How many of you are struggling with your in-box? (Me)

How many of you have been “catching up” since 2009? (Me)

How many apologies have you made this month for delayed responses and delivery of promised work product? (Countless)

How many of you are tired of the cycle? (Me)

As of today, I am saying no to saying “yes.”

While working with a wonderful business coach, Vicki Hainault Fitch, I have (once again) determined that 100% of my problems are of my own making. (This is not a huge surprise…)

Since I started my business in 2006, I have seen wonderful growth and been able to enjoy an ever-expanding base of authors and publishers that I truly enjoy helping. But there is also an ever-growing list of authors that I have disappointed when I tried to be of help and fell short.

What was/is the problem?

I want so badly to help every author and to guide each and every new press away from the pitfalls that they face. I end up offering to help on too many projects and fall behind on all. As I struggle to meet expectations (expectations that I CREATED FOR THE AUTHOR), I fall further behind. Then I stay later and later to generate the work promised and, in the end, frustrate the author I was trying to make happy.

All with the added benefit of harming my reputation and health in the process.

The routine looks a little like this: I want to be liked and I want to be helpful and I want approval, so I OFFER (yikes) to help. When the author/client agrees to work with me or to take my help, I feel GREAT. It gives me a little “high.” But that high does not last long. Soon, I am feeling dragged down by all my promises and the VERY reasonable requests from the same authors that I TOLD I WOULD HELP.

I start out with wonderful “zing” feeling when I say “yes” but in doing so, I set in motion a series of events that eventually end with me feeling terrible and doing more harm than good.

Over and over again, what follows is a decline and crash of process that I can usually smooth over with offering more help and spending more time and money. I then end up doing even more just to break even (emotionally, financially, and reputationally) AND it creates even MORE items for my “to do” list.

I am done.

I am putting a one-month moratorium on the word “yes.”

I am not saying I won’t DO anything this month, but for one month, I am not going to agree to, offer, or pursue anything. It is time that I stop pulling up out of the steep dives that happen when I over-commit to project and beloved authors.

I know I can do better and I know I can find a way to help in a manner that does not end with me up at 3 am sending apologetic emails while eating antacids and asking “How did this happen AGAIN?”

Here are my goals for the next 30 days:

1. To not take on any new projects
2. To not do any favors
3. To not say “Oh, I can do that quickly”
4. To use the 30 days to advance and finish my current list of obligations
5. To practice using my calendar and clock in a responsible manner
6. To remember that everything takes time and time is finite
7. To set realistic expectations for how I should spend my workdays
8. To let others tend and harvest the fields I plant
9. To take one day a week off
10. To tell everyone what I am doing without shame or guilt (this one is the hardest…. *deep breaths*)

After ages of fine-tuning your metaphors, tinkering with POV, and conjuring up a cast of characters so life-like you hear them bickering in your dreams, you’ve finally written a book you can be proud of. But your job isn’t over just yet.

As an author, you know your plot structures: you’ve poured time, energy, and maybe even tears into your book, a lengthy exposition full of hard work and authorial savvy. You hit the climax when you finished writing, and now you want to give your work the satisfying denouement it deserves — with the launch of your dreams. Just follow these tips and tricks for a headstart on the perfect launch day, and you’ll be able to send your masterpiece out into the world in style.

1. Pick the perfect date

Sure, there’s only one hard-and-fast rule when it comes to choosing a book launch date: the book has to be done. But that shouldn’t be the extent of your thinking. With a pinch of calendrical savvy, the actual timing of your launch could lead to a dramatic sales boost right out of the gate.

The key is to think in terms of both season and genre: when are readers most likely to buy books, and what sort of books are they buying? It’s a retail truism that sales of all kinds spike around the Christmas season, and reading material is no exception. But that doesn’t mean you have to launch with the goal of getting pre-ordered under the tree. In fact, early December can be a risky time to launch, unless your book is directly related to holiday cheer: you’ll be facing cutthroat competition, much of it from traditional publishers able to outgun you with their marketing budgets.

Don’t treat your book like some sort of generic holiday present — it’s not a scented candle. Instead, think about the specific value it has to offer, and when that’s particularly likely to be in-demand. Self-help books and inspirational fiction play well in January, when they can capture the New Year’s Resolution crowd. Romance novels are a no-brainer for Valentine’s Day, and Halloween tends to put readers in the mood for something spooky, whether that’s the witchier of fantasy or straight-up, spine-chilling horror.

