When Is Your Book Ready for Publication?
One of the benefits to business owners of self-publishing is the control over the process, including the time line. One of the decisions traditional book publishing houses make for their titles is pub date — AKA launch date. Oftentimes business owners writing a book don’t have a particular time they want or need to launch. The pub date gets pushed further and further because “the book isn’t ready.” (There are exceptions, of course. An entrepreneur writing a book on organization and planning might target an October launch, for example, because that’s when their audience is looking for resources.) Without the external pressure of a deadline, it’s easy to let the book writing and publishing process drag on.
Only you, as the author, can declare a book ready. As a book coach, though, I can offer some signs to help you decide whether your book truly isn’t ready or whether you have more work to do (which may or may not include some mindset work). These lists are not exhaustive, of course, but they should give you some idea of where you are.
Signs Your Book Is Not Ready
No one has read the book but you.
You have not revised the manuscript.
You haven’t yet thought about marketing.
You’re still moving chapters around.
You don’t have a sales page (or book page on your website).
You haven’t written the copy for the back cover.
You have not purchased your ISBN.
Signs Your Book Is Ready
You’ve received and incorporated beta feedback.
Your book has been professionally edited.
You have launch cheerleaders/launch ambassadors on board to help get out and spread the word about the book.
You have set the book price and know which format(s) you want to have for sale.
You have a launch plan in place as well as plans for continued/ongoing book marketing.
Your book sales page contains testimonials from early readers.
One final thought: Don’t confuse launch nerves with your book not being ready. Both are real, but be clear about what your situation is. Even professional authors are nervous for their book launch. If your goals for your book are clearly defined, it’s easier to create a launch and marketing plan to serve those goals. You’ve worked hard to create a book you can be proud of and that will serve its readers well, so let the world see it! Also: Books can be (and often are) revised, so don’t think this version of this book needs to stay in this form forever. I usually start a list of text and sections to revise less than a week after my books launch.
Which of the lists above better describes you? No matter where you are in the process, I wish you a happy and successful book publication.
If you are looking for more accountability and support on your book writing journey, check out The Author-Entrepreneur’s Lab