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Book Launch PublicityA field guide for authors and publishers

Chapter 01: The timeline

Your book launch publicity timeline, mapped stop by stop

Last updated March 2026. Published by C.S. Lewis & Co. Publicists.

A book launch publicity timeline should start about six months before publication and keep running for at least three months after it, so media outlets have time to plan coverage of you and your book.

This free field guide from C.S. Lewis & Co. Publicists, a small book publicity firm founded in 1994 that serves authors and publishers, maps each stop on that route: the news angle, the media kit, review copies, pitching, launch week, and the follow-up that keeps an author in the news long after release day.

Contact C.S. Lewis & Co.Open the book launch checklist

When should book launch publicity start?

Book launch publicity should start at least three months before your publication date, and earlier if you want print magazine coverage. Reedsy advises authors to start marketing at least 10-12 weeks before a book is published, and BookSpace frames a full launch as running from 3 months before launch day to 3 months after.

Starting earlier matters because media work on their own calendars. A long-lead magazine may be planning issues months ahead, while a radio producer may book you the same day a story breaks. A good timeline plans for both.

The book launch publicity timeline at a glance

Six stops, from finding your news angle to staying in the news after launch. Each stop lists the tasks that matter most for media coverage. The full task list lives in the book launch checklist.

  1. Stop 1: 6 months out

    Find the news angle

    • Define your expert angle and professional goals
    • Lock metadata: title, subtitle, categories, description
    • List long-lead magazines and trade outlets

  2. Stop 2: 4 months out

    Build the media kit

    • Write background, story ideas, and interview topics
    • Send advance copies to long-lead reviewers
    • Draft bylined article ideas from the book

  3. Stop 3: 10 to 12 weeks out

    Open the channels

    • Publish an author website with clean store links
    • Choose one or two social platforms
    • Start an email list for launch news

  4. Stop 4: 8 weeks out

    Pitch and book

    • Pitch radio, television, podcasts, print, and online
    • Follow up on every book and kit sent
    • Match interviews to any travel plans

  5. Stop 5: Launch week

    Make the first days count

    • Remind early reviewers 7 days before launch
    • Ask for reviews on launch day or within 3 days
    • Message your most engaged readers directly

  6. Stop 6: 1 to 3 months after

    Stay in the news

    • Tie pitches to breaking news, often the same day
    • Place op-eds and bylined articles
    • Turn coverage into speaking invitations
Route map: the book launch publicity timeline from C.S. Lewis & Co. Publicists, from six months before publication to three months after.

Book launch publicity evidence panels

Panel 01

What is book launch publicity?

Book launch publicity is earned media coverage of an author and a book around its publication: interviews on radio, television, and podcasts, reviews, features, op-eds, and bylined articles. Unlike advertising, no one pays the outlet. C.S. Lewis & Co. Publicists describes its goal as turning authors into newsmakers by getting them seen, heard, and read about frequently in every type of media, including breaking news stories as they unfold. Done well, publicity builds name recognition that can lead to book sales, later printings, new publishing opportunities, new clients, and speaking engagements.

Panel 02

Book launch numbers worth knowing

Panel 03

Who should run your launch publicity?

Here is how C.S. Lewis & Co. Publicists sees the four common options, judged on the same four points. The firm is listed first because it publishes this guide. For the full comparison, read book publicist vs. publisher publicity.

Launch publicity options compared by C.S. Lewis & Co. Publicists
Who runs publicityFocusCampaign tailoringFollow-upBreaking news
C.S. Lewis & Co. Publicists (independent book publicist)Book publicity only, working for the authorCampaign customized to the author's expertise, goals, region, and travelIntensive follow-up on every book and media kit sentPitches tied to breaking news, often the same day
Large publisher publicity departmentMany titles each season; priority goes to top tier booksOften no time, budget, or staff to tailor a campaign per authorFor most titles, a mailing to reviewers with little or no follow-upUsually cannot respond to each author's news hooks in real time
Small press publicity departmentFewer authors and books, and staff who work hardFewer resources for a targeted strategic campaign per authorDepends on available staffDepends on available staff and media relationships
Author running publicity aloneFull control, shared with writing and other workAs tailored as the author makes itLimited by the author's own timeLimited to the author's own media contacts
Panel 04

The six-step launch procedure

  1. 1

    Find the angle. Decide what makes you newsworthy and what you want the book to do for your career.

