Check each external resource link in the final exported manuscript, then inspect the destination as a reader would. Confirm that it leads to the promised material, that access requirements are explained, and that the book remains understandable if a supplemental resource is unavailable. Record the checked version and revisit links after changes.
Build a list from the publication file
Start with the manuscript intended for publication and identify every external resource reference. Include visible web addresses, linked text, references in captions, and directions to supplemental material. A list taken only from the working outline may miss links added during editing. Compare the export with the editable source so you can repair problems in the file that will produce future versions.
For each reference, record the surrounding promise. “Download the blank worksheet” describes a different expectation from “read further examples.” This context matters when assessing the destination. A link can open successfully and still fail the reader if it leads to a general homepage rather than the specific material the instruction describes. The audit should test the promise, not merely the existence of a reachable page.
Follow the route without relying on author access
Open the destination in conditions that resemble a new reader’s access. Avoid using an author session as the only evidence when it may already have permissions or subscriptions the reader lacks. Note any account, payment, application, or other prerequisite that appears. Review current requirements directly at the destination before describing those details in the book, because external services can change.
Check the full route to the promised material. A landing page may load while its download button fails or leads elsewhere. If the book names a file, compare the downloaded or displayed resource with that description. Do not enter unnecessary personal information or perform a purchase just to conceal an unresolved access question. Record what could be verified and what remains unknown for the author to resolve.
Check whether the destination still supports the lesson
Read enough of the resource to confirm that it remains relevant to the instruction. A page may keep the same address while its contents change. If a chapter asks readers to use a particular example or worksheet, confirm that the resource still contains it and that the terminology matches. Update the manuscript when the external material no longer supports the intended task.
For a supplemental worksheet, compare its fields with the exercise. If the book asks for three planning inputs while the current worksheet provides a different structure, the link creates confusion even though it works technically. Either provide an appropriate reviewed resource or revise the instruction. Avoid sending readers through a series of unexplained substitutions that require them to reconstruct the author’s original workflow.
Make dependencies and fallbacks explicit
Distinguish essential external material from optional further reading. If readers cannot complete a core exercise without a separate file, explain that dependency clearly where it affects their preparation. If the link merely offers additional context, the main lesson should still make sense without it. Review the description and introductory instructions when an access requirement materially affects the experience being promised.
Consider a practical fallback within the book’s scope. A printed example or a clear list of worksheet fields may help readers understand the task if an optional download is temporarily unavailable. Do not claim that such a fallback replaces a resource when it does not. The aim is to make the book’s dependence on external material deliberate and visible, rather than discovering it only when a reader encounters a broken route.
Verify the final presentation and retain the record
After correcting links, export again and inspect the relevant references in the intended format. Check visible addresses for missing characters and linked text for the correct target. Where readers must type an address from a printed page, evaluate whether the instruction is clear and practical. Review applicable current formatting guidance for the publication format rather than assuming that behavior in the editor proves behavior in the output.
Save the link list, observation date, destination notes, and checked export together. Identify resources you control and those maintained by others so later revisions can revisit the right questions. A completed audit is a dated observation, not a promise that every external page will remain unchanged. It gives the author a reliable starting point for maintenance and gives readers a clearer route through the book’s current instructions.
Frequently asked questions
Clear answers for this publishing decision.
Does a successful link check prove a resource is usable?
No. It may show only that a destination responds. Inspect whether the promised material is present, whether a new reader can reach it, and whether it still matches the book’s task. Record any access requirement or unresolved limitation.
Should I remove every external link from a print book?
No. Use external resources when they serve a clear purpose and explain how readers can reach them. Distinguish optional material from essential dependencies and test the route described on the printed page.
When should the links be checked again?
Recheck them before a revised edition or other publication update that relies on those resources, and after learning that a destination changed. If the manuscript’s instructions change, confirm that the linked material still supports the revised task.
Which trim size, page count, margins, and bleed setting work together for my paperback?
Check the complete combination first: a trim size, ink and paper type, and page count must be a supported KDP set, and the page count then fixes the minimum inside margin and whether the interior needs a bleed page size.
Set the format in a book project