Last reviewed by Robert Prime — May 2026
Most launch guides are really just "how to upload to Amazon KDP" with a marketing chapter bolted on. That is a fraction of the job, and treating Amazon as the whole plan is why most debut books stall. This is the complete journey — the eight phases a book moves through from a vague idea to a backlist asset, with Amazon sitting where it belongs: as one important channel, not the destination.
We run UK authors through this sequence every week at publishing.co.uk. Skip phases and you pay for it later — usually at launch, when the foundations you didn't build turn out to be the ones that sell books.
Phase 1 — Validate the idea
Before you write 90,000 words, confirm there's a readership. Study comparable titles, read the genre conventions your readers expect, and define a target reader avatar. A book written for "everyone" reaches no one.
Phase 2 — Write
The single best predictor of finishing is a daily writing routine. 500 words a day for six months is a 90,000-word draft. Outline if you're a planner; see plotting vs pantsing.
Phase 3 — Edit (three distinct passes)
Editing is not one job. It's three:
- Developmental edit — structure, pacing, plot holes.
- Line/copy edit — sentence-level clarity and consistency.
- Proofread — the final typo sweep before print.
Use beta readers between drafts, and hire an editor for at least the copy edit if budget allows. This is the line most-often skimped and most-regretted.
Phase 4 — Produce
Format the interior to spec, commission a professional cover, and decide your ISBN strategy: a free KDP ISBN locks you to Amazon, while a Nielsen ISBN (£91 single, £174 for ten) lets you publish anywhere and appear in the database UK bookshops use.
Phase 5 — Gather reviews (the phase most launches skip)
Reviews are social proof before you launch, not after. Two streams:
- Reader ARCs — advance copies to a review team via NetGalley, BookSirens, or your own ARC team, generating honest reviews for launch day.
- Editorial/trade reviews — paid professional reviews you can quote. UK authors should start with LoveReading (£120); US-facing authors weigh Kirkus Indie, Foreword Clarion and BookLife. Compare them in our editorial review services guide.
Phase 6 — Distribute (this is where Amazon stops being the whole story)
Amazon KDP is the biggest single store, but it is not the only one. The strategic decision is KDP Select exclusivity vs going wide:
- Print everywhere via IngramSpark — reaches bookshops and library wholesalers Amazon can't.
- Ebooks everywhere via Draft2Digital — Apple Books, Kobo, Barnes & Noble, plus libraries (OverDrive, Hoopla).
- Bookshop.org now sells indie ebooks too (2026 Draft2Digital partnership) — the indie-bookshop-friendly channel.
- Libraries via OverDrive/Libby and BorrowBox.
Phase 7 — Market across channels (not just Amazon ads)
Amazon ads are one lever. The authors who break out use several:
- Paid: Amazon Ads, Facebook Ads, BookBub, newsletter promo sites (Bargain Booksy, Freebooksy).
- Earned/organic: podcast guesting, book clubs and reading groups, Reddit and genre forums, BookTok, Bookstagram, and Goodreads.
- Owned: your email list — the only audience you control.
Phase 8 — Scale
One book is a project; a series is a business. Add box sets, an audiobook, foreign rights, and optimise the backlist.
Frequently asked questions
How long before launch should I start?
Four to six months for a debut. The reviews phase alone (ARC distribution + editorial reviews) needs 6-10 weeks of lead time, and pre-orders work best announced 30-60 days out.
Do I have to go wide, or is Amazon-only fine?
Amazon-only (KDP Select) is fine for fiction in series chasing Kindle Unlimited reads. Wide makes sense for non-fiction, for authors who want library and bookshop reach, and for anyone not reliant on KU page-reads. See our wide vs exclusive guide.
What's the one phase most authors skip?
Reviews (Phase 5). Authors upload, then scramble for reviews after launch when it's too late to influence launch-week momentum. Build the review pipeline before you publish.
What does a realistic launch cost?
£600-£1,200 for a professional debut: cover £300-£500, editing £300-£600, optional editorial review £120 (LoveReading), Nielsen ISBN £91, proofs and ads. See self-publishing costs.
Related guides
- Self-publishing costs UK
- Wide vs exclusive (KDP Select)
- Editorial review services compared
- ISBN requirements (UK)
- Book launch checklist
External references
- Alliance of Independent Authors — indie publishing standards and advice
- Nielsen ISBN Store — the official UK ISBN agency
About this guide
Written by Robert Prime for publishing.co.uk — founder, UK self-published author, and ALLi Partner Member. Last reviewed May 2026.
