A Primer on the Almighty Pre-order
Hello all! April 6 is coming, and I can’t wait. The Addiction Inoculation: Raising Healthy Kids in a Culture of Dependence is at the printer, I’m pre-recording interviews for pub day release, and have been thinking about ways I can thank those of you who pre-order the book.
Authors talk about the importance of pre-orders all the time, but let me explain the ways pre-orders can make or break a book.
Print runs. Pre-order numbers help publishers predict how many books they should print. Recently, Ron Lieber’s pre-orders were so strong for his book The Price You Pay for College (and rightly so, it’s a fantastic book) that it went into its second printing before publication day. This is a big deal. It indicates to his publisher that demand is strong, and they may step up their publicity marketing efforts on Ron’s behalf once they see just how many people are interested in his book.
Booksellers pay attention. The number of pre-orders also tells book buyers from small indie stores to big chains like Costco, Wal-Mart and Target to pay attention and stock this in-demand book. It can get small books in big places if demand is high. Booksellers are also more likely to stick that book on the tables at the front of the store, in their email newsletters, and in the store window!
Media interest. Publicists can use strong pre-order numbers to convince news outlets to have the author on the air, using strong customer demand as proof of audience interest.
First day sales. First day sales are based almost entirely on pre-orders, so if you buy the book today (please do!), today’s sale won’t count until April 6, when the book is shipped to you. So all the sales that happen before April 6 count on April 6 and that leads us to item number 5...
Bestseller lists. Strong pre-order numbers can put a book on the bestseller lists right out of the gate. Getting on the lists is about more than book sales. That “New York Times bestselling author” tagline thanks to The Gift of Failure is mine forever and it has a very real effect on my ability to convince my publisher to buy my next book, to get a producer to book me for a show or an organization to hire me for a speaking event - heck, it will likely be in my obituary. On a practical level, getting on the lists not only stokes future book orders, it once again compels buyers and producers to take note, to stock that book and have that author on their airtime!
Algorithms. At sites like Amazon, strong pre-order numbers push a book up in their mysterious algorithm. When the algorithm loves you, you get more sales because it will “show” your book to more buyers. Books favored by the algorithm may pop up as a recommendation in your email or on the Amazon website, and a book with strong sale numbers will also be more likely to show up in the “if you like this book, you might like this other book” section.
Pre-orders are so important we authors are willing to beg and plead readers (and friends, relatives, mail delivery people, meter readers, shopkeepers and neighbors) to pre-order. We can be quite annoying, and if it’s any consolation, we don’t enjoy it either.
As my way of saying thank you for your patience and support, everyone who pre-orders my book will receive a personalized, signed bookplate and handwritten note from me. You will also have my eternal gratitude, but that’s less fun to stick in the front of a book.
All you have to do is fill in the form below to let me know where you bought the book (I’m operating on the honor system, like most of the farm stores in my Vermont neighborhood!) and hand over an address (US only, sorry!) and you will receive a book plate and note. If you’d like additional book plates for additional people, just indicate that in the “Any other information I might need?” section.
Again, thank you. I can’t wait for this book to be out in the world. This is the story I was born to write, the work that renders my alcoholism, my family history of substance abuse, and the past six and a half years since my last drink worthwhile and of some use to others.