📚 Catch-22 — Self-Publishing Scorecard

Track 3: Amazon KDP | 3-Prong Strategy | Progress Tracker
← Command Center · Download Full Checklist (.docx)
3-Prong Strategy: Prong 1 (Literary Agent) + Prong 2 (Traditional Publisher) + Prong 3: Amazon KDP ← Active.
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📋 Phase 0: Prerequisites 0/6 ▼
Read: amazon_kdp_strategy.docx | Launch Day Plan
Sign up for Amazon KDP (kdp.amazon.com) — use existing Amazon account
Claim Author Central page (author.amazon.com) — link ALL 7 books to one profile
Install MailerLite (free account) — start building email list
Set up Amazon Ads account — linked to KDP
Confirm all 7 books have correct pricing (already done per Jun 9 session)
Read the full strategy plan: amazon_kdp_strategy.docx + acat_launch_day_plan.docx
🏗️ Phase 1: Foundation (Days 1-14) 0/17 ▼
Reference: Strategy Doc §1.1-1.4 | Author Bio | Ads Guide

1.1 Category Selection — Amazon categories = which bestseller lists you appear on

ACAT → Request 4 categories: Christian Sci-Fi, Christian Thriller, Time Travel, Religious Sci-Fi
Five Letters → Contemporary Fiction, Friendship, Small Town & Rural, Family Life
Darkly → Psychological Thrillers, Crime Thrillers, Suspense, Mystery
A Flash of Steel → Military Sci-Fi, Adventure Sci-Fi, War & Military Action
Email Amazon Seller Support to add 2 bonus categories per book

1.2 Keyword Backend Optimization — 7 keyword fields, 49 slots total

Research keywords per book using Amazon autocomplete + competitor ASINs
Fill all 7 backend keyword fields for ACAT (highest priority)
Fill backend keywords for Five Letters, Darkly, A Flash of Steel
Fill keywords for short story collections + Lucy in the Sky

1.3 A+ Content (Enhanced Brand Content)

Create A+ Content for ACAT — hero image, author story, comparison chart, mission statement
Publish A+ Content for Five Letters
Publish A+ Content for Darkly
Publish A+ Content for A Flash of Steel + short story collections

1.4 Author Central Setup

Update author bio — remove "2020" and "book 2 by end of 2023" references
Add author photo (professional headshot)
Link all 7 books to your author page
Enable Amazon Author Follow button
⚙️ Phase 2: Build the Machine (Days 7-21) 0/11 ▼
Reference: Strategy Doc §2.1-2.3

2.1 Email List — THE #1 ASSET (80% of millionaire authors have one)

Set up MailerLite signup form (free, 1,000 subscribers)
Create lead magnet: ACAT First 3 Chapters PDF + author story
Add signup link to Author Central page + Amazon book descriptions
Prepare welcome email sequence (3 emails: welcome, your story, what's next)

2.2 Review Strategy (20+ reviews = ads work; 50+ = algorithm boost)

Email 20 Christian fiction bloggers for review consideration (templates in catch22_drafts.docx)
Ask friends and family for honest Amazon reviews
Target: 20 reviews in 60 days

2.3 Pricing Strategy

Confirm current pricing on ALL 7 books (already set per Jun 9)
Plan first $0.99 promo for ACAT (KDP Select Free Book Promo)
Set price anchor: KU for discovery, $7.99 Kindle for revenue
🚀 Phase 3: Launch Sequence — ACAT Re-Launch 0/9 ▼
Detailed timeline: ACAT Launch Day Plan.docx

Week 1: Pre-Launch

Finalize all pricing and categories
Publish A+ Content on Amazon
Update Author Central bio with fresh content
Set up MailerLite with lead magnet ready
Line up 5-10 early reviewers (friends, church, family)

Week 2: Soft Launch

Launch first Amazon ad campaign ($5/day auto-target)
Send launch email to your list
Activate church small group reading program (Santa's job)
Request bonus categories from Amazon Seller Support

Weeks 3-6 detailed in acat_launch_day_plan.docx and track3_selfpublishing_checklist.docx

📢 Phase 4: Amazon Ads (Ongoing) 0/6 ▼
Full campaign details: catch22_ads_guide.docx

Campaign Structure

Campaign 1: Auto-target ($5/day) — let Amazon find the audience
Campaign 2: Manual-target broad ($5/day) — 30 keywords from ads guide
Campaign 3: Manual-target competitor ASINs ($5/day) — 22 ASINs from ads guide

Optimization

Don't touch campaigns for first 7 days — let them learn
Day 8: Kill zeros, pause losers, double winners
Weekly review: 15 minutes every Sunday
🎯 Phase 5: Promotional Tools 0/6 ▼
Schedule ACAT for 5 free days (KDP Select Free Book Promo)
Promote free days via email, social media, church network
Schedule ACAT Countdown Deal ($0.99 → $3.99 → $7.99)
Claim/update Goodreads author profile — link all 7 books
Find 5 Christian fiction authors for newsletter cross-promotion
Prepare swap copy + propose cross-promotion to author partners
🎯 Year 1 Targets 0/7 ▼
Revenue: $2,400 - $6,000
Email subscribers: 500+
Amazon Reviews (ACAT): 30+
Amazon Reviews (all books): 50+
Monthly ad spend: $450/month max
Net profit margin: 60-70%
Track metrics monthly via Ben Affleck scorecard

Expenses

ItemAmountSource
Lucy in the Sky books × 5 (@ $5.30)$26.50Steve
Shipping$10.50Steve
Taxes$6.55Steve
Total Catch-22 Expenses$43.55

Reference Documents

DocumentDescription
amazon_kdp_strategy.docxFull 7-phase battle plan (read this first)
acat_launch_day_plan.docxHour-by-hour ACAT launch timeline
catch22_ads_guide.docxAmazon Ads campaign setup + keyword lists
catch22_drafts.docxQuery letter drafts for agents
track3_selfpublishing_checklist.docxMaster checklist (downloadable .docx)
ACAT_First_3_Chapters.docxSample chapters for submissions
ACAT_Manuscript.rtfFull ACAT manuscript
ACAT_Author_Bio.docxUpdated author biography
Ben Affleck ScorecardFinancial tracking — costs + income
Updated Jun 21, 2026 18:30 ET · Command Center · Download Checklist

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