10 Mistakes Authors Make Before Launching (And How to Avoid Them)
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When I launched my first book, I thought the hard part was over. I’d written the story, revised it a dozen times, and finally hit publish. However, what nobody really says online is that writing a book is only the beginning because what comes next is just as important as what came before. Launching a book well can be a complicated task and involves a ton of marketing and outreach. Even if your story is amazing and all your beta readers absolutely adored your story, there’s still reaching out to the readers that come next. If you want to avoid being forgotten, then here are 10 mistakes authors make before launching and how you can make sure to do things right from the first try.
1. Not Knowing Your Genre Inside and Out
The first mistake authors make is not being 100% aware of the conventions of their chosen genre. The idea of genre is not just a label for a bookshelf, but it’s more of the signal to readers to show what general things they can expect to see from your book. For instance, a horror story without anything scary is probably being mislabeled.
The fix? Study your genre. Read books within that genre and often. Try to understand what works, what doesn’t work, and why readers love particular stories more than others. I actually have a post that talks about why all writers should also be readers, so go and check that out.
I also create workbooks and guides that are genre-specific to help writers figure out how to craft amazing stories from the ground up! Sign up for the newsletter to get exclusive discount codes for my guides!
2. Trying to Market at the Last Minute
If you wait until your book is done to start thinking about marketing, you’re already behind. It takes time to build trust, community, and interest. Launching to zero people, even with the perfect book, is still launching to zero.
You need to start early. In fact, you need to start even while you’re drafting. Share behind-the-scenes content. Post aesthetics. Create a freebie tied to your story. Open an email list. Engage with your target audience before you have something to sell. You need to capture attention before your story’s final chapter is polished.
3. Writing Without a Hook
It doesn’t matter how beautifully you write, if the premise doesn’t hook readers, they won’t pick it up. Your book lives by your ability to make someone care with just a sentence or two. It sounds a bit difficult, but that’s why I’ve got a post about why your first page matters so much in capturing reader attention.
What’s the fix? Before you get super deep into your manuscript, ask yourself the following question: Can I pitch this book in one sentence? Is there a hook that gets the reader’s attention?
If you struggle to explain your story in a compelling way, take that as a sign to go back and sharpen the core idea. Think of your hook as your reader’s entry point and make it irresistible.
4. Not Using Tropes Strategically
Writers often hear “tropes are bad.” But tropes are tools that are widely used for a reason. Readers love familiar elements, but they just want them delivered with fresh perspective. Used well, a trope can instantly communicate tone, emotion, and stakes.
You want to choose tropes on purpose, know the ones that work with your audience, and then twist them in a way to surprise and satisfy your readers.
5. Skipping Structure
Some writers like to jump into the story without planning, which can feel freeing until you’re stuck in the middle of your story with no idea what happens next. A strong opening can only carry you so far if the story fizzles halfway through.
You don’t need to outline every beat in your story, but you want to map enough to stay focused. Think about things like the midpoint or the core moment where your character’s transformation will really feel solidified.
If you want to learn about how to plot out a book, then check out this post.
6. Underestimating the Power of Aesthetic
The plot pulls your story forward but the vibes and aesthetic of your story are just as memorable as the story itself. There’s a certain feel and look to stories that just works and clicks in the minds of readers.
You’ll often scroll through social media and see authors posting videos and slideshows about their story’s aesthetic with cool images they found online that represent the way their story looks and feels in their head. Those videos stick in your head, don’t they? That’s because the aesthetic is also important.
Make sure you’re using setting, symbols, and sensory imagery to establish the aesthetic of your story. Also, check out this post to read more about how to find your story’s aesthetic.
7. Ignoring the Reader’s Journey
A story isn’t just about what happens because it’s also about how it changes the reader. Your character’s transformation should reflect something we can feel in real life.
So, how do you fix this? Every story should build toward some form of transformation for your character. What does your main character learn, face, or survive? How does that echo what your readers might be going through?
You want to think about the reader and how they might perceive the character in themselves too.
8. Assuming Writing = Marketing
Just because you wrote a great book doesn’t mean people will find it. Or even buy it. Or recommend it. Many authors believe “quality will sell itself,” but discover too late that strategy is what sells.
You need to shift your mindset. Marketing isn’t just shouting “buy my book,” but it’s about telling the right story to the right reader. You need to think about who would be the most likely to read your story and then go from there.
Writing a good book is one thing, but marketing it is another. I also built a marketing checklist for authors that takes you from pre to post-launch. If you’re interested, sign up here.
9. Not Building a Platform Until It’s Too Late
Your launch is going to go out into the void of the internet if you haven’t already built some form of an audience beforehand. To launch, you need to be able to tell someone about that launch and that can’t be possible without hard work beforehand.
You want to build a social media presence and grow your readership from there. Check out this post to learn more about why all authors need to have social media.
Ultimately, without an audience, you’re going to find that it’s going to take much more time to sell at launch than if you already built up a list of loyal followers.
10. Thinking You Need to Be “Ready” First
Here’s the truth: you’ll never feel 100% ready. And waiting for perfection? That’s just fear in a different outfit. You don’t need to know everything to get started but you need momentum.
The best thing to do is to use what tools you have and start now. You can learn along the journey and get feedback to improve your systems. It’s better to start than to hesitate and never get at it.
Want a Shortcut?
I created guides and workbooks to help you skip the guesswork and start writing books readers actually want to talk about. Full of tons of instructional content and interactive sections, you’re getting the real, down-to-earth info that nobody else will tell you.
Here’s just a tidbit of what you’ll learn from my guides:
- Structuring your plot without losing creative freedom
- Using tropes and emotional arcs effectively
- Nailing your genre tone, hooks, and reader expectations
- Writing characters that hit hard, in the exact way your genre demands
- Establishing tone and worldbuilding that enhances the emotional impact
They’re hands-on, flexible, and full of real examples and prompts. Whether you’re outlining your next story or stuck in revision limbo, these guides help you move forward with purpose.
Get your copy of my Ultimate Character Creation Guide today! And check out my shop for all my other guides too to learn how to write a variety of genres and more.
Conclusion
Mistakes are things that you’ll inevitably make, but they’re not the end of the world. Even if you find yourself having done some of these things, it’s never too late to grow, learn, adapt, and change. You don’t need a 10K newsletter list, a viral video, or a $5,000 launch plan to succeed. What you do need is to get out there and put your name in front of the eyes of your readers.
Be sure to sign up for my newsletter to get real insights, exclusive discounts, and all the latest updates you need. You’ve got the ideas. I’ve got the workflows. Let’s make sure your readers get your story in their hands!