How to Set Up a Pre-Order Book on Amazon and Pre-Sell Your Self-Published Books (Updated for 2020!)

Amazon authors have to do everything in their power to stand out from the crowd. After all, it’s estimated that Amazon holds about 6 million eBook titles. So, for a reader to find your book, they will have to browse through more than 1,500 feet of linear, virtual bookshelves. But here’s the good news: setting up a pre-order on Amazon can help you stand out from the crowd and increase book sales.

And Amazon has just made it easier than ever for authors by updating its book pre-order rules and giving self-publishing authors a major advantage. Here’s what you need to know.

What is a Pre-Order?

When you release a book the typical way, you input the information into your KDP dashboard, and once you hit submit, your book is live in under a day. That’s a great way to self-publish your book, but with Amazon’s new algorithm changes, it makes more sense to set up your book for pre-order.

When you set up a pre-order book on Amazon, the book becomes live just as with a typical book page. And while people can still purchase your book, they won’t receive it until it’s officially released.

What Are the Benefits of Setting Up a Pre-Order on Amazon?

As an author, you will receive some great benefits by setting up your book as a pre-order—and all of them will affect your sales. Here are some of the best reasons to pre-release your book.

·        It keeps your readers engaged. How many times have you finished a book and then looked for the next in the series (fiction or nonfiction), only to discover that there isn’t one? You probably walked away disappointed, but then went on to find another author. But what if you found that you could pre-order the next book in the series? Would you do it? Of course, you would — and so will all of your readers.

·        It helps the book’s algorithm. Amazon is constantly changing the factors that determine where a book falls in the rankings. And the higher your book sits in the rankings the more people will see your books. Amazon’s newest changes ensure that books with the most sales out of the gate rank higher (I go into this in-depth in my new book, How to Market a Book on Amazon: Advice from a Consistent Bestseller which is currently available for pre-order). But the bottom line is that all those pre-orders will boost your day-one downloads, which improves your chances of being seen.

·        You will sell more books. Finally, when your book is available for pre-order, you will begin selling books before it’s ever officially released. And that will help you sell more books overtime for that all-important 30-day average on Amazon’s algorithm. It will also help you get on bestseller lists and the New Release list.

How to Set Up a Pre-Order on Amazon

The reasons I listed above are a great reason to release your book on Amazon as a pre-order. But the rules have changed, so if you’re not up to date on the latest, take a minute to read about how to do it now.

Step 1: Set Up Your Book

Your first step in the process is to go into your KDP account and begin the process of setting up your book. But when you come to step four in the process, you should check the “Make my book available for pre-order” box.

Step 2: Set the date

Now it’s time to set the date your book will be released. In the past, Amazon only allowed authors to schedule a release 90 days out, but that’s recently changed. Now it’s possible to set up a book for preorder one year in advance. This is enormous. That’s because it allows you to set up your book for pre-order as soon as you release the current one. If you’re prolific, you can set up numerous books for pre-order for the upcoming year. This works for both fiction and nonfiction authors. (Note: Amazon allows you postpone the date one time—after that, you will be restricted from any pre-orders for one year. So be sure you can meet the deadline!)

Step 3: Deal with the Manuscript

In the past, Amazon required you to upload a manuscript in order to pre-release a book, but that’s changed. Now, you have the option of uploading a draft manuscript or opting to wait and upload it prior to the deadline. This is a huge improvement. I was always worried that Amazon would accidentally release my “manuscript” that was nothing more than my outline and notes.

Step 4: Upload Your Cover and Description

While you don’t have to upload a manuscript, you will need to upload your book cover. Amazon doesn’t require this, but you can’t expect to make pre-order sales without one. Also, be sure to write you book description, including any keywords you’ve identified for the book.

Step 5: Set the Price

Regardless of how you intend to price your book once it’s released, you should set the price at .99 cents for the duration of its pre-order status. That’s because your goal is to get as many pre-order sales before its release date, so you will have a successful book launch.

Step 6: Contact Author Central

Once your pre-order book is live, immediately contact Author Central and ask them to add it to your series carousel. They will do this within a few days. Don’t begin promoting your pre-order until it’s an official part of your series or you will miss out on other sales.

Step 7: Send Your List an Email

Now it’s time to start bringing in some of those early sales. To do this, send your list an email announcing your new book. At .99 cents, you should rack up a few sales to get the process started. And because it’s now a part of your series carousel, other sales will begin to trickle in. Remember, the more sales you get, the more people will see the book because it will climb in the rankings.

This is Next Level Stuff—Are You Ready to Launch Your Writing Career?

There are two types of writers — those who write and pursue their dream and those who only talk about it. You can successfully launch a pre-order book whether it’s your first book or your twentieth. Whether you have thousands of people on your list or only your mom. Whether you set up one book for pre-order or an entire series. The measure of your success will be how much effort you put into it and how dedicated you are to the process. Will you have to adjust and pivot if it’s your first book? Yes, but that doesn’t mean you can’t be a success. Partner with other authors or run a pre-order book promotion instead of relying on your list. And if you don’t have an established series? Pre-launch the first few titles in it and start writing!

Be the RainMaker in your life by getting an outline together and setting up your book for pre-order on Amazon.

Your success as an author could be only a few clicks away!