The Final Stretch: The Human Relief Project is Almost Here! 🚀
28 Days Left Until Launch Day
Hey everyone,
It’s been a wild few weeks. Every day after work, I’ve been diving straight into finalizing the book until bedtime—weekends included. Honestly, I underestimated just how intense these "final meters" would be. It turns out they're more like kilometers! 😅
The good news is that I’m almost there, and I have lots of exciting updates to share about my author journey, what’s coming next, and of course, your invitation to celebrate with me at the Launch Drinks in Berlin on October 19th.
If you’re more in the mood for some fiction than hearing me ramble about this process, I’ve got you covered too! You can check out flash fiction pieces or an excerpt from The Human Relief Project.
For everyone sticking around, let’s dive into all things book launch.
The Last 1.5 Months: What’s Been Happening
Manuscript Madness: After what I thought were the "final" edits, I realized there were about 2,000 more to go. From major revisions to tiny tweaks, it felt never-ending. Then came formatting the ebook and paperback, and more edits emerged with each pass. A lot of it came down to small details—like making sure every single dash across 400 pages was formatted correctly. You’d think AI could handle that kind of thing, but no luck there if you want 100% accuracy.
The Launch Team: One of the best parts of this journey has been pulling together a Launch Team of amazing friends and supporters. We had a kickoff meeting a few weeks ago, and since then, Daniel, Thu, Pelle, Rosalee, Bhavna, Masha, Johannes, and Adry have been helping me brainstorm, spread the word, and keep me sane through this rollercoaster of self-publishing. Whether it’s coming up with new ideas, preparing extra book materials, or just being there as a sounding board during the ups and downs, their support has been incredible. I couldn’t do this without them!
Cover & Blurb Reveal: If you follow me on Instagram, you may have already seen the big reveal of my book cover. Designing it was a journey of its own, but I’m so happy with how it turned out. Shortly after that, I also shared the book’s blurb—a crucial piece that took a surprising amount of time to get just right. These little milestones have made the whole thing feel much more real. Here are the posts if you missed them: Cover Reveal and Blurb Reveal.
Formatting Fun: Another time-consuming but essential task was formatting both the ebook and paperback versions. It’s amazing how much work goes into making sure every line break, font choice, and chapter heading looks perfect on both digital and physical copies. I’m aiming for the best possible reading experience, and that’s required a lot of back-and-forth between tweaking the layout and fixing small errors. The process taught me that moving from a 95% finished book to a polished 100% takes a lot more time than I expected.
Proof Copy Ordered: Just a couple of days ago, I ordered my paperback proof copy from Amazon, and I can’t wait to hold it in my hands next week! It’s going to be such a surreal moment to see the physical book. Of course, I’m bracing myself for the possibility of discovering more things to tweak, but fingers crossed that won’t be the case!
The Road to Launch
So, what’s ahead? The next few weeks are all about preparing for the official launch on October 19th. Here’s what’s on my plate:
Final Proofing & Submission: Once I’ve reviewed the paperback proof copy and made any last-minute changes, both the ebook and paperback will be submitted to Amazon for final review. After Amazon gives their approval, the book will be available for pre-order until the big release.
Website & Social Media: I’m working on making sure my website, Linktree, and Substack are all set up to present the book in the best possible way. I want The Human Relief Project to be easy to find across all channels, so it’s all about tightening up those details.
Spreading the Word: I’ll also be making some noise on Instagram and LinkedIn, plus doing some direct outreach to people I think might be interested in the book. It’s a busy time, but I’m excited to finally share this project with the world!
How You Can Support the Launch
When we get closer to launch, there will be simple ways you can support The Human Relief Project. Here are a few:
Share my posts on social media.
Write a review after reading the book (on Amazon or Goodreads).
Pre-order or order the book during the crucial first week of launch.
I’ll be sending out more detailed info on how to support the launch in about two weeks. But for now, if you know any podcasters, influencers, book reviewers, or anyone else who might be interested in the book, let me know! Every little bit helps when it comes to spreading the word.
Launch Drinks Invite 🎉🍷
To celebrate the launch, I’m hosting Launch Drinks for a small circle of family, friends, and you—my Substack supporters. It’ll be an intimate evening with good drinks, finger food (but no full dinner, sorry!), and plenty of conversation inspired by The Human Relief Project.
📅 Date: October 19th
⏰ Time: 7 PM - 10 PM
📍 Location: My home in Berlin
Since space at my home is limited to ~25 people, please RSVP by October 4th here, and only if you’re certain you can attend. No +1s, please — keeping it cozy!
A Final Note on the Author Journey
I’m loving the author journey—it's the first time in my life I can’t stop talking about something. If you’ve ever thought about publishing your own book, I’d be happy to chat and share what I’ve learned. Reading guides is one thing, but actually going through it? That’s when you really feel like a mix of Teddy Roosevelt’s Man in the Arena and Muhammad Ali after a punch to the face. 😅
Thanks so much for following along. Having you as part of my community means the world to me. Your support makes this journey even more special.
Cheers,
Max