Checklist to Release – more info. #2

Happy Friday, lovelies! How has your week been? Mine has been busy and productive. I am over halfway done with Cruel Consequences and it’s always an exciting feeling. My editor currently has book one, Dark Consequences, so it feels appropriate we’ll be chatting about editors today! I recently joined Threads (a spin-off of Instagram that has the bird app feel). So far it’s okay. I haven’t officially decided if I like it or not. It is hard to get engagement. I chat with other people, but I don’t seem to get any traction on my own posts. Eh, it is what it is. Social media for you. One thing I’ve noticed people like to do is give advice! lol No big deal because that’s what I’m doing here. Some make me giggle (and roll my eyes, like okay, if you say so). Some are somethings I didn’t know and might try. Some are things I already do. I guess what I’m trying to say is no one has the magical answer. Things I say might not be your cup of tea, and that is a-okay. Take and use what I say, or don’t. It’s totally up to you, and that’s the beauty of self-publishing! Consider my weekly Checklist to Release posts as a guideline or a starting path to research more into a topic. If you don’t agree with something I say, let’s chat about it. Maybe I’ve been doing it wrong all this time! lol

The next four items on the list…

✔️ Write your blurb.

Seems pretty self explanatory. lol I do find this one of the hardest parts about writing. Trying to take a 50,000-70,000 word story and sum it up in like two paragraphs is sooooooo hard! There’s so much I want to say and I don’t know how to always condense it. I do send it to my editor to have a look at it. She’s really great about looking at it before I even send the full manuscript. Most of the time I have my preorder up before the story is fully completed and I want a well-written blurb up on retailers. So I always have her glance at it first. She’s so good at making it sound a hundred times better! She’s even helped steer the story a time or two when she asks questions or makes certain statements about the blurb.

✔️ Book with editor.

Maybe you see why I have write blurb and book with editor right next to each other on my list. Usually when I write the blurb, it’s the same time I’ve decided when to release my book and I need to schedule with my editor. I usually try to give her a few months in advance, though she is really good about getting me in in a pinch if I need her. Not every editor will be like that, so prepare in advance! I’ve been working with her for so long and she’s edited nearly all my books that I know I can count on her and she also knows I’m reliable as a client as well. I’m not going to flake on her or miss a payment or anything. This is a business so you need to treat every aspect of it as one, even if you say you’re doing this because you love to write and just want readers to enjoy your story. Like it’s just a little hobby or something. Same! Me too! But I still need to act like a professional and follow through on anything I commit to. I’ve seen horror stories of editors ghosting an author and putting them in a pinch. And I’ve seen the completely opposite where the author ghosts the editor as well or is just too demanding and rude! Don’t do either one. Be a professional at all times. Okay, now that I said all of that, one more thing. I do jot down under this area when my editor needs it by. I even put the date in my planner. It’s a deadline and I need to adhere to it.

✔️ Apply for Apple Books/Kobo feature request

Now I do have these two items as their own slot, but I thought I’d combine them in this post because it’s basically the same thing, just two separate retailers.

• Apply for Apple Books Feature Request
  • Preorder _____
  • New Release _____
• Apply for Kobo Feature Request _____

For Apple Books, you can apply for a Feature Request for preorders or new releases. A few years ago I had the opportunity to chat with an Apple rep. It was such a nice informative conversation. I do use Apple Books directly so I’m not sure if these two features work with D2D. I also can’t share the link with you because she did ask me not to share it with anyone. I get promo emails from her on occasion as well that I can sign up for. I will be honest, because my memory is terrible, I don’t actually remember how I got this opportunity to chat with an Apple rep. It’s been over four years now. But it was probably in one of the many author groups I’m in where I saw the opportunity and I jumped at it. So if you upload directly with them, find that opportunity. Try to get in touch with a rep and you will have these kind of options available. I have seen my new release featured before and it’s always fun to see!

Kobo (if you upload directly with them) also offers a feature request form. That link I can share! You can sign up for them to boost your new release HERE. They like advanced notice. Like at least two months or so. It’s better to sign up for this right away than to wait. I’ll be honest, I’ve signed up for nearly every release and I have no idea if they boost it or not. lol They’ve never emailed me a rejection OR a positive yes! lol So I’m not sure of results or anything, but I continue to do it because it’s an option and I don’t want to miss the chance to have my book shouted out to the world.

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Info dump number two is done! I hope you find these extra insights helpful. You can find the full Checklist to Release list HERE. If you missed the first two posts, you can find post 1 HERE, and post 2 HERE. I hope you have a wonderful weekend!

Much ℒℴѵℯ ♡ Amanda Siegrist