What is preordering, and why does it matter?

You’ve probably run into social media posts where your favorite authors encourage you to preorder their newest book.

Until I published my first novel, I had no idea why it mattered. Honestly, I probably didn’t think that it did.

But preorders (buying books before they’re published) are one of the single most important ways to support an author. They play a crucial role in supporting a book’s early success, from publicity to getting on bookshelves and bestseller lists.

While publisher involvement (aka, point #1) is primarily specific to a book released by a publishing house, preorders are also important to self-published authors (and they can help forge a traditionally published career, if someone is interested in that).

1. Preorders Tell Publishers a Book Is Worth Investing In

Publishing is built on forecasting. Before a book even hits shelves, publishers look at preorder numbers to determine:

• How many copies to print

• How much marketing spend to allocate

• Whether they should expand distribution

• Which titles deserve extra in-house attention

Strong preorder performance is one of the most reliable indicators of a book that will sell well long-term. When readers preorder, they’re showing that the book is popular, has momentum, and deserves a little more love from the publisher (ie - more marketing support and collateral, more publicity pushes, etc).

2. Preorders All Count Toward First-Week Sales

Every single preorder counts as a sale on release week.

This can make a huge difference for:

• Bestseller lists. Most bestseller lists count how many books have sold in a seven-day period. Preorder windows often last several months, and all those books sold in those months count toward first-week sales.

• Placement in bookstores, which impacts how easily new readers can find a book. Good retail real estate is super competitive, and preorders create confidence that a book will be popular and sell copies.

• Whether booksellers take a chance on stocking (and re-stocking!) the book. Not every bookstore carries every book, which, again, impacts opportunities for readers to discover them. Higher preorders? A bookstore will be more likely to make that purchase. Preorder numbers can also help determine how many copies they initially buy.

Do I wish that sales weren’t such a big conversation in an author’s career? Of course. Authors do this, first and foremost, because we love storytelling, not because we love looking at reports about whether or not our art has found an audience.

But publishing is a business, and it’s important for writers (and readers) to understand how it works and how to navigate that so they can continue telling stories and building careers.

3. Preorders Help Authors Sell Foreign Rights (and More)

Agents and editors often use preorder momentum when pitching:

• Foreign rights

• Special editions

Proof of early excitement over a book can also lead to:

• More media coverage

• More events

• More publishing opportunities

When a book shows early traction, it becomes easier for agents and publishers to sell the book into new formats and territories. And, again, publishing is a business. If publishers see that there’s excitement, they’re going to be more invested in building upon it.

Of course, preorders are not going to make or break a career. There are so many other factors in how a book finds an audience or picks up steam.

The Gist: Preorders Can Change a Book’s (and an Author’s) Trajectory

Preorders mean more sales right out of the gate, but they’re most important for how they shape publisher behavior, retailer confidence, media coverage, and ultimately, an author's long-term career.

If you love an author, one of the easiest things you can do is to preorder their next title.

Where should you preorder books?

From your local independent bookstore!

This helps support both bookstore and author — you’re guaranteeing a sale for the bookstore and boosting that book’s chance of being successful. And, you’re helping your bookstore better understand what titles the community is excited about.

Even if the bookstore chooses not to carry that title, they will special-order it for you!

You can also order books online from indies at Bookshop.org.

What are free ways I can support my favorite authors?

• Request that your local library order a copy of their book! This can also count towards a preorder (depending on when they order it, of course). Most libraries have a form where you can ask that they carry a new title. Also, libraries are the best.

• If you love a book, leave a positive review online. Reviews can help boost a book’s visibility on that platform (the algorithm will like it more). You can copy and paste the same review on different platforms.

• Post about it on social media!

• Tell your friends :) There are few things more special than getting an email from a reader who heard about one of my books through a friend. We pour a lot of love into our work, so it means a lot to get notes like these.

I should probably mention…

Princess Swap #4 is available for preorder now, and it will hit shelves on July 7, 2026. I would be very, very grateful if you preordered it! (And if you do, shoot me an email, and I’ll send you a signed bookplate and a bookmark!)