VA- KDP Publishing Operations & Launch

About This Role
Hill Country Publishing LLC is an independent publishing company producing non-fiction, self-help, business, and lifestyle titles across multiple genres and pen names. The catalog is actively growing with a structured launch sequence — multiple titles in production at any given time, spanning different audiences and subject areas.
This role exists to handle the operational layer of the publishing business: coordinating ARC (Advance Reader Copy) outreach, managing the review pipeline, executing launch tasks across Amazon KDP, and transitioning into ongoing market research as the catalog expands. The work is detail-oriented, process-driven, and genuinely important — reviews and launch execution are the primary levers that determine whether a self-published book succeeds or disappears.
This is a part-time role to start. For the right person who executes well, it grows into a long-term position with expanding responsibility across a growing multi-genre catalog.



How the Role Is Structured
The position has two distinct phases. The first six months are focused almost entirely on launching the current titles in the pipeline successfully. Once those launches are complete and generating reviews, the role transitions toward research and infrastructure for future titles across multiple genres.

Phase One
Launch & Reviews
Months 1–6


ARC Outreach and Coordination
• Research and build a targeted list of ARC reviewers relevant to each title’s genre and audience — drawing from book communities on TikTok, Instagram, Goodreads, and genre-specific blogs
• Identify 50–100 micro-influencers per title using genre-appropriate hashtags and community searches, targeting accounts with follower counts between 5K–50K and high engagement rates relative to their audience size
• Find contact information (DM handles, email addresses listed in bios, contact forms) and build a tracking spreadsheet with columns for platform, handle, follower count, engagement notes, contact date, response status, and copy sent
• Send outreach messages using approved templates — all copy is pre-written and approved before sending; your job is accurate execution and tracking
• Follow up once per contact, two weeks after initial outreach, using the approved follow-up template
• Track all responses, log who is interested, coordinate digital copy delivery via BookFunnel or NetGalley (setup guidance provided), and update the tracker daily

Review Pipeline Management
• Monitor Amazon reviews for both books daily and log all new reviews with date, star rating, and key content in the tracking sheet
• Flag reviews that may warrant an author response (positive reviews worth acknowledging, critical reviews that contain factual errors) for author approval before any response is drafted
• Track Goodreads reviews and ratings separately from Amazon
• Send a weekly review summary every Monday with total review count, star rating average, notable new reviews, and any flagged items requiring attention
• Monitor for verified vs. unverified purchase status on Amazon reviews and flag any patterns that look like policy violations for the author to assess

KDP Launch Execution
• Manage the pre-launch checklist for each title: verify book description is live, confirm A+ Content is approved, check that all seven keyword fields are populated, confirm category selections are correct, and verify pricing is set correctly across all formats
• Coordinate the $0.99 launch pricing window — set the price change date, confirm it goes live, and flag when it’s time to move to the next pricing tier per the approved schedule
• Monitor Amazon Best Seller Rank (BSR) daily during launch week and log rankings in the tracking sheet every morning
• Check that all book formats (ebook and paperback) are properly linked on the Amazon product page
• Submit A+ Content updates when new material is provided by the author

Influencer and Community Outreach Tracking
• Monitor for TikTok and Instagram posts mentioning the books or the author name and log any organic mentions in the outreach tracker
• Screenshot and save any social media content featuring the books for the author’s records
• Research and maintain a running list of BookTok creators, genre-specific influencers, and community figures who would be appropriate for outreach as new titles launch across different categories

Phase Two
Research & Catalog Growth
Months 6+


Niche and Market Research
• Use Publisher Rocket, Book Bolt, and Amazon’s own search to identify keyword opportunities across the genres and categories in Hill Country Publishing’s active catalog
• Monitor the top 20 competing titles in the primary categories monthly: track their review counts, BSR trends, pricing changes, and any new entrants worth flagging
• Identify underserved niches across multiple genres — topics with demonstrated search demand, low competition, and weak existing titles — and surface them for the publisher’s consideration
• Research content ideas for future books by monitoring what questions, topics, and pain points generate engagement in relevant Reddit communities, Goodreads groups, TikTok comment sections, and genre-specific online communities
• Compile a monthly niche research report in a standard format (template provided) summarizing the top opportunities, notable competitor activity, and suggested focus areas for the author’s consideration

Ongoing Catalog Maintenance
• Maintain a master spreadsheet tracking all published titles with current BSR, review count, star average, pricing, and active promotional status updated weekly
• Flag titles whose rankings are declining significantly for the author’s attention
• Research and shortlist Amazon Advertising keyword opportunities for the author to review and approve before any ads are created or modified
• Coordinate ARC outreach for new titles as they enter the launch pipeline, using the established process from Phase One



What We’re Looking For
The most important qualities for this role are attention to detail, reliable follow-through, and clear communication. The tasks are well-defined and process-driven — what matters is executing them accurately and consistently, flagging issues when they arise, and never leaving the author wondering what’s happening.

