Less than a month to go!
This was taken from my count down post back in July. Let’s check my status and see if anything needs to be added:
1) Get the MS back from the editor-make all changes and send it back out for second check
🙂 Check
2) Create LLC and small press publishing name: Rock Castle Publishing
🙂 Check
3) Send blurb out on forums to get feedback
🙂 Check (so helpful)
4) Send cover out to forums to get feedback
🙂 Check
5) Make final changes to book and send out to second copy editor (it’s always good to get two pairs of eyes to catch everything)
🙂 Check
6) Make final changes and read through to make sure it’s perfect (last chance!)
🙂 Check
7) Sign up and register for copyright
😦 Still need to do this. Appears I have to have a publish date to do this.
8) Buy 10 ISBNs (I’ll probably get 10 since I have a series and many more books planned)
🙂 Check
9) Work with my graphics designer to make the POD cover with author photo and book description
🙂 Check (I scrapped the author photo & bio–I didn’t like how it looked)
10) Send out to book formatter for B&N, Smashwords, and POD (Create space) formatting
🙂 Check (shows how much I knew about this- it’s termed epub, mobi, smashword, and pdf files)
11) Send out to book reviewers to review around launch date
😦 Ah! I still need to do this and it scares me :0
12) Get quotes from positive reviewers to put on the back of the book & website
😦 Still need to do this (hopefully there will be one or two positive reviews or at least snippets taken from negative reviews I can salvage)
13) One month before release send out trailer on all writer’s forums
🙂 I actually decided not to do this. I’ve realized it’ll be best to post up the trailer and description when I can point people to where they can buy it. I’ve heard people comment how annoying it is to read a promo to realize there’s no live link to purchase.
14) Ask close bloggers to review my book on their blogs or send out the word of the release
😦 Still need to do this–*wink* at my blogger friends reading this.
15) Look up all relevant blogs and ask to guest post
😦 Still need to do this
16) Put up the book for pre-order on Amazon.com
😦 I need to check if this is even an option
17) When it’s released send out notification on forums, blogs, and websites
😦 Still need to do this
18) Get second book out in a few months!
😦 Still need to do this, but I’m getting it back from my editor any day now 🙂
Add:
😦 Get a Tax ID number
😦 Open a bank account in my publishing company’s name
😦 Upload and publish on Smashwords
😦 Read through and approve second proof & finalize the Create Space account
😦 Finalize the Historical Info and post on my blog
🙂 Offer ten people a free ebook copy a couple of weeks prior on my blog in hopes of leaving reviews (positive or negative)
🙂 Launch book on 11-11-11 with a fun giveaway
I better get busy!
laurenwaters 
That is a quite a list – and look at how far you already are! Very exciting. 🙂 Thanks for sharing this. It`s good to know the steps involved in self publishing.
P.S. I like your small press publishing name! Has a great fantasy type of feel.
I’m so glad you like my publishing name, it was so hard to pick one that might represent all the genres you might publish under. It was actually the name of this huge boulder formation deep in the woods where my and my little sister would play. We spent many days giving rallying speeches off the ‘balcony’ to our loyal subjects below. Everyone needs a rock castle kingdom.