It can be really tempting to release your book as fast as possible. Throw your most recent draft at a proofreader, slap a cover on it and set a date for 2 weeks later. But release dates can go quite badly if they aren't planned well.
Once there was an over-ambitious author, with a full-time job, 2 kids and a dream to be published by his birthday. Five months beforehand he sent me draft number 7 and I was delighted! We had plenty of time.
But hark! he also sent it out to 11 beta readers, who also had lives and their responses, trickled in slowly, haltingly and required edits and updates to his 85,000 word epic.
Three months later we did a second edit. "It is looking great!" I said. "Just get in back to me in 6 weeks so I have plenty of time to review it before your format artist needs it."
And with an electronic smile he thus did promise.
Two weeks before the deadline, there is no manuscript in sight.
One week before the deadline, thusly.
I utter'd a warning dire. "Amazon will spurn you for a year if you miss the deadline to upload you manuscript."
What ho! Four days before release he delivers me his work.
Day and night and day I toil, skipping Halloween fun and fright.
But the deadline fades out of sight.
The work is done, one day too late.
And so it has a gruesome fate.
His most ardent fans, mother, friend, brother,
Have receiv'd a version until the other
This rough draft is riddled with errors and holes
As well as other, less mentionable woes.
All because he missed his deadline
KDP published the wrong lines.
So if you choose pre-order, have a care
Less you have a cause to beware.