Скачать или смотреть How to ruin your book launch with this eBook preorder "hack" on Amazon KDP | Self-Publishing Tips

I have mentioned this specific “hack” before in other videos along with other things I think self-publishing authors need to stop doing to avoid shooting themselves in the foot. But I keep seeing so it is getting its own video.

I’ve seen authors schedule their eBook on Amazon KDP as a preorder. So they upload January 1 but the book isn’t released until March 1. In the meantime, the eBook is on preorder (because remember you can’t do a print preorder on Amazon KDP) and they are marketing the book and getting sales. That is how pre-orders are supposed to work.

But as authors are so eager to just get the book out, some are uploading what they know is not the final version of the book. They figure, eh I’ve got two months for my editors and proofreaders to give them a once over and I’ll get the final draft uploaded on time. Now Amazon KDP says the final version must be uploaded 72 hours before release day.

Direct from Amazon KDP: https://kdp.amazon.com/en_US/help/top...
Submission deadline. You must upload your final manuscript more than 72 hours before the release date. To keep track of the deadline, use the timer at the top of your book's setup pages (details, content, pricing). If you don't upload your manuscript file on time, your pre-order will be canceled, and you won't be able to set up a pre-order for any eBook for one year. The same applies if you cancel the release of your pre-order book.

When I upload my book, it’s always the final version. I still get emails from Amazon every three days until that deadline saying that if I miss the deadline or try to change the book after that deadline my preorders are canceled. You have to try really really hard to ignore this deadline.

As an author, I know it is so scary to think, that 24 hours before my book was scheduled to be released an arc reader found a typo and I had to fix it. Fix it after launch. That one typo should not make or break your book. You getting all your preorders cancelled, might.

So that’s a crappy situation. But I’ve seen this happen THREE TIMES to authors and then the ensuing rallying cry on TikTok or Insta about how Amazon is ruining this author’s book. No, they ruined their own book when they uploaded a draft, when they ignored the dozens of emails from Amazon KDP. They made that decision. It is a HARD lesson to learn. I think if possible we as authors should rally and help one another. But don’t put that on Amazon.

My best tip to avoid all of this mess and drama and angst: DON’T UPLOAD UNFINISHED DRAFTS FOR PREORDERS. You are tempting fate. What if your proofreader gets sick and can’t make your deadline. What if you get sick?

I get uploading the print draft and ordering a proof copy before anything goes live to do a final pass that way. But that’s not this. This is authors trying to get all the eBook preorders and then being shocked when after multiple reminders they decide to make edits past the submission deadline.

Spread the word to your fellow author friends. Don’t schedule an ebook preorder with a draft. Especially if this is book 1 for you. Don’t. You’re on book 20 and have a system and backup editors, go for it. Book 1, no!

Okay, today’s PSA rant is over.


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