Book Launch Coach

SKILL.md

---
name: book-launch-coach
description: Coach an author through writing, launching, and selling a book — fiction or non-fiction, self-published or trad-pubbed, debut or backlist relaunch. Covers concept validation, outline structure, writing schedule, beta readers, editor selection, cover design, blurb/description writing, Amazon KDP optimization, ad strategy (Amazon, Facebook, BookBub), launch calendar, mailing list buildup, and post-launch sustained-sales tactics. Knows the 2026 self-pub playbook for KU, wide distribution, audiobook (ACX, Findaway), and IngramSpark print. Use when asked to write a book, launch a book, plan a book launch, optimize Amazon KDP, write a book blurb, design a book cover brief, run book ads, build an author newsletter, or relaunch a backlist title. Triggers on "book launch", "self-publishing", "kdp", "amazon ads books", "book blurb", "book cover", "amazon ranking", "kindle unlimited", "audiobook", "trad publishing", "author newsletter", "writing a book".
metadata:
  tags: ["books", "publishing", "self-publishing", "kdp", "amazon", "writing", "authors", "indie-author"]
---

# Book Launch Coach

Coach an author from "I'm writing a book" through the messy parts of bringing it to readers — concept, draft, edit, launch, and the 12-month tail. Built for both first-time authors and authors with a backlist who need to re-engage.

## Usage

**Basic invocation:**
> Help me launch my book on [topic / genre]
> Write a blurb for my book
> Should I self-publish or query agents?
> Plan my launch week
> My book stalled — diagnose

**With context:**
> Romance novel, finished draft 95k words, debut author, no platform.
> Business non-fiction, 65k words, have 8k email list, want $50k year-1 revenue.
> Sci-fi book 3 in trilogy, books 1+2 sold 4k each, need to reignite series.
> Memoir, finished draft, traditional pub interest from one agent so far.

The coach diagnoses the project (genre, audience, monetization path, author platform), then plans the path appropriate to that context.

## Path Selection

Three viable paths in 2026:

### Self-publishing (KDP / wide / hybrid)

- **Pros:** 70% royalty (vs 10–15% trad), 60-day publish timeline, full control, ongoing income
- **Cons:** All effort on you (cover, edit, marketing), trade discoverability comes slowly
- **Best for:** non-fiction authors with platform, genre fiction (romance, thriller, fantasy), serial fiction

### Traditional publishing (Big 5 + indies)

- **Pros:** Distribution, prestige, advance, professional production
- **Cons:** 12–18 month timeline post-deal, 10–15% royalty after agent's 15%, lose control
- **Best for:** literary fiction, prestige non-fiction, memoirs with platform, debut commercial fiction

### Hybrid (small press, hybrid press, or indie + selective trad)

- **Pros:** Some distribution + more royalty than trad
- **Cons:** Vetting required (avoid vanity presses), variable quality
- **Best for:** authors who want some help but reject trad timelines, niche topics

The coach asks four questions to recommend the path:

1. Is your genre / topic on bestseller lists in self-pub or trad? (Romance → self-pub default; literary → trad default)
2. Do you have a platform (audience, list, social)?
3. Are you writing one book or planning a series / list?
4. Is your timeline 6 months or 18 months?

## Pre-Launch Validation (Non-Fiction)

For non-fiction, validate before writing:

- Test the concept with 5 target readers (15-min interview each)
- Outline complete with chapter-level summaries
- Sample chapter shared in newsletter or blog; check engagement
- Pre-sale on platform (Substack, your site) for early access

For fiction, validate by:

- Checking Amazon's Top 100 in your sub-genre — what's working
- Reading 5 books that just launched in your sub-genre — pacing, length, tone
- Beta readers who read this genre regularly (not just friends)

**Concept red flags:**

- "There's no book like this" — usually means no audience
- "It's like [megahit] but" — derivative without differentiation
- "Everyone will love this" — too broad, no real reader

## Writing Schedule

A finished book beats a perfect book. Schedules that ship:

- **6-week sprint** (50k words): 1,200 words/day, 6 days/week
- **3-month draft** (75k words): 850 words/day, 5 days/week
- **6-month manuscript** (90k words): 500 words/day, 5 days/week

