There is a moment almost every author dreams about.

The manuscript is finished. The edits are complete. The cover looks beautiful. The files have been uploaded. And finally, after months—or sometimes years—of work, the book is published.

Then comes the question:

Now how do I get people to buy it?

There's nothing wrong with asking that question.

The problem is when we're asking it.

One of the biggest mistakes authors make is thinking book marketing begins when the book becomes available. By then, we've missed months of opportunities to find readers, build relationships, create anticipation, prepare promotional materials, gather supporters, and decide what we actually want the book to accomplish.

A successful book launch doesn't begin on publication day.

It needs a runway.

What Is a Book Runway?

I didn't have a name for it at the time, but I was building a runway for The Expectant Author long before the book was available.

The book grew out of my own extraordinarily long journey to publication—what I jokingly describe as a 20-year-and-nine-month pregnancy. Along the way, I wasn't simply writing a manuscript. I was talking with writers, building relationships, creating resources, sharing what I was learning, and becoming increasingly clear about the authors I wanted the book to help.

By the time the book entered the world, it wasn't arriving as an isolated product. There were already conversations, relationships, ideas, and people surrounding it.

That's one of the reasons I now believe so strongly that authors shouldn't wait until publication day to start thinking about visibility. The runway is often being built before we even realize we're building it.

Think about an airplane preparing for takeoff.

It doesn't simply point toward the sky and go. There's preparation. Positioning. A destination. A flight plan. And a runway that gives the aircraft enough space to build the momentum it needs to leave the ground.

Your book deserves the same consideration.

Your Book Runway is the period before publication when you intentionally prepare your book—and yourself—for what comes next.

And here's something important:

The runway isn't only about selling books.

It's about deciding where you want your book to take you.

Perhaps you want to become known as an expert in your field. Maybe you want speaking engagements, consulting clients, media appearances, podcast invitations, bulk sales, workshops, partnerships, or opportunities you haven't even imagined yet.

Maybe you're writing fiction and want to develop a loyal community of readers who will eagerly await your next book.

Or perhaps your greatest goal is simply to get an important story or idea into the hands of people who need it.

Those are different destinations.

And different destinations require different flight plans.

Start Before You're Ready

Authors often tell themselves they'll begin promoting their book when it's finished.

Or when they have the cover.

Or when it's available for preorder.

Or when they have the Amazon link.

I understand the temptation. It's much easier to talk about something once you can point to it and say, "Here it is."

But some of the most interesting parts of a book's story happen long before publication.

Why are you writing it?

What inspired the idea?

What surprised you during your research?

What are you learning?

What are you struggling with?

What decisions are you making about the title, cover, format, or message?

What story didn't make the final manuscript?

What happened today that reminded you why this book matters?

These aren't advertisements.

They're invitations.

You're inviting people into the journey.

And when readers have been following the journey, publication day doesn't feel like the first time they've heard about your book.

It feels like something they've been waiting for.

Build Relationships Before You Need Them

There is another reason to begin early.

Relationships take time.

If you wait until launch week to introduce yourself to podcast hosts, association leaders, journalists, bloggers, bookstore owners, librarians, fellow authors, speakers, influencers, and community leaders, your first conversation with them may sound something like:

"Hello. You don't know me, but would you promote my book?"

That's not the strongest way to begin a relationship.

What if you connected months earlier instead?

Follow their work. Comment on something they've written. Share one of their posts. Subscribe to their newsletter. Attend their event. Introduce them to someone. Invite them into a conversation. Find out what they're working on.

Not because you're secretly waiting to ask for something.

Because relationships are worth building.

Then, when your book enters the world, you aren't starting with a list of strangers.

You're starting with a community.

Find Your Book Champions

Every book needs readers.

But some readers become something more.

They become Book Champions.

These are the people who recommend your book without being asked. They tell a friend about it. Share it online. Suggest you for a podcast. Invite you to speak. Buy another copy as a gift. Introduce you to someone you should know.

Sometimes your first Book Champions appear before the book does.

They may be beta readers, advance readers, colleagues, clients, fellow authors, friends, members of your professional community, or people who have simply become fascinated by what you're creating.

Give them a reason to care about the journey.

And when they show enthusiasm, pay attention.

One enthusiastic reader can create a ripple you could never manufacture with an advertising campaign.

Prepare Before Opportunity Knocks

Imagine receiving an email from a podcast host:

"We'd love to interview you next week. Could you send your bio, headshot, book description, cover image, talking points, and a few suggested interview questions?"

Would you be ready?

Or would you spend the next two days scrambling to create everything?

Your runway gives you time to prepare your author assets before you need them.

That might include your author bio, professional headshot, book description, author one-sheet, media kit, interview questions, social graphics, book cover images, talking points, website, landing page, email signup, and ordering information.

Preparation doesn't guarantee opportunities.

But it makes it much easier to say YES when they arrive.

Don't Forget Reviews, Awards, and Recognition

Some opportunities have deadlines authors don't discover until it's too late.

After The Expectant Author was published, I began paying much closer attention to book awards. The book went on to receive several wonderful recognitions, but the process taught me something I wish more authors knew before publication.

