Your launch will fall apart if it’s built on someone else’s metrics. So before you plan anything, take a deep breath and answer this honestly: “Who am I as a writer, and what do I want this book to represent?”
Most authors don’t dream about bestseller lists. Not really.
What they dream about is a moment: Someone sitting at their kitchen table, cuppa in hand, turning the pages of a book they poured their heart into. A real reader. A real connection. A real beginning.
That’s why I put so much emphasis on the first 100 readers. Not because 100 is a magical number. But because those first 100 readers are the foundation of a sustainable, values-aligned writing career. They set the tone for your marketing, your emotional energy, your confidence, and your community.
A book launch isn’t a single day. It’s not a balloon arch and a cheese platter. A launch is a strategy for finding your people — and doing it in a way that feels like you.
So let’s build a launch that works for your personality, your values, and your long-game as an author.
Start With The Writer You Actually Are
Your launch will fall apart if it’s built on someone else’s metrics. So before you plan anything, take a deep breath and answer this honestly: “Who am I as a writer, and what do I want this book to represent?”
A few values-aligned identities I see often:
The Quiet Connector:You thrive on small groups, personal conversations, and meaningful engagement. Your launch might focus on book clubs, intimate events, local libraries, podcast interviews, and steady organic growth.
The Energised Community Builder:You love people. You’re comfortable being visible. Your launch might be multi-event, multi-platform, buzzing with energy and collaborations.
The Strategic Creative:You enjoy the business side as much as the writing side. You’ll thrive with email funnels, beta reader groups, multi-book planning, and long-term marketing sequences.
The ‘Let’s Keep It Simple’ Author:You want clarity, calm, and a launch that doesn’t overwhelm your life. Your strategy should be minimal, intentional, and sustainable.
There is no wrong answer — only the honest one.
Your First 100 Readers Are Not Random — They’re Chosen
Those early readers become your:
- first reviewers
- word-of-mouth engine
- early superfans
- testing ground
- future launch team
In Australia, and especially Queensland, books spread through community. Not algorithms. So your first 100 readers should come from places where connection already exists:
- your local writing group
- your neighbourhood bookshop
- your Facebook community
- your beta readers or critique partners
- your mailing list
- your local clubs, interests, or workplaces
- library networks (Queensland libraries are incredibly supportive of local authors — start early)
Think of it like planting the first row of trees — those roots will hold the rest of your forest.
A Launch Strategy That You Can Actually Sustain
Here’s where most authors go wrong: They copy big US-style launches that require budgets, teams, and adrenaline that most Australians simply don’t have — or need.
Let’s simplify. Here is a Three-Part Launch Framework that works for both quiet and high-energy authors.
PRE-LAUNCH — 6 to 12 weeks
Focus: Warm your audience. Build anticipation. Share the journey.
What to do:
- Start sharing snippets of your writing journey (lightly, authentically).
- Create a beta/ARC (Advanced Ready Copy) reader team.
- Build a simple pre-order page.
- Introduce your book’s themes in small posts.
- Share the cover reveal with your existing community first.
- Start a mailing list if you haven’t yet (Mailerlite and Mailchimp are some of the great platform options out there)
Why it matters: Your launch is only as strong as the interest you build before it starts.
LAUNCH — Your 2-week ‘big moment’
Focus: Visibility, connection, community.
What to do:Pick the strategies that match your personality:
If you’re a Quiet Connector:
- Soft launch with book clubs
- Local interviews (community radio + libraries love author stories)
- Gentle social posting across two weeks
- In-person library event instead of a loud bookstore launch
- Ask your ARC team to post reviews
If you’re a Community Builder:
- Host a big local launch event
- Run a multi-post social media campaign
- Collaborate with other authors
- Use Facebook Live or Instagram Live
- Do giveaways with local businesses
If you’re a Strategic Creative:
- Email marketing sequences
- Early-bird bonuses (extra chapters, deleted scenes)
- Partner campaigns with influencers or educators
- Paid ads (small spend; targeted well)
POST-LAUNCH — 3 to 6 months
Focus: Momentum, not burnout.
What to do:This is where long-term careers are built.
- Keep a monthly rhythm of posts or newsletters
- Offer workshops, readings, or school/library visits
- Pitch yourself for local festivals
- Create a reader magnet for your email list
- Join local author collectives or markets
- Keep your book alive — most Australian titles have a long tail
Single Book vs. Multi-Book Strategy
If you’re launching one book, your goal is connection and foundational readers.
If you’re launching a series or multiple titles, your goal is retention — getting readers to follow you across books.
Single Book Focus:
- Build your brand
- Increase visibility
- Establish your author identity
- Let readers get to know you
Multi-Book Focus:
- Create incentives to stay (bundles, newsletters, bonus material)
- Make book one as accessible as possible
- Market the series as an experience
- Soft-launch each book while building hype for the series as a whole
You don’t need a giant audience — you need a committed one.
The Biggest Mistakes I See (and how to avoid them)
Mistake #1: Treating launch day like the entire strategy:A launch is a season, not a day.
Mistake #2: Trying to do everything:Pick 3 strategies that feel aligned — and do them well.
Mistake #3: Thinking ‘marketing’ is the opposite of ‘writing’:Marketing is storytelling.
You are already good at this.
Mistake #4: Putting pressure on sales instead of connection:Sales come from relationships, not tactics.
Mistake #5: Comparing yourself to big overseas launches:Our market is different.
Our pathways are different. Slow, steady, heartfelt connection wins here.
Your First 100 Readers Are Your First Community
They’re the ones who whisper: “Have you read this? You’ll love it.”
And that whisper spreads.
You don’t need to shout. You don’t need to pretend. You don’t need to be someone you’re not.
Build your launch around who you are — and you’ll build a career that feels like home.