Three reasons why preordering books benefits you (the reader) and the authors you love:
1. It gives you an opportunity to talk to booksellers.
For you: Even if you preorder online, you begin to develop a relationship with your local bookseller, especially if you order from an indie. The bookseller begins to see where your interests lie and can make recommendations targeted to your tastes. When you place orders, they value your business.
For authors: Your bookseller may learn about authors they didn’t know, begin to order more of the authors’ books, and recommend those authors to other readers.
2. Impressive preorder sales encourage editors to publish more books by the author.
For you: Your favorite authors’ books get moved up in the production line. This means you get their next book sooner.
For authors: The publication process takes time, especially for picture book writers and illustrators (usually two years or longer!). When an author’s sales are profitable for publishers, they’re eager to do business with those authors again and get their books out at a quicker pace.
3. Lots of authors offer incentives for preorders.
For you: Tokens of appreciation and/or discounts from your thankful authors.
For authors: Happy fans always make authors cheer.
With thanks to author Hannah Holt for posting about this on social media.