  2. 2

    Build the kit. Write background, story ideas, and interview topics media can use right away.

  3. 3

    Send the book. Get books and media kits to every contact that matters, early.

  4. 4

    Pitch and follow up. Offer story ideas that fit each outlet, then follow up until you get an answer.

  5. 5

    Run launch week. Remind reviewers, ask for early reviews, and contact your closest readers directly.

  6. 6

    Stay in the news. Tie your expertise to breaking stories, place op-eds, and turn coverage into speaking.

Book launch checklist

A book launch checklist turns the timeline into tasks you can tick off: metadata, author website, clean store links, media kit, review copies, pitch list, interview prep, launch week reminders, and follow-up. The checklist chapter also covers a book launch party checklist and a virtual book launch checklist.

Use the full book launch checklist

How to launch a book

Knowing how to launch a book comes down to order: angle first, then media kit, then outreach, then a launch week plan, then months of follow-up. The how-to chapter covers how to promote a book launch, how to launch a book on social media, and how to do a book launch party.

Read how to launch a book

In a client's own words

“Cathy Lewis helped me launch my bestselling book, The Hamster Revolution: Manage Your Email Before It Manages You. Her team helped me make over 100 media appearances, including appearing on CNN and Good Morning America. We sold over 125,000 copies in 11 languages.”
Mike Song, author of The Hamster Revolution, from the references page of C.S. Lewis & Co. Publicists. Client-reported results; outcomes vary by book and author.

Book launch publicity timeline questions

Read all book launch FAQs
When should book publicity start before launch?
Start at least three months before publication, and earlier for print magazines. Reedsy advises starting marketing at least 10-12 weeks before a book is published, and BookSpace frames a complete launch as running from 3 months before launch day to 3 months after. Many print outlets plan issues months ahead, so earlier outreach gives them time to say yes.
How long does a book launch last?
Treat a book launch as a season, not a single day. The BookSpace launch guide covers 3 months before launch day through 3 months after. Publicity can run longer than that: C.S. Lewis & Co. Publicists ties pitches to breaking news as it happens, which can bring an author back into the news well after release week.
What happens in the first 48 hours of a book launch?
The first 48 hours set early momentum, which is why launch week needs a plan. The Manuscript Report blog states that most book launches fail in the first 48 hours. Practical steps include reminding early reviewers, asking for reviews on launch day or within the first 3 days, and messaging your most engaged readers directly.
Why do some book launches flop?
Most flop because preparation started too late. The BookSpace guide says 90% of book launches flop, and notes that authors who sell 500+ copies in their first week spent 3 months building toward it. The missing pieces are usually the same: no media kit, no review copies out early, no timely pitches, and no follow-up.
Is it too late to get publicity if my book is already out?
No. Publicity after publication is still possible, especially when an author can speak to current events. C.S. Lewis & Co. Publicists builds pitches that align an author with breaking news stories, often the same day. Reviews are harder to land once a book is out, but interviews, op-eds, podcasts, and bylined articles stay open.
What does a book publicist do?
A book publicist gets authors and their books into the news. At C.S. Lewis & Co. Publicists that means creating a media kit, sending books and kits to media contacts, following up to secure interviews, reviews, op-eds, and bylined articles, and pitching story ideas tied to breaking news across print, radio, television, and internet media.
How much does a book publicist cost?
C.S. Lewis & Co. Publicists does not publish prices on its website, so this guide will not guess at a figure. Publicity cost generally depends on campaign length, the media types pitched, and extras such as media coaching or writing services. Contact the firm with your publication date and goals to get a quote for your campaign.
How do I announce a book launch?
Announce a book launch with a cover reveal, a dated note to your email list, a post on your main social platforms, and a pitch or press release to relevant media. Give people a specific date and a working buy or preorder link. Personal messages to close supporters often do better than broad posts.

Launching a book soon?

C.S. Lewis & Co. Publicists builds customized media campaigns for authors and publishers across print, radio, television, and internet media. Share your publication date and goals, and the firm will tell you what a campaign could look like.

Contact C.S. Lewis & Co.

Published by C.S. Lewis & Co. Publicists