Publishing 101 - Scheduling Your Release (and a 2-months-til-ONE GIVEAWAY!!!!)

Hi, sweet readers!!!!

I know it's been awhile since I posted...well...anything over here.

 Truth be told, I've been in sort of a holding pattern with ONE for the last couple months. Pretty much everything's been done on the book since then, and my last blurb just rolled in a couple days ago (thanks Emma!)

I just sent the final print version, pretty formatting and blurbs and acknowledgements included, to the printer, last week. Right now, I'm holding the final printed copy of ONE in my hands. I could put the ARC sticker on the front, but I probably won't. This one's a gift to one of my nearest and dearest CPs, and it's the same as the one anybody will be able to buy from Amazon.

So, why don't I start selling this mofo tomorrow? *sigh* I wish I could. But waaaay back in December, I set the calendar for ONE's release...based on the release date for TWO, its sequel.

It's common wisdom in the self-publishing universe that the closer the release dates between an author's books, the better. This is especially true for sequels. Three months is ideal, four is workable.

Why? Well, really the same reason that it's a good idea for any sequel to have a close release to its first installment. We keep readers' interest more easily. Especially in the primarily digital book world, there's an expectation that things will happen more quickly. Really, because we self-publishers can pull off a close release, we should. It's better for building an audience and making a profit if a reader who loved ONE can buy TWO in short order.

In short, close release dates are better for both reader and author. Happiness all around, right?

So, back to TWO's release date. Back in January, when I announced I was self-publishing ONE, TWO was only about half-drafted. I knew I couldn't have it ready to publish until late spring at least, but life throws curve balls left and right, and I wanted to give myself plenty of breathing room. Theoretically, I could have had TWO ready to go by July or August. But the problem is - you guessed it - pesky real life. *smile*

I work at a Jewish student center on a college campus. That means that August (Welcome Week) and September (High Holidays) are impossible for doing anything but those things. It's part of the rhythm of this job, thankfully, so I already knew back in December I couldn't schedule a book release then.

That's how TWO got an October 8th release date. And that, dear readers, is how I decided ONE would come out on June 11th. At four months apart, they're about as far as recommended to draw the most possible readers and build the best buzz.

Now, for some fun. Today is April 11th, which means ONE will be out in the wild in exactly two months. I'm beyond excited, and so I'm having a little one-day-only giveaway to celebrate. Even more exciting, with the help of my Twitter friends, ONE hit 1000 "adds" on Goodreads yesterday, so I'm doubling the prizes!!! Woohooo!

Up for grabs:

2 ARCs of ONE (digital or paper - digital can go international, paper US only please.)
1 DVD of X-men: First Class
1 DVD of X-men (the original from '99. Love.)
2 custom ONE posters by Andrea Hannah, signed by me and the artist
2 soundtrack CDs of ONE (you can see the playlist on this post in All The Write Notes) Here's the Rafflecopter! Have fun and good luck!!! a Rafflecopter giveaway