Distributed grating coupling of light pulses into planar waveguides, exhibiting third-order nonlinear-optical effects, is studied theoretically. The nonlinear interaction taking place between a beam that is Gaussian in time and space and one or more waveguide media with intensity-dependent refractive indexes or absorptions is analyzed, with emphasis on the different effects that result from the relative importance of two-photon absorption, dispersive index changes, and their saturation. Criteria for the evaluation of real and imaginary parts of chi-(3) by means of grating coupling are outlined.