Book award calendars don't necessarily operate on your calendar.

Some competitions accept books for a limited period after publication. Others have specific copyright-year requirements, early deadlines, category restrictions, or submission materials that take time to prepare.

I began keeping track of awards I discovered because I realized how easy it would be for an author to learn about the perfect opportunity a month after becoming ineligible for it.

Awards aren't something every author needs to pursue. But deciding you aren't interested is very different from discovering too late that you no longer have the choice.

Book awards may have eligibility requirements tied to publication dates. Editorial reviewers may need advance copies weeks or months ahead of time. Endorsements take time. Advance readers need enough time to actually read your book.

Research these opportunities before publication.

Create a list of awards you may want to enter. Identify people you might approach for endorsements. Determine where you hope to gather early reviews. Decide who should receive advance copies.

You don't have to pursue everything.

You simply want to know what your options are while those options are still available.

Plan Beyond Publication Day

I saw firsthand how quickly a concentrated promotion can create momentum when I ran a 99-cent Kindle promotion for The Expectant Author. The book climbed from #324 in its category to #17, then #7, eventually reaching #5 during the promotion.

It was exciting. I watched those numbers far more often than I'm willing to admit.

But it also reinforced something important: rankings are moments.

The real question wasn't, "How high can the book climb this week?" It was, "What am I going to do with the attention after the promotion ends?"

That's why I encourage authors to plan beyond launch day.

A promotion can create a spike. A strategy gives that spike somewhere to go.

Here's another mistake I see frequently.

Authors create an elaborate plan leading up to launch day—and almost nothing for what happens afterward.

Publication day arrives.

There are announcements.

Photos.

Congratulations.

Maybe a launch party.

Maybe some wonderful Amazon activity.

And then...

Tuesday.

What happens next?

Your book could be relevant for years. Why build an entire marketing strategy around a handful of days?

Instead, think about the first 30 days, 60 days, 90 days, six months, and even the first anniversary.

Could you pursue podcast interviews?

Write articles?

Speak to organizations?

Create a book club program?

Partner with another author?

Approach libraries?

Develop corporate or bulk sales?

Enter awards?

Tie your book to holidays or current conversations?

Create a workshop based on the book?

Your launch should create momentum.

Your next steps determine whether that momentum continues.

You Don't Have to Do Everything

At this point you may be thinking:

Wonderful. I thought I had to finish writing a book. Now apparently I have 147 other things to do.

You don't.

In fact, trying to do everything is one of the fastest ways to turn an exciting book project into an exhausting one.

I know this problem particularly well. Give me one good book idea and I'm perfectly capable of turning it into a workbook, resource guide, article series, workshop, website, and three additional book ideas before lunch. That's why I've become such a believer in the Not Now List.

That's why I like dividing ideas into three categories:

NOW

What genuinely needs your attention before publication?

NEXT

What should happen during launch and the first 90 days?

NOT NOW

What is a good idea—but doesn't deserve your attention yet?

Maybe you want an audiobook someday.

Not now.

Maybe you envision a workbook.

Not now.

Maybe the book could eventually become a course, keynote, retreat, community, or second book.

Wonderful.

Put it on the Not Now List.

"Not now" doesn't mean never.

It simply means you're protecting your attention long enough to accomplish what matters most today.

The 12 Steps of Your Book Runway

Throughout this series, we're going to explore the pieces of a strong pre-publication runway:

Step 1: Decide What You Want Your Book to Do
Step 2: Know Who You're Writing—and Marketing—For
Step 3: Start Talking About Your Book Before It Exists
Step 4: Make Sure Readers Can Find You
Step 5: Build an Audience You Can Reach
Step 6: Build Your Book Marketing Toolbox
Step 7: Find Your First Book Champions
Step 8: Look for Recognition Before Publication
Step 9: Build Relationships Before You Need Promotion
Step 10: Create Your 90-Day Launch Runway
Step 11: Plan What Happens After Launch Day
Step 12: Decide Where Your Book Goes Next

And throughout the process, we'll keep asking three simple questions:

What needs to happen NOW?

What comes NEXT?

And what belongs on the NOT NOW list?

Because preparing a book for the world shouldn't require doing everything at once.

It requires doing the right things in the right order.

Your First Runway Assignment

Before you create another graphic, schedule another post, research another podcast, or add another item to your book marketing checklist, answer one question:

What do I want this book to do?

Not how many copies you want to sell.

Not what Amazon ranking you'd like to reach.

Think bigger.

Where could this book take you?

Who could it help?

What conversations could it start?

What doors could it open?

What could exist a year from now because you decided to write it?

Write down your answers.

That's your destination.

Next, we'll begin building the runway to get you there.

Give your book a runway before you give it a launch.

Ready to Build Your Book's Runway?

Knowing what to do before publication is one thing. Putting it into action is another. Download The Pre-Publication Roadmap: Give Your Book a Runway Before You Give It a Launch—a practical 12-step guide to help you identify what to do NOW, what comes NEXT, and what can safely stay on your NOT NOW list. Available in the Author Resources section of The Author Collab.

Build the runway. Create the momentum. Give your book somewhere to go.