Required
• Prior experience with Amazon KDP — you understand the dashboard, know what BSR means, and have helped authors or publishers manage titles before
• Experience with influencer or ARC outreach — you’ve built contact lists, sent templated outreach, and managed response tracking in a spreadsheet
• Strong English written communication — outreach messages represent the author’s brand; grammar, tone, and professionalism matter
• Reliable daily availability during the launch phase — launch weeks require morning check-ins and same-day updates, not 48-hour response windows
• Proficiency in Google Sheets or Excel — you build clean, well-organized trackers and maintain them consistently

Preferred
• Familiarity with Publisher Rocket, Book Bolt, or similar KDP research tools
• Experience with BookFunnel or NetGalley for ARC distribution
• Active presence in or familiarity with BookTok, Bookstagram, Goodreads, or genre-specific online reading communities
• Experience supporting self-published authors specifically (not just Amazon FBA or retail sellers — the workflows are different)
• Genuine interest in books and publishing across multiple genres — you read, you follow the industry, and you find the business of books interesting



What This Role Is Not
Being clear about this upfront saves everyone time.

• You will not be writing copy, making editorial decisions, or creating content. All outreach messages, listing copy, and response drafts are written and approved by the author before you send or post anything.
• You will not be making strategic decisions about pricing, categories, or advertising spend. You will execute decisions that have already been made and flag situations where a decision is needed.
• You will not be managing social media accounts. Monitoring for mentions and logging them is part of the role; creating or posting content is not.
• You will not need to purchase anything or access payment systems. Physical copy shipping (if needed) is handled separately.



Weekly Deliverables
Every week, the author expects the following with no chasing required:

• Monday morning: Weekly review summary (new reviews across all platforms, star rating update, any flagged items)
• Monday morning: ARC outreach tracker update (new contacts added, responses received, copies sent)
• Friday afternoon: BSR and ranking log update for all active titles
• As needed: Same-day flagging of anything urgent — a review that needs attention, a listing issue, an influencer response requiring follow-up

A note on communication style:

Weekly updates should be brief and scannable — bullet points, not paragraphs. If something needs the author’s decision or attention, say so directly in the first line. If everything is on track, say that clearly too. The author doesn’t want to read between the lines to figure out the status of their business.

Hours and Compensation
This role starts at 10–15 hours per week during the launch phase, with a higher concentration of hours in launch weeks (up to 20 hours during a book’s first two weeks on sale). Phase Two transitions to a more consistent 8–12 hours per week.

Growth Path
This role is designed to grow with the catalog. Hill Country Publishing LLC plans to publish multiple titles per year across a range of genres and audiences. A VA who executes Phase One well and demonstrates good judgment becomes the natural person to own the research and launch infrastructure for every title that follows — regardless of genre or pen name.
Longer-term, this could include coordinating with cover designers and formatters, managing a small ARC reader community, running Amazon Sponsored Products campaigns (training provided), and eventually leading the launch process for new titles with minimal author oversight. That growth depends entirely on demonstrated reliability in the foundational work first.



How to Apply
Please respond with the following. Applications that don’t include all four elements will not be reviewed — this is itself a test of whether you read and follow instructions carefully.

• 1. KDP experience summary: Describe specifically what you’ve done on Amazon KDP. What types of books, what tasks, how many titles, for how long. Generic "I have Amazon experience" does not qualify.
• 2. ARC or outreach example: Describe a specific outreach or review campaign you’ve managed. What was the book or product, how many contacts did you reach, what was the response rate, and how did you track it?
• 3. Tracker sample: Share a link to or screenshot of a spreadsheet you’ve built to manage a similar workflow. It doesn’t need to be KDP-specific — it needs to show that you build organized, functional tracking systems.
• 4. Availability and rate: Your weekly availability in hours, your timezone, your rate, and which platform you prefer to work through.

One more thing:
Start your application with the phrase “Ready to launch.” If you don’t, your application will not be reviewed. This confirms you read the full job description before applying.

Questions about the role can be asked before applying. We typically respond within 48 hours. Interviews are conducted via video call and are approximately 30 minutes. Successful candidates start with a paid two-week trial period before a longer-term agreement is confirmed.