| What should I do to make my book sell in the | | | | where there is the most footfall of customers and |
| shops? | | | | the chain gets paid marketing fees for the privilege. |
| I am often asked the question by new authors that I | | | | If you are a small self-publisher then you can not |
| meet, they think that as I am a bookseller of nearly | | | | expect to get your books into this valuable area. An |
| 20 years experience that I might be able to answer | | | | independent shop, however, is much less likely to be |
| this for them. Some of them are authors who have | | | | involved in receiving any money from the major |
| gone down the self-publishing route and so don't | | | | publishers marketing budget to promote titles in this |
| have the weight of the big publisher's marketing | | | | way and so the more of these independent |
| department behind them. Others are authors who, | | | | booksellers that you approach the better. |
| whether rightly or wrongly, think that their publisher is | | | | Assuming that you are not an already established |
| not 'cutting the mustard' in the promotion stakes. | | | | writer that is getting the benefit of this promotional |
| So assuming that your book is well written and is | | | | activity, perhaps you may be asking yourself how |
| targeted at a part of the market for which there are | | | | can you compete? My answer is to, create your own |
| potential customers with money to spend, how do | | | | demand for your book. Some ways to do this include |
| you get your book into the shops? | | | | giving talks on the subject of your book to clubs and |
| The first thing to be aware of is that shelf space in a | | | | societies. When you visit a bookshop offer to sign |
| bookshop is considered valuable to the owner. For | | | | their stock copies. A signed book will give it that |
| the shop's buyer to even look at stocking your book | | | | extra selling edge, especially to people looking for |
| it must first be in a format that they are used to | | | | presents to be given away. If your book's subject |
| handling and look professionally printed with an ISBN | | | | could sell a number of copies at an organised signing |
| and a bar-code. The dust jacket, or paperback front | | | | session, then you should suggest it to the shop's |
| cover is very important and the whole package must | | | | manager to see if they are willing to hold such an |
| convey the right impression. | | | | event for you. |
| The branches of a bookstore group, will buy most of | | | | Our company has produced a helpful manual and |
| their titles centrally and they tend to buy titles that | | | | Audio CD product called: 'Write Your Way To |
| fit well into the numerous promotions they do, such | | | | Freedom' that features, amongst some other |
| as a buy-one-get-one-free or three-for-two offers. | | | | modules, an interview with a published author who |
| These can often be seen in the cardboard 'dumpbins' | | | | explains about what extra efforts she used to add |
| around the shop which are normally compiled by the | | | | to the sales of her professionally published book. One |
| big publishers and so unless you are one of their | | | | other interview is with a Publishing House Rep and he |
| authors you will have a tough time trying to get into | | | | explains how to approach a mainstream publisher, as |
| these displays. Another thing to be aware of is that | | | | well as how to go the self-published route. Thirdly |
| the major multiples and the publishing houses do deals | | | | there is an interview with a book buyer who explains |
| with each other. The publishers get their books into | | | | what she looks for before even considering giving |
| the front of the branches of the multiple shop, | | | | shelf space to a new title. |