32 Comments

Our books are on the same path! I just finished my author questionnaire and wrote a letter to my team about my book. I’m definitely thinking about marketing, even though my book won’t be out until May 2025. I don’t have a cover yet, though, and am dying a little. I can’t wait to see it.

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Same here!! My pub date is late April 2025 and no cover yet (also dying). How are you finding the author journey so far?

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Slow and emotional? And exciting! One minute I feel like I'm on top of the world and the next I wonder why the heck I'm doing this. Haha. I love my team, though, and am mostly just grateful I get to do this at all. How about you?

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Same basically! haha. I'm trying to stay grounded in how lucky I am to do this and keep feeling the joy. I've found it a bit tough realizing how much of the process (and ultimately, the success of the book) is out of my control. The actual creative process (collaborating and editing the book with my team!) has been the best part.

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Apr 17Liked by Kate McKean

Congratulations, Kate!

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I am so impressed at the scope of your prep work pre launch. I wouldn't even know where to begin with most of the things you have on your list. You're in the business and I know you will be successful with attaining your goals. I need to take a nap just reading about it. Good Luck!

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Apr 16Liked by Kate McKean

Thank you for letting us tag along on this journey with you!

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Congratulations, Kate! And a very impressive plan for going forward. I'll be looking forward to the pre-order. We first-time writers need all the help we can get.

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This is so helpful! Thank you!

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Interesting! My first book is coming out at the end of May and I’m experimenting with promotion in the run up to the release date. You’ve got some good suggestions here.

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Apr 16Liked by Kate McKean

WOW, very thankful this landed in my inbox just as I'm in that production period between final draft filing and pre-order promo and press stuff, thinking "uhhhhh what am I supposed to be doing now...."

Thank you!

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Saw your thought on notebooks - by no means the only or probably cheapest way, but Denik allows you to print your own notebooks with a custom cover! I’ve never tried it myself but every notebook I’ve ordered from them has been great quality

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Excited to hear more!

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Okay, okay, I'll write a blurb for your book. All you had to do was ask! ;)

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Thanks for sharing ❤️

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This is so helpful as I prepare for my own book launch! congrats to you!

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Thank you for this, Kate! I'm in the same boat (spring 2025 release) and this list has given me lots of ideas. So little of this process is in our control and it's nice to set our eyes on things we *can* actually do to help the book succeed little by little.

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So awesome to get to hear the back-end of this! For making it clear and imitate-able. For taking the mystery out of how people get where I want to go in publishing their book. Deep gratitude.

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Let's make that Richmond event happen!

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How about talks or workshops at writing conferences? You'd be a hit at the Surrey International Writers' Conference, for example (come to Canadaaaaa!). The timing may not work to sell your actual book (it's in October), but you'd likely rack up many subscribers.

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author

For sure! I'd love to come to Surrey. If not for 2024, then 2025!!! If you know someone there, give them my name!

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