Why Pre-Orders Are SO Important

3 reasons why pre-orders matter to authors

Two weeks ago, I announced my new poetry book, The Music Was Just Getting Good, was available to pre-order. And you might be thinking, “I’ll just get it in January when it comes out.” And that’s totally fine! But I just wanted to take a moment to explain why pre-orders are more important than many realize.

Why are Pre-Orders SO Important?

There are a lot of reasons why pre-orders matter to authors. Here are MY top 3 reasons…

Creates Excitement from the Jump: Pre-orders generate buzz and anticipation for a book. When readers pre-order a book, it signals to publishers and booksellers that there is a strong interest in the title. This can lead to increased marketing efforts and better placement in bookstores, both of which can boost the book's visibility and sales potential.

For some reason, my books have NEVER been placed in Target, for example (sad face). Maybe this time we can convince them to order a few? IDK. Maybe.

Bookstore Support: Back to my gripe with Target! Bookstores (like Barnes and Noble) are more likely to stock and promote books with a strong pre-order run. This can be especially important for authors who want their books to be available in physical stores, as it increases the chances of shelf space and visibility.

Bestseller Lists: I honestly don’t care too much about this (I believe many of these lists are pay-to-play, and I’m not a cheat). HOWEVER - many bestseller lists take pre-orders into account when ranking books. If a book receives a significant number of pre-orders, it may have a better chance of debuting as a bestseller upon its release.