What to do after your book launch (and why it still matters)
Keep the magic alive.
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The series so far:
We’ve all been there as authors.
You hit publish. You post the link to your books. You do the launch week dance…
… and then what?
Most authors go quiet at this point. They assume the window’s closed. The moment’s passed. It’s time to move on.
But here’s the simple truth we, as writers, constantly overlook: Your book is new to someone every single day.
If you’re only promoting it during launch week, you’re cutting off 90% of its potential reach.
Today, in this final Tuesday post of the series, we’re talking about the post-launch plan - not the shiny, sexy part, but the bit that actually builds a long tail of readership.
Let’s talk about what to do after you think you’re done.
Your book is a body of work, not a brief moment in time
Books don’t expire. Attention spans do.
That means your job isn’t to chase fresh projects just to stay visible. Your job is to keep breathing life into the good work you’ve already done.
Post-launch isn’t about yelling “buy my book!” every week for the rest of your life (I mean, you could try that, but it might get old after a while). It’s about continuing the conversation your book started.
Here’s how to do that without feeling repetitive:
1. Keep finding new entry points
Your book explores themes, ideas, stories, questions. Those don’t go stale in a hurry.
Keep yourself visible in your online spaces with thoughts that tie back to your book, without always needing to link to it.
Examples:
“Still thinking about this idea from Chapter 4 - what does [X] really mean in daily life?”
“A reader messaged me about the final page. It reminded me why I wrote that ending.”
“This new piece I’m writing is basically a continuation of what I started exploring in my first book.”
Mention the book, casually and naturally. Let it live in your ecosystem.
2. Build seasonal habits around it
Once a quarter, run a simple 1-week promo:
Share a reader quote or testimonial
Reflect on what’s changed since writing it
Offer a short-time bonus (PDF, resource, session, discount)
This gives new readers a reason to check your book out again, and it gives you a structured way to revisit it.
Quick tip: Stick a reminder in your phone about your book’s publication anniversary each year and post something celebratory on that date.
3. Weave it into your ongoing content
If you’re writing on Substack weekly (or even occasionally), keep a soft CTA in the mix:
“If this post resonated, I go deeper into it in [Book Title].”
“This whole line of thinking started with my book - it’s crazy how it keeps evolving.”
You don’t need a campaign, you just need reminders. And the more organic they are, the better.
4. Create a “Start Here” page
Make a dedicated page on your site or Substack that says:
Who you are
What your book is
Why you wrote it
Where to get it
Link to that page in your welcome emails, social bios, or pinned posts.
Keep it simple.
5. Reshare existing content
Did you post a video on TikTok in the run-up to your book launch?
Did someone share an Instagram reel reviewing it, or excitedly unpacking it after delivery?
Make sure to reshare that type of content over and over. It doesn’t matter if it’s already out there - most of your audience won’t have seen it yet, and it’ll save you a ton of time creating new promo material.
Bookmark your best videos and posts on social media and mine it as often as you can.
Exhibit A:
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Keep the magic alive
Most people are so focused on launching their book, they forget to live with it after it’s out there in the wild.
The writers who build real momentum treat their book as a living part of their body of work.
If you’ve written something you believe in, don’t let it die in the dark. Keep reminding your audience it exists, and tell them why they should grab a copy.
You owe your book that much.
Next up (on Thursday):
5 ways to keep selling your book without sounding like a broken record
“What to say when you don’t know what to say”
A copy-and-paste Evergreen Promo Tracker to help you plan your promotions
It’s the final paid post in this series, and one of the most useful.
If you’ve been waiting to upgrade, now’s the moment.
See you Thursday!
