What you need to know about timing the release of your book.

To be brief: start early! If it’s November and you’re shooting for books on the shelves of retail chains like Barnes & Noble and Borders for the Christmas season, sadly, you’re about four months late. Retail buyers generally buy six months out, which means that they were making decisions in June about what they would carry in November for the holiday season. June is the time that buyers have their largest available budget for November, so if your publisher or distributor is trying to pitch your title for a Christmas-time release any later than June, you have a much slimmer chance of getting a good buy (or any at all) because most of the money allotted for that month has already been spent.

Most publishers and distributors work under catalog schedules built around these retail lead times. Ideally, they have advance reader copies or galleys available to present to retail buyers at the six-month-out point. If galleys are not ready, the next best option is to present a title, cover image, table of contents, a few sample chapters, and the ever-important marketing plan. Plan to have these critical materials ready at least six months before your desired pub date in order to maximize your chances of a successful pitch.

There are many other factors that may present timeline delays depending on what publishing route you take. Here is a quick rundown of the factors to consider, along with time estimates:

If you go the traditional route…

Time to get an agent: Once your manuscript is complete and polished, 12 months

Time for the agent to shop your book: Once you have an agent, 6-18 months

Time to publish with a traditional publisher: Once the agent finds a buyer, 12 months

If you do it yourself…

Time to print offset, domestically: 6-8 weeks

Time to get a distributor: 1-3 months

Time for sales presentation to buyers: 6 months before book release

These estimates are averages and many of these processes can be faster or slower. In your pursuit of the perfect release date, whether it’s for the holidays, spring, or the beginning of the school year, make sure you allow yourself plenty of time to research and plan for each step in the publishing process.  If you want to maximize the sales potential and buzz around the release of your book, be realistic about what goes into each leg of the journey and set your timeline accordingly.