A note to booksellers
I’m an independent bookseller too, and I know what it’s like out there. We’re busy, we’re exhausted and residually stressed from the last two years, and we’re hungry to do our jobs well and make sure that quality books are put in the right readers’ hands. Time is at a premium and so is our energy. Sifting through requests for shelf space or author events from self-published authors can feel like the proverbial straw on the camel’s back — especially when it seems like these authors are often not all that well informed about how the business works. But there are all sorts of reasons people self-publish. Yes, some people aren’t as informed as they could be. I’m not going to deny that. Some people go blindly into self-publishing without researching best practices, and quite possibly without ever writing anything beyond a first draft. There are terrible covers, badly written cover copy, and stories that are poorly crafted. But there are also many, many serious writers and entrepreneurs in the indie author business. Some people, for many valid reasons, prefer self-publishing as a business model. And others of us, our hearts having been repeatedly broken by traditional publishing, see it as an opportunity to get our book in readers’ hands rather than languishing in our metaphorical bottom drawer. I can’t speak for every self-published author, but here’s my story: I’ve been writing seriously for 13 years. I have read dozens of craft books, done an MFA, and been on countless courses. I’ve been longlisted for a prestigious award in the UK. I’ve had two agents get excited about and pitch two different novels to publishers. Those publishers have been so kind and enthusiastic, saying all sorts of nice things about my writing, comparing me to authors like Jojo Moyes, and then politely declining to publish me for reasons that have, often, nothing to do with the quality of the book. To then have a bookseller at an independent bookshop — which I love, which I champion — eye me suspiciously or even sneeringly breaks my already very bruised heart. It also means I probably won’t ever spend money there or recommend anyone else does. So my number one piece of advice for independent bookshops is this: please don’t make assumptions, and please extend grace. You’ll have to say no often, but please do so kindly. Want more on this topic? Check out how our beginners’ guide to finding great self-published fiction and some recommendations for great self-published books. That means that, in most cases, your book needs to be available through Ingram, on sale or return, at a standard 55% discount, if you want your book stocked in bookstores. And telling the staff that your book falls into that category lets them know you have done your research and understand how the industry works. It also tells them that the process of ordering your book is going to be relatively easy, which is another point in your favour. Some bookshops also take books on consignment, but that’s more admin for them and for you, and sometimes there’s a fee for shelf space. It’s one way to go if, for whatever reason, your book isn’t available via Ingram. But it’s also one more hurdle to overcome in the process, and if there’s one thing no author or bookseller needs, it’s extra hurdles.
