The Thorny World of Book Pre-Orders

And bestseller math

One question I’m often asked is: Where should I buy your book so that you receive the most royalties?

That’s a thoughtful question, and the answer is easy. Anywhere. Anywhere you buy a book, from Walmart to the airport, the writer will receive the same amount of royalties once they’ve earned out their advance (which is a whole other thicket).

You can already buy my next book, DUST. Though it isn’t out yet, it’s available for pre-order. That means it’s not published, but you can reserve a copy in advance for later this year, when it will be.

The reasons for doing so are both for readers and for writers. For readers, you can pre-order a book when you have the funds, which may not be feasible for you on a book’s specific release day. You get the book in the mail the day it comes out, sometimes earlier—and sometimes, it’s a little present you forgot you got yourself.

For writers, pre-ordering helps careers. It lets publishers and booksellers know there is demand for this book. My last book TRASHLANDS was sold out in some locations on its release day. This sounds like a great thing, but was actually stressful because people who wanted the book couldn’t get it. The demand was underestimated, and some potential readers probably never went back to get it. Pre-ordering helps calculate better.

So, pre-ordering? Good. Where to pre-order? Complicated.

Most publications, like the New York Times, include pre-orders when curating their bestseller lists. Yes, I wrote curating. That’s a hard truth that may shock you, as it did me. Bestseller lists aren’t actual counts; they’re surveys, estimations. A guess. I guess that’s bestseller math?

But not all pre-orders are created equal. The New York Times weighs more heavily sales from independent bookstores when curating their bestseller lists, but which specific bookstores are unknown. It’s frustrating that getting on a bestseller list can change an artist’s life and help give their career staying power, but where to direct readers is a gate kept secret. A side benefit of pre-ordering from an indie bookstore though? You might help your local shop stay in business. Here’s a great source to find (and order online from) indie bookstores.

The most important thing is do what you can when it comes to art you love and want to see more of. Pre-order when and where you can. If you even a read a book—including from a library—you’re doing more than most people. We’re all trying to survive out here. The world is complicated, full of brambles, bears, and men.

Oh, and here’s the cover if you haven’t seen it.