What marketing assets do authors need?
- Nine core marketing asset categories required before launch.
- Cover variants: ebook (~1600x2560), print (full wrap), audiobook square if applicable.
- Description: 4,000-character long + 300-character short.
- 7 keywords (KDP limit), 2-3 BISAC codes.
- Author bio: 50, 150, and 300 word versions.
Authors need nine marketing assets before launch: a cover (ebook, print, audiobook), a 4,000-character description plus a 300-character short description, 7 retailer keywords, 2-3 BISAC codes, a 50/150/300-word author bio, a high-res author photo, ad creatives (3-5 sizes), social media graphics (5-10 templates), and a newsletter sequence (5-7 emails).
Chapter i·Why it matters
Marketing scrambles in launch week happen because asset production was treated as a quick task instead of a deliverable. Each asset takes its own time — covers 4-8 weeks, ad creatives 1-2 weeks, newsletter sequences 1-2 weeks — and they do not all happen in parallel. Listing the nine categories before drafting begins prevents the last-week rush.
Chapter ii·What to include
- Cover assets in all required dimensions per format.
- Description: 4,000 char long, 300 char short, both proofread.
- 7 retailer keywords from Publisher Rocket or competitive analysis.
- 2-3 BISAC codes for genre placement.
- Author bio: 50, 150, 300 word versions.
- Author photo: high-res (300 DPI), square and landscape.
- Ad creatives: 3-5 sizes (Amazon, Facebook, BookBub formats).
- Social media graphics: 5-10 templates for launch week and ongoing.
- Newsletter sequence: 5-7 emails covering pre-launch, launch, and post-launch.
Chapter iii·Example
A self-publishing author runs a pre-launch asset audit at T-60. She finds she is missing the audiobook cover, two ad sizes, and one bio length. She produces all four in T-30 to T-21 instead of discovering them at T-7. Her launch ships with all nine asset categories complete.
Chapter iv·Related questions
WriteLoom’s Market studio tracks marketing assets with status, owner, and production timeline — so nothing surfaces missing in launch week.
See the Market studio