How First Readers works

The path from idea to book.

A First Readers campaign isn't a promise to publish. It's a transparent way to build evidence — for authors, for editors, and for the cultures asking for a book — that the demand is real.

The milestone ladder

Every reader who joins moves the campaign closer to the next stage. Each stage unlocks more support from Imagine We Publishers.

50
Spark — the idea has its first community
100
Proof — qualifies for editorial feedback
500
Momentum — featured on the homepage
1,000
Strong demand — author consultation begins
3,000
Publishing review — formal review by Imagine We
10,000
Major market signal — pre-orders open
50,000
Cultural demand — fast-tracked publication
A

For authors

Pitch a book before you write it. Build a waitlist. Hear, in real readers' words, what they want from your book — long before chapter one.

R

For readers

Back the books you've been waiting for. Call for a book from someone you wish would write one. Become a first reader of something that wouldn't exist without you.

P

For publishing

Imagine We Publishers uses these signals — never the other way around — to make better, fairer, more reader-led publishing decisions.

Privacy & trust

We don't sell your data. We don't share your email outside Imagine We. The campaign creator only ever sees public counts, comments you choose to share, and the city you optionally provide.

i
A campaign isn't a guarantee.
Reaching milestones doesn't oblige Imagine We Publishers to publish a book — it earns the campaign editorial review, author consultation, and a transparent path to publication. Your readers, however, are real, and we report every signal back to the author.