Does it seem odd to you that pre-orders for my next book were available on Oct. 2, and, yet, the official launch for Onesimus: The Fugitive Who Found Grace isn’t until March 2?
It does to me, too.
Five months? Really?
Well, yeah. That’s the reality.
Most folks don’t pre-order a book five months in advance, right? So why should we ask anyone to do that for our book (great as it might be)?
Pre-orders are a huge part of gaining momentum and maybe even hitting some coveted best-seller lists, so there will come a time when I’ll make getting some of those a priority. But not now. Not five months in advance.
For now, I’ll write blogs on topics I hope you find interesting, including some about the book. And I’ll start working with some beta readers who can help get the word out about the book when the time is right.
I’m not in a huge hurry because, frankly, I’m not selling anything, not even the book. If you like my writing and think the book sounds interesting, you’ll buy it. If not, you shouldn’t. I just want you to know enough to make an informed choice.
When it comes to explaining the reason for the gap between pre-order availability and product availability, I’m reminded of a sign that hung in the newspaper shop my parents owned when I was growing up: “Reason? No reason. Just company policy.”
In part, that’s true. But if you’re interested, allow me to share some insider baseball on this topic, because as a ghostwriter and editor whose primary source of income comes from helping folks with their books, I get this question all the time.
The short answer is that publishers usually list a book with retailers once they’ve gotten to a stage in production where they have a full cover (front, back and spine) and know the size of the book won’t change (the interior layout is finalized and the page count is set). That’s when they can accurately set the price based on their costs.
There’s still work to be done, however, and that work takes a few months. Maybe not five months, but usually at least two and sometimes more.
How long depends on how you publish the book.
Self-publishing – You can get a book within a month or two of finishing your manuscript, but you do all the work yourself, including marketing and distribution, and you take a ton of risks when it comes to quality. Sometimes, it’s the right option. Sometimes not.
Traditional publishing – Unless someone dangles a big payday in front of their eyes, the folks who occupy offices in tall, New York City buildings tend to move at the speed of a glacier. That gives them time for important meetings and long lunch breaks.
They don’t take on many unproven authors. And when they do, they don’t offer many advantages other than the prestige of their brand. If that’s your path, you can get a book within nine to 12 months of finishing your manuscript.
Hybrid publishing – With this model, you usually can get a book within six to nine months of finishing your manuscript. You pay for professionals to edit and produce the book and to get it into distribution. If you want marketing, they’ll help with that, too. For a price.
Speaking of price, hybrid publishers come in all varieties, and you usually get what you pay for. Read the fine print and avoid the fly-by-nights who overpromise and under-deliver. But there are some good ones, and they will save you time, money, and headaches.
The bigger, more reputable hybrid publishers, like the one I’m working with for Onesimus, print in larger quantities, because that saves money over print-on-demand and produces a nicer-looking book.
They also actually try to sell your books to brick-and-mortar bookstores. So, they need some lead time to pitch your book to retailers, especially the ones that have a physical presence like Barnes & Noble or the smaller independent stores.
And they understand buying cycles, so sometimes they intentionally push pause so that the book comes out when research shows folks are more likely to buy that type of book.
Early in my journey to publish Onesimus, I made a decision to work with a publisher I felt would be the best partner. The company has been around for more than 30 years, has had several bestsellers, is selective about the authors it publishes, and offers tremendous support both in the production of the book and in the marketing of the book.
In short, I went with high quality and high support even though I knew I could have gotten the book out faster with other publishers.
I’d rather have the book my hands today. But more importantly, I’d rather we all have a great book in our hands a few months from now. So, we wait. Thanks for your patience. Oh, and please pre-order a copy.
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