The Pros and Cons of Preorders

Have you ever preordered a book? Ordering a book before it's launched is a big deal in the publishing world. Why?

• Builds anticipation. One thing publishers and authors love is positive buzz about their book. 

• Early sales. Another thing publishers and authors love is book sales! Gaining early interest is an indicator of how well a title may perform. 

• Manage inventory. The demand for a book is especially helpful when planning launch and signing events. Selling out of books may sound exciting, but it can also be frustrating for readers.

• Media attention. The more preorders, the more compelling a story, potentially making it easier to book interviews and events. 

With all the pros, it’s a wonder why some books don’t get a preorder campaign. Well, wonder no more. Here are the cons:

• Stress. Marketing a book is stressful enough. Preorders adds another deadline to the timeline. 

• Tighter deadlines. Ideally, the book needs to be done before a preorder campaign. This means editing, formatting, and cover design should be complete. 

• Potential missed sales. Some readers want instant gratification of buying a book once it’s available, so they’ll wait until launch. Low preorder sales lowers the sales ranking on Amazon. 

• Not right for all books. Fiction authors of popular series have a higher number of preorders than a standalone debut or nonfiction book. Readers are more likely to lock in a sale if they're already anticipating a book, not if they're looking for something to read right now.

While preorders are more prevalent in the traditional publishing world, many independent authors also set up their own campaigns. So, what about this indie author?

You may not see a preorder campaign for my next novel. Typically, these are launched at least a month before the book comes out. I’ve already set the release date for July 1 (and the book is still being edited as I write this)! Even though you—who's found my fabulous blog—know my name, I’m not ready to tempt the preorder-powers-that-be with the tight deadline and standalone status of my upcoming holiday novel.

Not to worry, July will be here soon enough, and you can be instantly gratified with an ebook or wait a few days for the hardcopy. Plus, launching a Christmas novel in July is almost like a preorder in itself. It allows for six months of steady promotion, reviews, and additional planning before the holiday season. So even though I won't be testing the preorder waters this time around, it's still something to keep in mind for the future.