When you start working with a book marketer, you will likely get an invitation to a shared Todoist project. This is not a request to become a project management person. You do not need to learn the app, create tasks, or check it daily. The shared board has one job from your side: keeping you informed about where your campaign is and flagging the moments when you need to take action.
This post covers what the board looks like, how to accept the invitation, and the one thing about Todoist invitations that confuses almost everyone the first time.
What Todoist Is (and What You Are Being Invited To)
Todoist is a task management app. Your marketing team uses it to manage campaign timelines, approvals, and internal tasks. When you are added to a shared project, you get a view into the part of their board that is relevant to you: your campaign, your tasks, your deadlines.
You are not being invited to learn a new piece of software. You are getting access to a shared board that keeps everything in one trackable place so you and your team are looking at the same picture.
How to Accept the Invitation
Todoist sends the invitation by email.
Step 1: Check your inbox for an email from Todoist with the subject line “You’ve been invited to join a project” (or similar). Check your spam folder if you do not see it within a few hours of your marketer telling you they have sent it.
Step 2: Click Accept Invitation in the email.
Step 3: If you already have a Todoist account, log in and you will be taken directly to the shared project. If you do not have an account, you will be prompted to create one. A free Todoist account is all you need. You do not need a paid plan to access a project someone has shared with you.
Step 4: The shared project will appear in the left sidebar of your Todoist account under “Shared Projects.” Click it to open your campaign board.
For more on how project sharing works in Todoist, visit the Todoist help guide on sharing.
What You Will See on the Board
Your shared project is organized into sections, broad groupings like ARC Campaign, Social Media, or Admin. Within each section are individual tasks with due dates and, in some cases, comments.
Tasks assigned directly to you show your name or initials. These are the items that need your input: reviewing a draft, confirming a detail, uploading a file. Tasks that are unassigned or assigned to your marketing team are visible for context (you can see what is in progress), but they do not require anything from you.
When a task is completed, your marketer marks it done and it moves out of the active view. You can see completed tasks if you want a full picture of what has been finished, but most authors only need to focus on what is open and assigned to them.
What to Watch Out For: The Workspace Invitation
When Todoist sends you a project invitation, it sometimes also shows a prompt to join the workspace, the broader account that the project lives inside. Clicking “Join workspace” gives you a different level of access: you may see other projects inside that workspace that are not yours.
You do not need to join the workspace. You only need to accept the project invitation. When the prompt appears, look for a way to decline the workspace join and accept only the project. If you are unsure what you clicked, ask your marketer to check what access level you have. They can adjust it from their end.
A second thing to note: Todoist sends email notifications for activity on tasks you are assigned to or following. If the volume of these emails is more than you want, you can adjust your notification settings inside Todoist under Settings → Notifications. Your marketer can also tell you which settings work best for the way your particular board is structured.
What Comes After
With your Google Drive folder shared and your Todoist board active, the core communication infrastructure for your campaign is in place. From here, the setup work depends on what services you are using.
If your first campaign involves an ARC, the Author Onboarding Bootcamp has the full list of what comes next, grouped by campaign type. The Google Drive setup post is worth revisiting if you have not yet added your manuscript and cover files to the shared folder. Those are usually the first thing your marketing team needs once the board is live.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a paid Todoist account?
No. A free Todoist account is enough to access and participate in a shared project. You do not need to upgrade to a paid plan.
What if I never check Todoist, will I miss something important?
Todoist sends email notifications when you are assigned a task or when someone comments on a task you are involved in. If your email notifications are turned on, you will be alerted to the moments that need your attention even without opening the app. That said, it is worth checking the board before key campaign milestones (ARC launch, release week) to confirm everything on your end is complete.
Can my marketer see everything I do in Todoist?
Only within the shared project. Your marketer can see which tasks you have completed and read any comments you add to shared tasks. They cannot see any other projects or tasks in your personal Todoist account.
What if I want to add a note or question to a task?
You can comment on any task by clicking it and typing in the comment field. This is the clearest way to leave a note that stays attached to the relevant task, rather than sending a separate email. Your marketer will be notified when you comment.
Can I complete tasks myself, or does my marketer do that?
Both. If a task is assigned to you (uploading a file, approving a draft), you can mark it complete once you have done it. Tasks assigned to your marketing team are completed by them. If you accidentally mark something complete that should not be, let your marketer know, since tasks can be unchecked.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a paid Todoist account?
No. A free Todoist account is enough to access and take part in a shared project. You do not need to upgrade to a paid plan.
What if I never check Todoist, will I miss something important?
Todoist emails you when you are assigned a task or when someone comments on a task you are involved in, so with notifications on you will be alerted to the moments that need you. It is still worth checking the board before key milestones like ARC launch and release week.
Can my marketer see everything I do in Todoist?
Only within the shared project. They can see which tasks you have completed and read comments you add to shared tasks. They cannot see any other projects or tasks in your personal Todoist account.
Can I complete tasks myself, or does my marketer do that?
Both. If a task is assigned to you, like uploading a file or approving a draft, you mark it complete once it is done. Team tasks are completed by them. If you check something off by mistake, tell your marketer, since tasks can be unchecked.