What is a publishing lead time?
And why does it take so long?
When I signed my book deal, I was ridiculously excited… And nervous and terrified and proud and all of those delightful emotions that honestly kept me awake for days and caused a lot of indigestion. Chocolate may have had something to do with that, but who’s to say?
I couldn’t wait to tell everyone that my book was going to be published. Naturally, this is an awesome piece of news and honestly, it’s so fun to say. (For you aspiring authors, go on and say it. Feels good right? Hold onto that.)
But then the question was turned back to me: “When can I buy a copy?”
Uhhh, yeah. Of course, people saying they wanted to buy my book felt amazing and I’ll hold onto that. But I could only respond with a date that was far, far, faaaaaar… far in advance. We’re talking two and a half years in advance.
What?! Yeah, that’s called a lead time. They’re long. They’re really long. And they’re only getting longer thanks to COVID-19, supply chain bottlenecks, and lack of resources.
Let’s look at what a lead time is, exactly.
What type of publishing are we talking about?
Publishing lead times depend on what type of publishing we’re talking about. In traditional publishing, lead times are different than in self-publishing which is entirely at your discretion.
What happens during all that lead time?
When I tried to explain why it would take so long for my book to finally reach the hands of my (hopefully many… a writer can dream) readers, I felt like I was flailing.
Well, there’s this factor… and that factor… and editing takes for-freaking-ever… oh and design and marketing…
Eyes would glaze over as I tried to explain why it takes so long. It really doesn’t matter a lot to readers, which is totally fine. But as a budding author, understanding what goes on behind the scenes during all this time is important not just for your mental health, but for your planning.
So, here’s what happens:
Writing… obviously
Obviously. But there’s more to it than that. For some publishing contracts, the manuscript will already be complete, as in the case of most fiction. Nonfiction however is usually acquired by an editor prior to full completion and based on a book proposal. This makes the lead time longer because you need to, you know, write the book.
Welcome to my current situation. Please send chocolate and prayers.
If you’re in the writing mode of your publishing lead time, this can range anywhere from 9 to 18 months, depending on your contract negotiations and what you honestly feel like you can manage.
Do not take on more than you can manage. For those eager keeners in the back, do not take on more than you can manage.
Some writers can churn out books faster than I can spend my money buying them all. Some writers (and by some, I mean me) savour the writing process like a fine brandy… that is to say, we beat our heads against the walls and generally make ugly cry faces.
This, naturally, takes more time.
We’re productive like that.
Editing (sobs)
Editing is… a process. It’s a long road that for some writers can take years.
When you work with an editor, the process becomes a back and forth conversation that requires trust and communication. Ideally, you and your editor will have the same passion and vision for your book, and editing will only make it that much better.
That’s not to say that the likelihood of the editing process being a tough one won’t happen. Because, well, it’s editing. Joy.
Editing also includes final copyediting and you will be responsible for reviewing the final proofs.
Depending on the extent of edits, your editor’s backlog, or the publisher’s anticipated release schedule, the editing process can range anywhere from one month to a half a year.
Marketing and design… yay!
A few years back I took a creative writing workshop and one of the exercises was to envision the book cover for the project I was working on at the time. I thought this would be no problem. I can do this. After all, I’d been working on this book for… well, forever.
And nothing. I came up with absolutely nothing.
That’s what the marketing and design team is for. They will strategize together, designing the best cover for your book and what channels to best market it.
The marketing team will also work with booksellers to get your book on their shelves, and approach reviewers who can review your book.
Keep in mind that even with traditional publishing, authors still need to do a lot of their own promotion. Being active on social media helps, as does attending panels, interviews, and other events. Literary festivals are a great way to promote not just your book, but you as an author.
Printing and advance reading copies… more yay!
Advance reading copies (ARCs) are available anywhere from four weeks to six months in advance of the release date. These copies are distributed to reviewers, literary journals, media outlets, bloggers, and other authors who might give your book a positive review.
Some reviewers might request an ARC from your publisher if they plan to do a review of your book.
Plus, you also get your author copies. Yay!
Release… yay? Yay. Yay! Yay? Wait…
The day has finally arrived. All those months (let’s be real, years) of hard work have culminated in one day: release day.
A lot of authors feel excitement about release day. A lot also feel anxious, nervous, and downright terrified. Some even feel incredibly underwhelmed. After all, they’ve worked so hard all this time and now that the day is here and… and what?
It’s hard to see the immediate results of your sales. It’s not like fireworks go off and there are celebrations in the streets.
But take heart in knowing that you did it. You’ve made it. You’re a published author. Now go promote yourself.
Or start writing a new book.
Or eat cake and watch every season of Game of Thrones.
Or… sleep.
You deserve it.