Feel free to think beyond the obvious, Hallmark-y holidays. How about launching a political thriller during election season, or releasing a historical fiction novel on the Underground Railroad during Black History Month? Pick a spot on the calendar that somehow ties into the message of your book, and your marketing materials are as good as pre-written.

2. Go on a blog tour

Once you’ve set a date, it’s time to start drumming up anticipation for your book’s big debut. One great way to do that? Guest posting! You may not have the budget — or the time — to go on a traditional publicity tour, hitting up bookstores and talk-show sets across the country. But you can replicate that effect virtually, with a blog tour. All you need is a computer, some research and, of course, your writing skills.

Start by looking around for blogs that a) accept guest posts and b) might want to hear from you. Writing blogs are always a good bet, but you should also think about the topic of your book. If you’re a nonfiction author putting out a primer on, say, drafting your own clothing patterns, try targeting sewing blogs and style blogs. If you wrote a romance novel with a single-mom protagonist, look for parenting blogs, lifestyle blogs, and other sites aimed at readers in your target demographic.

Contact these blogs with a couple of ideas for guest posts you could write. Of course you’ll ask to include your book launch info in your bio, but don’t try to sell them on a purely self-promotional post — you won’t get very far pitching something that sounds like a press release for your book. Instead, focus on providing value to the blogs’ readers by showcasing your expertise.

As a newly minted author, you’re perfectly positioned to share insights on bringing a book project across the finish line. Or you could even offer to judge a writing contest for blog readers, providing the winner with a small prize, like a Starbucks gift card — alongside a free copy of your book, of course. In any case, make sure you’re tailoring your pitches for each outlet. Keep it short and sweet, and try to work in a few references to their past work, so they know you’ve done your homework.

Set up your blog tour early — that way, you can make sure our guests posts come out in the month or so before your formal book launch, with at least a few dropping on the launch day itself. Point readers to your author website and your book’s Amazon page, and then wait for those subscriptions and orders to come in.

3. Collect those reviews

There’s another great way to build anticipation for your book launch, one that also relies on pitching to other people’s blogs. But this time, you won’t be the one doing the bulk of the writing — that will be up to the book review bloggers you contact.

If you let bloggers read your book ahead of its formal launch, you’re liable to get some invaluable free publicity when the big day comes. Contact some book review blogs known to work in your genre, and pitch them your book. Explain why it’s a good fit for them, and be sure to let them know when it’s launching.

When the big day comes, post some quotes from your positive reviews on social media. You can even use an online design tool like Canva or its free alternatives to turn those quotes into eye-catching graphics. That way, they’ll be sure to grab attention on visual platforms like Instagram.

4. Send out a newsletter — and post them

Send out a nicely formatted newsletter to your mailing list to let them know about your book’s debut. Keep it simple in terms of graphics, but consider referencing colors and typefaces from your cover design to give it a coherent, professional look.

Besides the most essential part — a link to buy the book — include some quotes from the positive reviews you’ve cultivated. And to really dial up the anticipation, embed a short preview of your book right into the newsletter.

5. Have a launch party

Book launch parties can be a lot of fun — and you certainly deserve a chance to pop some bubbly! But they can also furnish you with some all-important PR. Find a local venue related to the topic of your book — say, a fabric store for a home-sewing manual or a tapas bar for a romance novel set in Spain. A family-owned bookstore is always a good bet, and you might also consider your local library.

Enlist a trusted friend to serve as your MC — they’ll be able to talk you up without sounding distinctly silly. Prep some material to entertain everyone who came to celebrate your triumph: say a few words about your writing journey, or read a snappy, memorable passage from your book.

Make sure to have a sign-up sheet at the event so you can collect attendees’ contact info, assuming you don’t already have it: those emails will come in handy when your next book comes out. And get someone to take high-quality pictures of the festivities. Send them to local press afterwards, and you might be able to swing a little post-facto publicity, keeping your sales strong after the launch.

Desiree Villena is a writer with Reedsy, a marketplace that connects authors and publishers with the world’s best editors, designers, and marketers. In her spare time, Desiree enjoys reading contemporary fiction and writing short stories.