The order that sells the book
The countdown and pre-order first, because before launch that is the one thing you need a visitor to do. Then the proof, in the order a cautious reader needs it: what the book is, what someone thought of it, a chapter to try. The signed copy follows for the convinced. The older books, readings and clubs are for readers who stay, and the newsletter closes the page.
- Countdown and pre-order
- The book and one quote
- First chapter
- Signed copy
- Backlist, readings and newsletter
Goodreads, Amazon, Wook, Bertrand, Skoob and Substack
Your readers already live in a few places, and the page links to them rather than competing. In the US and UK that is usually Amazon and Kindle, plus Goodreads for reviews. In Portugal it's Wook and Bertrand, plus the publisher's own shop. In Brazil it's Amazon.com.br, the big bookshop chains and Skoob, where readers keep their shelves. Put the store links behind the book link, on a page that lists several, and keep Goodreads or Skoob for the "want to read" crowd. If your newsletter lives on Substack, put it in the social icons and keep the email sign-up for readers who don't use it. Self-published authors can sell the ebook directly as a download product.
What to write in an author's bio
Say what you write, not only that you write: "Novels about families and the houses they can't leave" tells a reader in one line whether you're for them. "Author" alone is a job title, and a stranger can't do anything with it.
Then the current news, with a date: "New novel out 6 November". It gives a reason to tap now. After launch, swap it for the latest reading or the paperback date, so the bio never goes stale.
Posts that send readers to the link
The writing itself does better than the cover reveal: a paragraph you cut, a photo of the notebook, the real place a chapter is set, the question readers keep asking. End each with one thing to do, like "the first chapter is free in the link in bio".
In launch weeks, post the countdown more than feels polite. Most people see a fraction of what you post, and pre-orders usually come from the third reminder, not the first.
What to avoid
Fake praise. Don't invent quotes, borrow a famous name or call yourself a bestseller unless a list says so. Readers notice, and it follows the book around.
A page with fifteen retailer buttons. Choice feels generous, but it makes people stop. One book link to a page with the shops, one chapter, one signed copy: fewer taps, more readers.