In House: The Power of the Pre-Order

Part of the publishing system’s prowess with sales is the pre-order. That is, selling a book before it is printed (on paper and/or as an ebook, which sometimes happens when the paper book is officially released but may also come after the paper book is printed and in readers’ hands). In the order-of-operations that is publishing a book, the pre-order fills the space of time about two months before the paper book is released—that is when the book is printed and on bookshelves.

There are several reasons this part of the publishing process exists. 

1. Excitement! Oh yes! A key marketing strategy is to begin stirring up attention and accolades, reader reviews of advance reader copies (ARCs), like on Netgalley, and general publicity for a book that will soon be released. The pre-order is a call-to-action to fans and readers alike to urge them to get excited about a newly published book. The pre-order publicity shows the book cover, offers details about the author, includes blurbs or reviews, and gives readers a chance to buy the book before it hits the shelves. This builds anticipation and creates buzz for the forthcoming publication.
   
   
2. Sales! Bring in the money! The pre-order is an actual book sale. Readers pay for the forthcoming book before it’s in their hands. For an independent press, this can be an extremely important part of financial planning. If pre-order sales are robust, this helps costs for printing and publicity. Pre-order sales show a direct link to reader excitement which makes both the publisher and author feel great, and builds hope for continued success upon release. 
   
   
3. Guaranteed Book-In-Your-Hands! Whether this is to share their excitement or because they love to get a book hot-off-the-press (or both!), readers can pre-order directly from the publisher (especially with independent presses) or from their favourite bookstore or on All Lit Up. The pre-order guarantees a copy of the book when it’s released. Making a pre-order purchase means the reader won’t be disappointed if she goes to the bookstore on release day, and all the books are already sold out—they are guaranteed a copy because they already paid for it. Sometimes, the publisher can even offer special bonuses for those who pre-order, like the book being signed by the author or bundling that season’s books together for some kind of promotional sale. 
   
   
4. Best-Seller Status! Pre-order sales count toward total sales that are accumulated during the first week the book is released (even though, technically, the sale was made before the week the book is released). Sales that happen during this first week can be measured. There are various ways bestseller lists are compiled—some outlets count sales in physical bookstores. This can get complicated and warrants its own article! But for now, it’s important to note that pre-orders do, in fact, affect best-seller lists.
   
   
5. Author Confidence! Knowing that your book is selling well before it’s released is a really amazing feeling. It shows that people are paying attention—literally, paying with their hard-earned money to support you, the publisher, and your publication journey. It helps with the energy it takes to plan book events/tours. It helps with having the courage to promote your book to family, friends, and other fans. It’s an all-around fantastic way to boost a writer’s confidence in their soon-to-be-birthed book. 
   

There is some very mindful and masterful reasoning that lives in the publishing process that is the pre-order. If you’ve never pre-ordered a book, why not start today?

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Vanessa Shields is a writer, mother, reader, laughter, and lover of chocolate and swimming. She’s had four books of poetry published, one memoir, and her young adult novel is dreaming its way into publication. She’s the owner of Gertrude’s Writing Room, a mobile creative writing school. She edits, teaches, and builds literary community in Windsor, ON where she lives with her family.