Importance of Pre-Ordering Fatal Revenant

Post by **farscape** » Fri Apr 06, 2007 4:33 am

The crucial point is this: pre-orders from Amazon “count” for bestseller lists. In fact, all pre-orders are included as “first-day sales”. As I’ve explained elsewhere in this interview, being a “bestseller” measures the immediate speed with which a book sells, not the ultimate quantity of sales. Therefore one might be inclined to consider ultimate quantity more important than immediate speed. However, “bestsellerdom” has an undeniable perceptual power. On an intangible level, a book which touches, say, #14 on the NY Times list is considered to be an entire order of magnitude more successful than a book which touches #16. And on a tangible level, bookstores will stock more copies of bestsellers, and will stock those copies longer, than any book which does not achieve bestsellerdom. The results are akin to a self-fulfilling prophecy. The more copies a bookstore stocks, and the longer those copies are stocked, the greater the likelihood (duh) that some significant percentage of those copies will actually sell. Which has a direct bearing on ultimate quantity. In practice, being a bestseller tends to be self-perpetuating. Sadly, *not* being a bestseller *also* tends to be self-perpetuating. Hence the (otherwise irrational) emphasis that publishers--and reviewers--and bookstores--place on bestsellers.

When my agent first began trying to find a publisher for “The Runes of the Earth,” I was horrified to learn that most US publishers considered me a “has-been” simply because nothing that I’ve written since “White Gold Wielder” has been on the NY Times bestseller list. Enough pre-orders for “Fatal Revenant” could give my professional career a real boost.

(04/04/2007)

Above quote is taken from Mr. Donaldson's Gradual Interview.

Please consider pre-ordering your copy of Fatal Revenant.

Thanks.
farscape

Post by **Romeo** » Fri Apr 06, 2007 2:48 pm

Yes - as with voting, please order early and often!

Post by **danlo** » Fri Apr 06, 2007 3:09 pm

In that case I will definately pre-order!

Post by **dlbpharmd** » Fri Apr 06, 2007 4:03 pm

I'd love to pre-order but I don't think I could stand having to wait for shipping.

Post by **Creator** » Fri Apr 06, 2007 5:30 pm

I have pre-ordered (after I saw the GI comment.) Can always buy more than one!

And of course the ARC!!

Post by **Cameraman Jenn** » Fri Apr 06, 2007 5:47 pm

I just preordered one too!

Post by **aliantha** » Sun Apr 08, 2007 4:20 am

Now that I know what a big deal this is...I'm going to go to Amazon right now and preorder.

I think that Amazon takes into consideration the release date for shipping its preorders -- in other words, they send it out in time for you to receive it on the release date. That's what I understand has happened with the Harry Potter books in the past. (Can't tell you from personal experience, however, as we always do the midnight book-release parties for HP....)

Actually, ordering Fatal Revenant from Amazon will save me the trouble of scouring the local bookstores for a copy when it comes out. So it's a win-win!

Post by **dlbpharmd** » Sun Apr 08, 2007 11:35 am

It's true that Amazon has shipped Harry Potter books so that they would arrive on the release date, but my understanding is that Amazon does that because it's Harry Potter.

Post by **aliantha** » Mon Apr 09, 2007 12:48 am

That makes sense -- otherwise they'd be pilloried by angry HP fans....

Post by **A Gunslinger** » Mon Apr 09, 2007 3:37 pm

I'll preorder myself. I like SRD and hope his career is where he wants it to be.

Post by **danlo** » Mon Apr 09, 2007 4:59 pm

Just pre-ordered.

Post by **Usivius** » Tue Apr 10, 2007 7:50 pm

I have never pre-ordered in my life.
now however ....

Post by **wayfriend** » Tue Apr 10, 2007 8:10 pm

Pre-ordered.

Post by **Manny Calavera** » Thu Apr 12, 2007 6:13 am

I would in a heart beat,but,they dont take Paypal or Hyperwallet ! Arghhhhh !

Post by **Cameraman Jenn** » Thu Apr 12, 2007 5:18 pm

Amazon won't take paypal? That seems odd.

Post by **Usivius** » Fri Apr 13, 2007 6:23 pm

I just pre-ordered! And I didn't do it through (evil) Amazon.com. I went to my local bookstore chain (Chapters here in Canada) and pre-ordered!

Woo hoo!

Post by **danlo** » Tue Apr 17, 2007 3:12 am

Seems to me this topic needs to be placed somewhere else--or moved with a shadow.

Post by **MsMary** » Tue Apr 17, 2007 6:01 am

Hmmm...I have some buying to do, too.

Post by **Usivius** » Tue Apr 17, 2007 12:16 pm

YES! I would LOVE to see SRD get on the "best sellers" list again. It would hopefully instill a little more faith in his publishers, and perhaps we could have some spin-off books for other series like the maps of the Land boks, etc.
(greedy little me wants more! ... especially see something more from Mordant!...)

Post by **Apocalypse** » Thu Apr 19, 2007 5:05 am

How soon after hardcover release does paperback normally follow...I am not a fan of hardcover and much prefer mass-market paperback (simply from an aesthetic point of view) however I will compromise and consider trade paperback. I understand trade paperback is available much sooner than mass-market paperback, but how long after initial release?

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Importance of Pre-Ordering Fatal Revenant

Importance of Pre-Ordering Fatal Revenant