Hey everyone! I’m Shane, Head of Digital Strategy here at Book Launchers. You’re going to be seeing me around this feed a lot more, so I wanted to properly introduce myself. :) I hail from the great state of Idaho, (yes - the one with the famous potatoes) and I’m an avid hockey fan, dog dad, and have most recently been dubbed a “marketing nerd” by some friendly faces here in this community. So, what are these BIG improvements you say?? A More Organized, Step-by-Step Learning Experience: - If you head over to the Classroom tab, you’ll start to see new courses being added. I’m reorganizing everything so your path through writing, publishing, and promoting your book is simple, clear, and easy to follow. A Major Upgrade to Author Launch Kit: - Our book marketing software just got a massive overhaul. I rebuilt ALK from the ground up based on feedback from hundreds of users, and I’ll continue rolling out new features, improvements, and resources to support every kind of book you’re creating. Weekly Tips, Ideas & Discussions: - The BL team and I will be posting regularly—sharing insights, tools, strategies, and prompts to spark discussions around all things book publishing. We want this feed to become one of the most helpful places you visit each week. Premium Access to Deep-Dive Trainings: - We’ve built up YEARS of incredible trainings, expert interviews, YouTube breakdowns, and super valuable resources.Many of these will be available to all members for free (check out the Author Foundations tab!), and we’ll also be introducing a premium tier with access to more advanced trainings and live calls—all at an affordable monthly rate. I’m thrilled to see this community growing into a real hub for authors who support one another while navigating the publishing journey. My goal is to make sure you have every tool, resource, and roadmap you need—right here, all in one place. If there’s anything you’d love to see added or improved as we keep building this space, drop your ideas in the comments! I’d love to know what topics, tools, or support would help you most.

Let's get to know each other! Comment below sharing where you are, a photo of where you write, and what your book is about. 😊

Update: I’m hiring someone to do the layout in InDesign. Am I crazy? I've always used Vellum for layouts, but I want a design that is more complicated than the software can handle. I'm looking at getting someone to do it professionally, but I prefer to keep control of the text so I can make adjustments in the future without having to go back to the designer. So I am playing around with MS-Word. I took a really fast attempt at it and this is what I got. It would need fine-tuning. But before I spend more time on this, I wanted to make sure I'm not going down a path that I might regret. Thoughts? Thanks!

Greetings everyone. I am still in serious research mode. Today I am wondering if we should add color images to an eBook. I suppose if the print interior is only b/w, then perhaps the eBook should match. Any thoughts? Thanks.

I kept pushing my book everywhere with almost no results, until I stopped, refocused, and figured out who I was actually talking to. Once I dialed in the right audience, everything started moving again. If you’re feeling stuck, sometimes it’s not the effort, it’s the aim. Happy to share more if it helps.