**Tactics:**

- Set daily word count, not "I'll write today"
- Track in Scrivener, Ulysses, or just Google Docs with running totals
- Weekly review: did I hit target? If no, what blocked?
- Allow rough drafts — fix in revision, not in first draft
- "If I had to publish tomorrow" pressure beats perfectionism

## Editing Stack (Self-Pub)

Indie authors who skip editing get punished by reviews. The minimum stack:

| Pass | Cost | When |
|---|---|---|
| Self-edit (read aloud) | $0 | First |
| Beta readers (3–5) | $0 | After self-edit |
| Developmental editor (story / structure) | $1,500–4,000 | Early — fix big issues |
| Line editor (sentence flow) | $0.025–0.05/word | After dev edit |
| Copy editor (grammar, consistency) | $0.015–0.03/word | After line edit |
| Proofreader (final typos) | $0.012–0.02/word | After typesetting |

**Skipping the developmental editor is the mistake authors regret most.** It's the difference between "okay" and "I love this book."

For non-fiction, also add a fact-checker if making strong claims.

## Cover Design

Cover sells the book. Period. Genre conventions matter more than originality.

**Self-pub cover best practices:**

- Hire a designer who specializes in your genre. Don't reuse a wedding photographer.
- Costs: $300–800 for genre fiction; $500–1500 for non-fiction; $1k–3k for premium
- Title and author name readable at thumbnail size (Amazon list)
- Genre conventions matter (romance has couple-on-cover for a reason; thriller has high-contrast type for a reason)
- Mockup test: place your cover among the top 20 in your sub-genre. Does it fit? Does it stand out?

**Cover red flags:**

- Stock photo with a font slap (low-effort look)
- Title in too-thin font (unreadable)
- Wrong genre signaling (literary cover on a beach romance)
- Author name larger than title (only acceptable for established authors)

## Blurb / Book Description

The blurb is what converts a click into a buy. It's the second most important element after the cover.

**Anatomy of a strong fiction blurb:**

```
[Hook: one-line setup that intrigues]

[Stake paragraph: introduce the protagonist's situation and what's at risk]

[Conflict paragraph: what they're up against, why it matters]

[Choice / question: what they'll have to do, decision they'll face]

[Optional: comp titles or genre cue — "For fans of X meets Y"]
```

**Anatomy of non-fiction blurb:**

```
[Pain hook: the reader's problem in their words]

[Promise: what this book will help them do / understand / change]

[Credibility: brief author background relevant to the topic]

[What's inside: 3–4 specific bullets of value]

[CTA: who this book is for, why now]
```

**Blurb rules:**

- 150–250 words (Amazon truncates after ~250)
- Bold and italic strategically (Amazon allows HTML in description)
- Don't summarize the plot — sell the experience
- Don't reveal the ending
- Don't compare to so-many other books it loses identity

## Amazon KDP Setup

Optimization basics:

- **Title:** primary keywords, but readable. Don't subtitle-stuff.
- **Subtitle (non-fiction):** "Subtitle: Specific Outcome / Reader Type"
- **Categories:** pick 2 main + ask Amazon support to add up to 8 more (lesser-known)
- **Keywords:** 7 slots, mostly long-tail. Use Publisher Rocket or KDSPY for research.
- **Look Inside:** first 10% must hook. Front-load chapter 1.
- **Pricing:**
  - Ebook: $2.99–4.99 for indie genre fiction; $9.99–14.99 for non-fiction
  - Paperback: $9.99–17.99 depending on length
  - Hardcover (KDP): $19.99–29.99

**KU (Kindle Unlimited) decision:**

- KU exclusive (no other ebook stores) for 90-day cycles
- Romance, romantasy, and serial fiction usually win in KU
- Wide distribution (Apple, Kobo, Nook, Google Play) better for literary, non-fiction, slow-burn series

## Author Platform / Newsletter

The single most-important asset for a long-term author career:

- Build before launch (start 6+ months before publication)
- Lead magnet relevant to the book (free chapter, story prequel, mini-guide)
- Send 1–2 emails/month consistently
- Mailing list providers: ConvertKit, MailerLite, Substack
- Goal milestones: 500 subs by launch (small but real); 5k subs by book 3

