Such a great post. As a debut author I’m struggling with “all the things” - question: To have the preorder effort actually make a difference, what quantity of preorders would an author need to hit? “Make a difference” = good placement in Amazon category, bestseller, a sign of good sales momentum. . . Thanks!
That's the problem: there isn't a set number that makes a difference. I will say, though, that you know your book is moving a significant number of copies when your ranking is 1000 or under.
This is so helpful, as all of your posts are. The paperback edition of my book comes out September 1 and I've been trying to push pre-orders. I will spend the rest of the month trying to direct people to Amazon.
The last paragraph of this post really resonated with me, too.
Kathleen, thanks very much for reading and sharing my pre-order series, and for publishing your incisive perspective and valuable insights. Also great to see the comments and experience-based feedback from your community — all really helpful in further shaping strategies around pre-orders and the overall books to readers experience.
It also puts the author’s major supporters in a bind if they will come to a launch in the sense that the preorder for the launch is a short lead. So if you have a strong launch campaign planned, the people waiting for that will not be preordering early.
Two of my non-fic authors who have large platforms did their own value-added pre-order. One gave verified purchases an original drawing in the style of her book and a sticker she created. Then again, men are tattooing themselves with her image…
This resonates with me as an author and a consumer: "Consumers don’t feel they are missing out on anything if they wait to purchase a book after its publication date." As a consumer and supporter of authors, I TRY to get excited about pre-ordering, but I prefer to order it when I can actually get it. As an author, I'm like "ugh, sorry to bother you, please preorder my book, it's oh so important." But WHY is it important when the average consumer doesn't understand it or want to do it? Seems like the tail wagging the dog.
So helpful to get this perspective, thank you! As a "solid midlist" (future memoir title) author, I find preorder campaigns frustrating just because they wear out my audience too early in the process. When there are events at the time of publication, it's the same people I'm calling on to attend them, and it compromises sales for bookseller partners.... just feels like it's become one more thing to ask of them.
I enjoyed reading this perspective! Thank you! I also have seen many pre-order campaigns not deliver. It's just not the way people are buying books these days. I would love to hear more on your thoughts/ ideas on how book marketing could look like when "getting creative and framing a book’s publication like a “drop” is marketed. " ?
I've run pre-order campaigns when I've had a book that had a chance of hitting the NYT list. It helped to push them over the top (Misc & How To + Children's Picture Books) and has often resulted in NPD numbers that *should* have put it on the list.
That said, most books don't have that chance, and these titles had authors with fans & followers who we could reach with an attractive incentive.
As a self-published author I run preorders to all my books on Amazon. This catapults the books into the top 100 in their category on launch day and helps the book to be pushed by Amazon's algorithm for the first 30 days. Of course, I also run low cost Amazon ads, utilise my newsletter and do lots of newsletter swaps with similar authors.
Granular. Helpful. Speaking truth to at-sea writers. Thank you.
Fantastic post. Thank you, Kathleen.
Such a great post. As a debut author I’m struggling with “all the things” - question: To have the preorder effort actually make a difference, what quantity of preorders would an author need to hit? “Make a difference” = good placement in Amazon category, bestseller, a sign of good sales momentum. . . Thanks!
That's the problem: there isn't a set number that makes a difference. I will say, though, that you know your book is moving a significant number of copies when your ranking is 1000 or under.
This is so helpful, as all of your posts are. The paperback edition of my book comes out September 1 and I've been trying to push pre-orders. I will spend the rest of the month trying to direct people to Amazon.
The last paragraph of this post really resonated with me, too.
Kathleen, thanks very much for reading and sharing my pre-order series, and for publishing your incisive perspective and valuable insights. Also great to see the comments and experience-based feedback from your community — all really helpful in further shaping strategies around pre-orders and the overall books to readers experience.
Hello! Thanks for inspiring me to write this!
It also puts the author’s major supporters in a bind if they will come to a launch in the sense that the preorder for the launch is a short lead. So if you have a strong launch campaign planned, the people waiting for that will not be preordering early.
Two of my non-fic authors who have large platforms did their own value-added pre-order. One gave verified purchases an original drawing in the style of her book and a sticker she created. Then again, men are tattooing themselves with her image…
Yah. Not the norm!
Bad Monkey! Wednesday nights are fun again! ... thanks for the informative post.
This resonates with me as an author and a consumer: "Consumers don’t feel they are missing out on anything if they wait to purchase a book after its publication date." As a consumer and supporter of authors, I TRY to get excited about pre-ordering, but I prefer to order it when I can actually get it. As an author, I'm like "ugh, sorry to bother you, please preorder my book, it's oh so important." But WHY is it important when the average consumer doesn't understand it or want to do it? Seems like the tail wagging the dog.
I’m an instant gratification reader as well. I pre-ordered once because it was a gift for someone and I didn’t want to forget.
Exactly. I wish the publishing industry would find another way to promote new books than having authors beg a disinterested public for preorders.
Yep it does. I preorder books when I don't want to forget about them--and then they show up and I am like, "I ordered this?"
So helpful to get this perspective, thank you! As a "solid midlist" (future memoir title) author, I find preorder campaigns frustrating just because they wear out my audience too early in the process. When there are events at the time of publication, it's the same people I'm calling on to attend them, and it compromises sales for bookseller partners.... just feels like it's become one more thing to ask of them.
Yes! This!
I enjoyed reading this perspective! Thank you! I also have seen many pre-order campaigns not deliver. It's just not the way people are buying books these days. I would love to hear more on your thoughts/ ideas on how book marketing could look like when "getting creative and framing a book’s publication like a “drop” is marketed. " ?
LOVING Bad Monkey! So much fun. 😂😂😂
I've run pre-order campaigns when I've had a book that had a chance of hitting the NYT list. It helped to push them over the top (Misc & How To + Children's Picture Books) and has often resulted in NPD numbers that *should* have put it on the list.
That said, most books don't have that chance, and these titles had authors with fans & followers who we could reach with an attractive incentive.
I only pre order audiobooks so I don’t forget and spend my credit elsewhere. As you say, my rules for me.
As a self-published author I run preorders to all my books on Amazon. This catapults the books into the top 100 in their category on launch day and helps the book to be pushed by Amazon's algorithm for the first 30 days. Of course, I also run low cost Amazon ads, utilise my newsletter and do lots of newsletter swaps with similar authors.
Which is not the norm for trad publishers.
That’s why I self–publish. More control.
The Brits really love Bill Bryson and Rosemary Conley, don't they? That is indeed quite the fascinating list!