet.
Read the guide →All launch guides, including the launch email plan, podcasts and media, launch events and a launch budget.
Who makes this site
Scribe Book Launch is made by Scribe Media, which sells book publishing and book marketing services. The planner and guides are free and work whoever publishes your book. How the planner decides.
Common launch questions
When should I start planning my book launch?
About three months before launch day if your files are ready, and earlier if the manuscript is still in editing. Several steps have hard lead times: the Library of Congress asks you to allow up to 30 days for a PCN and only assigns one before publication, IngramSpark wants at least 30 days between setup and publication, and advance readers need weeks to read.
Do I need an email list to launch a book?
No, but it helps a great deal, because it is the one audience you can reach on launch day without paying. If you have none, start one now; Kit's free plan covers up to 10,000 subscribers. Even a short list of people who know you, written to personally, can carry a launch.
Can I pay for Amazon reviews?
No. Amazon's community guidelines forbid reviews in exchange for compensation, and the FTC's rule on consumer reviews, in effect since October 21, 2024, bans incentives conditioned on a particular sentiment. You may give free advance copies as long as you do not require a review in exchange.
Is a launch day bestseller badge worth chasing?
It depends on your goal. Amazon's sales rank compares your book's recent activity with other books, so a narrow category can show a #1 badge after a modest number of sales. If you want clients, speaking or credibility, honest reviews and the right readers matter more than a badge.
Who made this site?
Scribe Media, a book writing and publishing company in Austin, Texas that has published more than 3,000 books. The planner and guides are free. Scribe sells publishing and book marketing services, and says so wherever they come up.