**Newsletter content mix:**

- Book updates (cover reveals, milestones)
- Behind-the-scenes (process, research, life as a writer)
- Recommendations (other books in the genre)
- Direct asks (read, review, share)

## Launch Strategy

**8 weeks out:**

- Cover reveal in newsletter
- Pre-order live on Amazon
- Recruit ARC team (Advanced Reader Copies — 30–50 readers who'll review)
- Schedule podcast / blog interviews
- Set up Amazon ads (low budget, learning campaigns)

**4 weeks out:**

- Send ARCs to reviewers
- Final blurb / cover / metadata polish
- Pre-launch email to list
- Plan launch-week social calendar

**Launch week:**

- Day 1: launch email to list
- Day 2: ad campaigns ramped
- Day 3: BookBub / NewInBooks features (paid promos)
- Day 4–6: social pushes, influencer asks, podcast drops
- Day 7: thank-you email + ask for reviews

**Post-launch month:**

- Monitor reviews; respond to negative ones gracefully (or not at all)
- Reach 30 reviews milestone (Amazon Verified Reviews unlock more visibility)
- Pivot ad strategy from "launch" to "evergreen"

## Amazon Ads Strategy

Three ad types in 2026:

- **Sponsored Products (manual keyword):** target competitor titles and high-volume keywords
- **Sponsored Brands (lockup):** showcase your author brand or series
- **Lockscreen ads:** newer, less common, mixed results

Budget tiers:

- Launch: $20–50/day for 30 days, learning campaign
- Steady-state: $5–20/day after profitability dialed

Targeting:

- Specific competitor authors (their book titles as keywords)
- Genre keywords ("dark romantasy enemies to lovers")
- Negative keywords (filter out wrong genre overlap)

ROAS target:

- 1.5x+ for new authors (you're paying for visibility, accept lower)
- 2x+ for established authors (real positive ROI)

## Series Strategy (Critical for Romance, Fantasy, Thriller)

Series sell each other. Strategy:

- Book 1 priced low or free (acquisition)
- Books 2–3 at full price (conversion)
- Book 1 has cliffhanger or strong series setup
- "Read more in this series" front matter
- Box set after 3+ books to capture binge-readers

If writing a series, plan all titles up front. Reader retention drops 30–50% per gap; release within 90 days of each other if possible.

## Audiobook (Optional, Lucrative)

Audio is the fastest-growing format. Two paths:

1. **ACX (Amazon-owned):** royalty share with narrator (50/50) or pay-for-performance ($200–400/finished hour). Exclusive to Audible.
2. **Findaway Voices:** wide distribution including Audible. Pay narrator upfront.

**When to audiobook:**

- Book sales >100/mo (proven appetite)
- Genre is audio-friendly (romance, thriller, business non-fiction); literary is harder
- You can find a narrator who fits your voice / characters

Cost to produce: $1,500–4,000 per book. Earns out over 12–24 months.

## Common Diagnoses

### "Book launched, sales died after week 2"

- No author platform (relied on launch buzz)
- Ads not converting (or never set up)
- Reviews <20 (Amazon doesn't push)
- Genre mismatch with cover/blurb (high clicks, no sales)

Fix: build/grow newsletter; set up Amazon ads with $20/day learning; chase another 30 reviews via ARC re-engagement.

### "Book has 50 reviews, sales flat"

- Cover or blurb issues (browse but don't buy)
- Wrong sub-category
- Price too high or too low
- No series follow-up

Fix: A/B test new cover; rewrite blurb; lower price for promo cycle; if non-series, plan next book in same niche.

### "Pre-launch list at 70 subs"

- Lead magnet not compelling
- Content not aligned with book
- Promotion of newsletter sign-up too soft

Fix: build a stronger lead magnet specific to the book's promise; promote via guest posts, Reddit AMAs, podcast appearances; cross-promote with other authors.

## Output Format

The coach returns:

1. **Path recommendation** — self-pub / trad / hybrid + reasoning
2. **Validation plan** — for the concept, before writing more
3. **Editing stack budget** — minimum + recommended
4. **Cover brief** — what to give the designer
5. **Blurb draft** — first version, paste-ready
6. **Launch calendar** — 8 weeks of dated actions
7. **Ad strategy** — first $500 spent
8. **12-month vision** — what should year 1 look like